Those who labelled protesters who stood with the Indian farmers as ‘terrorists and separatists’ should apologise: UK MP | India News – Rashtra News : Rashtra News
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LONDON: British Sikh MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi has called on “sections of the media and the establishment” who were “busy labelling farmers and those standing in solidarity with them as terrorists and separatists” to apologise after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday he would repeal the three central farm laws that have provoked huge protests for the past year.
Dhesi was among several Labour MPs, in addition to councillors, British Sikhs and activists, who were thrilled with the unexpected decision, declaring it as a “huge victory” and a “huge U turn”.
Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden said: “This decision will mean a lot to many in the UK who felt deep solidarity with the farmers protesting in India.”
“The farmers didn’t deserve to be so mistreated. They have made enormous sacrifices to preserve their way of life and their overwhelmingly peaceful, determined campaign has borne fruit,” added Dhesi.
British-born Daljit Singh (29), who has organised four kisan sleep-outs outside the Indian high commission in London, at which activists slept in the open air, said his protests would continue and the next one would go ahead in a gurdwara car park in Letchworth on November 27. “We are going to keep protesting until it’s gone through the parliamentary process. There isn’t much trust in the Indian government — they have allowed the farmers to stay there for a year in the cold and spread propaganda against them and we have seen them face water cannon and tear gas. Some people in America have had their OCIs revoked just for protesting and we have all been labelled as anti-nationals. Once it has gone through the parliamentary process, people will go home.”
British-born Punjabi councillor, Gurch Singh, who started the petition calling on the British government to urge India to ensure the safety of farmer protesters and journalists, which garnered 116,000 signatures and led to a debate in the House of Commons, told TOI he was “speechless”. “Friday is the birthday of Guru Nanak, so a huge day and really auspicious — this is the biggest gift we could receive as a community.”
“Some people are a bit sceptical about the timing but on the whole the community is overwhelmingly pleased,” he said, adding that the “government now needs to rebuild India’s reputation, which has been damaged by these protests”.
“It is a huge welcome that Narendra Modi is now accepting that these laws were not right,” said Britain’s first female Sikh MP, Preet Kaur Gill. “This is a victory for everyone who stands up for justice. Politics is about change and social movements are a great indicator and should inspire us all that change can be effective. There has been a cost to this victory — a cost of loss of life — and it has been heart-rendering to see how many farmers have been sleeping out in the cold and rain. But they did not give up until their rights were met.”
Dhesi was among several Labour MPs, in addition to councillors, British Sikhs and activists, who were thrilled with the unexpected decision, declaring it as a “huge victory” and a “huge U turn”.
Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden said: “This decision will mean a lot to many in the UK who felt deep solidarity with the farmers protesting in India.”
“The farmers didn’t deserve to be so mistreated. They have made enormous sacrifices to preserve their way of life and their overwhelmingly peaceful, determined campaign has borne fruit,” added Dhesi.
British-born Daljit Singh (29), who has organised four kisan sleep-outs outside the Indian high commission in London, at which activists slept in the open air, said his protests would continue and the next one would go ahead in a gurdwara car park in Letchworth on November 27. “We are going to keep protesting until it’s gone through the parliamentary process. There isn’t much trust in the Indian government — they have allowed the farmers to stay there for a year in the cold and spread propaganda against them and we have seen them face water cannon and tear gas. Some people in America have had their OCIs revoked just for protesting and we have all been labelled as anti-nationals. Once it has gone through the parliamentary process, people will go home.”
British-born Punjabi councillor, Gurch Singh, who started the petition calling on the British government to urge India to ensure the safety of farmer protesters and journalists, which garnered 116,000 signatures and led to a debate in the House of Commons, told TOI he was “speechless”. “Friday is the birthday of Guru Nanak, so a huge day and really auspicious — this is the biggest gift we could receive as a community.”
“Some people are a bit sceptical about the timing but on the whole the community is overwhelmingly pleased,” he said, adding that the “government now needs to rebuild India’s reputation, which has been damaged by these protests”.
“It is a huge welcome that Narendra Modi is now accepting that these laws were not right,” said Britain’s first female Sikh MP, Preet Kaur Gill. “This is a victory for everyone who stands up for justice. Politics is about change and social movements are a great indicator and should inspire us all that change can be effective. There has been a cost to this victory — a cost of loss of life — and it has been heart-rendering to see how many farmers have been sleeping out in the cold and rain. But they did not give up until their rights were met.”
( News Source :Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Rashtra News staff and is published from a timesofindia.indiatimes.com feed.)
