Chandigarh: The Shiromani Akali Dal strongly condemned the attack on an elderly Sikh gentleman by a teen aged British girl near a bus stand inCoventry'sTrinity Street on August 10 and described it as another shameful example of hate crime.

The party urged the Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Ministry of Union Government to take up the case with the UK Government at the highest level to ensure strictest punishment to the accused. The party also expressed deep concern over the safety and security of Sikh diaspora settled in various parts of the world.

In a statement released from the party head office the party's Secretary and Spokesman Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said that this unfortunate and horrifying incidence has shaken the Sikh community world over . He said that it is saddening to see that the number of such racial attacks on Sikhs settled abroad have increased manifold. But in spite of this alarming situation, the Union Government has not taken up these cases seriously with the concerned authorities.

Dr Cheema further said that when Dr Manmohan Singh became the Prime Minister of India, every body expected that he will take some good initiatives to solve the issue of identity crisis and incidences of such hate crimes will decline. But practically reverse has happened. He came down heavily on the lackadaisical attitude of the Prime Minister of India and the Minister of State for External Affairs Mrs Parneet Kaur and urged them to take concrete steps in the matter to mitigate the problems of the Sikh diaspora.