 "British Security Minister Dan Jarvis has written a letter to Sikh Federation, assuring them of protection from intimidation by foreign governments. (Photo: UK Govt)")
British Security Minister Dan Jarvis has assured Sikhs in the United Kingdom that government would not tolerate their targeting by foreign governments.
The assurance comes in the wake of complaints by British Sikhs of being targeted by or on behalf of the Indian government. Similar complaints have been made by Sikh organisations in Canada and the United States, most of whom have been involved in support of Khalistan cause.
In a letter to Sikh Federation, Jarvis wrote that “any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK will not be tolerated”, according to Guardian.
The newspaper also urged Jarvis as urging India to cooperate with the Canadian government regarding the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated terrorist running Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), a designated terrorist organisation. Canada has accused India of having a hand in the death and its pursuit of Indian diplomats in the matter has plunged bilateral ties to an all-time low.
In the letter to Sikh Federation dated 10 December, Jarvis wrote: “We do not tolerate intimidation or threats to life, and through our intelligence agencies and police forces will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to keep people safe. Any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK will not be tolerated.”
Jarvis further writes: “We take the findings from the Canadian investigations very seriously and the UK has full confidence in Canada’s judicial system. All countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law, and we encourage all involved parties, including the government of India, to cooperate with the legal process.”
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIndia has been concerned about the safe haven that the Khalistan movement has found abroad, most notably in Canada and the United Kingdom. The Khalistan movement seeks to carve out a nation for Sikhs called Khalistan out of India. For decades, the movement waged a brutal insurgency in India, primarily in the state of Punjab, which only ebbed in the 1990s. Even though the insurgency has ebbed in India, the safe havens abroad remain a concern for India.