Two British Indians were among six people on Friday who were stripped of the honour, which is given to people who have made major contributions to a country or region in the UK.
In a statement, the Central Chancery of the Order of Knighthood said the appointments of Raminder Singh Ranger and Anil Kumar Bhanot have been ‘cancelled and revoked’ and the Crown has directed the names to be ‘deleted’ from the register.
The instructions for each of them read: “The King has directed that the appointment of Baron Ranger, Raminder Singh, as Commander of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, dated 31st December 2015, shall be revoked and revoked. And his name shall be struck off the register of the said Order.”
It added: “The King has canceled and revoked the appointment of Anil Kumar Bhanot as Civil Division Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire dated 12 June 2010 and directed that his name be struck off. From the registration of the said order.
So, who are these two British Indians?
Born in the Pakistani city of Gujranwala, Raminder Singh Ranger’s family moved to India during the partition of 1947. He came to the UK in 1971 as a law student.
Lord Ranger is an Indian-origin Tory peer of the House of Lords and founder of FMCG company Sun Marks Limited. He was awarded a CBE in 2015 for his role in the British business scene and his contribution to the British-Asian community.
He was also nominated for a Life Peerage in the Upper House in former Prime Minister Theresa May’s 2019 resignation honours. His company won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade for five consecutive years from 2009 to 2014.
However, his honor was “revoked” in June 2023 after Lord Ranger found that he had been harassed and threatened. Poonam JoshiAn Indian journalist, in a series of tweets.
Poonam Joshi (file photo)
Joshi said after an event at the House of Lords in 2023 that she described herself as a “prostitute” several times on social media and falsely claimed on X (then Twitter) that she had reported her husband, a BBC presenter. For domestic abuse.
After the dismissal, Ranger said in a statement: “Today I lost my CBE for producing a two-part documentary with the help of Khalistanis who wanted to divide India and anti-PM Modi guests for the BBC. The Prime Minister’s involvement in the Gujarat riots came 20 years after India’s Supreme Court acquitted Modi. was
Anil Kumar Bhanot
Anil Kumar Bhanot was an officer recipient of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) – the fourth highest honor – in 2010 for his contribution to Hindu community and religious harmony. He was awarded the title in Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday honours. Bhanot is an Accountant and Managing Trustee of Hindu Council UK.