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Sikhs Confident of Securing Support of Majority of MPs to Include Sikh Ethnic Tick Box in Census 2021
December 16, 2018 | By Sikh Siyasat Bureau
by: Gurjeet Singh*
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Sikhs has just issued the statement below about the Census White Paper that was published yesterday.
Bhai Amrik Singh Gill [File Photo]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has refused to add a Sikh ethnic tick box despite identifying the need and overwhelming Sikh community support.
Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK) said:
“We have unofficially known from Ministers for several months this was the likely outcome. In the last 12 months the ONS approach has become secretive and focused on finding reasons not to grant Sikhs an ethnic tick box.”
“ONS has gone to great lengths to maintain the status quo and continue with reinforcing the institutionalised discrimination of Sikhs by public bodies. We are aware of some of the pressures that have been exerted on them.”
“However, these are proposals and the final decision on the Census questions rests with Parliament.”
“Gurdwaras, Sikh organisations and the community are resourceful and will work with the APPG on the year-long campaign launched today. Legal action against the ONS remains an option.”
“A number of specific actions have however been suggested where the credibility and integrity of the ONS will be challenged and their reputation of being independent and reaching decisions based on evidence will be tested.”
“We are confident we can secure the support of up to 350 MPs from across the political spectrum, including Ministers and Shadow Ministers to back the Sikh community and we will be successful in securing an amendment to the Census Order when it is presented to Parliament in autumn 2019.”
* Gurjeet Singh is National Press Secretary of Sikh Federation UK.
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Related Topics: Sikh Diaspora, Sikh News UK, Sikhs in United Kingdom
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