LONDON: British government has decided to left ban on a prominent Sikh organisation which was put on a list of proscribed organisations under pressure from the Indian government.
It was confirmed in the Parliament that Home Secretary Theresa May is to lift the ban on the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) after a legal challenge mounted by the Sikh Federation.
John Spellar, the Labour MP for Warley, said in Parliament that the Home Secretary has agreed to withdraw from legal action and will now lift the ban on the International Sikh Youth Federation.
The Sikh Federation (UK) applied for the ban to be lifted in February this year, followed by a legal challenge against the Home Secretary for refusing to lift the ban.
Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK), said: “The Home Secretary has shown courage in making this decision despite the inevitable pressure from the Indian authorities and so close after the attack in Paris. However, it also shows there was no case against the ISYF that would stand up to legal scrutiny.”
Jamie Potter, Partner in the Public Law and Human Rights department at Bindmans LLP, who acted for applicants seeking de-proscription, said:“The decision of the Home Secretary to seek the de-prospection of the International Sikh Youth Federation is most welcome. However, it remains unknown why the decision could not have been made much sooner. Representatives of the Sikh Federation (UK) sought de-proscription in February.”
A Sikh Federation spokesperson told The News that in March 2001 the UK Government was put under intense pressure from the Indian authorities and controversially banned the ISYF. ‘
At that time, the ISYF existed in a number of other countries, but was banned only in the UK. “The bans in India and Canada came later after a shift in thinking following 9/11.
What surprised Sikhs most across the globe about the ban in the UK in 2001 was its timing. The ban was being imposed almost 10 years after the Indian authorities claimed to have ended the armed uprising of Sikhs in Punjab.
Bhai Amrik Singh said: “We challenged the decision in 2001 via a legal challenge that lasted nearly two and a half years. Legal advice at that time was it was impossible for any organisation to have the ban lifted. Following considerable political lobbying a decision was made to set up the Sikh Federation (UK) in September 2003 that popularly became known as the first and only Sikh political party in the UK.”
We have continued to campaign on a wide range of issues in the last twelve years, knowing the Indian authorities have at various times called for the Sikh Federation (UK) to also be banned as we continue to highlight atrocities by the Indian State, call for justice and the establishment of an independent Sikh homeland, Khalistan. To the credit of UK politicians from across the political spectrum they have defended our right to express our views and lobby for legitimate political demands. We have won much respect from politicians and the community for our work.
The real story still to be told is how the India Government has been able to put pressure on governments abroad to try and deny basic rights to the minority Sikh community from raising its voice of opposition to atrocities in India.