Sikh Federation (UK) want British PM to raise issues with Manmohan Singh during Delhi visit

London, United Kingdom (November 08, 2013): Sikh Federation National Press Secretary Gurjeet Singh has informed Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) in a written statement that [i]n recent months the Sikh Federation (UK) had formed direct links with the leaders of each of the three main political parties in the UK.

“The Federation has used a number of its direct links with the British Prime Minister David Cameron ahead of his day-long trip to India next Thursday on 14 November to raise several issues of concern to the British Sikh community” the statement reads further.

In this statement Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK), said: ‘We have used our links to urge David Cameron to raise the issue of the Death Penalty in India and more specifically the case of Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar when they meet next week. We learnt a few days ago the Professor is suffering from epilepsy and this has become life threatening so we must keep up pressure on the Indian authorities to not only lift the threat of death by hanging, but also to seek the Professor’s immediate release.’

‘We have also been discussing with Conservative politicians the recognition of the mass killing of Sikhs in 1984 as Genocide. Therefore, we think the British Prime Minister should raise the lack of justice for the events of November 1984 directly with Manmohan Singh and tell him that a mere apology without prosecution of leading Congress politicians directly implicated in the Genocide is unacceptable’, he added.

This is David Cameron’s second trip to India this year; he visited the Darbar Sahib in Amritsar in February and is meeting Manmohan Singh at his official residence and principal workplace at the 7, Race Course Road before traveling to Sri Lanka for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference where these matters could also be raised.