UK Parliament to consider debate on farmers issue as e-petition attracts thousands of signatures

By Mohammed Mujtaba khan On Feb 4, 2021

London: The UK Parliament’s Petitions Committee will consider a Westminster Hall debate within the House of Commons advanced on the issue of farmers protests and press freedom in India after a web-based petition attracted over 110,000 signatures.

While the identify of Boris Johnson seems in his capability as a west London Conservative Party member of Parliament, Downing Street had categorically denied that the UK Prime Minister had signed the petition.

The House of Commons additional clarified on Thursday that whereas it’s potential to view signatures on its petitions web site by particular person parliamentary constituencies, and the information additionally offers the identify of the constituency MP, the information doesn’t present whether or not particular person MPs have signed it.

India has referred to as the remarks by overseas leaders and organisations on protests by farmers as ‘ill-informed’ and ‘unwarranted’, asserting that the matter pertains to the inner affairs of a democratic nation.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi issued a press release on Wednesday to spotlight that the Parliament of India had handed “reformist legislation” for the agricultural sector, which “a very small section of farmers” have some reservations about and subsequently the legal guidelines have been saved on maintain whereas talks are held.

Emphasising that the protests have to be seen within the context of India’s democratic ethos and polity, the MEA in its assertion stated some vested curiosity teams have tried to mobilise worldwide help in opposition to the nation.

“Before speeding to remark on such issues, we’d urge that the information be ascertained, and a correct understanding of the problems at hand be undertaken.

“The temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments, especially when resorted to by celebrities and others, is neither accurate nor responsible,” the MEA assertion stated following some high-profile celebrities tweeting over the agitation by farmers.

In London, a UK authorities spokesperson stated, “Media freedom is vital for the protection of human rights and journalists all around the world must be free to do their job and to hold authorities to account without fear of arrest or violence.”

“Free press plays a crucial role in our democracies and the government are putting their full weight behind this, including through our membership of the Media Freedom Coalition,” the spokesperson stated.

The petition on the official Parliament petitions web site, entitled ‘Urge the Indian Government to guarantee security of protesters & press freedom’, calls on the British authorities to make a public assertion on the “#kissanprotests & press freedoms”.

All e-petitions on the Parliament web site that cross the ten,000 signatures mark require the UK authorities to make an official assertion and any petitions that cross 100,000 signatures have to be thought of for a debate.

The House of Commons stated the federal government’s response to the petition is anticipated later this month and the debate is into consideration.

“Petitions that receive 100,000 signatures will be considered for a debate in Parliament. Debates in Westminster Hall — where petitions debates take place — are currently suspended, but the Committee will make an announcement on scheduling this debate as soon as possible,” a House of Commons spokesperson stated.

Meanwhile, the Indian Journalists’ Association (IJA) within the UK joined different worldwide media organisations to specific concern over the arrest of journalists masking the farmers’ protests and urged the Indian authorities to guarantee the protection of journalists within the nation.

“The freedom of press is an important pillar of any democracy and authorities must ensure that journalists are able to do their jobs — reporting accurately and without bias — however challenging the circumstances,” it stated in a press release.

Thousands of farmers, primarily from Punjab and Haryana, have been tenting at a number of Delhi border factors since November final yr, demanding the federal government to repeal the three farm legal guidelines and authorized assure of minimal help value (MSP) for his or her crops.

Defending the three contentious agri legal guidelines, the MEA stated, “These reforms give expanded market access and provided greater flexibility to farmers. They also pave the way for economically and ecologically sustainable farming.”

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