“They (the British Government) are turning a deaf ear to the cries of Sikhs in Britain, who are concerned about the sufferings of friends and relatives in India, and at the same time they are turning a blind eye to reports from organisations like Amnesty International, who provide clear evidence of that suffering.”
This is an excerpt from a speech made in the House of Commons by the M.P. for Hayes and Harlington, Mr. Terry Dicks.
It provides a further evidence of the British insensitivity towards the sufferings of the Sikhs.
We reproduce below excerpts from Mr. Dicks speech.
Mr. Terry Dicks (Hayes and Harlington): I wish to take this opportunity to bring to the attention of the House the plight of the Sikhs in India, an issue which, for some reason best known to the Government, has not been raised in the Chamber before. That omission by the Government could well be due to embarrassment, to say the least.
Just prior to independence the Constituent Assembly in India agreed a package of proposals called the Objectives Resolution which guaranteed the autonomous status of Sikhs in the Punjab. The British Government accepted the validity of the Objectives Resolution and, on the strength of that, granted India independence in 1947. Unfortunately, with the coming of independence, the guarantees given to the Sikhs were not honored and the constitution was changed to reflect the interests of the Hindu majority.
Since then the British Government have said and done nothing ‘over the years to correct that position, despite their direct involvement. We have continued to give aid to India as though money had gone out of fashion. Between 1978 and 1987 Britain has given about pound!.6 billion in overseas aid and India has topped the league table of recipients of overseas aid in each of the past 10 years.
There are about 8,000 Sikhs in my constituency, the vast majority of whom are decent, hardworking people who want to live in peace with their neighbors and make a positive contribution to the community. Judging from reports that I have read of debates in the American Congress, the same is true of Sikhs who reside in the United States and of Sikhs in the world over.
In India the Sikhs constitute about 2% of the population, but produce a quarter of India’s gross national product. Sikh farmers account for 73% of wheat and 48% of rice produced in India. Many Sikhs have made a valuable contribution to the professions, to the military and to the Government of India.
I do not have to remind the House, especially at this time of the year, of the contribution that Sikhs have made in two world wars to defend the freedom and security of the United Kingdom. The list of decorations won by Sikh soldiers is a credit to their loyalty and devotion to our country.
Given that background, one would have thought that the Indian Government would have recognized the contribution that the Sikh community makes to the world and would treat it with the respect and understanding that it so richly deserves. Unfortunately, the opposite is the case.
There is overwhelming evidence from many quarters that the Sikhs are being persecuted by the Indian Government in general and particularly at the hands of the Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. Only a few days ago his Minister of Commerce called at No. 10 Downing Street among other things, I understand that he asked whether the policy that is about to be introduced to control the appearance on television of IRA terrorists could be extended to include members of the Sikh community living in Britain.
(Khalistan Gazette, Oct 1990)
Article extracted from this publication >> November 16, 1990
