Sikh MP Dhesi Slams UK Politician's Kirpan Ban Call

Rupert Lowe (left) and Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (right)

Indian-origin Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi has hit back at Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe after he called for a ban on carrying the Sikh ceremonial kirpan in public spaces following the murder of British-Polish teenager Henry Nowak. Dhesi, the Labour MP for Slough and one of Britain's most prominent Sikh politicians, accused Lowe of targeting an entire community. "I was born and raised here. Countless brave Sikh soldiers died for Britain, proudly wearing their turban and kirpan," Dhesi wrote on X. "Thankfully, Rupert and Restore don't get to decide what is British. Beware ... today they're coming for me, but tomorrow it could be you!"

His remarks came after Lowe posted on social media that a Restore Britain government would seek to ban the kirpan in public places. "A Labour MP, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, has attacked Restore Britain in Parliament for our push to get the Kirpan banned in public spaces," Lowe wrote. "Under a Restore Britain Government, all will be equal. Un-British religious practices will not be tolerated or accepted. Enough is enough." Lowe also called for the deportation of individuals linked to the case, writing: "Any Indian who covered up for Vickrum Digwa must be immediately deported."

Dhesi accuses parties of scapegoating Sikhs

Speaking in the House of Commons, Dhesi condemned attempts to link the actions of one individual to the wider Sikh community. The Labour MP said the indignity suffered by Henry Nowak in his final moments "should never happen again" but criticised Reform UK and Restore Britain for "politicising people's pain" and attacking Sikhs over the ceremonial kirpan. Dhesi argued that the weapon used in the attack was not the type of ceremonial kirpan carried by practising Sikhs and accused political opponents of "scapegoating" an entire community. "Reform has decided to scapegoat and throw under the bus an entire community," he told MPs.

Digwa sentenced to life for Henry Nowak murder

The political row comes following the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, a British-Polish university student, in Southampton in December 2025. Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years after being convicted of murder and possessing a knife in public. Nowak, from Chafford Hundred in Essex, was studying accountancy and finance at the University of Southampton and had recently completed his first term. According to the prosecutors, the fatal confrontation occurred shortly before 11.30 pm on December 3, 2025, on Belmont Road in Southampton's Portswood area after the two men brushed past each other on a pavement. During the trial, Digwa claimed he acted in self-defence, alleging that Nowak appeared intoxicated, became aggressive, used a racial slur, punched him and pulled off his turban before reaching for the blade.Jurors rejected that account and found him guilty of murder. The court heard that Nowak suffered multiple stab wounds and attempted to escape by climbing over a fence before collapsing. Digwa's mother, Kiran Kaur, 53, was also convicted of assisting an offender after prosecutors said she removed the weapon from the scene.

Bodycam footage sparks outrage

The case drew further national attention after police bodycam footage showed Nowak repeatedly telling officers that he had been stabbed while he lay handcuffed on the ground. In the footage, an officer is heard asking where he had been stabbed before saying: "I don't think you have a mate." The teenager later died from his injuries. Prime Minister Keir Starmer also said the bodycam footage raised "serious questions for police". "Bodycam footage released this week showed Henry repeatedly telling officers he had been stabbed as he lay dying in handcuffs," Starmer said, adding that the circumstances surrounding the police response required thorough scrutiny. The footage sparked widespread criticism of Hampshire Police, which subsequently apologised. Donna Jones, Hampshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, described the incident as a "national tragedy". Henry's father, speaking outside court after the verdict, called for a transparent investigation but urged people not to use his son's death to fuel division. The family said they did not want the murder to be used to "create further hatred, division or tension".