After Canada, 36 British MPs Extend Support to Indian Farmers’ Agitation, BJP Lash out at Justin Trudeau
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, With the international pressure on the Narendra Modi government has started increasing over the farmers’ stir after 36 British members of Parliament followed Canada in support of the agitating ryots, the ruling BJP on Saturday slammed Canada’s stand on farmers’ protests in India as “nothing but hypocrisy.”
The BJP’s foreign affairs department in-charge Vijay Chauthaiwale in a tweet strongly criticized the “double-standard” of the Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau pointing out that while Canada was a strident critic of minimum support price (MSP) of farm produces and other agricultural policies at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and often questioned India’s domestic agricultural measures, including food and livelihood security, it was supporting the farmers’ stir in India which was demanding continuation of the MSP.
“It (Canada) also opposes import restrictions to protect India’s farmers. The questions posed by Canada to India regarding India’s agri-policies in WTO are evidence of the fact that Canada has scarce interest in the genuine well-being of Indian farmers and agriculture producers,” he said.
Trudeau earlier this week in a local television interview had backed the Indian agitating farmers stating that Canada would “always be there to defend the rights of peaceful protests.” He had expressed concern over the situation with thousands of farmers squatting on the borders of Delhi demanding the centre repeal the three farm acts passed in September.
Expressing almost a similar sentiment, 36 British MPs from various parties – including some of Indian origin and others representing many constituents with links in Punjab – have written to British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, asking him to raise the issue of farmers’ agitation with the Modi government.
Coordinated by Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, the letter seeks an urgent meeting with Raab and an update on representations the foreign office may have made with India on the issue, including during the recent London visit by foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla.
Reacting strongly Trudeau’s statement, Indian external affairs ministry had on Friday summoned the Canadian high commissioner in Deli Nadir Patel and told him that the stand taken by the prime minister and some of his other cabinet colleagues was an “unacceptable interference” in the country’s internal affairs and these actions, if continued, will have a “seriously damaging” impact on bilateral ties.
In a series of tweets tagging Trudeau and Nadir Patel, Chauthaiwale said, “Canada’s criticism of India on farmer’s issues is nothing but hypocrisy. Canada is strident critic of MSP and other agriculture policies at the WTO, and often questions India’s domestic agriculture measures including food and livelihood security.”
Noting that Canada objective at the WTO had always been to seek increased market access in countries like India, the BJP leader said also sought reduction in the agri subsidies provided to domestic producers, even if such subsidies are subsistence-level, he said.
“It also opposes import restrictions to protect India’s farmers. The questions posed by Canada to India regarding India’s agri policies in WTO are evidence of the fact that Canada has scarce interest in the genuine well-being of Indian farmers and agriculture producers,” the BJP leader said.
Even before the storm over Canada’s “interference in India’s internal affairs” was over, the British MPs have joined the fray pointing out that it was “an issue of particular concern to Sikhs in the UK and those linked to Punjab, although it also heavily impacts on other Indian states. Many British Sikhs and Punjabis have taken this matter up with their MPs, as they (are) directly affected with family members and ancestral land in the Punjab.”
Signatories to the letter included MPs from Labour, Conservative and Scottish National Party, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Virendra Sharma, Seema Malhotra, Valerie Vaz, Nadia Whittome, Peter Bottomley, John McDonnell, Martin Docherty-Hughes and Alison Thewliss.
Stating that several MPs had recently written to the Indian high commission about the impact of India’s three farm laws, the letter alleges that they fail “to protect farmers from exploitation and to ensure fair prices for their produce”.
British MPs have also been commenting on the farmers’ agitation on the social media in recent days.
Preet Kaur Gill, Labour MP from Birmingham Edgbaston and chair of the All Party Parliamentary Party for British Sikhs, reacted to images of protests from Delhi: “This is no way to treat citizens who are peacefully protesting over the controversial Farmers Bill in India”.
“Shocking scenes from Delhi. Farmers are peacefully protesting over controversial bills that will impact their livelihoods. Water cannons, and tear gas, are being used to silence them”, she added on Twitter.
Dhesi posted images from the protests and said: “It takes a special kind of people to feed those ordered to beat and suppress them. I stand with farmers of Punjab and other parts of India, including our family and friends, who are peacefully protesting” against the acts, which, he called, “privatization” of Indian farming.
