Monthly Archives: March 2014

Bulletin 39 | March 2014

11th March 2014 a representative of Sikh Council UK was invited to join the National Prevent Challenge Panel and attended an initial meeting in Manchester.

18th March 2014 Individuals from Sikh Council UK were invited to attend the Parliamentary launch of ‘Sikhs for Labour’ held at the House of Commons, Westminster.

 

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Lights out across UK to mark First World War – 4 August 2014

Sikhs and Panjab made a significant contribution towards the British efforts during World War I. The wounded Sikh soldiers along with other Indian troops were cared for at the Brighton pavilion. A gate was built by Maharajah of Patiala outside of the pavilion to thank people of Brighton .Those that  sadly died were cremated on the Patcham Downs near Brighton where a Chatei build by Maharajah of Patiala marks the spot. There memorials to the Sikhs in a no of European towns.Several Sikh organisations are working towards commemorative events which include exhibitions, marching team of Gursikhs , workshops and memorials. It provides a great opportunity to  highlight the contribution of Dastaar wearing Sikhs towards the freedom of Europe .The Gurdwaras across UK and Europe are being invited to join in the candle light vigil on the 4th August this year. See the news extract below:
 
Lights out across UK to mark First World War

The whole of the United Kingdom will be invited to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War by turning off their lights — echoing the famous words of foreign secretary Sir Edward Grey: “The lamps are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.”  On August 4 — the day Britain declared war on Germany — the public will be invited to extinguish all their lights, but for a single one. The event, Lights Out, will complement a candelit vigil at Westminster Abbey and BBC coverage to mark the start of four years of cultural commissions remembering the war.

Sikh Council UK Welcomes Government Amendment Allowing Turban in All Workplaces

The Sikh Council UK welcomes publication of an amendment to the Deregulation Bill which will extend the exemption for Turban wearing Sikhs from the requirement to wear safety helmets across workplaces in Great Britain.

It comes after a campaign lasting over a year by the Sikh Council UK to address an anomaly that has led to Sikhs being dismissed from their employment for wearing their Turban.

Secretary General of Sikh Council UK, Gurmel Singh said, “I welcome this news. It will make a real difference to Sikhs in the UK by increasing the number of workplaces that Sikhs can work in whilst maintaining their religiously mandated identity.”

He added, “I am grateful to members of the Sikh Council UK who have worked hard to achieve this milestone over the last year. I am also grateful to all the parliamentarians who have engaged with us on this and helped bring this about.”

The issue of wearing hard hats in place of Turbans has been an ongoing issue for Sikhs since the passing of the Employment Act 1989. In recent times the importance given to Health & Safety legislation by employers has increased and just in the last year Sikh Council UK have dealt with individual cases where Sikhs have been dismissed from longstanding employment solely due to their refusal to remove their turban and wear a hard hat.

In previous announcements the Government has proposed to extend the exemption that already exists in the Employment Act 1989 that allows Sikhs to wear their turbans in place of hard hats on construction sites to now cover all workplaces. However, it is expected there may still be very limited exceptions, such as for specific roles in the emergency services or armed forces.

Construction sites are acknowledged to be one of the most dangerous workplaces but the fact the law does not cover other workplaces where hard hats are commonly worn has always been viewed as an anomaly.

Head of Political Engagement for Sikh Council UK, Gurinder Singh Josan said, “This issue is important for UK Sikhs and is one of the issues we have been raising with Government and opposition politicians for well over a year now. Whilst we will be examining the wording of the amendment very carefully before responding further, we do welcome the progress made.”

End

Notes for Editors

Wording of the amendment can be found at:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2013-2014/0162/amend/pbc1621803b.1-2.html

The Sikh Council UK (SCUK) is the largest representative body of Sikhs in the UK. We are recognised as the national advocate for British Sikhs in the United Kingdom and at the European Union.

Sikh Council UK India Visit – Update

A delegation of senior members of the Sikh Council UK is currently engaged on an historic visit to India. Notable events of the visit so far:

  • Ardas (prayer) was done at Sri Akal Takhat Sahib Ji by Singh Sahib Gurmukh Singh – Head Granthi of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib.
  • Addressed over 60 students at Shaheed Sikh Missionary College – these students are being trained as Granthis, Parcharaks and Kirtanias (Sikh ‘priests’ and preachers). Students come from all over India and are connected to the grassroots congregation and villages.
  • Meeting with the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Amritsar. Discussed streamlining the process of identity verification for voluntary returnees as it currently takes several months and no feedback on progress is available.
  • Meeting with the Principal of Khalsa College, Amritsar and addressed large number of students.
  • Meeting with the Dean of Students Affairs of Guru Nanak University.
  • Press conference held at the Press Club in Jallandar. Very well attended by media of all shades and types including print and broadcast, local, regional and national. Main focus was on Voluntary Returns Programme with much positive interest. Some questions regarding 1984 and other issues.
  • Meeting with an Executive Member and the PA to the President of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC – Central Gurdwara Management Committee – responsible for managing Gurdwaras across India). Meeting with the SGPC President to follow. http://new.sgpc.net/
  • Meeting with Jathedar (Leader) of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib (temporal head of the Sikh faith) http://www.akaltakhatsahib.com/eng/index. Range of issues were discussed including:
  • – continuance of Gurdwara buildings being used as party halls
  • – prisoners in India and abroad
  • – genocide of Sikhs
  • – disclosure of documents relating to 1984 in UK
  • – recent mass grave found in Punjab
  • – communication protocols
  • – guidance for mixed marriages
  • – structures for engagement with the diaspora community
  • – role of Sikh Council UK
  • Visited Pingalwara – http://www.pingalwara.net/

 

Sikh Council UK Delegation Visit to India

A delegation of senior members of the Sikh Council UK will today (12March 2014) begin an historic visit to India with an Ardas (prayer) at SriAkal Takhat Sahib, Amritsar.

The visit is being led by Sikh Council UK Secretary General, Gurmel Singh and will last ten days. He is accompanied by senior staff and representatives of Sikh Council UK including Board of Jathedars members. Amongst the delegation of sixteen are representatives of the Sikh Council UK affiliated member organisations including Gurdwaras, Jathebandian and campaign organisations.

During the visit, the Sikh Council UK delegation will hold meetings, press conferences and networking sessions with a cross section of Sikh representatives and society in India including Jathedars, politicians, academics, media and campaigners. The delegation will visit the key locations of Amritsar, Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Anandpur Sahib and Delhi.

A key focus of the visit is the Voluntary Returns Programme being run by Sikh Council UK and the launch of a specially commissioned documentary. Special showings of the documentary will be held across Punjab.

 


					

Sikh Council UK arrange meeting with Senior Foreign Office Minister

The Sikh Council UK facilitated a meeting with Baroness Warsi to feedback on the report by the Cabinet Secretary into UK involvement in the 1984 attack on Sri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar and discus further actions to address the concerns of the Sikh community.

On Tuesday 25th February 2014 the Sikh Council UK accompanied by many prominent
Sikhs and Sikh Organisations including Lord Indarjit Singh, Judge Mota Singh, Bhai Sahib
Bhai Mohinder Singh, Sikh Federation (UK), Federation of Sikh Organisations, Sikh
Organisation for Prisoner Welfare (SOPW), Kesri Lehar and some ex-Sikh politicians, met
with Baroness Warsi a Senior Minister of State at the Foreign Commonwealth Office
(FCO) and Minister for Faith and Communities in the Department for Communities and
Local Government (DCLG) and a number of government officials from the FCO, Home
Office & DCLG.

The meeting on the Sikh side was chaired by Gurmel Singh (Secretary General of the Sikh
Council UK) and was the first with any cabinet minister to provide direct feedback and
comments following the Cabinet Secretary’s report and the statement by the Foreign
Secretary in Parliament confirming the British Government advice on the attack on the Sri
Harmandir Sahib Complex.

Sikh representatives expressed their deep disappointment with the outcome of the Cabinet
Secretary’s report highlighting serious limitations, omissions and misleading conclusions.
Furthermore it was highlighted that the Prime Minster was yet to respond to Sikh
organisations correspondence prior to the release of the report about the narrow terms of
the review and a substantive written response to the report. The Sikh delegation explained
the community demanded an independent public inquiry and options were discussed at
both a national and international level.

Other key requests for Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) delivered through the meeting
were;
• HMG to condemn the attacks on Sikhs in 1984
• HMG to recognise 1984 as Sikh Genocide
• HMG to examine the relationship and proscription of UK Sikhs (paradigm shift)

Baroness Warsi listened with interest to the concerns raised by all the representatives and
was keen to provide open realistic feedback to the Sikh Communities request whilst
remaining fully supportive in ensuring the commendable contribution and integration of the Sikh Community within British society remained a shining example.

Secretary General of the Sikh Council UK, Gurmel Singh said, “We welcome this opportunity to discuss our concerns with Baroness Warsi. The Sikh Community was united

in their dismay and disappointment in the report and very clear on their expectations of
Government, these were made loud and clear to all the officials in attendance.”

The Sikh Council UK will remain in contact with Baroness Warsi to ensure a timely follow
up to this meeting with an update and reaction to the requests discussed. We will also be
looking to meet with both the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister to ensure full governmental focus on this issue remains.