Extracts from Business
Questions
(Birmingham, Perry Barr)
(Lab): Over the past few days, Delhi has been burning at the hands
of Hindu extremism. Twenty-four people have been deemed dead so far
and hundreds have been injured in this extreme violence. The Indian
Government have enacted the citizenship law, which has also
produced concentration camps to house people who have lived in
India for years. There is communal violence against Muslims day in,
day out. Summary beatings, torture and deaths are taking place on
the streets, as well as the oppression of the Kashmiri people. Will
the Leader of the House please find time to get the Government to
make a statement or have a debate in Government time so as to have
a serious discussion about human rights and civil liberties under
the Indian Government?
Mr Rees-Mogg: The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to raise
this pressing matter. We are deeply concerned at the severity and
scale of violations of freedom of religious belief in many parts
of the world. In December, the Foreign Secretary announced an
independent review of Foreign and Commonwealth Office support for
persecuted Christians overseas, and there was debate on the
persecution of Christians on 6 February. However, this does not
mean that we are not concerned about the persecution of other
religions across the world. I urge the hon. Gentleman to raise
this matter at next month’s Foreign Office questions, but the
seriousness of what he has mentioned in the House today has not
passed the Government by.
(Strangford) (DUP): In India
attacks by Hindus on Christians and Muslims have increased and
there is evidence that the police are turning a blind eye.
Hundreds have been killed, thousands have been injured and chaos
reigns, all because of the new citizenship law that
disenfranchises Christians and Muslims. Will the Leader of the
House agree to a debate on this urgent and very disturbing
matter?
Mr Rees-Mogg: The hon. Gentleman may well have heard my earlier
answer to a similar question. I do not want to repeat all of
that, other than to reiterate the point that the Government take
this matter extremely seriously. I urge the hon. Gentleman to
raise it at next month’s Foreign Office questions. It is a very
serious matter.
Extract from Lords
debate on Offender Management: Checkpoint Programme
(CB):...Is the
Minister aware of the UK Society of Evidence Based Policing,
which is now replicated in many countries? Is he aware that Peter
Neyroud—formerly chief constable of Thames Valley Police and now
Professor Sherman’s academic colleague—recently explained
evidence-based policing to a meeting of chiefs of police in
India which was chaired by Prime Minister Modi,
who directed that the technique be adopted on a
pan-India basis?
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