By Sikh Federation (UK)

The right wing Indian authorities have had some successes in recent years to get some prominent Sikh activists living abroad to make U-turns on the demand for a Sikh homeland and shamelessly praise and defend the actions of the BJP Indian Government.

However, most of those who have sold out and are publicly supporting the dirty business of the Indian authorities have all been linked to one notorious Sikh group and have come from a number of countries, like the UK, Canada, France and Germany. These individuals were easy targets as they lacked principles and were looking to give up the fight in the latter stages of their lives.

The NIA has therefore increasingly become desperate in recent months to silence Sikh activists abroad who remain influential and vocal in their opposition to the right-wing Indian authorities. It has been reported the NIA has been increasing pressure on the UK and Canadian Governments in particular to take tough actions against Sikh activists opposed to the right wing Indian government and campaigning for the re-establishment of a Sikh homeland.

Requests by the NIA to arrest, extradite and deport Sikh activists based on fake news have been firmly rejected by both governments that have warned the Indian authorities to stop interference on their soil.

The NIA in its desperation has in recent weeks resorted to criminal activity, including assassinations and issuing on Indian television a ‘hit-list’ of Sikh activists living abroad in the hope to create a culture of fear. This ‘hot-list’ has however badly back-fired as the UK, Canadian and other governments have privately rebuked the Indian authorities.

Today the NIA has played the final dice by targeting and intimidating families of leading Sikh activists based in the UK. The family homes of the Chair and Vice Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK) were raided earlier today and family members were interrogated for many hours.

Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK) has not been to India for over 40 years and it is outrageous his family members have been ordered to appear before the NIA court on 7 August.

Bhai Kuldip Singh Chaheru, the Vice Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK) came to the UK around 35 years ago after his father and other close family members were tortured and killed by the Indian police. He was granted political asylum and has not visited India since coming to the UK. Bhai Kuldip Singh’s family members have also been ordered to appear before the NIA court in the next few days.

The families of others from the UK belonging to the Federation of Sikh Organisations (FSO) and Sikhs For Justice in the UK, who have been targeted suggests the NIA have recently been given information who the NIA should focus on from the UK and those who they should leave alone.

The NIA also raided the premises of Khalsa Aid in Patiala that adds to the suspicion these NIA raids are based on information that has recently been given to the NIA by individuals from the UK who do like the work of organisations like the Sikh Federation (UK), FSO, Sikhs For Justice and Khalsa Aid.