India (Hansard, 31 October 1988)

§ Mr. Dicks
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will use his good offices to seek to persuade the Indian Government to grant the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington an entry visa to enable him to visit the Punjab to make contact with relatives and friends of his constituents.

§ Mr. Eggar
The issuing of visas is entirely a matter for the Indian authorities.

§ Mr. Dicks
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will receive a deputation from the Sikh community in Britain to discuss with them the alleged violation of human rights in India as reported recently by Amnesty International.

§ Mr. Eggar
No. We are concerned about human rights violations wherever they occur and we recognise the concern of Sikhs here about their relatives and friends. But India is a democratic country, and the problem posed by the activities of extremists in the Punjab is a challenge to her security and integrity.

§ Mr. Dicks
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the evidence on which Her Majesty's Government base their view that the judicial system in India protects the rights of minority groups such as the Sikhs.

§ Mr. Eggar
No. India is a secular state and its constitution prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, requires equality for all before the law and protects the freedom to practise and propogate religion and to manage religious affairs. Individuals, or their families, who believe that they have been treated illegally may take advantage of the remedies available to them under India's independent legal system.

§ Mr. Dicks
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent report by Amnesty International entitled "India—A Review of Human Rights Violations", a copy of which has been sent to him.

§ Mr. Eggar
No. The Indian Government are aware of our concern about human rights abuses wherever they occur.

§ Mr. Dicks
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Indian Government regarding the alleged violation by that Government of basic human rights as reported recently by Amnesty International.

§ Mr. Eggar
None. We have noted the contents of Amnesty International's recent report. We regularly make clear in public and in private our views on the need for all governments to respect human rights.