POLL: I'll take petition against Indian death penalty to Parliament but I'd bring it back in the UK
A DERBYSHIRE MP who will deliver a petition to Westminster calling for the abolition of the death penalty in India has revealed she would vote to have it reinstated in this country.
Heather Wheeler, MP for South Derbyshire, was at a meeting of Sikhs at the Guru Arjan Dev Gurdwara, in Stanhope Street, Normanton, to talk about the situation in India.
She was given the 4,000-signature petition which had been gathered from Sikhs in Derby calling on pressure to be applied to the government of India to stop the death penalty.
But following the meeting, Mrs Wheeler, who caused controversy after she voted against the recent gay marriage bill, revealed that she would vote in favour of the death penalty being reinstated in Britain.
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She said: "I would vote for it to be brought back in this country.
"Where you have vicious criminal acts, why should they live on this land?"
However, she said she would listen to the concerns of her constituents and deliver the petition to Westminster
Chris Williamson was also at the meeting and received another copy of the petition.
The Derby North MP dubbed her comments "very regrettable".
He said: "The mark of a civilised society is one that does not execute people."
Jaz Rai, the Sikh community leader who along with Bhajan Singh coordinated the Derby petition said he was unaware of Mrs Wheeler's beliefs before she was invited to the meeting.
He said: "I didn't know about her position. However, that is her opinion and I respect that, not only as a Member of Parliament but also as a person."
The meeting at the temple was held following the debate on the death penalty in India in Westminster on Thursday last week.
The debate was held after a 120,000-signature petition, taken from across the UK, was delivered to Parliament, meaning a debate could be held on the Indian death penalty.
The petition was started after Balwant Singh Rajoana was supposed to be hanged for the assassination of the former chief minister of the Punjab, Beant Singh, in 1995.
But a stay of execution was granted and the Indian government, which had a moratorium on executions since 2004, is now considering his fate.
Mr Williamson is the secretary for an all-party parliamentary group which promotes the global abolition of the death penalty.
He said: "The debate in Parliament united almost the whole House. I'd urge people to write to the Indian High Commission and their MP about the issue."
The campaign group, Kesri Lehar, which created the national petition, will continue to put pressure on the government of India to abolish the death penalty following the historic debate.
To learn more visit www.kesrilehar.co.uk or email Mr Rai on sadauk@hotmail.co.uk.
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15 Comments
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by Wafty
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 10:19AM
“interesting that when we meddle in other country's affairs, we get (quite rightly) criticised, yet people with roots in other countries still want us to get involved and sort out their problems - I can't help thinking that the best place for a protest about the way India treats its citizens would be....in India!”
by smshogun
Monday, March 04 2013, 6:29PM
“Well said Janine.
What right have we to poke our nose into another countries affairs, and why is this MP poking her nose in when she was elected by the British people to represent British people in the UK.”
by troy27
Monday, March 04 2013, 6:25PM
“That`s the trouble with MP`s there too busy sticking their noses in things that has nothing to do with Britain.
Although I do believe the Death penalty should be in use in the UK for clear cases of murder,I do not see why a killer should still have a comfortable life in prison and victims family's have a life of heartbreak.”
by mixbits
Monday, March 04 2013, 3:20PM
“Derby Villager,
I think you should be clear that the constituents that she represents are minor in numbers to those in India. If her local constituents feel that they want to alter the laws of India they should only be entitled to do that as a citizen living in India. I come from Spondon and have worked in India for 2.5 years in total and I have no wish to meddle in the country's laws as I am a guest in their country. If I want to try to change the laws in Britain I choose to do so through the ballot box in England not through petitioning the Goverment of India. I do not like the laws thrust upon us through our European counterparts would you suggest that while I am in India I get a petition signed by nearly a billion people to send to our Government in England to try to change the laws on Human Rights and the edicts that come out of European courts etc.”
by Raglex
Monday, March 04 2013, 3:12PM
“[She] revealed that she would vote in favour of the death penalty being reinstated in Britain.
No she won't, she will vote as directed by her party!
Tell me again, why do we need 650 MPs?”
by barmyburke
Monday, March 04 2013, 3:01PM
“"The mark of a civilised society is one that does not execute people", says Williamson.
What a pity we are not judged on the way we treat victims of crime.”
by DerbyVillager
Monday, March 04 2013, 2:45PM
“It is supremely arrogant of our government and the people who signed this petition to think they have any right to tell another country how to run it's justice system.
How would we feel if India started telling us what to do??!!!”
by DerbyVillager
Monday, March 04 2013, 2:43PM
“mixbits and spondon,
I think you need to read the article again.
It is clear that Heather Wheeler is in favour of the death penalty but as an MP is agreeing to deliver the petition to parliament on behalf of constituents, despite her personal views.
How she can be criticised for doing her job despite disagreeing with it I don't know!”
by Tamas
Monday, March 04 2013, 1:45PM
“Meddling MP. Who were you elected to represent?”
by Ksdhindsa79
Monday, March 04 2013, 12:08PM
“Unbelievable Hypocrisy.
It's a shame people have to turn to politicians like this just to get support from them to highlight an issue to the wider community.
What an embarrassment.
Irrelevant of whether i agree or not with the petition campaign. This MP was seriously the wrong one to approach.”