International Sikh Convention celebrates the Federation’s 40th anniversary

The Sikh Federation (UK) has organised the International Sikh Convention to mark the Federation’s 40thanniversary. The origins of the organisation can be traced back to the June 1984 Indian army attack on the Sri Harmandir Sahib or Golden Temple Complex in Amritsar.

The Federation is the largest and most influential campaigning Sikh organisation in the UK (and Europe) that leads on political engagement for the British Sikh community. The 40th anniversary is a significant milestone for the organisation.

The Convention that is expected to attract over 15,000 Sikhs is taking place at Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Sedgley Street, Wolverhampton. It commenced today at 10am with the continuous reading over the next 48 hours of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the Sikh holy scriptures.

The final day of the Convention is on Sunday 15 September when those participating will hear from leading Sikh activists from across the globe.

Those gathered on Sunday will reflect that it has been a year since the Canadian Prime Minister; Justin Trudeau stood up in the Canadian Parliament on 18 September and accused the Indian government of killing Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh leader on Canadian soil. A leading Sikh activist from Canada who has received several threats to life warnings by the Canadian authorities will address the Convention.

The Indian government was initially in denial about its involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, made and carried out threats against Canada, but a year later four people are in prison in Canada, awaiting trial and the Indian government has been forced to co-operate with the investigation. Arrests from another foiled plot in Canada from November 2023 have also emerged where it has been reported Canada has forced more staff at India’s external spy agency, RAW to depart.

At the Convention a leading Sikh activist from the US who has been warned by the FBI that his live is at risk will talk about the foiled plot in the US from June 2023 where the main accused, Nikhil Gupta has made a New York court appearance today. The information that has emerged to date from this foiled plot has proved to be the Indian government’s Achilles’ heel.

US intelligence has been at the heart of the public actions by the Canadian authorities and the US administration in applying public pressure on the Indian government for accountability for their actions on foreign soil. Australia has joined the US and Canada in publicly exposing the Indian government’s espionage on its soil.

The public response by the UK government, under Rishi Sunak to India’s blatant disregard for the rule of law through transnational repression was muted. It will be interesting to see how this changes in the next 12 months with a Labour government, legal proceedings in Canada and the US and the emergence of further revelations.

Major reorganisation with new leadership to work with the UK Government

Although the leadership of the Federation has in the last two decades been refreshed with new talent allowing it to effectively tackle and address the many new challenges presented the 40th anniversary signals a time to transform, reorganise and develop over the next decade to grasp new opportunities.

On the 40th anniversary the Sikh Federation (UK) will announce a major reorganisation with radical and exciting changes in its structure, leadership and ways of working.

The reigns are to be handed over to a new 15-member executive of British born Sikh professionals to lead the Sikh community and work with UK Ministers over the next decade on a range of issues in the third edition of the Sikh Manifesto released in June 2024.

At the national level there will also be a Working Group of at least 15 Sikh women that will lead on several projects and a Strategy Board of well-respected individuals with decades of experience providing direction, ensuring accountability and overseeing the strategy of the organisation.

After 14 years of a Conservative government the political focus in the UK will be on specific promises made by the Labour leadership prior to the General Election. Specific progress is expected in the next 12 months on a public inquiry on UK involvement in the 1984 Sikh Genocide, release and return to the UK of Jagtar Singh Johal and recognition of Anti-Sikh hate.

It is hoped the 12 Labour Sikh MPs can also get a Labour Government to deliver a statutory Code of Practice on Sikh articles of faith and formally recognise the 1984 Sikh Genocide.

Campaigning to have India declared a rogue state and global structure to negotiate on behalf of a sovereign Sikh State

At a time when the right wing Indian government’s reputation is at an all-time low an announcement will be made that there will be an international campaign to have India officially declared a rogue state as it cannot be trusted.

After a decade of rule by Narendra Modi, India is widely recognised as an authoritarian state that severely restricts human rights. The Indian government has supported Russia in the war in Ukraine, backed Iran and is making overtures towards China.

The logic to be pushed with Western and other governments is India must be treated as a rogue state as it has in the last 12 months also been exposed on the international stage for its transnational repression, state sponsored terrorism and political interference abroad.

A major announcement is also expected on the first stage of creating an international set up to work with different governments and negotiate the re-establishment of a Sikh homeland. This is in response to an increasing demand by Western and other governments as well as the UN for a global structure to negotiate on behalf of a sovereign Sikh State.

Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK) said: “On our 40th anniversary we are transforming and expanding the organisation, having a new and younger leadership and a different structure to focus on the opportunities currently presented by the UK Government.”

Governments across the globe are reassessing their relationship with the Indian government due to its highly protectionist policies that are making it difficult to do trade, transnational repression and increasing political interference abroad.”

He added: “Governments appreciate they need to find a different solution to the geopolitical challenge presented in South Asia. This includes the global benefits for the re-establishment of a sovereign Sikh State.”

Working with others we commenced the process of creating an international set up to meet the demands of governments and the UN for a global structure to negotiate on behalf of a sovereign Sikh State.”