Sikh groups in UK have approached the government urging it not to allow former union minister Jagdish Tytler, former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, ex-Punjab Police chief KPS Gill and its current DGP SS Saini to attend the ongoing Olympic games.
It is because of their alleged role in human
rights abuses against the community in 1980s.
The government, on its part, has remained non-committal but set out policies in such cases.
The foreign office minister responsible for India, Jeremy Browne wrote to shadow foreign office minister John Spellar.
The July 26 letter stated "On the specific question of accreditation we don't routinely comment on individual cases. Our policy is clear that accreditation shall be refused to any individual who may present a safety or security risks, where their presence at the Games or in the United Kingdom would not be conducive to the public good or if there is any independent, reliable and credible evidence that they have committed human rights abuses".
Browne said Britain maintained a dialogue with Indian officials about minority rights issues generally in India, including with regards to the Sikh community.
The UK, he said, was "active in encouraging an improvement in the treatment of all minority communities in India."
We are committed to ensure the Olympic Games are a success and enhance the reputation of the United Kingdom as an efficient host nation and an attractive place to visit, said Browne.
"We welcome all legitimate visitors to U.K, including members of the Olympic and Paralympic games family", he added.