India rebukes UK MPs over farmers' protest debate
India's High Commission in London said the parliamentary discussion was full of "false assertions"
India has rebuked UK MPs for criticising its handling of long-running farmers' protests in Delhi.
Several Labour, Liberal Democrat and Scottish National Party MPs on Monday expressed concern over the safety of protesters and the status of press freedom in India, reports the BBC.
But India's High Commission in London said the parliamentary discussion was full of "false assertions".
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Indian farmers have been protesting for months against agricultural reforms.
Thousands of them have been camped on the outskirts of the capital Delhi, demanding the government repeal the laws, which seek to further open up India's farming sector to private players.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party-led government insist the laws will improve farmers' incomes. But farmers say the opposite will happen since the reforms give corporate companies greater bargaining power.
The protests - which have lasted for more than 100 days - have dominated headlines and social media feeds, and the government's response has drawn international attention and even rebuke.
India's government has shut down the internet around the protest sites for brief spells, arrested protesters, sympathetic activists and even journalists covering the strike.
Citing these instances, UK MPs said human rights and democratic freedoms were not being upheld in India, reports the BBC's Yogita Limaye.
"Water cannons and tear gas and repeated clashes between police and farmers and interruption in internet connectivity have been matters of concern. Several farmers have reportedly committed suicide," SNP MP Martin Day said.
