Sikh by-election reaction

Ealing Southall
THE SIKH community has reacted angrily to the selection of Cllr Virendra Sharma for the Ealing Southall by-election.

The Sikh Federation, who lobby for more Sikhs to take part in UK politics, say the absence of women or turban-wearing members of the religion has denied local residents a proper choice.

Jagtar Singh, vice-chair of the Sikh Federation says the process has imposed Ealing Southall residents with a Piara Khabra clone - and had thwarted another chance to get the first visible Sikh' - one who wears a turban - or Sikh woman into the House of Commons.

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"Our vision is for many Sikhs, born and brought up in the country, to start to taking an active part in politics," he told the Ealing Times.

"We expect the Labour party to not only to look to Sikh candidates but also to ensure in safe Labour seats that we will see a Sikh in the Houses of Parliament.

"We were hoping the Labour Party would have put forward a shortlist including women and visible Sikhs so that Labour members could decide - that would have been the best thing in terms of democracy.

"We feel the Labour members haven't had much of a say - the Labour party aren't giving the opportunity or much of a choice.

"The mould is the same; we have a fairly old Asian MP. I'm not saying he is exactly the same as Piara Khabra,but he is a councillor from the same sort of area or background.

"People are not happy there was a shortlist of two."

The federation has now also warned some of the candidates they feel should have been in the final shortlist may now stand as independents.

They say it has not been overlooked that young professional Sikhs have been overlooked by an "aging non-Sikh" from the long list of possible candidates.
Ealing Times