Petition to Prompt Debate in UK Parliament Concerning Farmers’ Protests in India Reaches Signature Threshold

An online petition calling for debate in UK’s parliament concerning the ongoing farmers’ protests in India has reached over 110,000 signatures.

The petition, created created by Liberal Democrat Councillor for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Gurcharn Singh, is calling on parliament to raise the debate in order for Prime Minister Boris Johnson make a formal statement.

A minimum of 100,000 signatures was mandatory before for the possibility of a debate in the UK Parliament concerning the ongoing Indian farmers’ protests. Given that the target has been surpassed, MPs can anticipate the Chair of the Petitions Committee will consider it for the next agenda.

The petition aims to appeal to the government for a public statement that will “encourage transparency and accountability in the world’s largest democracy.”

The petition also comes moments before singer and superstar Rihanna shared an article by CNN that highlighted India’s controversial Internet ban following clashes in Delhi, who tweeted: “why aren’t we talking about this?! #FarmersProtest“.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg, also shared the article and tweeted: “We stand in solidarity with the #FarmersProtest in India.” 

Over 92,000 have signed the petition with constituents covering 646 out of the 650 MPs.

The following statistics reflect the reach and reaction of the UK’s Sikh and Punjabi community on the matter:

2 MPs have had over 3,000 of their constituents sign the petition:

1.      Virendra Sharma (Lab) Ealing Southall
2.      John McDonnel (Lab) Hayes and Harlington

2  MPs have had over 2,500 to 3,000 of their constituents sign the petition:

1.      Seema Malhotra (Lab) Feltham and Heston
2.      Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Lab) Slough

7 MPs have had over 1,500 to 2,000 of their constituents sign the petition:

1.      John Spellar (Lab) Warley
2.      Nicola Richards (Con) West Bromwich East
3.      Sam Tarry (Lab) Ilford South
4.      Pat McFadden (Lab) Wolverhampton South East
5.      Adam Holloway (Con) Gravesham
6.      Stuart Anderson (Con) Wolverhampton South West
7.      Khalid Mahmood (Lab) Birmingham Perry Barr

7 MPs have had over 1,000 to 1,500 of their constituents sign the petition:

1.      Claudia Webbe (Ind) Leicester East
2.      Valerie Vaz (Lab) Walsall South
3.      Shaun Bailey (Con) West Bromwich West
4.      Joy Morrissey (Con) Beaconsfield
5.      Collen Fletcher (Lab) Coventry North East
6.      Jane Stevenson (Con) Wolverhampton North East
7.      Ruth Cadbury (Lab) Brentford and Isleworth

20 MPs have had over 500 to 1,000 of their constituents sign the petition:

1.      Zarah Sultana (Lab) Coventry South
2.      Wes Streeting (Lab) Ilford North
3.      Neil O’Brien (Con) Harborough
4.      Margaret Beckett (Lab) Derby South
5.      Matt Western (Lab) Warwick and Leamington
6.      Boris Johnson (Con) Uxbridge and South Ruislip
7.      Preet Kaur Gill (Lab) Birmingham, Edgbaston
8.      Jonathan Ashworth (Lab) Leicester South
9.      Eddie Hughes (Con) Walsall North
10.  Shabana Mahmood (Lab) Birmingham, Ladywood
11.  Taiwo Owatemi (Lab) Coventry North West
12.  James Murray (Lab) Ealing North
13.  Adam Afriyie (Con) Windsor
14.  Amanda Solloway (Con) Derby North
15.  Julian Knight (Con) Solihull
16.  Andrew Mitchell (Con) Sutton Coldfield
17.  Tahir Ali (Lab) Birmingham, Hall Green
18.  Abena Oppong-Asare (Lab) Erith and Thamesmead
19.  Stephen Timms (Lab) East Ham
20.  Liz Kendall (Lab) Leicester West

126 more MPs have had over 100 to 500 of their constituents sign the petition.

Cllr Singh is also urging the public to lobby their local MPs to bolster awareness formally and strategically, in order to gain traction on the subject matter and facilitate the motion.

For guidance on contacting your local MP, click here.

Sign the petition here.