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LONDON: More than 150 UK-based gurdwaras and Sikh organisations have signed a letter to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling for Indian-origin home secretary Priti Patel to be sacked for her “Sikh extremism remarks” and for her to issue an apology.
The same letter, written by the Sikh Federation (UK), also demands an apology from Johnson for not putting out any message or video to British Sikhs on the Gurpurab of Guru Nanak last November. The letter also calls for the release of Scottish Sikh Jagtar Singh Johal, who has been detained in India since November 2017 on conspiracy to murder charges, and for Johnson to confirm that Johal “is being arbitrarily detained”.
The letter comes as the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in India also calls for an apology from Patel and for her to retract the “unsubstantiated” statement.
Patel is under fire from some in the Sikh community for saying that “Sikh separatist extremism” has caused considerable tensions in recent years; her remarks came during a speech focused on the joint security threat facing the UK and US, which included references to Hamas and Daesh, that she made to the Heritage Foundation last November, ironically coinciding with Gurpurab.
The UK home office and British Sikh Association chairman Lord Ranger have both defended Patel’s comments. A UK government spokesperson said: “We are committed to tackling those who spread views that promote hatred against individuals and communities and work closely with international partners to tackle extremism in all its forms.”
But the Sikh Federation (UK) wrote: “This reference to Sikhs is deeply offensive and has alarmed the law-abiding British Sikh community” which, it said, are a role model community who have made a massive positive contribution to Britain, especially during the pandemic. “We are appalled with the home secretary’s warped view of the British Sikh community,” the letter said, claiming Patel was conflicted in her role of home secretary owing to “her known connections with and appreciation of the BJP” and called on her to resign or be sacked and to issue an apology or relay what specific incidents could justify her comments.
It pointed out the speech was made two months after the failed extradition of three British Sikhs to India.
“It has become a major talking point in the British Sikh community that our PM, 10 Downing Street, the communities secretary and faith minister all failed to acknowledge Gurpurab,” the letter continued, alleging that when No. 10 was confronted over this, the No. 10 faith adviser, Jonathan Hellewell, shared evidence of Vaisakhi and Bandi Chhor Divas messages instead. “It is a bit like you acknowledging Easter but forgetting Christmas,” the letter said.
The same letter, written by the Sikh Federation (UK), also demands an apology from Johnson for not putting out any message or video to British Sikhs on the Gurpurab of Guru Nanak last November. The letter also calls for the release of Scottish Sikh Jagtar Singh Johal, who has been detained in India since November 2017 on conspiracy to murder charges, and for Johnson to confirm that Johal “is being arbitrarily detained”.
The letter comes as the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in India also calls for an apology from Patel and for her to retract the “unsubstantiated” statement.
Patel is under fire from some in the Sikh community for saying that “Sikh separatist extremism” has caused considerable tensions in recent years; her remarks came during a speech focused on the joint security threat facing the UK and US, which included references to Hamas and Daesh, that she made to the Heritage Foundation last November, ironically coinciding with Gurpurab.
The UK home office and British Sikh Association chairman Lord Ranger have both defended Patel’s comments. A UK government spokesperson said: “We are committed to tackling those who spread views that promote hatred against individuals and communities and work closely with international partners to tackle extremism in all its forms.”
But the Sikh Federation (UK) wrote: “This reference to Sikhs is deeply offensive and has alarmed the law-abiding British Sikh community” which, it said, are a role model community who have made a massive positive contribution to Britain, especially during the pandemic. “We are appalled with the home secretary’s warped view of the British Sikh community,” the letter said, claiming Patel was conflicted in her role of home secretary owing to “her known connections with and appreciation of the BJP” and called on her to resign or be sacked and to issue an apology or relay what specific incidents could justify her comments.
It pointed out the speech was made two months after the failed extradition of three British Sikhs to India.
“It has become a major talking point in the British Sikh community that our PM, 10 Downing Street, the communities secretary and faith minister all failed to acknowledge Gurpurab,” the letter continued, alleging that when No. 10 was confronted over this, the No. 10 faith adviser, Jonathan Hellewell, shared evidence of Vaisakhi and Bandi Chhor Divas messages instead. “It is a bit like you acknowledging Easter but forgetting Christmas,” the letter said.
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