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'No community should live in fear': British MP backs Southampton Sikhs amid rising hostility after Digwa's conviction
🇮🇳 India /Culture & Society

'No community should live in fear': British MP backs Southampton Sikhs amid rising hostility after Digwa's conviction

From Times of India · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • British MP Adnan Hussain expressed solidarity with Southampton's Sikh community following reports of rising hostility.
  • The increased fear stems from the conviction of Vickrum Singh Digwa for the murder of Henry Nowak, with some wrongly blaming the wider Sikh community.
  • Community leaders reported instances of racial abuse and urged against holding an entire faith group responsible for an individual's actions.

Independent MP Adnan Hussain has voiced strong support for Southampton's Sikh community, condemning the rising fear and intimidation they face. His statement comes after reports of increased hostility following the conviction of 23-year-old Vickrum Singh Digwa for the murder of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak in December 2025. Digwa was sentenced to life imprisonment for fatally stabbing Nowak with a kirpan, a ceremonial blade carried by some Sikhs.

This is awful. No community should have to live in fear like this, and no community should be held responsible for the crimes of an individual.

— Adnan HussainThe British MP expressed solidarity with the Sikh community, condemning the rising hostility and fear they face after a conviction.

Hussain, speaking on X, emphasized that no community should live in fear or be held responsible for the actions of a single individual. "Solidarity with the Sikh community," he wrote, urging the government to prioritize their safety and provide necessary reassurance. His comments highlight a growing concern that the broader Sikh population is being unfairly targeted due to Digwa's crime, despite the court rejecting Digwa's false claim of racial abuse during the investigation.

Leaders from Southampton's Sikh community have reported that many residents now feel unsafe, avoiding public spaces and routine activities. A spokesperson for Gurdwara Khalsa Darbar noted instances of racial abuse in workplaces, supermarkets, and care facilities, leading to the cancellation of a community memorial event due to safety concerns. "We are feeling victimised and people are scared to come out of their house," the spokesperson stated, emphasizing the unfair association of the entire Sikh community with Digwa's actions.

Solidarity with the Sikh community. The government must ensure its safety is prioritised and necessary reassurance is provided.

— Adnan HussainHussain called on the government to protect the Sikh community and provide them with reassurance amidst rising intimidation.

Community representatives have also defended the kirpan as a religious article and urged calm, stressing that the murder was the act of an individual, not a reflection of the entire faith. They implore the public not to direct anger toward the broader Sikh population, reinforcing the distinction between personal actions and collective identity.

We are feeling victimised and people are scared to come out of their house.

— Gurdwara Khalsa Darbar spokespersonA spokesperson described the impact of rising hostility on the Sikh community, highlighting their fear and reluctance to engage in public life.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Times of India in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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