“We have serious concerns about what is happening between India and Pakistan,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said of the ongoing farmer protests in India.
Sound confusing? Well, they all are.
The protests of the peasants entered on the 15th on Thursday. Thousands of protesting farmers from Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have gathered at five different borders since November 26, including the Chilla and Singhu border in Delhi for nearly two weeks, demanding the repeal of three agricultural laws passed by the Center in September. The protesting farmers have a set of five main demands, including the implementation of PEM.
If you are not aware of the ongoing unrest and want to know what farmers are protesting against, read this.
Addressing Sikh participants from across Canada, at a Zoom meeting organized to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: “Canada will always be there to defend the right to peaceful protest. “. Trudeau had said this in the context of the farmers’ protest.
So it was a bit surprising when Prime Minister Boris Johnson seemed confused about the protests and thought it was an issue between India and Pakistan.
British Sikh Labor MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, who has been leading a campaign to keep Indian farmers’ protests against government farm reforms in the news in Britain, repeated one of his earlier statements on Twitter on the issue in the House. of Commons during the Weekly Prime Minister’s Question (PMQ) Session.
“Many voters, especially those from Punjab and other parts of India, and I are horrified to see images of water cannons, tear gas and brute force being used against peacefully protesting farmers. However, it was comforting to see those same farmers feeding the forces who had been ordered to beat or suppress them. What an indomitable spirit and it takes a special kind of people to do that, ”said the opposition legislator.
“So will the Prime Minister (Johnson) convey to the Prime Minister of India (Narendra Modi) our heartfelt anxieties, our hopes for a speedy resolution to the current deadlock and agree that everyone has the fundamental right to peaceful protest? ” Johnson questioned.
A confused Boris Johnson reiterated the UK government’s stance that any dispute between India and Pakistan was for the two countries to be resolved bilaterally.
Johnson, in his short reply, went on to address a completely unrelated matter. “Our view is that, of course, we have serious concerns about what is going on between India and Pakistan, but these are preeminent issues for those two governments to resolve and I know he appreciates that point,” Johnson said.
Dhesi, who seemed visibly perplexed, was quick to take to social media once again when he posted the exchange on Twitter, adding, “But it might help if our PM really knew what he was talking about!”
Many were horrified to see the use of water cannons, tear gas and brute force against farmers peacefully protesting in India for # FarmersBill2020.
Everyone has a fundamental right to protest peacefully, but it might help if our prime minister really knew what he is talking about! pic.twitter.com/EvqGHMhW0Y– MP of Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (@TanDhesi) December 9, 2020
“Absolutely clueless! I am so disappointed in your answer,” Dhesi said in another tweet.
The world is watching, the problem is huge with hundreds of thousands protesting around the world (including in London, the BBC reports) and Boris Johnson’s usual deception and bravado accumulates further shame in our nation. Absolutely clueless! Very disappointed with your answer.
– MP of Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (@TanDhesi) December 9, 2020
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
What did I just watch?
Farmers in India have protested against new exploitation laws that threaten to leave families and entire communities without the means to live. The prime minister hasn’t even bothered to read the headlines. https://t.co/YKLpmnZUNE— Nadia Whittome MP (@NadiaWhittomeMP) December 9, 2020
So far, the UK government has refused to participate in the ongoing protests in India, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has said that the issue of handling the protests was internal. “
READ: Why are farmers protesting? Everything you need to know about Bharat Bandh and meeting Amit Shah
READ: The many faces of the resistance as farmers continue their protest against farm laws
Police handling of the protests is a matter for the Indian government, an FCDO spokesman said last week, following a letter initiated by Dhesi and signed by 35 other UK MPs on the issue.
(With PTI inputs)
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