London – The Sikh Federation (UK) has written to the Prime Minister demanding an urgent meeting over the Home Office’s handling of the Kirpan issue following last night’s ITV documentary on the murder of Henry Nowak.
The Government must not respond to media pressure by distorting Sikh religious practice or misrepresenting the facts of the case. The Sikh Federation (UK) has stated clearly in its letter to the Prime Minister that the murder weapon was not a Kirpan and warned against any attempt to conflate the two.
Dabinderjit Singh OBE, Chief Executive for Political Engagement at the Sikh Federation (UK), said:
“The Home Office has failed to properly engage with leading Sikh organisations and Gurdwaras, despite repeated requests for meaningful consultation over the last four months.
“The sacred Sikh Kirpan has a clearly understood religious significance and established form, and should not be dragged into a case where it does not belong.”
The organisation has also written to the Court of Appeal and requested that inaccurate references describing the murder weapon as a “large Kirpan” in the judgment be corrected to “large bladed item”.
The Sikh Federation (UK) is calling for urgent and transparent engagement before any proposals are developed further.
⊕ Read and Download the Complete Letter Sent to the Prime Minister Below.
