FOREIGN SECRETARY CHALLENGED BY OPPOSITION IN PARLIAMENT ON JAGTAR SINGH JOHAL’S ARBITRARY DETENTION AND RELEASE
London – 30 July 2024
The Foreign Secretary, David Lammy was challenged earlier today in Parliament by Alicia Kearns, the Shadow Minister at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and former Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
She said on human rights: “We on the Conservative Benches welcome the fact that the Foreign Secretary raised with his counterpart the case of Jagtar Singh Johal, a British national whom the UN has determined to be arbitrarily detained, with reports that he was subject to torture.”
Alicia Kearns asked: “Will the Foreign Secretary confirm before the House today that he still believes, as he did a month ago, that Jagtar is being arbitrarily detained?”
She continued: “Will he today publicly call for Jagtar’s release, just as, from this Dispatch Box, he repeatedly urged the last Foreign Secretary to do?” Alicia Kearns all asked David Lammy if he would meet Jagtar’s family and when he would announce the appointment of a special envoy for Britain’s wrongly detained abroad.
David Lammy in response to the arbitrary detention of Jagtar Singh Johal in an Indian jail since November 2017 said “this is a very serious case” and he remained “absolutely committed to pushing for faster progress and to resolving this issue”.
He continued: “I of course raised it with the Minister of External Affairs in India last week.”
This public response left it unclear if David Lammy specifically referred to Jagtar’s “arbitrary detention” when meeting External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar.
Our sources suggest David Lammy did specifically discuss Jagtar’s arbitrary detention and he told the External Affairs Minister that the UK Government policy requires them to call for the release and return to the UK of all UK nationals held in arbitrary detention.
Apparently, India’s response to David Lammy was very defensive. They argued that Jagtar was facing very serious charges and the UK Government should not be seen to be interfering in India’s judicial process.
David Lammy went on further to state: “We continue to raise our concerns, particularly about allegations of torture and the right to a fair trial. Of course I will meet the family over the coming weeks.”
Dabinderjit Singh, the Principal Adviser to the Sikh Federation (UK), responding to the issue being raised in Parliament earlier today said:
“David Lammy has agreed to meet Jagtar’s family over the coming weeks. This will be a private meeting when he will need to explain if he demanded Jagtar’s release or what his strategy is to reunite Jagtar with his family in Scotland.”
“We understand when he met his counterpart, he did refer to Jagtar’s arbitrary detention and UK policy over this matter and also understand why at this stage he wants to keep this private.”
“India are understood to be annoyed with David Lammy’s interview with NDTV after he met Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.”
“In the interview he cleverly sidestepped the issue of Pro-Khalistan Extremism invented by Rishi Sunak and when asked about Hinduphobia he avoided commenting.”
David Lammy discussed the need for the Indian government to fully co-operate with the Canadian authorities investigating the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil and the murder plot of Sikh activists in the US and Canada. This follows his face to face meetings with Melanie Joly and Anthony Blinken since he became Foreign Secretary.
He told the External Affairs Minister the Indian government must respect the rule of law and stop its repressive activities abroad against Sikh activists, including on UK soil.
India as expected raised concerns about Sikh activists in the UK and elsewhere campaigning for an independent Sikh State, Khalistan. We understand David Lammy was receptive and listened to concerns, but he reiterated Sikhs in Britain like others also enjoy the freedom to campaign for self-determination and the UK Government could not interfere unless any activities were deemed unlawful according to UK law.
Political commentators on both sides note a significant shift by the new UK Labour Government from the predecessor Conservative Government led by Rishi Sunak as it is not prepared to demonise Sikhs to secure a trade deal.
ENDS Jaspal Singh National Press Secretary Sikh Federation (UK)