Sikh Federation accuses Home Office of 'inappropriatley targeting' the kirpan to 'deflect from police failings' in Henry Nowak's murder

The Sikh Federation has accused the Home Office of 'inappropriately targeting' the kirpan in an attempt to 'deflect from police failings' surrounding the murder of Henry Nowak.Police handcuffed 18-year-old Mr Nowak as he lay dying after his attacker allegedly made a false accusation that he had subjected him to racial abuse.Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has indicated that she is considering changes to knife legislation following Mr Nowak's fatal stabbing by Vickrum Digwa in Southampton on December 3.Her comments came after Mr Nowak's father, Mark, called for greater clarity in the law on the definition and appearance of a Sikh kirpan, a sacred religious blade some Sikhs carry as an expression of their faith.The Sikh Federation said in a statement: 'The Home Office is attempting to deflect attention away from the real failings by the police and other Government agencies in the Henry Nowak case by inappropriately targeting the kirpan – a sacred article of Sikh faith – despite the clear fact that the murder weapon was not a kirpan.'The group's chief executive for political engagement, Dabinderjit Singh, said: 'The Home Office appears to be using this case as a deflection tactic.'The facts are clear: the murder weapon was not a kirpan.'Yet instead of addressing the failures that allowed this tragedy to happen, the Government is now allowing inaccurate and harmful narratives about the Sikh faith to take hold. Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to at least 21 years in prison for murdering Henry Nowak Henry Nowak, 18, was stabbed to death in Southampton by Vickrum Digwa on December 3 Dabinderjit Singh, chief executive for political engagement at the Sikh Federation, has demanded an urgent meeting with the Government over what the group describes as discriminatory treatment of the Sikh faith'That is unacceptable.'The Sikh Federation is encouraging more than 250 Gurdwaras – places of worship – to write to Prime Minister Andy Burnham.Thousands of Sikhs are also expected to contact MPs 'demanding that the Home Office stop its discriminatory approach and engage properly with Sikh organisations'.The group has demanded an urgent meeting with the Government.Mr Singh added: 'Sikhs support public safety and the fight against knife crime.'But we will not accept the sacred kirpan being falsely associated with a murder weapon that was not a kirpan.'The Home Office must stop this divisive and irresponsible agenda and meet Sikh institutions immediately.'Digwa was originally jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years but this was increased to 25 years on Thursday after the Court of Appeal found it was 'unduly lenient'. Police bodycam footage showed officers handcuffing Henry as he lay dying after Digwa falsely claimed he had been racially abused Vickrum Digwa's mother Kiran Kaur was jailed for three years for assisting an offender, and could be released in a matter of weeks Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is considering changes to knife laws following calls from Henry's father for a clearer legal definition of the Sikh kirpanDigwa filmed Henry as he lay dying, including close-up footage of his face.He and his brother verbally taunted Henry, calling him abusive names, accusing him of being drunk and trying to make him sit up. Judge William Mousley KC told Digwa's sentencing hearing in June that on the night of the murder, the killer had a kirpan hidden from view.Digwa also had a 'large dagger in a sheath' which was 21cm long, due to being part of an order of Sikhs called the Nihang, who have a tradition of having a second knife.Carrying a knife in public is generally illegal, but exceptions exist for work and religious reasons, including the Sikh kirpan.Mr Nowak's father told ITV News the law should define the kirpan's size, type and whether it must be visible.Henry's family said they face a 'lifetime of grief' but welcomed the increased sentence.They said their fight for truth, accountability and meaningful change was far from over.He added: 'And therefore, anything else should be made illegal.'Asked about Mr Nowak's suggestion, Ms Mahmood told the same broadcaster: 'I haven't taken any options off the table.'I'm also not going in with a fixed mind about what the right clarifications of the law might be. Henry's family welcomed the increase in Digwa's sentence but said they face a 'lifetime of grief' and will continue fighting for truth and accountability Henry's father Mark Nowak has called for legislation to clarify the permitted size, type and visibility of a Sikh kirpan'It's important to get the right balance between religious expression in this country, which is something that many of us of a faith, including myself, hold very dearly, but do so in a way that is within what we expect of our citizens for the purposes of the criminal law.'Digwa's mother, Kiran Kaur, was jailed for three years in July for assisting an offender after hiding the murder weapon.She is expected to be released next month, December 2026, after serving approximately one year under the Government's early release scheme.Henry's family described the timing, around the first anniversary of his murder, as particularly cruel.Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said politicians 'do need to look at' knife laws, adding: 'There is no freedom to murder in any religion and I think that we need to bring some common sense into this.'The Independent Office for Police Conduct confirmed its investigation into potential failures in the police response to Mr Nowak's stabbing is expected to wrap up early next year after announcing in July that two officers were under investigation for potential gross misconduct.