London: A wide-ranging campaign under the name ‘The Sikh Vote’ has been launched in the UK to protect Sikh identity, Sikh rights and human rights. Organisers of the campaign say there is a need to strengthen the collective voice of the Sikh community in response to the growing number of anti-Sikh hate crimes, discrimination and misinformation about Sikhs in the UK.
According to a statement issued on 17 October 2026, the main objective of the campaign is to address the local and international challenges facing British Sikhs and to ensure accountability from elected representatives. ‘The Sikh Vote’ has said that politicians seeking the support of the Sikh Sangat will be expected to answer questions on Sikh issues. For this purpose, community gatherings will also be organised in collaboration with Gurdwaras across the country.
The campaign has placed a number of demands before the British Parliament. The first of these is a demand for equal government funding for the protection of Gurdwaras. The statement says that at the beginning of 2026, £73.4 million was allocated for the protection of places of worship, while a separate joint fund of £5 million was announced for minorities, of which the Sikh community received only a very small share.
‘The Sikh Vote’ has demanded that anti-Sikh hate crime be recorded as a separate and mandatory category in police recording and monitoring systems. It has also called for Sikh identity and Sikh history to be made compulsory in the national curriculum in order to help prevent bullying and harassment of Sikh children in schools.
The campaign has also called for a dedicated section on Sikhs to be included in the national inquiry relating to the sexual exploitation of children and young people. In addition, it has demanded mandatory training for NHS staff so that Sikh patients are treated in accordance with their religious beliefs and practices.
On the issue of Sikh rights and sovereignty, the campaign has said that the interests of British Sikhs should not be used as bargaining chips in foreign trade agreements. It has also demanded that if a foreign state targets British Sikhs on UK soil through repression or intimidation, trade benefits with that country should be suspended.
The campaign has further called for an end to extremist labels used, in its view, to discredit the Sikh right to self-determination, as well as an end to unnecessary questioning at airports and borders under Schedule 7.
Referring to warnings issued by the United Nations, the statement has demanded the release of Jagtar Singh Johal. It has also called for a judge-led, high-level inquiry into the death of Avtar Singh Khanda, the removal of restrictions imposed on Gurpreet Singh, and a high-level inquiry to ensure full public disclosure of the UK Government’s role in the 1984 military attacks on Darbar Sahib.
On the issue of religious freedom, ‘The Sikh Vote’ has said that the Kirpan and all Sikh articles of faith, known as the Five Ks, should receive full recognition and clear legal protection under UK law.
To strengthen these demands before the Government, the campaign has also launched a survey under the name ‘Voice of the Sikh’. Through the survey, information relating to the experiences and views of British Sikhs will be collected so that Sikh issues can be presented before governments and politicians on the basis of concrete evidence and statistics. The collected information will also be shared with other Sikh organisations and Gurdwaras, while the identities of those taking part in the survey will remain confidential
- Survey link:
https://sikhvote.palform.app/sangatvoice
Organisers are also distributing leaflets in Gurdwaras across the UK to inform the Sangat about the aims and strategy of the campaign. British Sikhs have been urged to ensure their participation in decisions affecting the community and to record their voice by taking part in the survey.
⊕ Read the information leaflet issued by ‘The Sikh Vote’ campaign below:
⊕ Read the official press release issued by ‘The Sikh Vote’ campaign below:
