THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Leicester/London- The Indian Workers Association (Great Britain) has expressed deep anger and shock following the racially motivated rape attack on a young Sikh woman in Oldbury, Birmingham, and a separate racial assault on a Sikh taxi driver in the Midlands.
The association described the incidents as part of a deeply disturbing rise in hate crimes against minority and immigrant communities in the UK.
In a strongly worded statement, Sital Singh Gill, General Secretary of the Indian Workers Association (GB), said:
“The racially aggravated rape attack on a young Sikh woman is a barbaric crime that has shocked every decent person. It is not only an assault on one woman but on the dignity and safety of all women and minority communities.
We are deeply disappointed with the attitude of some political parties, who are using immigrants as scapegoats and trying to divide the British public for their own political gain. These divisive tactics only encourage racism and hatred. We call on all fair-minded people to reject such politics of division and to stand together in unity and solidarity.”
Mr Gill added that the IWA (GB) and the wider community “will continue their struggle against all forms of racism and hatred,” and called for trade unions, faith organisations, and community groups to come together in a united campaign.
“An attack on one community is an attack on all communities. Racism, misogyny, and hate have no place in a civilised and democratic society,” he said.
The Indian Workers Association has urged the UK Government, police authorities, and the Crown Prosecution Service to take urgent and decisive action to ensure justice for the victim, bring the perpetrators to trial, and improve the protection of women and minority communities.
The organisation, which has a long history of anti-racist and workers’ rights campaigning in the UK, said it is sending a motion of protest and solidarity to all major trade unions and is planning further actions and meetings to ensure justice is done and seen to be done.
