Act of disgrace

Lalit Mohan Joshi

It was shocking for the Indian community in the UK to hear that the statue of a Sikh soldier has been vandalised days after being unveiled. Entitled as “Lions of the Great War”, the 10-foot-high grand bronze statue in Smethwick, near Birmingham, was erected to honour people from the Indian subcontinent who had fought in the World Wars. The statue, created by Black Country sculptor Luke Perry, was unveiled shortly before the anniversary of the Armistice on November 4. It was commissioned by Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Smethwick, to mark the sacrifices made by South Asian service people of all faiths. 

Jatinder Singh, president of the gurdwara,  said at the ceremony: “We are proud to be unveiling this memorial to honour the sacrifice of all those brave men who travelled thousands of miles to fight for a country that wasn’t their own. These men volunteered to serve and fought to defend the freedom we enjoy today. The memorial will ensure that this part is never forgotten.” Preet Kaur Gill, MP for Edgbaston, said: “Despite being small in number in British India, Sikhs played a key role in the war, making up more than a fifth of the British Indian Army,”

Then, on the night of November 9, it was found that the memorial had been vandalised. Some words imprinted on it were found to be covered with paint and the surrounding wall had the words “Sepoys no more” sprayed on it.

Dabinderjit Singh, principal adviser, Sikh Federation, called this “a senseless and cowardly act”. Describing the incident as “condemnable and unfortunate”, Hardayal Singh Luther, founder, Guru Nanak Worldwide of Hounslow, said it is indicative of the ignorance of those who have indulged in this act. “Indian soldiers have made a seminal contribution in winning World Wars. Rather than feeling grateful, the icon symbolising our soldiers are being attacked.”  

Chaman Lal Chaman, poet, broadcaster of Punjab Radio in West London, however, sees the vandalism as sign of the rise in hate crimes and theft against upwardly mobile South Asians.  Looking back, there seems to be a pattern that emerges from a series of violent incidents in 2018 that give credence to this observation. For instance, last week, three valuable Krishna idols were stolen from the Swaminarayan temple on Willesden Lane in the London borough of Brent, just hours after the conclusion of Diwali celebrations there. In June this year, there were two incidents of arson in Leeds when a popular gurdwara and a mosque were attacked by vandals. Both are being regarded as hate crimes. In February this year, a Sikh in his 40s was verbally abused by an attacker yelling “Muslim, go home” outside Parliament. The victim was queuing outside Portcullis House when the man approached and grabbed his turban.

Amid speculation about who might be behind the vandalism at Smethwick, the police think it could be a “racist attack”. The Midlands Police are treating the incident as “aggravated criminal damage” and are looking for two suspects on the basis of CCTV footage.  Meanwhile, efforts are on to nab the culprits.  Though the accused have still to be apprehended, Superintendent Martin Hurcomb, from Sandwell Police, is optimistic. “Work continues to try to understand the reasons behind what happened and identify whoever is responsible. I'd urge anyone who recognises the people in this CCTV to contact us.”

Despite the furore, sculptor Luke Perry strikes a positive note while reflecting on his role in the creation of the monument. “I am proud to have worked on a sculpture that is, at its heart, a symbol of gratitude for the actions of people who gave their lives for our independence when they had not yet achieved their own. I intend it to be my finest work to date.”