LONDON: Thousands of people in Britain have signed a petition calling for farmer protester safety and press freedom in India while the Labour party, for the first time since the protests against agricultural reforms began, issued a statement criticising the Indian authorities.
Shadow minister for Asia and the Pacific Stephen Kinnock said: “We are increasingly concerned by the violent nature of clashes between the farmers and police, and the risks to essential democratic rights and freedoms. We call on both sides to show restraint, but we are clear that the onus is on the Indian authorities to protect the farmers’ right to peaceful protest, to respect their right to freedom of assembly and expression, and to respond to any incidents of civil disobedience in a proportionate and appropriate manner. The foreign secretary should raise these concerns with his counterpart in the Indian government as a matter of urgency.”
A petition — started by Gurcharan Singh — on the UK government and parliament website, calls on the UK to “urge the Indian government to ensure the safety of farmer protesters and of press freedom”. By Tuesday it had reached close to 100,00 signatures and when it does it will trigger a debate in the House of Commons, which a government minister will have to attend to respond to issues raised.
The petition urges the UK government to make a public statement on the farmer protests and press freedoms in India “to encourage transparency and accountability in the world’s largest democracy” where “freedom of the press are fundamental rights”.
Gurdwaras and Sikh organisations across the UK have started a mass letter-writing campaign to UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab calling on him to raise their concerns about the “deteriorating human rights situation” with the Indian government and at the UN.
The Sikh Council UK has written to Raab asking him to urge the Indian authorities to resume peaceful dialogue with the farmers. “As a government committed to the rule of law and human rights, there is a positive obligation on the British government to continuously raise and monitor matters that concern the violation of fundamental human rights,” it said.
“The Indian security services are indiscriminately detaining and charging protesting farmers and journalists with false charges of terrorism, sedition, and anti-national conduct. Internet and phone services have been restricted to prevent independent reporting of the situation on the ground in Delhi. The Indian government is in breach of various UN resolutions and international laws regarding the right to protest, access to information, and free press,” it said.