EVERY Sikh in the UK is urged to press the UK Government to aid a Scot detained in India.
Jagtar “Jaggi” Singh Johal has been held in prison for more than 10 months.
Despite more than 50 pre-trial appearances, no evidence has yet been heard against him and his family in Dumbarton fear he will be held indefinitely.
The 31-year-old is one of 10 men accused of involvement in the October 2017 murder of prominent Hindu nationalist Ravinder Gosain, leader of Hindu paramilitary group RSS.
He has accused Punjab police of torture after his arrest, which took place in the days following his wedding in the month of Gosain’s death.
His brother, Scots solicitor Gurpreet Singh, has criticised the UK Government for its handling of case, claiming it has put potential trade deals over justice.
While former foreign secretary Boris Johnson pledged to meet with the family, he failed to do so. No such action has been taken by his successor Jeremy Hunt, and the family’s local MP Martin Docherty-Hughes says Jaggi’s ethnicity means his case has lacked sufficient press attention.
Now the Sikh Federation UK has launched a letter-writing campaign as it encourages “all UK sangat” – every member of the faith community – to press MPs for action.
A letter made available for the public states: “It is shocking that after 300+ days of incarceration in a foreign country, where his human rights have regularly been abused, the Foreign Secretary of the UK Government is yet to meet Jaggi’s family or his MP.”
Calling on MPs to press Hunt to meet Jagtar’s family and alleging “discrimination”, it goes on: “It is unacceptable that the UK Foreign Secretary would continue to neglect the welfare and ignore the feelings of Jagtar and his family during such a traumatic time.
“The question arises would this discrimination happen if Jagtar were not Scottish or a Sikh?”
The UK Government has repeatedly stated that is supporting Jaggi, who is backed by campaign organisation Redress.
Last night Gurpreet, who practices in Glasgow, extended the action call to outside of the Sikh community. He said: “The reason it started there is it is Sikhs who have been driving this and asking what they can do.
“But it’s a plea to the general public to send letters as well.”
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