UK revokes honours of leading British Indian figures Rami Ranger and Anil Bhanot

Two notable figures from the British Indian community, Conservative peer Lord Rami Ranger and Anil Bhanot, have had their honours revoked following allegations of misconduct.

Lord Rami Ranger, who was awarded a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2016 for his contributions to business and community service, has faced criticism for bullying and harassment of journalist Poonam Joshi.

Additionally, his controversial comments about the Sikh community and Pakistanis were cited in the revocation of his honour. Despite apologising for his actions, the Forfeiture Committee concluded that his behaviour undermined the integrity of the honours system, particularly given his work on community cohesion.

Anil Bhanot, who received an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for fostering community cohesion, had his honour rescinded due to allegations of Islamophobia stemming from his tweets in 2021 about violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.

While Anil Bhanot was cleared by the Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Charity Commission, the decision to revoke his OBE was made after a review by the forfeiture committee.

Both individuals have expressed their dissatisfaction with the decision, claiming it is an attack on free speech. Lord Ranger has announced plans to challenge the revocation legally, even considering an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.

Both men maintain that they did not breach any laws, and they criticise the honours system for curbing their fundamental rights to express their views.