PHAGWARA: Various farmers unions thanked and honoured Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP from Slough, UK at an event in village Mauli, Phagwara on Friday for raising the farmers issue so vociferously on the floor of the British Parliament during debates and questions during 'Kisan Andolan'.
At this special program organised by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Doaba), farmer leaders and supporters of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha gathered in large numbers to show their appreciation for those who had shown solidarity during the largest protest on the planet. Chief Guest was UK MP Dhesi spoke at length on the NRI support for the Indian farmers and the daily information updates he had received from many, especially his uncle Paramjit Singh Raipur member SGPC from Adampur.
Dhesi revealed that he had organised an initiative by drafting a letter which was signed by 36 MPs to the UK Foreign Minister so as to raise the human rights issue of the peacefully protesting farmers with the Indian Foreign Minister, which he duly did.
Interacting with farmer leaders he informed that he had penned another letter to the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, signed by over 100 British MPs, to ensure that farmers were not mistreated by the authorities, when footage of the tear gas and lathi charge became viral.
In his address, Dhesi raised various NRI issues, such as the need to have more direct flights from the UK to Amritsar and Chandigarh. UK MP also highlighted other ongoing work that he is leading on, involving constructing a memorial in central London for Sikh soldiers who served during the World Wars and promoting the marital art Gatka by holding annual UK Gatka Championships since seven years.
The BKU leaders, including Manjeet Singh Rai, Satnam Singh Sahni, Kirpal Singh Moosapur and others thanked Dhesi for raising the farmers issue and said it was due to NRIs and such strong voices from around the world that the Kisan Morcha attained historic success.
On the occasion numerous local political and farmer leaders including Jaspal Singh Dhesi, Kuldeep Singh Sangha, Harinder Singh Khaira, Husan Lal Sarpanch, Pala Mauli, Harbans Singh Hardo Pharola and Dr Sukhi were also present.