The Jharkhand Christian Youth Association, a conglomeration of inter-denomination members, has expressed solidarity with the farmers’ protest.

The association has backed the message of the All India Catholic Union (AICU) on Monday in support of the farmers.

“We fully align with the solidarity message of the AICU reaffirming the demand for the withdrawal of the new farm laws and empathise with the agitating farmers. We stand with our peasants during this time when they need the support of all sections of India’s society and would extend our contribution in whatever manner possible to their cause,” said Kuldeep Tirkey, central president of the Jharkhand Christian Youth Association, a religious and social organisation, and a resident of Ranchi.

The Auxiliary Bishop of the Ranchi Archdiocese, Theodore Mascarenhas, had on Monday released the message of the AICU, a 101-year-old organisation that has members in all states of India.

“The members of the AICU are professionals, servicemen and small businessmen, and many of them work on the land as farmers of paddy and other grains, as owners and workers. We, therefore, are naturally in solidarity with people of all faiths who are farmers, fishermen and workers in factories. We know and understand how much labour and sweat of the farmer goes into producing food for the country, and cash crops for export,” AICU national president Lancy D’Cunha had said in a podcast in several languages.

The AICU drew attention to the love the farmers have for the land, the animals they breed and the environment in which they labour. “This cannot be measured in terms of just money,” the outfit said in a statement dated January 31 and released by AICU spokesperson John Dayal.

“We also know that in Europe and many other countries, the governments honour this labour of the farmers. Governments, therefore, give huge subsidies to their farmers,” the statement said.

The situation in India, it pointed out, varies from state to state, and farmers are under great stress. If there is a drought or a hailstorm or a flood, their entire labour is lost, the AICU said.

According to the statement, more than 350,000 farmers have committed suicide in the past 10 years because of failure to repay loans.

“We stand in total solidarity with the farmers who are now agitating at the gates of the national capital, New Delhi. The farmers have been in a struggle to save agriculture and thus save India from disaster,” the AICU said.

D’Cunha said: “These agriculture laws and the proposed electricity amendments are detrimental to all people.”