Kashmir issue takes centre stage in Southall as UK Election Day nears

Labour candidate Virendra Sharma apologises to Pakistanis and withdraws his comments but local Kashmiri and Sikh voters furious

LONDON: Labour’s MP and candidate for Ealing Southall Virendra Sharma faces opposition and strong challenge from thousands of local voters over his anti-Pakistan comments he made earlier this year during a parliamentary debate condemning Pakistan for supporting Indian occupied Kashmiris.

Virendra Sharma, who is seeking his fourth re-election in the June 8 snap poll, has issued an apology to Pakistani and Kashmiris over his original comments linking Pakistan with terrorism but for the local community Sahrma’s apology doesn’t go far enough and a campaign has been launched urging voters to not vote for the Labour candidate. 

As soon as the snap general election was called by Prime Minister Theresa May for 8th of June, campaigners in Southall started a campaign against Sharma stating that he had insulted the people of Kashmir who are fighting against Indian occupation and attacked Pakistan on behest of Indian government. 

As the protest grew across Southall, which is home to thousands of Indian origin Britons as well as Pakistanis, Virendra Sharma appeared at the Townsend Road Mosque with a group of Pakistani and Sikh community leaders and issued an apology stating that "Pakistan is not harbouring terrorist groups or sponsoring terrorism".

Sharma said in his apology: “What I have said, I feel that has hurt the community. I withdraw those words. Pakistan is not harbouring terrorists and the community. I say so and feel that way that Pakistan is not harbouring terrorists and not sponsoring terrorism, I apologise and withdraw my words. 

In his capacity as chair of the Indo-British All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), Virendra Sharma had participated at a debate in British parliament on 19th January 2017 and made highly provocative and false allegations against Pakistan which infuriated Pakistanis and Kashmiris across the UK. 29 MPs from all parties took part in the debate about the human rights violations by India in occupied Kashmir. 

The debate motion was moved by Conservative David Nutall MP (Bury North – Manchester) to highlight the sufferings of Kashmiri people and almost every MP condemned India for being involved in the genocide of Kashmiri Muslims but Virendra Sharma was the only exception as not only did he defend Indian atrocities against the people of Kashmir but also attacked Kashmiris and Pakistan – clearly, to please India. Sharma said he had visited the occupied Kashmir many times and accused Pakistanis of violating the LOC and then he accused Pakistan of sponsoring attacks inside India. 

Virendra Sharma’s apology has not helped his hopes that the issue of Kashmir will go away. After a group of Pakistani community leaders agreed to accept the apology of Sharma, a row broke out immediately in the community and a few who made the deal “behind closed doors” were accused of compromising on principles. Since then a new group of activists has led the campaign against Sharma and that has caused embarrassment and disturbance to Virendra Sharna. 

An influential local group of Sikhs has said that Sharma has been working against the interests of Sikhs and their demands for Khalistan on instructions from the Indian government. The Sikh community leaders have said that Virendra Sharma has been involved in “anti-Sikh activities” and he doesn’t deserve support of local Sikh voters.

Avtar Singh Buttar, Treasurer at the Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Southall, said: “Virendra Sharma needs to apologise to Sikhs, Pakistanis and Kashmiris not just because its election time on the basis that his work against the oppressed people has caused hurt to tens of thousands of people.”

At the campaign rallies, activists have alleged that Sharma attacked Pakistan on false grounds to please India and his apology is a tactic to win votes. 

The original campaign against Sharma was organised by Nisar Malik, Mayor of Hounslow during 2015/2016 and a leading community activist with long experience of campaigning on community issues. 

The latest round of protest is being led by a group calling itself ‘Save Britain Pride’. Its spokesman Dr Waseem says he is campaigning for ban on Virendra Sharma. “We are asking the Labour party to expel him from the party because he is a divisive figure who has brought disrepute to the party. He has condemned the innocent people of Kashmir who are victims of terrorism at the hands of Indian occupation forces. We categorically reject and condemn the statement made by the Virendra Sharma on the floor of House of Commons 19 January 2017 emphasising the need to declare Pakistan as a terrorist sponsoring state.

Such a statement by representatives of House of Commons would give rise to unprecedented friction and hatred within respective communities which would incite anarchy in a multicultural society we have here in the United Kingdom.”