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At the weekend several thousand Sikhs commemorated
the Sikh victims of the June 1984 Amritsar Massacre.
An extensive exhibition highlighting the atrocities
committed against Sikhs by the Indian State was
set up especially for this event and was visited
by hundreds at the weekend.
At the gathering earlier today at the Sri Guru
Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Slough, a town west of
London, UK politicians from each of the three
main political parties addressed Sikh representatives
from across the UK and spoke out about the events
of June 1984 and the lack of justice for the Sikhs.
Politicians invited by the Sikh Federation (UK)
and who spoke included Dominic Grieve MP, Shadow
Attorney General and the Vice-Chair of the All
Party Parliamentary Group for UK Sikhs, Baroness
Sarah Ludford MEP, a Liberal Democrat member of
the House of Lords and a Member of the European
Parliament and Fiona Mactaggart MP, the local
MP and former Home Office Minister.
Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP spoke passionately
on human rights and self determination and called
for Sikhs to be granted their legitimate demand
to be allowed to exercise their right to self
determination. She called for international intervention
on the issue of human rights and said the 25 EU
Member States had an important role in convincing
India on the need for justice for the Sikhs and
the need for the people living in India to be
allowed to exercise their right to self determination.
Dominic Grieve MP reiterated the Conservative
Party support on the need for Sikhs to be separately
recognised and monitored. A spokesman from the
Sikh Federation (UK) said they had 'built considerable
support across the political spectrum on this
subject and were now looking to the Labour Government
to ensure the Census 2011, which was piloted last
month, included a separate tick box for the Sikhs
alongside, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi etc.'
It is understood that if the Labour Government
fails to recommend this change the Federation
has already put in place a process whereby an
amendment to the Census 2011 will be tabled in
the House of Commons when it is put to Parliament
for approval.
All three politicians expressed their outrage
at the treatment of Sikhs in mainland Europe.
In particular, the restrictions on the Sikh Dastaar
in France, Belgium and parts of Germany. Baroness
Ludford also spoke of the appalling behaviour
of the EU in last week denying access to the EU
Parliament to Sikhs wearing the Kirpan and the
treatment of turban wearing Sikhs at Brussels
airport. She suggested UK politicians and the
UK Government had a pivotal role in making the
rest of Europe understand the Sikh community and
its needs.
Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chair of the Sikh Federation
(UK), thanked the politicians and highlighted
the importance of their speeches and commitments.
He also announced the formal setting up of a branch
of the Federation in Slough and named the five
Sikhs making up the Local Executive Council -
Bhai Jaspal Singh, Bhai Balwinder Singh, Bhai
Salvinder Singh, Bhai Didar Singh and Bhai Bhupinder
Singh.
All three politicians were presented with mementos
for their services to the Sikh community. The
silver plates presented showed the Sikh Federation
(UK) logo and reference was made to politicians
taking note of the Federation's motto in performing
their duties: 'Never flinch from performing righteous
deeds'.
Other national speakers included: Bhai Gurjeet
Singh, Khalsa Human Rights and Bhai Dabinderjit
Singh, Sikh Secretariat. Local speakers included:
Sadhu Singh Jogi, Ajit Singh Purewal, Jaswant
Singh Gidda, Rajinder Singh Sandhu and Mohan Singh
Sahota who all paid tribute to those who sacrificed
their lives in June 1984.
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