Amritsar, Punjab (February 19, 2013):
The Dal Khalsa has acknowledged that the visit of British PM to the
Golden Temple, Amritsar will put Sikhs on the world map catching the
attention of the world community and thereby creating more understanding
of the Sikh community.
Extending a warm welcome to British PM
Mr. David Cameroon and his delegation for visiting Darbar Sahib during
his trip to India, a letter has been written by party’s spokesperson
Kanwar Pal Singh, which has been faxed to British High Commissioner, Sir
James Bevan KCMG at New Delhi.
While some may like to see your visit to
Golden Temple only as a compulsion of immigration politics, we consider
it as a tactical recognition of Sikhs as a separate nation for which
your team should be applauded, reads the letter.
Kanwarpal Singh further wrote that in
view of the historical Anglo-Sikh connection, the British government
owes it to the Sikhs to ensure that their fundamental rights are
protected. He pinned hope that Britain would do well to uphold rights
including self-determination of all ethnic nationalities, including the
Sikhs without fear or favour.
Referring to the British Pod car that
would make its presence in Amritsar transporting pilgrims from the city
centre to Darbar Sahib, as a significant example of continuing British
interest in Punjab, the Dal Khalsa has suggested that the British
government should set up a British Council Library in Amritsar for the
benefit of students of this region.
The letter appealed to him to be helpful in resolving the identity problems of European Sikhs including turban ban in France.