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Punjabi Community in Britain

That is a heartfelt issue throughout the community, and my hon. Friend has accurately reflected what we hear from families at our surgeries time and again. Student visas have been controversial recently, and we are all aware that there have been scams at both ends of the system, with some people who are not students applying for visas. The Government have taken drastic action, but we are worried that those who genuinely want to come here to study may be penalised. The visa application policy for students should be sensitive. There is also an issue with bogus colleges here taking students on and extracting large fees, but not offering proper educational opportunities. I have come across that problem in my constituency, and have investigated them. A problem with Preston college in Clayton road in Hayes was raised with me this week. It has been taking fees, but not providing the promised standard of education. I would welcome discussion with the relevant Department on how to resolve the issue of student visas sensitively. The all-party group has been a human rights group for a long time, and we have not dropped that work, which is still a concern of the group and the community. An issue that was raised during the previous debate is the death penalty that still hangs over the head of Professor Davinder Singh Bhullar, There were confessions, but they were produced as a result of torture. The case is not secure, and the death penalty should be removed in India; it should certainly not hang over that man's head. The same problem exists in Pakistan with Sarabjit Singh. Amnesty International took up his case, and some of us have been on delegations to the Pakistan High Commission. Will the Government raise those two cases, and the death penalty generally, with the High Commissions of India and Pakistan? There is a human rights issue in this country with caste discrimination. At the weekend, my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, Southall (Mr. Sharma) and I were at the Sri Ravi Guru Dass Ji temple in Southall, which has led the campaign to ensure that we outlaw caste discrimination in this country. We have an opportunity to do so in the Equality Bill, and we have tabled an amendment to outlaw caste discrimination. Ministers have said that they are not convinced that there is sufficient evidence of caste discrimination in the UK, so we have provided that evidence. We have also provided them with a fall-back position. If they are still not convinced, they could take a reserve power so that if further evidence becomes available later, they could introduce delegated legislation outlawing caste discrimination, instead of having to wait for primary legislation. I want to raise some ongoing issues from the previous debate a few years ago on which we seek follow-up. The first concerns prisoners of war on the western front during the second world war who came from the Punjab, served in the British Army, and were taken prisoner in north Africa. Many died, but many were taken by the Nazis to Europe as slave labour and suffered immensely. I have met Ministry of Defence officials, and the Minister has now taken a personal interest in the matter and has agreed to consider proposals to acknowledge that service and suffering. We are putting proposals together and will submit them this week. All the former prisoners are asking for is an acknowledgement. The issue is not about compensation at the moment. They want an acknowledgement of the service that they gave and the suffering that they went through. I commend Colonel Chanan Singh Dhillon on the persistence with which he has pursued this campaign. We also raised the tragic circumstances of the murder of Tarsem Singh Purewal, editor of Des Pardes, more than 20 years ago. At that time, we sought information from the Home Office and the Metropolitan police about the continuing investigation of the case. Still no one has been brought to justice for perpetrating that murder. I would welcome an update from the Home Office and the Metropolitan police on what has happened to the investigation. It is time to find the truth. That might not relieve the family's suffering for the loss of their loved one, but at least it might bring some closure. Another issue, which has also been raised again this week by some of the gurdwaras is the wearing of the kirpan. That religious practice is pursued by all baptised Sikhs, and rightly so. Yet despite years of negotiation with the Home Office to obtain clear guidelines, there are still problems with security staff. They have arisen at Heathrow, Wembley and other public places, and I am worried that with the Olympics coming up there could be a problem if we do not take action now. We would welcome the Government reiterating the guidelines. We could then be proactive in promoting them with public bodies and agencies, and private sector security companies so that they are aware of the guidelines and the importance of Sikhs' religious practice of wearing the kirpan, and so that there is no conflict or confrontation as we move towards the Olympics. In the time remaining, I want to raise two points. One is tragic. A few months ago, The Observer reported what has happened in the town of Bathinda in the Punjab and villages in the surrounding area. It reported children suffering from cerebral palsy and a range of other deformities resulting from environmental pollution. The photographs and report were incredibly distressing. An international response is needed to investigate the causes, because the scale of the problem in those villages has led to a belief among the Punjabis that the problem stretches right across the Punjab and results from environmental pollution, possibly caused by coal generators in the area, but other issues such as uranium and subsoil pollution are also a possibility. Will the Government consider how they can co-operate with and assist the Indian Government to research and investigate the matter, and help the families of those who have suffered. A personal and abiding concern is the injustice of Britain retaining the Koh-i-noor diamond. It was owned by the last maharajah of the Punjab, Maharajah Dalip Singh, and was stolen from him when he was a child by the East India Company and given to Queen Victoria when Dalip Singh was removed from his throne. It is part of the Crown jewels in the Tower of London. It would be an act of generous justice to return it to the people of the Punjab, simply because it is theirs, not ours. Each year, the all-party group holds Vasaikhi celebrations and a Punjabi cultural awards ceremony, and I congratulate all those who have received awards over the past few years on their work in the Punjabi community. They are the heroes and heroines of our community and have worked hard voluntarily. On 24 March, we will hold our Vasaikhi celebrations and award celebrations in the Jubilee Room, and I invite the Minister and all hon. Members to come along. It will be a celebration of the Punjabi community's contribution to this country, which has been immense over generations.