Updated: December 10, 2020 1:43:50 pm
Johnson’s response sparked anger and joy among people, especially Indians on social media.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday confused the current farmer agitation against farm laws in India with the conflict in India and Pakistan, sparking ridicule on social media.
In the House of Commons, during the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQ) session, MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi asked Johnson to comment on the ongoing protests in India, which have seen tens of thousands of farmers camping on the outskirts of Delhi for over two years. weeks now.
“Will the Prime Minister (Johnson) convey to the Indian Prime Minister (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.
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 PM really knew what he was talking about! pic.twitter.com/EvqGHMhW0Y
– MP of Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (@TanDhesi) December 9, 2020
However, Johnson, in his short reply, went on to speak on a topic completely unrelated to the India-Pakistan conflict.
“Our view is that, of course, we have serious concerns about what is happening between India and Pakistan, but these are preeminent issues for those two governments to resolve and I know he appreciates that point,” Johnson said.
In one video, Dhesi, who has been a vocal supporter of farmers and started a letter pledging support for the protests, seemed perplexed by Johnson’s response. He later took to Twitter to criticize the prime minister.
“It might help if our prime minister really knew what he was talking about,” he wrote.
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
Johnson’s response also sparked anger and jokes on social media. Take a look at some of the reactions here:
With! Someone needs to inform this so-called leader of our country.
– Abs Singh (@ Abs_Singh_1) December 9, 2020
My God, India, the US, and the UK are doomed together. Congratulations to all
– compulsive observer (@BiggBossLov) December 9, 2020
The only thing it would be useful for is teaching Modi how to make a U-turn.
– Usingh Bolt (@USingh_Bolt) December 9, 2020
He repeated his reserved lines the Kashmir struggle for independence and thought they would fit into any issue related to India. A truly vile man.
– Haquafresh (@Haquafresh) December 9, 2020
Pick clowns … wait for a circus …
– Harjap Bhangal (@HarjapBhangal) December 9, 2020
Judging by his reaction, the prime minister’s response was equally horrifying. pic.twitter.com/894Ej4nmIU
– Raj Nagpal (@raj_nagpal) December 9, 2020
This @TanDhesi He won’t be able to name all the farm laws, but buffoons like him will tell us how to run our country.
– Avinash Upadhyay (@ AvinashkumarU18) December 9, 2020
Is it possible that Boris Johnson thought that Pakistani farmers were protesting in Delhi?
– H Nagesh Rao (@NageshraoH) December 9, 2020
💯 this is exactly what you want ‘incompetent’ = no responsibility. Nothing to do with lucrative post-Brexit trade deals?
The same stance Thatcher took in 84, please allow this to shake our conscience.– Ravideep Kaur (@rav_deep) December 9, 2020
More like “deliberate” distraction
– Arif Mehmood (@ am19arch) December 10, 2020
I hope Boris’s listening skills improve over dinner tonight! It is not impressive. Your face was an image! It was also a great question.
– Sue Cook (@ SueC00K) December 9, 2020
I was horrified by @BorisJohnson answer, thousands marched through the streets of london on sunday and our prime minister has no idea 🤷🏽♂️
– Kasim Choudhry (@choudhry_kasim) December 9, 2020
A UK government spokesperson reportedly later clarified and said the Prime Minister had “misheard” the question.
“The prime minister clearly misheard the question today in parliament,” the spokesman told the channel. “The Ministry of Foreign Relations [is] closely following the issue of protests in India. “
Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana, and several other states have been protesting across Delhi’s various borders since Nov. 26, seeking the repeal of the three agricultural laws enacted in September. (Follow LIVE UPDATES here)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had previously extended his support to protesting farmers, drawing criticism from India. 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.
(With PTI inputs)
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