India, June 3 -- Britain's Sikh lawmakers on Tuesday defended the ceremonial knife, the kirpan, during a Parliament debate following the conviction of a British Sikh man who had presented his murder weapon as a religious item in court.

Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday after being found guilty of the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, who was caught on police body-worn camera footage being handcuffed in his final moments over racism allegations.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he "felt sick" watching the "harrowing" footage but appealed against it being "whipped up" to create divisions within British society.

"There are clearly serious questions that need to be addressed, not least how accusations of raci...