“Weak” Rishi Sunak accused of both “appeasement” by Indian media and “demonising” Sikhs by SFUK

UK Conservative Party Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has received criticisms from both the Indian media and also Sikh groups for a statement about tackling “violence” of “pro-Khalistan extremism” in the UK, made today (08.09.23).

The statement on Khalistan (free Sikh homeland movement) was made to Indian media outlets whilst Sunak was attending the annual G20 world leader summit, this year in Delhi (India) chaired by India’s PM Narendra Modi. The same interview also saw Sunak say he is “looking forward” to a comprehensive trade deal with India.

UK community advocacy group Sikh Federation UK called the statement on Khalistan “dangerous”, whilst nationalist Indian media outlet WION News (part of Zee TV) labelled it “a desperate PR move”.

Uniquely, many panthic (Sikh path/community focused) groups and Indian media both agree Sunak’s statement (which you can see here) was an attempt at “appeasement” towards the Indian State. However, pro-Khalistan groups will say this appeasement is based on affirming India’s claims that the Khalistan movement in the UK is extremist and violent, which there is no evidence of. Opposingly, Indian media like WION News claim the appeasement is based on the UK refusing to clamp down on Khalistan support in the UK, all of which Indian media tarnishes as “extremist” and “violent”, terms which Sunak echoed.

Speaking on the opposing views, Sikh Press Association Senior Press Officer Jasveer Singh said:

“Many UK Sikhs will be angered by Sunak’s comments today because there is no actual substance behind claims the Khalistan movement is violent or extremist. A completely legal and peaceful Khalistan referendum campaign was run across the UK through 2021. Pro-Khalistan events are held by various UK Sikh groups all the time, without issue.

“Yet, for Indian media and Modi’s government, any support for Khalistan is an issue. Famously, after protests last March saw London’s India High Commission flag briefly pulled down, India’s notorious media labelled the incident ‘terrorism’. This sensationalist take was criticised by the likes of Professor Andrew Macleod, but it highlights how different Indian thought is regarding what most Western democracies accept.

“The fact is, Sikhs in the UK and countries like Canada, Australia, the USA and others, use freedoms which do not exist in India to show support for Khalistan, a free Sikh homeland in India. The Indian State does not want Western countries to allow this. They want to see Indian type law imposed on Khalistan supporters. In India sedition is a crime and most Khalistan support falls into that. This is not the case in the West, and Indian nationalists – including the government – are frustrated by this. There is only so much Sunak’s government can do to criminalise Khalistan support, which is completely legal and peaceful across the UK and beyond.”

See the Sikh Federation UK’s statement on Sunak “demonising” Sikh’s comments below.

See the WION News clip accusing Sunak of being “desperate” below.

Perhaps revealingly, the criticisim of being “weak” and working to appease a foreign power known for mass human rights breaches has already been directed towards Sunak. The criticisms came from many including some within his own party last year regarding Sunak’s stances on China.

UK Sikhs have long highlighted why many believe the UK Government has an agenda to malign Khalistan supporters, at the behest of India, with trade deals in mind. Previously, Sikh groups have condemned baseless accusations from the likes of the West Midlands Police, Priti Patel, the Bloom Review, Prevent and even Boris Johnson which support Indian State propaganda against the Khalistan movement.

Currently, there is not a single person that has been charged with Khalistan related terrorism in the UK, putting accusations of “violence” into question. Summarising the issue, Sikh PA’s Jasveer Singh said:

“The Khalistan movement not only threatens the stability and power of India by working to detach the state of Punjab from within it, it also highlights India’s mass human rights breaches against Sikhs.

“By trying to frame Khalistanis as an extremist threat, India distracts from its human rights abuses, which help fuel freedom movements across the country. As their media reflects, the Indian State demands for Khalistan support to be condemned and now even targeted by Western governments. Sunak’s comments reflecting this anti-Sikh position today will be worrying for Sikhs across the globe.“

Media inquiries- media@sikhpa.com.