Twelve Sikh groups in New Zealand have issued an angry statement over their being linked to alleged voter fraud in South Auckland.
The Manukau City center
The statement, from Sikh Council of New Zealand secretary Verpal Singh, came as two men aged 36 and 39 appeared in the Manukau District Court yesterday charged with forgery after a police inquiry into alleged voter fraud.
They were granted interim name suppression but Mr Singh says the identities of the men are well known within the 10,000-strong Sikh community in New Zealand.
"We, the leaders of main Sikh organisations of New Zealand, have discussed the issue of voter fraud in Papatoetoe in detail," the statement said.
"We express grave concern at the finger of suspicion pointing towards a group of individuals belonging to the Sikh community of New Zealand."
He said the people under investigation for alleged voter fraud had earlier "hijacked" the New Zealand Sikh Society.
That issue was behind a civil case in the High Court which had already cost Sikhs $100,000.
The group had tried to establish a "Supreme Sikh Council of New Zealand".
"Our community has a history in New Zealand going back to at least 1890 and have always worked hard and honestly," Mr Singh said.
"It will be an understatement that the community has been increasingly fearful of this group under investigation as they have not only been entrenching themselves in government departments but also criminalizing members of our community through duping them into making false declarations in immigration applications."
Mr Singh said they had complained to Members of Parliament, cabinet ministers and government departments over the group.
"Each time the community's complaints were given superficial treatment."
The wider Sikh community was grateful the police were now investigating the alleged voter fraud and he called on government agencies to widen their investigations.
"On our part, we commit to providing these agencies every help we can just as we have done and are doing with the police in their investigation of voter fraud."