THE UK Government has been urged to intervene in the Indian Government’s treatment of the farmers protesting in the country following reports of police violence, journalist arrests, and internet blackouts.
Farmers on the Indian subcontinent have been protesting since August 2020 over law changes proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Around 250 million people are estimated to have joined the protests on a single day in November in perhaps the largest demonstration in world history.
In response to the protests, Modi’s government has “resorted to hindering access to protest sites, shutting down the internet, censoring social media and using draconian laws against protesters who have been peacefully voicing their opposition to the new laws”, according to Amnesty International.
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Amnesty also say that at least eight journalists and politicians have been charged with sedition after reporting on the protests. Other reports allege that social media giants have been pressured to block accounts who post in support of the protesters.
The SNP have told Westminster that this is a situation which “cannot be ignored”.
Martyn Day MP said: "Press freedom and the right to peaceful protest is central to any democracy - so the images over the past few months emerging from India are deeply worrying.
"The escalation in violence and the press crackdown - including over social media accounts - cannot simply be ignored, especially at a time when the UK Government is keen to strengthen ties with the Indian Government.”
The London Government has been chasing a lucrative free trade deal with Modi's India in the wake of Brexit, with Boris Johnson’s scheduled January visit to the Asian nation postponed due to the pandemic.
A UK-India trade deal is seen as vital to the Prime Minister’s idea of a “Global Britain” as it will increase influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
SNP MP Day said: "As the world’s largest democracy and a key regional player, India has a pivotal role to play on the world stage. That is why it is vital that the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary impress upon our Indian partners our joint convictions on free speech and the right to protest.”
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Charandeep Singh, the director of Sikhs in Scotland, told The National that the UK Government should use its influence in India to ensure the protests and freedom of expression are allowed to progress according to standard democratic principles.
Singh, a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Points of Light award, said: "Upholding democratic rights such as the freedom of expression and peaceful protest do not weaken a country, they strengthen it.
“The Westminster Hall discussion on the Indian Farmers Protest is welcome. MPs will be reflecting the voice of millions of people who are extremely dismayed by the actions of the Indian government and police.
“Journalists have been arrested, internet access has been shut down, police violence has been documented and innocent farmers have been vilified. As a friend to India, the British government can guide the Indian administration to actively engage with its citizens and uphold democratic principles.”
The UK Government has been contacted for comment.
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