No complaint against police - Sikh community

National Party 'bereft of compassion'

QUESTIONS REMAIN: Members of the South Auckland Sikh community outside the Riverton liquor store where shopkeeper Natjev Singh, inset, was fatally shot.

JOHN SELKIRK/Fairfax Media

MEETING OF MINDS: National Party MP Pansy Wong and candidates Kanwaljit Bakshi and Kam Calder at the home of murdered man Navtej Singh.

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South Auckland Sikhs are not planning to lodge a formal complaint against police and are upset a National Party candidate says they are.

In a statement to Fairfax Media, Sikh Council of New Zealand secretary Verpal Singh said they did not advocate a confrontational approach to solving the issue.

Last week Navtej Singh was wounded in a robbery of his Manurewa shop. Police kept an ambulance from attending him for nearly 40 minutes.

National's Manukau East candidate, Kanwaljit Bakshi, has taken a prominent role in the community since, and earlier today he said that the Sikh community was going to take a complaint to the Police Complaints Independent Authority.

Verpal Singh expressed disappointment at Mr Bakshi’s statement saying he was stoking "the fires of confrontation".

"This statement is not based on correct understanding of what was discussed yesterday at the meeting that took place after final prayers for Navtej Singh had been said," Mr Verpal Singh said.

Yesterday’s meeting was a step in removing any gaps in communication between the community, the police and the government.

"In this endeavour another meeting is being held with police this Thursday."

The Council secretary said they wanted to put on record their appreciation of the "pro-active stance taken by NZ Police to address our community’s concerns regarding circumstances surrounding Navtej Singh’s death, as well as the concerns of the general owner-operated retailing business community".

Mr Verpal Singh said they were "utterly disappointed at a singular lack of understanding and compassion shown by those associated with the main opposition party, especially Mr Kanwaljit Bakshi…

"Right from the first day when they seemed more interested in having their views aired by the media rather than in consoling the grieving family to yesterday’s meeting, they have come across as completely bereft of compassion."

The Sikh Council took the view that there was only so much government and police could do in combating the malaise of young persons indulging in anti-social behaviour.

 "Our considered view is that the society needs to look inwards and identify the causes of this kind of behaviour and come up with projects/initiatives that address these causes."

Mr Bakshi said today that he was not interested in politicising the matter and he was involved as a member of the Auckland Sikh community - not as the National Party's Manukau East candidate.

The New Zealand Sikh Society had sought a legal opinion on how police handled events the night Mr Singh was fatally shot. Based on what that legal advice was the Sikh community would then consider what further steps to take.

The Sikh Council was fully satisfied with the processes in place.

Sikhs wanted the proper processes to happen unhindered before "forming judgements about who (or what) may or may not be to blame for the tragic death of Navtej Singh.

"We will also like to appeal to all vested interests to not stoke the fires of confrontation by issuing statements not based on facts, as this can in no possible way benefit the New Zealand society at large or New Zealand as a country.

"Disapproval of confrontational approach to solving our problems is one of the most positive attributes of New Zealand society and we should all guard it zealously," Mr Verpal Singh said.

The Sikh council is a charitable organisation which has no political affiliations.

"The Sikh Council has been scrupulously avoiding making any statements that may be perceived as endorsing one or the other political party."

- © Fairfax NZ News