Pro-Khalistan event: Govt ticks off Britain
Call for a ‘nonbinding referendum’ for Punjab’s independence is likely to be given at the Trafalgar Square event
LONDON : After strongly taking up the issue of the Theresa May government permitting a proKhalistan event in London on August 12, New Delhi has informed Brexit-bound London that it should take the ‘larger perspective’ of bilateral relations while deciding on sensitive issues.
US-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is behind the Trafalgar Square event, during which a call for a “non-binding referendum” for independence of Punjab is expected to be given.
A UK-based Sikh campaign group has questioned email invites to the event sent to British MPs.
Indian diplomats said the UK Foreign Office had been unequivocally informed that the event amounted to “a separatist activity which impinges on India’s territorial integrity”, and seeks to propagate violence, secessionism and hatred.
“We expect them (UK) to take into account the larger perspective of the relationship when they take a decision in such matters,” said an official who did not want to be named.
“We have taken up this matter as strongly as we can, both in writing as well as in personal meetings,” the official said.
“We have repeatedly told them that whatever activity is ongoing is not in our interest.”
British authorities rejected demands that permission be denied for the event on grounds of freedom of expression.
SFJ said on Friday that Labour MP Matt Western and former MP George Galloway had extended support to the event, while campaign group Sikh Federation UK alleged that almost all email invitations sent to British MPs were from “bogus constituents” based in India and Pakistan.
Sikh Federation UK said: “These individuals appear to have been provided with postcodes linked to MPs to give the impression of being constituents, but when asked via email to provide residential addresses most have come back with addresses from different parts of India and Pakistan.
“This is nothing less than fraud and an abuse of the MP-constituent relationship by those responsible for this campaign.
MPs are furious that staff working for them have wasted time and resources processing these mass emails only to find most of them were fake constituents,” it said.
Meanwhile, questions continued to be raised about the ability and validity of a “referendum” being called by a nongovernment organisation.
Sikh Federation UK said: “The so-called ‘Referendum 2020’ campaign launched more than four years ago in the USA is nothing more than an unofficial opinion poll, and another small step to raise awareness on the treatment of Sikhs by the Indian authorities and the continued demand for a Sikh homeland.”
According to Jasdev Rai of the Sikh Human Rights Forum, “The so-called ‘Referendum 2020’ seems to be a snake oil political solution to Sikh issues...”
Scotland Yard said a policing plan was in place for the event, while Indian officials said New Delhi will continue to press London to clamp down on anti-India forces operating from the UK.
BRITISH AUTHORITIES REJECTED DEMANDS THAT PERMISSION BE DENIED FOR THE EVENT ON GROUNDS OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION