Indian Deputy High Commissioner stopped from addressing UK gurdwara gathering

London, Nov 28: Indian Deputy High Commissioner Charanjeet Singh was on Wednesday stopped from addressing a meeting at the Shepherds Bush Gurdwara in London. Singh was stopped by Khalistanis following a call by the Sikh Federation to stop Indian officials from giving speeches at Gurdwaras.

A video of the incident was uploaded online by the National Sikh Youth Federation UK, a pro­Khalistan group.

The deputy high commissioner, who is a Punjabi, had gone to the gurdwara on the occasion of the 549th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev and had made it clear that he was there in his official capacity and intended to address the congregation to congratulate them.

Several gurdwaras in the US, Canada and Australia had banned Indian officials from addressing the congregations from their stages. In UK too, the Sikh Federation had mooted a ban on Indian officials from using gurdwara stage or carrying out any activity in official capacity. These gurdwaras had made it clear that the Indian officials would be allowed to visit the gurdwaras in personal capacity to pay obeisance.