Sikh Federation UK has questioned Labour Party’s silence on alleged racist comments by Ealing South Hall MP Virendra Sharma against Sikhs. The federation has demanded strict action against the MP. In a tweet, they posted, “The Labour leader Keir Starmer by failing to take any action against the MP when video evidence has been provided to the party stands accused of being weak on racism within the UK Labour.”
On Monday 3 October a video started to be shared of Virendra Sharma the MP for Ealing Southall after he was challenged when taking part in the Gurdwara election at Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Southall the day before.
A press release by the federation stated that the MP failed to properly handle the situation when he was called out for not taking up issues on behalf of Sikh constituents with the Indian government. He responded to being challenged by becoming confrontational and stepped over the mark by making deeply offensive comments about the Sikh identity.
The Sikh Federation (UK) raised the matter in writing with the Labour Party on 3 October as soon as the video was shared and followed up by warning the Labour Party of the reaction of the Sikh community to Virendra Sharma’s comments. On Thursday the following was sent to Keir Starmer urging him to take action in the next 48 hours.
Jaspal Singh National Press Secretary Sikh Federation (UK) wrote a letter to Sir Keir Starmer, raising this issue.
Virendra Sharma MP issued a clarification in a statement saying that he was approached by a group as the local MP and the group started asking hostile questions and filming him. “I was challenged on what I had done to support the Sikh and Punjabi community.
“I do not know the men attacking me, but what I said to them was growing a beard does not make you Sikh, it is an ideology, and it is the values that make a Sikh. As an MP I have always played a secular role, politics is about politics, not religion and I do not bring religion into my position as a Member of Parliament.” He said it is ridiculous to suggest he an anti-Sikh because he has spent a lifetime combatting racism.
