British Sikh MP Dhesi highlights Punjab farmer’s death in UK Parliament. Amidst global concerns regarding human rights and freedom of expression. British MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi continues to advocate for these principles. Particularly in relation to recent events in India.
Just days following a farmer’s death at the Khanauri Border protest site, British MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:
The UK’s first turbaned Sikh MP, raised the issue in the British Parliament on Friday. Expressing “serious concerns” he inquired:
if the British Government had addressed the matter with India.
Dhesi is recognized for his vocal stance on global Sikh matters. He previously backed the farmers’ agitation in 2020-21 and scrutinized India’s human rights record.
He shared a video of the speech on X, he said:
Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi stated:
“Yesterday, a protester was killed during a reported standoff with the police, wherein the cause of death was a bullet wound to the head.”
This unfortunate incident occurred as protesting farmers attempted to rush towards the police barricades on the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana on February 21, resulting in the death of Shubhkaran Singh, a farmer in his 20s from Punjab’s Bhatinda.
Dhesi’s Advocacy for Human Rights and Freedom of Expression:
British Sikh MP Dhesi highlights Punjab farmer’s death in UK Parliament. While Dhesi mentioned that Subhkaran Singh died from a bullet injury, the official reason and circumstances surrounding his death have not been confirmed yet.
The UK Shadow Minister for Exports, Dhesi, also addressed the issue of X being pressured by the Indian Government to remove handles of farm protest activists, referencing a BBC report.
He reiterated his concern for:
“the freedom of expression and the safety of protestors and their human rights.”
Dhesi concluded his speech in Parliament by asking:
“So, does the LoH agree with me that freedom of expression and the safety of protestors and their human rights must be protected, and what representation has the government made to its Indian counterparts to that effect?”
This isn’t the first time British MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi has made headlines for his stance on Indian issues. He previously expressed concerns after the Indian government’s 2019 abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
“Kashmir was put into lockdown a year ago today,”Dhesi wrote on X, marking the anniversary of the action. “Kashmiris deserve peace and prosperity, not an ongoing crackdown,” he reiterated in August 2020.
Advocacy Admist Farmers’ Protests and International Tensions:
Throughout the 2020-21 farmer’s protest, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi consistently expressed his apprehensions regarding the:
“deployment of water cannons, tear gas, and aggressive police tactics against farmers.”
“In the UK Parliament in 2020,” Dhesi stated:
“Many constituents, especially those originating from Punjab and various regions of India, along with myself, were appalled to witness footage depicting the use of water cannons, tear gas, and forceful measures against peacefully demonstrating farmers.”
Earlier this year, Dhesi criticized Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s assertion regarding the alleged involvement of the Indian government in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjhar, labeling it as “alarming.”
Dhesi disclosed that numerous “concerned, agitated, and apprehensive Sikhs.” They reached out to him following the escalation of tensions between India and Canada.
In August 2023:
Dhesi purportedly encountered a two-hour delay by immigration officials upon his arrival in Amritsar. While there was no official confirmation about the British MP’s detention. However, Sources indicated that he lacked his Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card.
