MPs to meet security minister over safety of Sikhs living in Britain

A cross-party group of MPs is set to meet with the government's security minister over the safety of Sikh activists living in Britain.

Labour MP Preet Kaur Gill said concerns were raised after an "intelligence hit list" appeared on a number of Indian media channels.

"It talked about 20 Sikhs who don't live in India referring to them as enemies of the state," she said.

Six British Sikhs were named, with some now under police protection, she said.

A meeting is set to take place on Tuesday.

Some Sikh activists have been contacted by police to tell them their lives were in danger, she explained.

The letters - also known as Osman warnings - are issued if officers become aware of a real and immediate threat to somebody's life.

"They have said they've had threats, they've had harassment and intimidation," said the MP for Birmingham Edgbaston.

"Those are the levels of concerns we are seeing about transnational repression and seeing different states trying to further their ideologies here in the United Kingdom by suppressing peoples' voices and their right to speak up on human rights violations," she said.

Sikh activists have been on high alert since evidence emerged from Canada suggesting the Indian government had a role to play in the assassination of Canadian Sikh Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was campaigning for a breakaway Sikh homeland, or Khalistan.

In November US prosecutors also charged an Indian man with a plot to kill at least four Sikh separatists in North America.

Avtar Singh Khanda, 35, who was well-known for his support of the creation of Khalistan, died in Birmingham last year, with some close to him suggesting there was foul play involved.

West Midlands Police said it thoroughly reviewed the case and there were no suspicious circumstances and no need to re-investigate.

"What we really want from the securities minister is a reassurance from the government that firstly it's taking the appropriate steps to support and protect the British Sikh community from any unlawful threats or attacks," Ms Gill said.

"These are British nationals and we've got to make sure the government is taking this very seriously," the MP added.

"But also they've got to really listen and hear accounts from these individuals as to what it is that they've experienced and so that we can absolutely raise these concerns appropriately with the Indian counterparts."

The Indian embassy in London said it had no comment to make and the UK government said it takes the protection of individuals' rights, freedom and safety seriously.

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]