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London House of Lords’ Sikh Controversy

Lord Ranbir Singh Suri

The House of Lords in London has appointed a new Sikh representative, but the British Sikh community is skeptical of how “representative” he truly is.

The House of Lords verification committee has added Lord Ranbir Singh Suri. Emphasizing the need for more diverse voices within the House, the Sikh Federation UK and Sikh Council UK have campaigned for the inclusion of a member from the Sikh community. While they were expected to celebrate the nomination of Lord Suri, who was hailed as a leading member of the Sikh community, instead they were met with widespread skepticism.

Overstated Qualifications

One of the many issues that have been uncovered when looking into Lord Suri’s appointment is his background within the Sikh community. During the appointment process, he was hailed by Tories as being former General Secretary of the Board of British Sikhs. However, after looking into the board’s background, it was found that it was a board that consisted of four or five individuals and has not existed for more than 20 years.

With this disturbing revelation, it would seem that the Tories must have had another reason for supporting his bid to enter the House of Lords. This has led to many accusing the Tories of appointing him under false pretenses, an accusation that they are trying to refute.

Lord Suri: The Businessman and House of Lords Donor

Ranbir Singh Suri is a businessman who originates from India and has made his fortune in the fine jewelry business. Since he has become a proponent of the Conservative party, he has donated more than £300,000 to them. While this has lent him some credence in terms of political works, it has also made him the target of criticism. His detractors say that he was promoted into the House of Lords based on his financial contributions and not upon his merits.

Yet, the individuals who support him have said that his contributions run much deeper than his checkbook. They have noted that beyond his time as a businessman, he has also spent much of the last 40 years donating his time and money to charitable causes. It is these reasons, and not so much his time as a member on the now-defunct Board of British Sikhs that make him a good choice for being a member of the House of Lords.

Either way, it would seem that other members of the government are going to take a long look at Lord Suri to ensure that he is not another crony that is allowed access to such a prestigious house based on financial contributions.

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