Written question asked by Lord McCabe (Labour) on Monday, 9 November 2015, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 16 November 2015. It was answered by Lord Swire (Conservative) on Friday, 20 November 2015 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

India: Politics and Government

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to raise with the Prime Minister of India during his forthcoming visit the recent death of Sikh protestors in the Punjab following the desecration of the Sikh holy book.

Answer: We are aware of reports that the Sikh holy book has been desecrated in several temples in Punjab. We regret these incidents, and the disturbances that followed, including the deaths of two protestors. We note that the Indian police are investigating and we hope this process will be completed in due course and that the police will investigate fully. Relations between the Sikhs in India and the Indian government are an internal matter, although we of course encourage both parties to resolve their differences through dialogue.

Secondary information