LONDON: India has questioned Britain's commitment to fighting global terrorism of the non-Islamist kind by raising concerns about the new prominence and political legitimacy allegedly being given to "Sikh extremist groups" based here, TOI can reveal. Indian concerns centre around a 'candle light vigil' outside the British parliament two days ago, in what many believe to be an overly shrill attempt by Sikh groups to underline their "opposition to the (Indian) death penalty and call for the release of all Sikh political prisoners held in jails in India." Despite India voicing its concerns, the vigil went ahead with London's Metropolitan Police declaring there were "no grounds" for it to be banned. Indian concerns include the allegation that the vigil's organiser, the Sikh Federation (UK), is a front organisation for a British- proscribed terrorist group, the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF). The Sikh Federation has always denied the charge. India has complained that "many of the declared office bearers of the Sikh Federation... are the same (as those of the banned ISYF)". It alleges that the Sikh Federation chairman Amrik Singh Gill was the ISYF's former president; its vice-chairman Kuldeep Singh Chaheru was formerly ISYF (Damdani Taksal) president until the faction merged with the ISYF and general secretary Narenderjit Singh was once president of ISYF (Bitoo). The Sikh Federation claims to be the UK's first and only Sikh political party. Its spokesman has always claimed that "the Sikh vote matters in about 40 to 50 key (British) constituencies."

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