Sikh News Discussion – Sikh Federation (UK) active on raising concerns on eve of French president’s first visit to Delhi

French President urged to raise opposition to death penalty with India when in Delhi this week

Sikhs urge India Prime Minister to raise religious discrimination against the minority Sikh community in France

London, 11 February 2013. President Francois Hollande will be visiting New Delhi on February 14-15 on his first trip to India since being elected in May 2012.

The Sikh Federation (UK) has been in contact with Sikhs in France to urge them to raise French opposition to India carrying out the death penalty.

Bhai Amrik Singh, Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK) said:

‘India has now challenged the civilised world and in particular the 27 EU countries by carrying out two hangings in last three months.  The Indian media and politicians have now said Balwant Singh Rajoana and Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar should be next.’

‘We have requested Sikh representatives in France to contact President Francois Hollande as a matter of urgency so he takes up this issue on their behalf.’

Similarly, the Sikh Federation (UK) is urging Sikhs in Punjab and those in Delhi to raise the issue of religious discrimination against the minority Sikh community in France when President Francois Hollande in there later this week.

Bhai Amrik Singh, Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK) said:

‘The United Nations has in the last 12 months taken two decisions in support of the Sikhs right to freely wear their turbans.  Since President Francois Hollande is making his first visit to India since being elected in May 2012 this is an opportunity for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to directly raise the issue with the French President.’

‘The French have always given the signal that the French law introduced in 2004 has had unintended consequences for Sikh children in schools.  But given the UN rulings the French have an opportunity to find a way of allowing Sikh children to freely wear their turbans and also not having to force Sikhs to remove their turbans for the purposes of ID photographs.  Where there is a will, there is way.’

Jagtar Singh

London

Sikh News Discussion – Sikh Federation (UK) raises opposition to death penalty with Prime Minister David Cameron before his visit to India next week and launch a massive international lobby

12 February 2013

The Sikh Federation (UK) has written to UK Prime Minister, David Cameron ahead of his planned visit to India next week.

The letter and other communications by the Sikh Federation (UK) with Ministers at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have urged David Cameron to raise UK and EU opposition to the death penalty in India.

The opposition to the death penalty has also been raised with French President, Francois Hollande who will be visiting Delhi on February 14-15. This visit will be followed by David Cameron who is also expected to pay his respects at the Harmander Sahib Complex in Amritsar.

Bhai Amrik Singh, Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK) said: ‘The UK and France are two of the five Permanent Members of the United Nations Security Council opposed to the death penalty.  They are expected to voice their concerns in person with the Indian authorities about the worrying and backward trend of the reintroduction of hangings with two in the last three months.’

The letter from Bhai Amrik Singh, Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK), to David Cameron states: ‘The British Sikh community along with many others were alarmed to learn about the latest hanging in India on Saturday. That makes it two hangings in three months and there are worrying signs India has permanently moved backwards as regards the abolition of the death penalty.’

‘The latest hanging is highly provocative and suggests India is signalling a challenge to over 110 nations, including all EU countries, which have rightly turned their back on the barbaric use of the death penalty.’

‘The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has had much correspondence from MPs representing the Sikh community about the plight of Balwant Singh Rajoana and Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar in recent years and we fear the politics in India at the present time will mean they could easily go to the gallows in the next few weeks.’

‘We understand you will be in India next week and are also likely to visit the Harmander Sahib (Golden Temple) Complex and sincerely hope you will not shy away from publicly condemning India for carrying out two hangings in the last three months and urge them to immediately reinstate the moratorium against the death penalty.’

In addition, the Sikh Federation (UK) has written to Baroness Stern as Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Abolition of the Death Penalty and communicated with Fabian Hamilton MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for UK Sikhs urging them to also write to David Cameron.

Khalsa Human Rights, the human rights wing of the Sikh Federation (UK) has also issued a letter that can be sent to MPs and MEPs to try and stop the imminent hanging of Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar and Balwant Singh Rajoana. Gurdwaras have been urged to get Sangat to sign these letters in large numbers as soon as possible and send to MPs.

The Sikh Federation (UK) has also set in motion activities at the European Parliament in Brussels and at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Jagtar Singh
London