LONDON – More than 225 Gurdwaras in the United Kingdom have confirmedbacking for restrictions on Indian government officials, denying themplatform to express their views.
The Federation of Sikh Organisations (FSO) made the announcement and saidthat the boycott was increasing across the Europe and North America.
It said that over 225 UK Gurdwaras had confirmed by the end of January 2018with the FSO that since 1984, they have never let Indian governmentofficials speak from their Gurdwara stages or given them any form ofrecognition and they had no plans to change their stance.
On January 31, the Sikh Council UK, following a meeting of its executivecommittee, also put out an official statement supporting the restrictionsin UK Gurdwaras, after the Akal Takht, the supreme authority in Amritsar,announced backing for restrictions.
The Sikh Federation said that the list of Gurdwaras will not be made publicbecause Indian media and government agencies will single out the Gurdwaraadministrations and will target them in the UK as well as in India.
“The Indian authorities have been shocked with the united and co-ordinatedaction by Sikhs across the globe and in desperation resorted to a number ofunderhand tactics that can now be exposed. First came the repeatedmisinformation by the Indian authorities, their supporters and agents of a‘total ban’ on Indian government officials from entering Gurdwaras to tryand cause confusion,” said a spokesman.
“Some, who originally condemned the ban, were forced into a U-turn afterthey realised they had been hoodwinked through false propaganda by theIndian authorities. Then came efforts to show that Indian High Commissionofficials in London and some of its consulates were defying therestrictions.”
It was revealed on Tuesday that on January 6, a day before the restrictionswere discussed by the FSO, an Indian High Commission official spoke at GuruNanak Sikh Academy in Hayes. Sikhs groups said that Indian government triedto create division of Sikh groups through fake news and offers of bribes.
They said that Indian High Commission officials have been holding talkswith dozens of Gurdwaras across the UK encouraging Sikhs to go against eachother.
“The Indian authorities have developed personal links with certainindividuals in specific Gurdwaras and know the restrictions will neverapply to all UK Gurdwaras or other venues, the Gurdwara may be responsiblefor,” the Sikh Federation said.
“UK Gurdwaras number around 270 in total, however, the Indian authoritieshave been going to extreme lengths to show their defiance. For example, onevery small Gurdwara was approached by one of the Indian consulates to allowthem to do an Akhand Paath. They said they would also provide their ownKirtani Jatha and were willing to pay £2,000 a month for the next 12months.”
Bhai Amrik Singh, the chair of the Sikh Federation (UK) said: “UK Gurdwarashave shown massive support for restrictions on Indian government officialsif they visit Gurdwaras. Sikhs across the globe have shown their unity instanding up to the Indian authorities. The misinformation, fake news,bribes and threats by the Indian authorities stand exposed and demonstratestheir desperation.
“In the UK, we have a duty of care towards members of Gurdwara ManagementCommittees and deliberately not published a list of Gurdwaras backing therestrictions. This has allowed us to outmanoeuvre and embarrass the Indianauthorities, their supporters and agents who now look foolish,” Singh added.