Twitter lashes out at UK PM Boris Johnson over India-Pakistan gaffe

When questioned about the farmers protests in Delhi, the former foreign secretary Johnson said it was between India and Pakistan to resolve the issue

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday seemed to confuse two separate issues when he reiterated the UK government’s stance that any dispute between India and Pakistan was for the two countries to settle bilaterally.

British Sikh Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, who has been leading a drive to keep the protests by the Indian farmers against the government's agricultural reforms in the news in Britain, repeated one of his previous Twitter statements on the issue in the House of Commons during the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) session.

“Many constituents, especially those emanating from Punjab and other parts of India, and I were horrified to see footage of water cannons, teargas and brute force being used against peacefully protesting farmers. However, it was heart-warming to see those very farmers feeding those forces who had been ordered to beat or suppress them. What indomitable spirit and it takes a special kind of people to do that,” the Opposition lawmaker said.

“Our view is that of course we have serious concerns about what is happening between India and Pakistan but these are pre-eminently matters for those two governments to settle and I know that he appreciates that point,” said Johnson.

"Many were horrified to see water cannon, tear gas and brute force being used against farmers peacefully protesting in India about #FarmersBill2020. Everyone has the fundamental right to protest peacefully. But it might help if our PM actually knew what he was talking about!" said Dhesi after the incident in a tweet.

Unsurprisingly, Twitter lashed out at the Conservative Prime Minister over the gaffe. Here's how netizens reacted:

"Hello @BorisJohnson it is not India Pakistan matter, it is about Indian farmers being suppressed by Indian government Consult @JustinTrudeau if you are finding it difficult to understand the current situation," said user @TXingh.

"Is it too much to ask for a PM who knows the difference between Kashmir & Punjab?" tweeted Labour MP for Coventry South Zarah Sultana.

"Just a reminder, that @BorisJohnson was the former Foreign Secretary. Yet, he still managed to confuse Punjab with Kashmir. A former Foreign Secretary," tweeted another Labour MP Afzal Khan.

"Nonetheless, UK PM @BorisJohnson's reply was a gaffe. How are #FarmersProtest in #India a matter between India & #Pakistan and "pre-eminently a matter for those two govts to settle"?" said another user @SiddiquiMaha

(With inputs from PTI)