England: Case for recognition of Sikhs as ethnic group reaches High Court

Lawyers for the Sikh Federation argue it would be unlawful for no Sikh ethnicity tickbox to be included in the 2021 census, as the Office for National Statistics recommended last year.

In 2011, the census recorded about 430,000 Sikhs on the basis of a question about religion. The federation estimates there are some 700,000 to 800,000 Sikhs in Britain.

The ONS said its recommendation followed “extensive research and consultation with groups and individuals and everyone who wishes to identify as Sikh will be able to do so.

“The religion question will have a specific Sikh tickbox response option and everyone who wishes to identify as Sikh in response to the ethnicity question will be able to do so through a write-in option. We believe these proposals will enable public bodies to work with the Sikh community in shaping public services to meet their needs.”

Lord Singh of Wimbledon told the Times of India in May: “Sadly, no one in the unrepresentative SFUK-run All Party Parliamentary Group for British Sikhs has taken up the challenge to debate their flawed and rejected Sikh ethnic box campaign.

“For a start we’d like to educate them on Sikh teachings.

“First lesson – Guru Nanak was the founder of a major world faith, not an ethnic group.”