Latest news with #Sikhs
The Guardian
an hour ago
- General
- The Guardian
UK Sikhs may ‘no platform' Labour MPs over lack of Amritsar massacre inquiry
British Sikhs are threatening to 'no platform' Labour MPs over failure to deliver a public inquiry into UK complicity in the 1984 Golden Temple massacre in India, amid warnings 'frustrated' Sikh voters could back Reform UK. Over 450 gurdwaras, charities, associations and university societies have written to prime minister Keir Starmer demanding he honour previous promises to fully investigate the affair or risk 'massive consequences for the re-election of many Labour MPs.' The ultimatum coincides with a Trafalgar Square rally on Sunday marking the 41st anniversary of the massacre in Amritsar, when thousands of people were killed after Indian forces stormed Sikhism's holiest site to remove firebrand leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, horrifying moderates. The letter, dated 1 June, said the Sikh community is 'hugely disappointed there has been a deafening silence' to recent letters and calls for timelines for an inquiry that would investigate 'UK involvement in the Indian military operation and anti-Sikh measures in Britain when Margaret Thatcher was in power.' In 2014, the accidental release of documents revealed Thatcher's government had full knowledge of India's plan, Operation Blue Star, with an SAS officer advising beforehand. David Cameron ordered his most senior civil servant to investigate, but his review, which said the British officer's advice was ignored by the Indian army, disappointed Sikhs, with Labour politicians, including Keir Starmer in a 2022 letter, repeatedly promising an independent inquiry. Campaigners, who had hoped an inquiry would be launched before the end of the tragedy's 40th anniversary year, are now warning that Labour MPs face being banned from Sikh temples and events. 'Regrettably, we are today being forced to put the Labour leadership on notice,' the letter adds. 'If a judge-led public inquiry is not announced in parliament by the end of July 2025 the Sikh community will implement a 'no platform' policy for all Labour MPs from 1 August that are not supporting a judge-led public inquiry … Sikhs are well-respected (and) can build political alliances. Sikhs may need to make it their business to campaign with others locally and nationally to get the wider public to punish Labour for broken promises.' The Guardian has seen a list of seats nationwide where Sikh Federation UK has identified the 'Sikh vote' as 'critical'. Dabinderjit Singh, the Sikh Federation's executive lead, warned Labour faced 'permanent' loss of support from the 'majority' of the community, which they believe is a million-strong – double the figure in the last census – with not everyone recording their religion and recent migration. Meanwhile, concerns have intensified among British Sikhs about India's treatment of minorities and transnational repression, amid strengthening UK trade ties. Singh said talks were under way with the Lib Dems, Reform and the SNP about support for an inquiry, and that every Labour MP would be written to, adding: 'There are 105 (seats) we're monitoring where the Sikh vote will matter, including Ilford North, Ilford South, Wolverhampton seats, Birmingham seats, Derby seats. 'Labour announced the (Pat Finucane) inquiry in September … don't tell us, when there were thousands of people killed in 1984, that our lives matter less.' Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'Following the 1st May election … some people are saying Sikhs are going to start to vote Reform,' he added. 'I think it's the frustration. Lots of people just get so frustrated with politicians making promises and then doing the exact opposite, on a range of issues. That's the bigger danger – that people therefore look for something different, independent candidates, Reform candidates, Green candidates.' Singh said while he 'struggled' personally with Reform's stances, he added: 'I've met Nigel Farage before, and Ukip, as it was then, were greatly supportive on Sikh issues … for their own reasons. I can see things getting really divisive.' Two British Sikh candidates ran for Reform in 2024's general election in London. Meanwhile Rajbir Singh, a former Labour leader of Sandwell council in the West Midlands, defected to Reform in April. Approached for comment, the Foreign Office pointed to comments made in January by leader of the house, Lucy Powell, who, asked when an independent inquiry would be initiated, said: 'I know that this matter is of great importance to the Sikh community across the UK … we need to get to the bottom of what happened.'
Indian Express
10 hours ago
- Indian Express
10 yrs on, justice in 2015 sacrilege case remains a distant dream — ‘Only god can do justice'
June 1 will mark the completion of 10 years since Bir of Guru Granth Sahib was stolen from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village in Faridkot district. 'Many governments have come and gone since then, but I don't think justice will be served in the sacrilege cases. Only God can do justice,' Gora Singh, based on whose complaint an FIR for Bir theft was registered, told The Indian Express. Every year on June 1, villagers observe the Bir theft incident anniversary at the village gurdwara, where Gora Singh is still a priest. Gora Singh has given countless interviews in the past 10 years. 'Police tortured me after Gurdev Singh was murdered in 2016. The CBI questioned me and put me through a lie-detector test. However, villagers stood by me through all this,' Gora Singh said. Asked what has changed in the past 10 years, Gora Singh said, 'One thing that has changed, not only at our gurdwara but all over the state and across the world, is that most of the gurdwaras are now under CCTV camera surveillance. Second, in most gurdwaras, the Bir of Guru Granth Sahib is enclosed in glass cabins. Before 2015, gurdwaras were open places where everyone was welcomed. Everyone is welcome even now, but whenever an unidentified face appears at a gurdwara, we become suspicious. That was not the case before 2015. Back then, we assumed coming to the gurdwara meant coming to seek help or pay respects to Guru Granth Sahib Ji.' Torn pages of the Guru Granth Sahib were found in the streets of Bargari village on October 12, 2015. It is believed that these were pages from the Bir stolen on June 1, 2015. After the sacrilege incident, two Sikhs, Krishan Bhagwan Singh and Gurjit Singh, were killed in alleged police firing at Behbal Kalan on October 14, 2015, which created turmoil in the state, leading to the removal of the then Punjab Police chief Sumedh Saini. However, no police officer has been sentenced. The case is still pending in the court. Besides, the investigation into the sacrilege incident has not moved forward for the past three years. On November 9, 2015, a huge gathering 'Sarbat Khalsa' was organised in Amritsar, where serious allegations were levelled against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in connection with the sacrilege incident. After the conviction of Dera Sirsa head Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a rape and murder case in 2017, the first arrests in the 2015 sacrilege cases were made in June 2018 during the Congress regime. Between June and November 2018, police arrested around 26 Dera Sirsa followers in connection with the Bir theft, installation of defamatory posters from September 24 to 25, 2015 and the sacrilege incident reported on October 12, 2015. However, no one has been convicted so far. Three Dera Sirsa followers were convicted in connection with an incident related to the 2015 sacrilege at Malke village in Moga district. The Dera and Sikh tussle dates back to May 2007 when Sikhs alleged Ram Rahim of copying the attire and idea behind Guru Gobind Singh's foundation of Khalsa on the Vaisakhi of 1699. The Dera head is also accused in the 2015 sacrilege case as a 'conspirator'. However, the Bir theft and sacrilege incident triggered a series of sacrilege incidents across the state in the following years. There is no official data on the number of sacrilege cases registered in Punjab since 2015. Speaking at the Panthic Conference called by the Akal Takht Secretariat at the shrine on July 26, 2021, officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh claimed that at least 250 sacrilege incidents had come to his knowledge between March 2013 and February 2019. 'According to the Akal Takht data, from March 4, 2013, to February 27, 2017, 143 sacrilege incidents occurred (during the SAD-BJP government). We have a list of 104 incidents from February 2017 to February 2019 (during the Congress regime in the state). The data is compiled by Sikh organisations,' Sukhdev Singh Phagwara, spokesman for the Alliance of Sikh Organisations, said. Moreover, between 2016 and 2025, 15 individuals accused or suspected of different sacrilege cases were murdered. On the political front, the SAD remained the biggest loser. After the Bargari incident, the party lost its core vote bank — the Sikhs — and has not recovered as yet. Captain Amarinder Singh had promised justice in the sacrilege incidents after becoming the chief minister in 2017. The 2015 sacrilege case was pursued during his tenure, and some Dera Sirsa followers were arrested. However, he later faced allegations that his team, including the then Advocate General of Punjab Atul Nanda, 'mishandled' the case of police firing at Kotakpura, related to sacrilege, in which two Sikhs were killed. This led to the resignation of IPS officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, who was investigating the Kotakpura and Behbal Kalan police firing case. Kunwar Vijay Pratap later joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) before the 2022 Assembly Elections and was elected as the MLA from Amritsar North. He was the party's poster boy during the Assembly elections campaign. However, Kunwar Vijay Pratap was eventually sidelined in the AAP government. He later believed that his 'party was not serious about delivering justice in the sacrilege cases'.
Hans India
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Kavitha puts Telangana Jagruthi on par with BRS
Hyderabad: BRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha has on Friday put Telangana Jagruthi on par with Bharat Rashtra Samithi by saying that both are two eyes of her father and former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao. Addressing a press conference after inaugurating the Jagruthi office at Banjara Hills here on Saturday, Kavitha, who is also president of Jagruthi, said that Jagruthi would have separate minority cells for Muslims, Sikhs and Christians, which would champion the cause of minority rights. "We will form an SC and ST section and crusade for their welfare. If KCR has one eye on BRS the other eye is Jagruthi. We will not be silent if something happens to him," said Kavitha, who floated Jagruthi 18 years ago to take up cultural and other activities in support of separate Telangana movement. The Jagruthi president announced a protest programme at Indira Park on June 4 against notice issued to BRS supremo KCR by PC Ghose Commission. "Why were they issued in the first place? For constructing Kaleshwaram project? For providing water to 20 lakh acres through Kaleshwaram every year? For providing Rythu Beema and Bandhu schemes for farmers? I wonder if it is the Kaleshwaram Commission or a Congress Commission," fumed Kavitha, stating that issuing notices to the 'Father of Telangana' was issuing notices to the entire state. The BRS leader said that it was the misfortune of Telangana that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy did not even say 'Jai Telangana'. "I demand that Reddy at least say 'Jai Telangana' and pay tribute to the martyrs. Those who do not say Jai Telangana and do not pay tribute to the martyrs do not deserve to run the state affairs', she said. Meanwhile, Kavitha demanded changing the name of government scheme Rajiv Yuva Vikasam and naming it after Srikantha Chary, Yadi Reddy or former prime minister PV Narsimha Rao. "What does Rajiv Gandhi have to do with Telangana," she asked. Srikantha Chary and Yadi Reddy died during the Telangana agitation. The MLC alleged that Revanth Reddy remained a silent spectator when Telangana waters were being diverted to Andhra Pradesh. Its Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu wants to construct the Banakacherla project and divert water, but the Telangana CM is not even reacting. "Why is the CM so weak? Why is the CM working for the interests of neighbouring states? When KCR was the CM, he proposed river interlinking from Topakulagudem, but at that time the central government did not agree and said that it would be taken up from Ichchampally. There is an attempt to transfer 200 TMC of Godavari water from Polavaram. Godavari water will be permanently taken away from Telangana," she cautioned, demanding Revanth Reddy to clarify on the issue on June 2. She further said that the CM should demand the Centre to convene an apex council meeting by an early date. The Jagruti president recalled that her organisation has been fighting for the BC Bill for the last year and a half. Recently, when Revanth Reddy met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he spoke about projects but did not talk about the BC Bill, she said. "I am warning the BJP that if they try to put the BC Bill in the cold storage, we will fight in a way that will hurt them. We will organise a rail roko. Jagruthi will fight until 42 per cent reservation is provided to BCs in institutions. We will fight until we achieve Rs 2,500 for women and a scooty for girls, she said Kavitha said that since its launch almost 18 years back, Jagruthi has raised a strong voice on issues pertaining to the people of Telangana. KCR and party idealogue Jayashankar called for working on cultural issues, inspired by which Jagruthi was floated, she said.
Deccan Herald
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Pride vs Prejudice
Even after decriminalisation, queer Sikhs continue to face challenges. The cancellation of the Amritsar Pride parade underscores ongoing tensions, yet many still find strength and support in their faith and community, writes Chintan Girish Modi
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
10 years on, justice awaited in Punjab sacrilege cases
Bathinda: Come Sunday, Punjab will mark 10 years since June 1, 2015, when the bir of Guru Granth Sahib was stolen from a gurdwara in Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village near Bargari, Faridkot, and which eventually led to the sacrilege of the Sikh scripture later in Oct that year, triggering a turmoil in panthic politics. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now With justice still awaited in the sacrilege cases of Oct 2015 and police firing upon protesters later, Sikh organisations have decided to mark the day by holding a protest march from Gurdwara Burj Jawahar Singh Wala to the light point intersection of Kotkapura, where police took action against protesters in the early hours of Oct 14, 2015. Thr groups accuse successive govts of the state by using the emotional issue of sacrilege and the subsequent killing of two protesters for political gains, but failing to deliver justice. Investigations into the case are yet to reach a conclsuive end in the courts. A Punjab Police special investigations team (SIT), headed by retired DIG Ranbir Singh Khatra, claimed to have cracked the case, but it did not result inany convictions. Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim was also named in the cases and in the chargesheets filed by the police in three interrelated sacrilege cases, but no headway was made. Sikh organisations have only angered after cases were transferred to courts in Chandigarh. "Justice being elusive makes us think that Sikhs are treated differently even in Punjab, where we are in majority," said Behbal Kalan police firing victim Krishan Bhagwan Singh's son, Sukhraj Singh, who held a long protest for justice. Even though the he was named in sacrilege cases and his sect's member Pardeep Kler was arrested on Feb 9, 2024, Ram Rahim and his adopted daughter, Honeypreet, were not brought to Punjab for investigation. "This points to the non-seriousness of the govts in delivering justice," said Sukhraj. "It seems even a decade is not enough to provide justice, especially when the entire Sikh Panth is demanding it. Right from Shiromani Akali Dal to Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, all played with the sentiments of Sikhs and looked only into electoral gains but failed when it came to delivering justice," said Gurdeep Singh Bathinda, who was associated with the cases from the beginning.
