Shashi Tharoor says British parliament has right to comment on farmers' strike

Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor strongly disagreed with the argument that those in Britain cannot comment on farmers' strike in India. He said that in a democracy one is free to discuss whatever one wants.

Tharoor's remarks came in the light of India summoning the British High Commissioner in Delhi over 'unwarranted discussion' in the British parliament on agricultural reforms in India.

"Just as we, in India, can discuss say the Palestine-Israel issue as we've done in the past or we can discuss if we so choose any other domestic issue of a foreign country, British parliament has the same right," news agency ANI quoted Tharoor as saying.

"I don't blame the Government of India for doing its job, for speaking up for its point of view. But we must recognise there is another point of view and that in democracies, elected representatives are free to air their points of view."

"I don't think there is something so surprising. We should take it as a normal give and take that happen between democracies," said Mr Tharoor.

Over more than hundred days, farmers have been protesting against, and demanding repeal of the three farm laws passed by the parliament, camping at several Delhi border points.

However, the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday "conveyed strong opposition to the unwarranted and tendentious discussion on agricultural reforms in India in the British parliament".

"Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla made clear that this represented a gross interference in the politics of another democratic country. He advised that British MPs should refrain from practicing vote bank politics by misrepresenting events, especially in relation to another fellow democracy," the statement said.