Canada PM, Foreign Lawmakers Show Support To Farmers' Protests, India Objects

The ongoing farmers' agitation against the three contentious farm laws has become a major cause of concern for the central government. As protest is gathering steam here in India, it has started to make noises in foreign countries as well.

Many foreign MPs have expressed solidarity with the farmers and urged the Indian government to immediately resolve the issue via dialogue. The most prominent of these foreign voices lending support to farmers is Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He has dubbed the current situation arising out of the peasant movement in India as 'concerning.'

In a video message released on Gurupurab, Trudeau said that Canada has always been a supporter of peaceful demonstrations and it stands firmly with farmers. He also claimed that Canada is engaged with India at multiple levels to resolve the current impasse.

Canadian PM @JustinTrudeau became the first global leader to voice his opinion on the ongoing #farmersprotests. Backing #Indianfarmers, he said “#Canada will always be there to defend the rights of peaceful protesters, adding that the situation in the country is ‘concerning’ pic.twitter.com/G2r4v3z6pR

— GoNewsIndia (@GoNews_India) December 1, 2020

Apart from Trudeau, the agitating farmers are also garnering support from many foreign parliamentarians. United Kingdom MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi has extended his support to the farmers by tweeting,  "I stand with the farmers of Punjab and other states of India, who are protesting peacefully against the farm bills 2020".

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. pic.twitter.com/TFywBgtK9X

— Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP (@TanDhesi) November 28, 2020

Another Canadian MP, John Harris, objected to the use of water canons and tear gas on the protesting farmers and asked the Indian government to reason with farmers. He said, "we are shocked to see the Indian government's suppression of farmers opposing the new laws, which will endanger their livelihood". The Indian government should engage in open dialogue with farmers rather than using water cannon and tear gas, he said.

We are shocked to see the Indian government's suppression of farmers protesting new laws which will endanger their livelihood. Instead of using water cannons and tear gas, the Indian government needs to engage in open dialogue with farmers.

— Jack Harris (@JackHarrisNDP) November 27, 2020

Meanwhile, India has taken a strong exception to statements made by foreign politicians with regard to farmers' agitation.  The Ministry of External Affairs has stated that the peasant movement is an internal issue and there is no need for any external interventions.

MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, "Such remarks are inappropriate, especially when pertaining to the internal affairs of a democratic country. It would be better not to misrepresent diplomatic negotiations for political purposes."

We've seen some ill-informed comments by Canadian leaders relating to farmers in India. These are unwarranted especially when pertaining to internal affairs of a democratic country. It's also best that diplomatic conversations aren't misrepresented for political purposes:MEA Spox pic.twitter.com/HXtFTrsxCX

— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2020

It seems that overwhelming support of domestic and foreign quarters for the peasant movement is pushing the government under the dock.