1 YEAR ON SIKH FEDERATION (UK) RECOGNISED BY LEADERSHIP
OF ALL THREE POLITICAL PARTIES
The Sikh Federation (UK) has
within its first year established itself as a key
player with regards to political contacts and networks.
The Conservative Opposition has now sent Shadow Cabinet
Ministers to each of the last three National Sikh
Conventions indicating the importance it attaches
to the Sikh vote. At the launch a year ago Oliver
Letwin MP, the Shadow Home Office Minister said:
"establishment of the Sikh Federation is good
news for Sikhs and good news for Britain. You are
showing a determination to act as a cohesive force.
You are bringing the Sikh community together to ensure
that you are best placed to work with the grain of
political and social institutions in this country."
This year it was the turn of Alan Duncan MP the newly
appointed Shadow International Development Minister
who reiterated Conservative Party support on the key
issue of separate recognition and monitoring of Sikhs.
The Federation also raised the dastaar and Panjab
river waters issues with him to highlight the plight
of Sikh children in France and point to international
concern about the river waters dispute. He was told
about the long overdue decision that the Panjab Assembly
had recently taken. It had now adopted a tough stance
against Indian states that are depriving Panjab of
what naturally belongs to it.
The Liberal Democrats confirmed again at last week's
National Sikh Convention that they are prepared to
make an effort to take on international issues that
other parties often avoid. Simon Hughes MP the President
elect of the party, who takes up his new post later
this month, has demonstrated through his actions in
the last twelve months that he is someone prepared
to support the Sikhs right to self-determination (Sikh
Lobby Day - 5 November 2003) and join Sikhs to protest
against India's genocide of the Sikhs (Rally and march
for remembrance, justice and freedom - 6 June 2004
and signature on Early Day Motions 662, 663 and 664).
Despite the Liberal Democrats having arranged an
event in Bedfordshire for all its MPs for the same
day as the Convention, Simon Hughes himself telephoned
on the eve of the Convention to say he had arranged
for Parmjit Singh Gill, the newly elected MP from
Leicester South and the first Liberal Democrat MP
from an ethnic minority, to attend along with John
Hemming, the Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council
and a prospective candidate for Yardley. Both spoke
about the importance of the separate recognition of
Sikhs and the Sikhs right to self determination. The
words of Parmjit Singh who spoke in Panjabi and English
were particularly reassuring and suggested he may
make a real impact on behalf of Sikhs before the General
Election.
In the run up to this year's National Sikh Convention
the Federation also received correspondence from the
Labour Party Chairman Rt. Hon. Ian McCartney MP to
say he would like to meet to discuss how the Labour
Party might be more effective in communicating with
the Sikh community. This has been prompted by a fellow
Cabinet Minister writing to him after meeting the
Federation. The Labour Party HQ were however unable
to get a Minister to address the Convention, but have
assured the Federation that this was not without trying.
The Labour Party HQ has guaranteed to provide a Cabinet
Minister at the next event organised by the Federation
and where they wish a Minister to take part.
