One of the largest ever Sikh lobbies of the UK Parliament will take place on Tuesday 30 October. The lobby is expected to attract large numbers of Sikhs from across the UK. Over 100 MPs and Lords have been approached to take part.
Jaspal Singh, a local Sikh activist with the Sikh Federation said: 'a delegation of around fifteen Sikhs from in and around Slough is hoping to meet a number of local MPs, including Fiona Mactaggart, Theresa May, Dominic Grieve and Adam Afriyie.'
Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK), the main organiser said: ‘there are several significant issues that are reaching a critical stage so Sikhs up and down the country are coming together to push for their rights.’
For example:
- separate monitoring of Sikhs in the Census 2011 to ensure Sikhs get a fair share of public services;
- a Code of Practice covering Sikh articles faith to ensure Sikhs have assurances on their rights over their articles of faith in public places; and
- to see how the UK Government could take up cases against those involved in the anti-Sikh pogroms in November 1984 who may visit the UK.
Bruce Kent, Britain’s best-known peace campaigner and former Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and currently the President of the Coalition to Defend Freedom of Religious and Cultural Expression will be one of the guest speakers.
He will address Sikhs and politicians at 11.45am in Committee Room 18 and is expected to announce the Coalition will be writing to the UK Government expressing its concerns on how long it has taken to start to develop a Code of Practice for Sikh articles of faith. He will also raise the need for the Code to be comprehensive and introduced as soon as possible so Sikhs no longer face wide scale discrimination because of their articles of faith.
Brad Adams, the Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, is the other main guest speaker. He will be speaking at 12.30 pm about last week’s Human Rights Watch 123-page report titled: 'India: Time to Deliver Justice for Atrocities in Punjab - Investigate and Prosecute Perpetrators of ‘Disappearances’ and Killings'.
The report concluded that the Indian government must take concrete steps to hold accountable members of its security forces who killed, “disappeared,” and tortured thousands of Sikhs during its counterinsurgency campaign in the Punjab. It describes the impunity enjoyed by officials responsible for violations and the near total failure of India’s judicial and state institutions, from the National Human Rights Commission to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), to provide justice for victims’ families.
Following the Sikh lobby a large candlelit vigil will be held outside Parliament. The vigil will run from 3.30pm until 7.30pm. This will mark the 23rd anniversary of the November 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms. Many MPs and Lords are expected to join Sikhs in the vigil and call for justice for the victims.
Note: For further information ring Gurmel Singh of Derby on 07912 161564.
