UK security minister outraged after British Sikhs claim harassment by Indian agencies – Firstpost

British Security Secretary Dan Jarvis has assured Sikhs in the United Kingdom that the government will not tolerate an attack on them by foreign governments.

The assurances came after complaints by British Sikhs that they were being targeted by or on behalf of the Indian government. Similar complaints were raised by Sikh organizations in Canada and the United States, most of which were involved in supporting the Khalistan cause.

In a letter to the Sikh Federation, Jarvis wrote that “any foreign authority that intimidates, harasses or harms individuals or communities in the UK will not be tolerated”, the Guardian reported.

The newspaper also called on Jarvis to urge India to cooperate with the Canadian government on the death of Hardeep Singh Nijar, an avowed terrorist who commanded the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), a designated terrorist organization. Canada has accused India of complicity in the death, and its harassment of Indian diplomats over the issue has sunk to an all-time low in bilateral relations.

In a December 10 letter to the Sikh Federation, Jarvis wrote: “We do not tolerate intimidation or threats to life and through our intelligence services and police force will continue to use all tools at our disposal to keep people safe. Any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK will not be tolerated.”

Jarvis goes on to write: “We take the findings of the Canadian inquiry very seriously and the UK has full confidence in Canada’s judicial system. All countries must respect sovereignty and the rule of law, and we encourage all parties involved, including the Government of India, to cooperate in the legal process.”

India was concerned about the safe haven the Khalistan movement had found abroad, particularly in Canada and the United Kingdom. The Khalistan movement seeks to carve out a nation for Sikhs from India called Khalistan. For decades, the movement waged a violent insurgency in India, primarily in the state of Punjab, which subsided only in the 1990s. Although the insurgency in India has subsided, safe havens abroad remain an issue for India.