On the 8th Anniversary of 9/11 the Government urgently needs to review its hate crime policy.

Government policy on tackling rising ethno-religious hate crimes is seriously flawed. The fallout from both rational and irrational anger against the events of 9/11 and 7/7 affects all minority faith communities, and has been particularly felt by Sikhs. 

Last week, I was asked to chair a panel discussion tackling the subject of ethno-religious hatred in Britain, with a focus on the Sikh community. The panellists included an ex- Home office Minister, a conservative parliamentary candidate as well as a top Police chief. The event celebrated the premiere screening of a hard-hitting documentary film, ‘Turbanology’ by an ex-ITV journalist turned film producer, Jay-Singh Sohal.  The film along with the lively debate pose an interesting question:  Is it not time now to create a committee to encompass the fears of race hatred that Muslims, Hindu’s, Sikhs, Buddhists and others face in Britain in the Al-Qaeda age?

In recent months I have followed reports in the media in earnest, which are indicative of a palpable rise in hate crimes against Sikhs.  A couple of reports amongst many are indelibly fixed in my mind.

The first was the ‘kung-fu style’ flying kick landed on the Lord Mayor of Luton – Councillor Lakhbir Singh (a Turbaned Sikh),  during a parade of  troops returning from Iraq earlier this year. This paints an ugly picture of multi-cultural Britain.  The incident which was caught in camera, nonetheless shows the consequence of mistaken identity, where a Sikh was mistaken for a Muslim.  Has multiculturalism thus really been a success, if in modern day Britain a white youth can only express his anger with Muslims with violence, unwittingly attacking a Sikh?

The second incident also meted out on Sikhs from Luton was the horrific ordeal that sixty-six women and children had on the motorway. Having just escaped certain death in a coach turned inferno, melting tarmac  in its wake– they were subjected to racial taunts by drivers passing by 'go back to the burning bus', and sticking their fingers out. The motivation in this instance is not explicit; it may be racism in its purest form although we cannot rule out the same ignorance shown towards the Lord Mayor’s identity.

Being a British born Sikh, I have noticed a change in the reaction to my visible identity.  Whilst growing up I remember being referred to as a ‘Paki’ and ‘Rag-head’, by people whom I would have then myself described as ‘Skinheads’. After 9/11 and 7/7, there has been a noticeable shift of nomenclature and  the term of reference  ‘Bin Laden’ and ‘Taliban’ have become slurs of choice. Sikhs have become the unfortunate recipients of the fear of Islamic Extremism. Fear leads to hatred, hatred to violence – the cycle then repeats itself in a vicious self perpetuating chain.

The events in Luton are by no means isolated incidents for the community. In March this year, there was a suspected Arson attack on a Gurdwara ( Sikh Temple) in East London (Harley Grove) with 14 copies of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (The holy book of the Sikhs) burnt to a cinder. The outrage still reverberates many months later with an online campaign along with a substantial monetary award raised by the trustees to bring the arsonists to justice.  

Since the Harley Grove incident there have been other suspicious fires reported at Gurdwaras up and down the country.  Doncaster to cite another example - It was the third in less then seven weeks.

Directly after 9/11, one of the first people to be murdered in retribution was a Sikh, Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Mesa- Arizona gas station owner. The murdered, Frank Silva Roque assumed Sodhi was an ‘Arab’.  He claimed the murder was in retaliation for New York and that he was a ‘patriot.’ Here in Britain after the London Bombings, a Sikh Gurdwara was immediately firebombed in Kent and many Sikhs were both verbally & physically attacked.  Who then is facing the brunt of the backlash?

The Divisions in Britain’s ‘model’ multi-cultural society have been highlighted in recent months with the marches organised by the emboldened English Defence League (EDF) and casuals united against Islamic extremists.

 There is no doubt that all religious communities and their institutions have faced the wrath of ignorant bigots bent on venting their frustrations. Ascension of groups like the EDF and casuals united has been under the pretext of an undercurrent of hatred simmering under the surface in many towns and cities.  Although they claim Sikhs and Hindu’s sympathisers have contacted them to show solidarity with their agenda.

Should it not then be the prerogative of the Government to afford equal airtime to adherents of Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Islam and other faiths – when discussing race hate crime here in Britain? One should not be given preferential treatment over the other – all can be and will continue to be victims. To avoid Parliamentarians being coaxed into the creation of several groups looking at Sikhophobia, Hinduophobia, Anti-Semitism, Rastafarianophobia, Buddophobia and Islamophobia, surely common sense should prevail and one Parliamentary group committee can focus on post 9/11 and 7/7 hate crime?

If the Government decides to pander to the grievances of just one community, there is a danger this may foment disenchantment in other faith groups , at a time when attacks on all have become pervasive.  

Hardeep Singh, is a freelance Journalist & Broadcaster, he is also the Press Secretary for The Network of Sikh Organisations

Note: these are the opinion of the author and not the opinion of the Network of Sikh Organisations