Addressing the Parliament, Dhesi said, “Many of my Slough constituents, including members of the Sikh community and Gurdwaras have written to me regarding their serious concerns about the safety of protesting farmers in their attempt to march towards New Delhi.”
He highlighted the tragic incident, stating, “Yesterday, a protestor was killed during a reported standoff with the police wherein, the cause of death was, and I quote: ‘a bullet wound to the head’.”
“The Punjab Health Minister confirmed that a second boy had also sustained a bullet wound. But luckily, he had survived with another 13 being treated for injuries in hospitals,” he added.
Dhesi also raised concerns over the Indian government’s actions to suspend accounts and posts on social media linked to the farmers’ protest. He urged for the protection of protestors’ freedom of expression and human rights.
This comes after a 21-year-old farmer died on Wednesday during the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march, as protestors disagreed with the government’s proposals on minimum support price (MSP).
Shubkaran Singh, the farmer who lost his life, hailed from Baloke village in Punjab’s Bathinda district. He is survived by his father, Charanjeet Singh, two sisters, and his grandmother. Shubkaran, who owned approximately 3 acres of land, joined the protest on 13 February.
Over the year, he was an active member of the Bhartiya Kisan Union Sidhupur, and was seen regularly attending its meetings and protests. Prior to this protest, he was also a part of the 2021 farmers’ protest, which was instrumental in forcing the central government to roll back several controversial farm laws.
Shubhkaran Singh was among 15 farmers from his village who joined the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march.
X (formerly Twitter), has also complied with India’s orders to suspend accounts and posts related to the farmers’ protest, expressing disagreement with the government’s directives and reiterating its commitment to freedom of expression.
The British Parliament’s remarks underline the international attention and concern surrounding the farmers’ protest in India, emphasizing the need for a peaceful resolution and respect for democratic rights.
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