West Dunbartonshire MP: Constituent's plight ignored because he 'isn't white'
Jagtar Singh Johal has spent more than 10 months in an Indian prison and has made 51 court appearances.
The MP for West Dunbartonshire has accused the UK Government of treating his constituent’s plight abroad with less urgency due to his skin colour.
Martin Docherty-Hughes has been campaigning to free Jagtar Singh Johal from Indian prison since the 31-year-old was taken off the streets in Punjab last November.
Jagtar, who was in India for his wedding, has since made 51 pre-trial court appearances but is yet to be formally charged.
The UK Government had initially promised ‘extreme action’ following allegations last year that Jagtar had been tortured.
But with the Scot having now spent more than 300 days in detention - and with his release seemingly no closer - SNP MP Martin Docherty-Hughes told Clyde News he’s growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of movement.
He said: “Since Boris Johnson resigned from position as Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, it has placed both myself and Jagtar’s family in a difficult situation.
“I have now had to give the new Foreign Secretary their place, I have written to them, and I hope now that Parliament is sitting that I don’t need to rise again on the floor of the House of Commons to seek answers to questions about meetings with myself and the family.
“There are a range of reasons which undermine the UK Government’s consular support system in relation to Jagtar. It is extremely worrying that his story is not being picked up by the mainstream media. Fundamentally, Jagtar does not fit into the mainstream idea of what it is to be a true ‘Son of the Rock’ of Dumbarton – which he is.
“The colour of his skin is not white, and he wears a turban as an expression of his faith. He is a son of the Rock, he’s a young man from Dumbarton, a young man from Scotland, and he requires our support.
“The UK’s consular system across the world is not fit for purpose.
“I’ve had three constituents – incluyding Jagtar – in which the system has fundamentally failed them and their families, from the Lisa Brown case to Jagtar.
“The inability of staff to fully support them without legislative process through Whitehall is undermining the ability of UK citizens abroad to feel safe, secure and that their Government actually will support them abroad.”
Jagtar will make another appearance in court next week.