After Sikh lobbying and other group’s campaigns, including the National Liberal Party (see ‘The British Census and Identity’ http://nationalliberal.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/The-British-Census-and-Ethnic-Communities.pdf), it looks like the 2021 census will list Sikhism as a distinct ethnicity rather than only as a religion.

In the last census in 2011, more than 83,000 Sikhs refused to tick any of the choices in the question on ethnicity, rejecting options such as Indian in order to write “Sikh” in the space for “any other ethnic group”.

Prior to the last census English wasn’t recognised as a separate group but was so in 2011. Other groups have been recognised over previous censuses.

National Council member Jagdeesh Singh says “The outright opposition to a straight-forward and positive Sikh recognition as an ethnic entity and the pressure for Sikhs to call themselves ‘Indian’ instead, reveals a great deal of underlying pro-Indian mindset and, furthermore, the irritation felt towards a rising, aspiring, self-determining and self-identifying Sikh population.”

He added “The Sikh ethnic question is more than just about Sikhs. It is about out recognition for Dalits, Tamils, Kurds, Polish, English, Scottish, Welsh, Gujarati, Bengal and more; as expressed in the debate today. It is about positive equalisation and inclusion.”

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) will make the final decision but they are under a lot of pressure to make the change and we sincerely hope that it does. Indeed, although we desire integration and all those that make the UK their permanent home to see themselves as loyal citizens, we recognise that private identity and difference to be important.

The UK government’s EQUALITIES OFFICE has announced that it will not be progressing the intended and proposed anti-caste legislation to give legal recourse and remedy to victims of caste based discrimination. Its Equalities Office has announced that anti-caste legislation would be ‘divisive’, complicated and there would a ‘low volume of genuine cases…’.

This is a scandalous rejection of the critical need for legal protection against the medieval to modern evil caste practises which are rampant and mainstream across South Asia and are visibly and palpably evident in the UK’s South Asian population too, including Sikhs! The Hindu ferocious caste system has spread it’s evil tentacles into all communities which inhabit South Asia. No-one has been left unaffected by this life destroying system, which has inflicted substantially more evil and oppression spanning over many centuries than the several decades of apartheid in South Africa.

The pretence by some Hindu and Sikh ‘leaders’ and voices that caste does not exist or is no longer relevant, is a gruesome denial and lie! This combined and dual resistance to anti-caste legislations is extremely tragic and reveals a great deal about the inner mindset of these select Hindu and Sikh organisational voices. Denial is an easy, instinctive, insular response. Embracing real life issues, just like other rampant issues affecting these communities, would be very courageous and principled. The lack of principled leadership in both these communities is an open reality. The caste issue has brought out panic opposition from organisations and supposed ‘leaderhip’ voices from both. In contrast, ordinary, grassroot, day to day Hindus and Sikhs openly accept and recognise the reality of caste in their lives. Whereas Sikh ethics and origins firmly and robustly challenge the entire embedded caste machinery which has inflicted misery, murder and mayhem on South Asia for centuries; the current stance of Sikh organisations and supposed ‘leaders’ has been shocking and scandalous. They have taken a totally unprincipled and suspicious position of opposition. This reveals a great deal about the dubious quality of these ‘leaders’ and organisations. None of these organisations have entered into a open, discussion, debate and conversation with the community about caste. Instead, they have formed bland statements by themselves to oppose anti-caste legislation. This siding and perpetuating a medieval Hindu evil, reveals a lack of credibility on these unprincipled Sikh sources. It contradicts with their frequent rhetroric about Hindu supremists and xenophobia epitomised by the infamous BJP and RSS. Where do the real intentions of these Sikh ‘leaders’ and organisations actually lie? This exposes a contradiction to their routine rhetroric about human rights, freedom, self-determination, which have increasingly become bland platitudes and sloganeering without any substance. Organisations like the Sikh Council and Sikh Federation are invited to step forward and engage in an open, public conversation on the caste issue!

Jagdeesh Singh