NEW DELHI: British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab discussed the ongoing farmers’ protests at Delhi’s borders with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during their interaction on Wednesday.
India had a vibrant heritage of peaceful protests, and the UK respects it, he told the media after the meeting.
“I discussed the situation with foreign minister Jaishankar and obviously, we respect the fact that the reforms going through your system here are domestic reforms,” Raab told reporters.
“Of course, they have elicited the protests that you refer to, and your politics – in some sense – because of the Indian diaspora in Britain, is our politics. But I think, India, as well as having a market-driven economy, also has a vibrant heritage of peaceful protests and vigorous debate, and we watch that with interest and we respect it.”
Earlier, British MPs, including those of Indian origin, had raised the issue of farmers' protest in the UK parliament. Thirty-six British MPs had also written to Raab to raise the issue of protests with the Indian government during his three-day tour to the country.
Raab also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday during which they discussed the potential of the relationship between India and UK in a post-COVID and post-Brexit era.
“The UK is committed to building a closer relationship with India. I met @narendramodi today to discuss our joint vision, a 10-year roadmap to create jobs for Britons and Indians, defined our security and work together as a force for good in the Indo-Pacific,” Raab tweeted. Experts from both countries will join forces through a new virtual hub to deliver vaccines, he added.
‘SC’s panel proposal is moral victory’
The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee said that the Supreme Court proposal asking the government to form a committee and include representatives of both the Centre and the farmer unions, is a “moral victory” for the agitating farmers, adding that the agitation will continue till the three farm laws are repealed.
It criticised PM Narendra Modi for claiming that farmers were being fooled by the opposition, saying it is “he who is fooling them”.
V-P hopes reasonable solution to issues
Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu expressed hope that an “early and reasonable solution” will be found on the issues raised by the agitating farmers.
At an awards ceremony jointly organised by the Rythu Nestham and Muppavarapu Foundation in Hyderabad, Naidu referred to the media reports on the demands of the agitating farmers and the response of the representatives of the Central government, and added that he saw a possibility of a certain meeting ground.
‘Modi Govt has Crossed Limits Of brutality’
The Congress attacked the government after a Sikh preacher, who was supporting the farmers’ stir against the farm laws, allegedly committed suicide near the Singhu border.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the Modi government should quit its “stubbornness” and withdraw the laws. “Many farmers have sacrificed their lives.
The brutality of the Modi government has crossed all limits. Quit stubbornness and immediately withdraw the anti-agricultural law,” he tweeted in Hindi.