Punjab Outlook

London—The Guardian reports that the security minister, Dan Jarvis, has written to the Sikh Federation after reports that British Sikhs were being stopped on return to the UK and questioned about their views on India. They complained they were harassed by or on behalf of the Indian government, over their views on the proposed Sikh homeland, Khalistan. Mr Jarvis said the UK will not tolerate attempts by foreign countries to harass or intimidate British citizens, and police would continue to use “all the tools at our disposal” to keep people safe. The report says the Sikh activist based in Birmingham, Avtar Singh Khanda, had complained about being harassed over the phone by Indian police, before his sudden death in June last year. In 2023, a Sikh activist was killed in a drive-by shooting in Canada, after which the Canadian government said there were credible allegations that India was complicit in the attack. Mr Jarvis said: “We take the findings from the Canadian investigations very seriously and the UK has full confidence in Canada’s judicial system. All countries should respect sovereignty and the rule of law, and we encourage all involved parties, including the government of India, to cooperate with the legal process.”