West Midlands Sikhs protest over 'political prisoners'
Sikhs from the West Midlands were among hundreds who protested outside Parliament against the holding of 'political prisoners'.
The Sikh Federation is calling on MPs and the UK government to press India to release people it says have served their sentences.
Civil rights campaigner Bapu Surat Singh, aged 83, is currently on hunger strike in India as part of the protest.
Sandwell councillor Preet Kaur Gill said: "People feel very strongly about this issue and we have to be able to lobby on human rights violations."
Wolverhampton South West MP Rob Marris, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for British Sikhs, said: "I have written to the foreign secretary regarding the hunger strike, which relates to allegations that the authorities in India have imprisoned people unlawfully.
"This is what some have characterised as a system of political prisoners.
"I have asked the foreign secretary what steps the UK government is taking to encourage the sovereign government of India to adhere to the norms of the international community regarding the appropriate use of imprisonment, human rights and the rule of law."
Bhai Amrik Singh, chairman of the Sikh Federation, said: "The Prime Minister and foreign secretary were asked to urgently take up the issue of the release of Sikh political prisoners in Indian jails who have completed the terms of their sentence. But we have had no answers.
"It is a sad reflection that the present UK government is turning a blind eye to human rights violations of minorities in India fearing various trade deals could be jeopardised."
