London: The Sikh activist groups in England, with the support of over 200 UK Gurdwaras, have written to British Prime Minister, Theresa May to raise a number of serious concerns with Narendra Modi when the two meet on 18 April.
Theresa May has been urged to take up the issue of growing ‘Hindu radicalisation’ and intimidation, harassment, forced conversions and violence against religious and ethnic minorities, including the Dalits.
“A number of Commonwealth countries have been lobbied and are expected to tackle the significant threat of right wing Hindu groups for India to become an exclusive Hindu State by 2021 run by upper class Hindus”, reads a written statement issued by the Sikh Federation UK (copy available with the Sikh Siyasat News).
Theresa May has also been asked to tell Narendra Modi in no uncertain terms that the Indian authorities should stop interfering in internal matters for the UK and British Sikhs who have increasing support from politicians across the political spectrum.
The letter also refers to the appalling treatment and attempts to undermine the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau during his recent visit to India for having Sikh Ministers in his Cabinet and being a close friend of the Sikh community.
Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK) said: “To hide their own failings the Indian authorities are going out of their way to target law-abiding Sikhs in the Diaspora for their long tradition of activism and opposition to human rights abuses.”
“We are confident this will badly backfire on the Indian government as politicians and governments across the globe rightly view Sikhs as vibrant, hard working, loyal and responsible citizens that contribute massively to the economies of the countries in which they live”, Sikh Federation UK leader said.
“We expect the recent outrageous treatment in India of the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau for his support of Sikhs to be a major informal talking point during next week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)”, he said while adding that “[m]any governments have had enough of these underhand tactics by India of targeting the Sikh minority that has developed an excellent reputation abroad, using trade to blackmail governments and repeatedly making use of Indian sensitivities about its colonial past.”