On 8 March 2021 a, 'debate' took place regarding the farmers protest in India at Westminster Hall. Around 36 MPs took part. I thought a debate would have representation made by two sides of an argument. In this case there was only one side. The Indian government was accused of heavy-handed policing of the farmers. MP Layla Moran of the Liberal Party, Pat Mcfaddon shadow treasury minister and SNP MP Martin Day said were amongst the speakers.
Stephen Kinnock Labour's shadow minister for Asia said, “We are deeply concerned about reports of live ammunition being used by the police. Narendra Modi needs to realise the world is watching.”
While the MPs had accepted that the farm reforms were a matter for Indian government, the previous leader of the Labour party Jeremy Corbyn said that farmers were protesting because they are predominantly small farmers on less than five acres, many of them very poor. The new farmers law is to assist exactly the same people but then Mr Corbyn does not have the will or the inclination to hear the other side. He went on to say that 22,000 farmers have committed suicide since the protests began. One wonders where he got this figure from.
Nigel Adams the Conservative government minister for Asia at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said, “We look to the Indian government to uphold the freedoms guaranteed by its constitution and international instruments to which India is a party. Whilst this is an exciting time for the UK- India partnership it does not hinder us from raising difficult issues.”
As I write this news is coming in of extremely heavy-handed policing at a vigil held in Clapham by the women's, 'Reclaim the Streets' movement. The media and even the government is outraged. How would it look if the Indian Parliament discussed this and reminded the British government of the rights of citizens to protest?
The question that hangs in the air is what exactly the British government or the MPs can do to India?
India is the world's largest democracy, and it is one of the leading economies of the world with a market of 1.3 billion people. Boris Johnson is talking of a £100 billion trade deal with India. So, a trade embargo would be damaging to the UK. India is no longer a push over. Britain has its own serious issues to deal with. According to the Social Market Foundation think tank almost 2 million children in the UK went hungry. There are many more serious issues facing Britain.
Given the situation it is surprising that British MPs chose to condemn India on unsubstantiated allegations. Words which will have no impact on India whatsoever have dampened the huge potential that both the countries have to forge a great political and economic bond. The farmers protest will be resolved sooner rather than later. When that happens many Indians overseas will feel abandoned by the side, they thought they were championing.
