Sikhs urged to use their vote in UK elections

While the United Kingdom’s electors may be split as never before on how to vote in the May 6 General and District Elections, nonetheless everyone has a responsibility to cast their vote.

That’s what the leaders of the Sikh community in Waltham Forest in London are telling their people anyway, according to the local newspaper.

The Waltham Forest Guardian reports that Board members of the Gurdwara Sikh Sanjat London East temple in Francis Road, Leyton, have taken the unprecedented step of staging political discussions and urging community members to vote.

L-R: Narinder Singh Matharoo, Gurbakash Singh Sethi, Gurdial Singh and Satpal Singh

Because there are no Sikh candidates this time, there is concern that people will not turn out for the polls.

Narinder Singh Matharoo, a former councillor and mayor, said: “We are very concerned that the Sikhs, who have traditionally supported Labour, are not being represented this year.”

The temple board has passed a resolution to try to encourage Sikhs to vote sensibly, considering each candidate on their merit and past. “We are not telling people how to vote, but creating awareness so they can decide how to vote,” Mr Matharoo told the Guardian.

He said past turnouts by Sikhs had been low because they were not sure of the importance of their vote.

This was misguided. The Sikh community did not want to be isolated and had to take an active part n the life of the borough. “Although we are in the minority, we still have a say,” he declared.