E-Paper
Sikh body plans to ban Indian officials from UK gurdwaras
The Sikh Federation UK said the ban could extend to more than 100 gurdwaras in Britain as part of an eventual worldwide ban on visits by Indian officials to gurdwaras.
Days after some gurdwaras in Canada imposed a ban on visits by Indian officials, a Sikh organisation in the United Kingdom has proposed a similar measure from later this month in response to what it said was their “interference and anti-Sikh activities”.
The Sikh Federation UK, a leading campaign group of the Sikh community, said on Friday the ban could extend to more than 100 gurdwaras in Britain as part of an eventual worldwide ban on visits by Indian officials to gurdwaras in their official capacity.
Responding to the proposal, India’s deputy high commissioner Dinesh Patnaik told Hindustan Times that the mission would continue to engage with the Sikh community, which he described as a “pillar of society”.
“Such threats are not acceptable. In 2017 we held a major Baisakhi event and several others related to the 350th anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh in various parts of the UK. We will continue to engage with the Sikh Federation UK too,” he said.
A group of office-bearers claiming to represent more than a dozen gurdwaras in the Canadian province of Ontario resolved on December 30 to “bar” officials representing India, its diplomats and others from entering the premises of these places of worship.
The campaign group said the Federation of Sikh Organisations - the umbrella group of several organisations - will discuss the proposal over the weekend to issue a declaration, and added its contacts in 15 European countries had suggested similar bans there.
Jasdev Singh Rai, director of Sikh Human Rights Forum, said: “It has been an unstated collective position of Sikhs that inviting any leader or official of the Indian state in their official capacity would be endorsing India’s attack on Sri Harmandir Sahib and its gross human rights violations of Sikhs through the years.
“Cynicism has been reinforced lately since the Narendra Modi government has not shown any recognisable progress on the release of political prisoners, despite making a declaration to do so in London (during his November 2015 visit),” he added.
The proposed ban is on visits by Indian officials in their official capacity, but according to the Sikh Federation UK, their presence in an individual capacity would also make members of the community uncomfortable and they can be expected to be challenged on alleged “anti-Sikh activities”.
Bhai Amrik Singh, chair of the campaign group, said: “Sikhs in the diaspora are fed up with Indian government officials and their agents increasingly interfering in our institutions and Sikh affairs, undermining Sikh campaigns for greater rights and internal matters for the Sikh community.
“The latest tactic by the Indian authorities of targeting Sikhs from the diaspora when they visit the Sikh homeland as demonstrated by the case of British citizen Jagtar Singh Johal has broken the camel’s back.”
Johal is reported to be under arrest in Punjab for his alleged role in the assassination of some individuals. A campaign has been initiated in the UK to seek his release.
