Foreign Secretary urged to secure release and return of Jagtar Singh Johal

The Sikh Federation (UK) wrote to David Lammy yesterday ahead of his visit to India next week urging him to secure immediate release and return of Jagtar Singh Johal (Pictured above) to the UK.

Keir Starmer wrote to Boris Johnson when he was PM about the torture and arbitrary detention of Jagtar Singh Johal in an Indian jail. The PM wrote to the Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK) on 7 July 2022 and accepted that Jagtar had been in arbitrary detention since November 2017.

This acknowledgement by the PM should have resulted in the UK Government following its policy of calling for Jagtar’s immediate release and return to the UK, as is the case for all British subjects held in arbitrary detention in another country.

However, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak and their Foreign Secretaries lacked courage and strength as they backed away from following the UK government policy and demanding Jagtar’s release and return. The feeble excuse they used was they were dealing with India and making the demand for his release was not in Jagtar’s interests.

The soft diplomatic approach by the Conservatives and the blackmail of a possible trade deal used by India has not proved effective, and Jagtar is approaching seven years in an Indian prison with no chance of a fair trial.

One of the other matters taken up by the Sikh Federation (UK) include addressing transnational repression by the Indian government targeting Sikh activists in the Diaspora. His first visiting Foreign Minister was Melanie Joly from Canada, where they discussed security. Melanie Joly briefed David Lammy on their appalling experience with the Indian government and India’s National Security Adviser concerning the rule of law and cooperating with the investigation into the assassination on Canadian soil of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023.

David Lammy has had subsequent meetings with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and other allies who are deeply concerned with the Indian governments’ policies and actions at home and abroad. These are not only concerning transnational repression and the rule of law, but also support for Russia and Putin in the Ukraine War, support for Iran and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The third matter the Sikh Federation (UK) has written to David Lammy about is not to be deflected by Indian government pressure from commencing in the 40th anniversary year of the judge-led independent public inquiry into UK involvement in the June 1984 attack on the Sikhs.’ holiest shrine and actions taken against Sikhs in Britain to appease India in the Thatcher era (1979-1990). The Indian government will be worried about revelations that are expected in the public inquiry that will show India in a very negative light about the June 1984 attack.

Dabinderjit Singh, the Principal Adviser of the Sikh Federation (UK) said: “We have been in communication with relevant officials at the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) since the new Labour government came to power as we expected the next week’s visit.

“The visit represents an opportunity to push for Jagtar’s release and return. We have written to David Lammy and told him the British Sikh community expects better from a Labour Government, given Keir Starmer’s commitments to Jagtar’s family and public statements while in Opposition.

“We have reminded David Lammy of his address to FCDO staff on 10 July when he reiterated, he would ‘stand up for the rule of law at home and abroad’, as without it, we cannot have security.

“In our letter, we have stated that the Five Eyes nations working with allies in the G7 and elsewhere must take a collective and robust approach to address India’s unacceptable transnational repression and lack of respect for the rule of law.

“Finally, on the issue of the June 1984 attack, we have reminded David Lammy the British Sikh community expects the judge-led inquiry we have been promised to look at the actions of the Thatcher government to commence later this year with the appointment of a judge who can consult on the terms of reference.”