British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday was questioned by British Sikh Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, on the ongoing farmers protest in India, mixed the two separate issues when he reiterated the UK government's stance that any dispute between India and Pakistan was for the two countries to settle bilaterally.
MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi has been vocal about the farmer’s protests against the 3 agricultural laws, repeated one of his previous Twitter statements on the issue in the House of Commons during the weekly Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) session.
"Everyone has a fundamental right to peaceful protest" - MP Dhesi
In a video, the opposition lawmaker said, "Many constituents, especially those emanating from Punjab and other parts of India, and I were horrified to see footage of water cannons, teargas and brute force being used against peacefully protesting farmers. However, it was heart-warming to see those very farmers feeding those forces who had been ordered to beat or suppress them. What indomitable spirit and it takes a special kind of people to do that."
"So, will the Prime Minister convey to the Indian Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) our heartfelt anxieties, our hopes for a speedy resolution to the current deadlock and does he agree that everyone has a fundamental right to peaceful protest," he questioned Mr Johnson.
Boris Johnson, however in his brief response, went on to address a completely unrelated matter instead. He said, "Our view is that of course, we have serious concerns about what is happening between India and Pakistan but these are pre-eminently matters for those two governments to settle and I know that he appreciates that point.”
"Disappointed with his response" - MP Dhesi
Mr Dhesi, was baffled to hear Johnson talk on a completely different issue was quick to respond and posted his reaction on Twitter, adding: "But it might help if our PM knew what he was talking about!"
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The UK government has been refusing to be dragged into the farmer’s protest with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) saying the matter of handling protests was an internal one.
Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and several other states have been protesting since November 26 on various borders of Delhi, demanding to scrap the 3 farm bills. Calling these laws as "anti-farmer", these farmers claim that the new laws will dismantle the minimum support price system, and would leave them at the ‘mercy’ of corporates. However, the Center has assured the farmers that these laws will bring the growth of new technologies in agriculture and also produce better opportunities for the farmers.