Joint Human Rights Committee names India alongside 11 other countries in its report published today on Transnational Repression in the UK
The Committee received 181 written evidence submissions. However, only 91 have been published.
At least one anonymous submission on Sikhs, including Sikh MPs being targeted was initially published and subsequently removed due to concerns about the person being identified and potential reprisals.
Dabinderjit Singh OBE, Lead Executive for Political Engagement at the Sikh Federation (UK) said:
“Around 20% of the published submissions mention the involvement of the Indian government in targeting Sikh activists in the UK.”
“The Committee spoke privately with representatives of the Sikh Federation (UK) on 21 May.”
“We are extremely disappointed the report does not accurately reflect the evidence submitted and published about the threat the Indian government poses Sikh activists.”
“The report has downplayed the role of the Indian government and failed to mention Sikh activists, including Sikh MPs being targeted.”
“We suspect this reflects pressure from the UK Government as it does not want to upset India in the same way as Canada.”
“We have been given assurances by the Committee leading up to publication of today’s report that relevant Ministers will look into the detailed evidence we submitted.”
“However, this falls short of what we expected and is an extension of UK Government policy since 1947 to give into India’s transnational repression and resort to private diplomacy when it comes to targeting Sikh activists in the UK.”