In the period leading up to Diwali I made substantial efforts to prevent the insensitive and provocative demonstration planned on the Diwali day itself, culminating outside the Indian High Commission, against India’s recent actions in Kashmir. I lobbied the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and the Home Secretary Rt Hon. Priti Patel to have this demonstration banned. In the end the demonstration was not banned but I’m pleased that appropriate measures were taken by the Mayor of London and the Commissioner of Metropolitan Police Cressida Dick which meant the Diwali day turned out to be uneventful outside the Indian High Commission!
I have always believed in giving credit where it’s due. So, I fully appreciate Mayor Sadiq Khan’s frank, speedy and robust response to my letters in which he condemned, without any reservations, the demonstration and confirmed to me that his team were working closely with the Metropolitan Police and had a ‘robust’ policing plan to ensure that the violence, mayhem and aggression would not be repeated by the protesters as it happened outside the Indian High Commission on India’s independence day. I am proud of London’s rich and enviable cultural and religious diversity with people of different origins living together in peace and harmony and I’m glad that Mayor recognised in his letter the very significant contribution Indians make to the success of London as world’s leading city. It is very reassuring that the Mayor was and is concerned about the divisions that such ill-conceived protests can create.
As to the total ban of the demonstration itself, the Mayor confirmed to me that banning is entirely the responsibility of the Home Secretary. From my past experience I know this to be true because when I tried to get a march banned by the English Defence League (EDL) in Harrow, I was told by Met Police that we needed Home Secretary to act on it. Given this fact, I wrote to the Home Secretary Rt. Hon. Priti Patel to ban the Kashmir rally forthwith. I was hopeful I’d have a positive outcome. Regrettably after a long delay all I got was a typical bureaucratic reply side stepping the issue of ban and giving me the information I already had from the Mayor of London.
Given the very positive and decisive actions Mayor Khan took, demonstrating his total belief and commitment to working with and protecting London’s diverse communities, I am extremely disappointed that some religious bodies still saw if fit to decline Mayor’s visits to some temples. I don’t think such actions are in the true spirit of our Hindu, Jain and Sikh values. I accept that the feelings in the Hindu/Indian communities about how Labour leadership has tackled the Kashmir issue are still running very high but it’s important that it is recognised that there are a large number of Labour Party members including elected member like me who have been genuine friends and supporters of Indian diaspora and will continue to support and work with Indian communities and organisations through thick and thin. We need to be careful otherwise we are at a risk of throwing the baby out with the bath water. I reiterate that the Labour Party needs to explain its position on Kashmir and engage with British Indians. Equally, I urge that efforts are made by British Indians and the Indian Government to building bridges with the Labour Party.
