British MPs, international cricketer and filmmaker criticise treatment of farmers at kisan protest in Delhi, extend support

LONDON: British Labour MPs, English international Sikh cricketer Monty Panesar and “Bend it Like Beckham” director Gurinder Chadha have taken to Twitter to extend support to Indian farmers and criticise the way the farmer protests on the Delhi border are being policed following scenes of water cannon, lathi charges and tear gas reaching London.
Chadha tweeted images of Sikhs being targeted by water cannon and said: “Why are they being attacked? What is their threat? … What is going on in India? What exactly have these citizens done to deserve this treatment? And in a pandemic?” She also tweeted a TikTok video of a sole British Sikh protester outside the India high commission in London carrying a farmers’ flag.
Panesar tweeted: “What happens if the buyer says the contract cannot be fulfilled because the quality of crop is not what was agreed, what protection does the farmer have then? There is no mention of fixing a price??!!” He also tweeted at Dominic Raab to say, “What will it take for the UK foreign secretary to get involved to help Indian farmers?”
Slough MP Tan Dhesi, whose family is from Raipur in Jalandhar, where his grandparents were farmers, tweeted images of water cannon and a policeman charging at an elderly Sikh man juxtaposed with images of Sikhs serving langar to the police, saying: “It takes a special kind of people to feed those ordered to beat and suppress them. I stand with farmers of the #Punjab and other parts of #India, including our family and friends, who are peacefully protesting against the encroaching privatisation of #FarmersBill2020.”
Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell MP, a long-time ally of Jeremy Corbyn, tweeted: “I agree with @TanDhesi. This sort of oppressive behaviour against peaceful protesters is unacceptable and tarnishes the reputation of India”, whilst restauranteur Harjinder Singh Kukreja replied to Dhesi: “Very well said MP sir.”

Shadow international development secretary Preet Kaur Gill, whose family hail from Jamsher in Jalandhar, tweeted a video of Haryana farmer Navdeep Singh risking police lathis to climb onto a truck to turn off a water cannon tap, saying: “This is no way to treat citizens who are peacefully protesting over the controversial Farmers Bill in India.” She added: “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.”