Our Bureau
London
British Sikh MP Preet Kaur Gill, Shadow Minister for Primary Care and Public Health, has raised the issue of transnational repression and agents with ‘links to India’ targeting members of the Sikh community in the UK during a House of Commons session.
Claiming that several British Sikhs had appeared on a “hit list”, Gill asked Security Minister Tom Tugendhat about the steps taken by the British government to deal with the issue.
“In recent months, Five Eyes nations have raised concerns about the actions of agents with links to India targeting Sikh activists in the United Kingdom,” said Gill. She referred to alleged assassination plots against Sikhs abroad Sikhs abroad while speaking during the House of Commons session.
Five Eyes refers to an intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
“Most disturbingly, there have been alleged assassinations and foiled assassination plots. The US and Canadian authorities have taken the lead at senior levels to publicly call out this challenge to their sovereignty, the rule of law, and their democratic values,” said the Labour MP.
Given the reports of British Sikhs facing similar threats, what steps is the government taking to secure their safety? Will the Minister show the same strength as our partners do in publicly defending their democratic rights?” she questioned.
Tugendhat, in response, during the Home Office questions session in Parliament, said his department is continually assessing the potential threats to individual rights and freedoms and safety across the UK.
