Jeevan

Indo-Canadian fights against discrimination April 05, 2007 01:16 An India-born scientist, who was denied a job after he was deemed to be overqualified, will go before the Federal Court of Canada demanding back pay or employment in what some believe to be a precedent-setting case. 58-year-old Gian Singh Sangha, resident of the British Columbia who was denied a job in Northwest Territories, is asking the federal court to award him back pay or employment in his field after he was turned down in 2001 for a job with the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board because officials decided he was overqualified. A hearing in the matter is scheduled for April 12 in downtown Vancouver. Bhandal's society as well as the Akali Singh and Guru Nanak Sikh temples support his petition. Sangha earned a PhD in environmental science in Germany. With 15 years' experience in the environmental field, he scored among the highest of applicants for a job as a regulatory officer with the Mackenzie board. However, he was not offered a position. The hearing later this month is the one many in the Indo-Canadian community believe will be precedent setting for highly qualified immigrants who find it difficult to employ their skills in Canada. Sangha won a human rights commission decision a year ago saying he was discriminated against, but was not offered a job or compensation. "We realise that the talent of the people coming here are underutilized," Sangha said. "Whoever comes here, their credentials should be recognised and there should not be any discrimination." Sangha, who has not been able to get a job in his field, said many have been affected in a similar way in trying to gain employment in Canada. "It does not make any sense that a PhD or an engineer or a medical doctor should drive a taxi or do a security job for 10 or 12 dollars," Sangha said. His lawyer David Perry said Canada is operating under "false pretences," bringing in immigrants because of their qualifications and then making it hard for them to find work. http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/apr/05right.htm

Dear Randip, Sorry for your sad loss, was this Gilly Singh Mundy involved in the Stephen Lawrence campaign? Please write an obituary on your friend. Jeevan

Muslim League Attack on Sikhs and Hindus in the Punjab 1947 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Muslim League Attack on Sikhs and Hindus in the Punjab 1947 is a book by Sikh author Gurbachan Singh Talib. It was first published in 1950 by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) and has been reprinted several times. The book consists of harrowing stories of the Partition of India between the new nations of India and Pakistan. The Partition led to one of the greatest population movements in the 20th century, as Muslims in what would become India, and Hindus and Sikhs in what would become Pakistan, fled across the new borders. This book details the sufferings of the Hindus and Sikhs who fled their homes in the western Punjab, the North-West Frontier Province, Sind and parts of Kashmir. An appendix contains numerous press and eyewitness accounts of atrocities committed against the refugees during the Partition. The book takes a position against Pakistan and the Muslim League, which it accuses of planning the massacres. The author mentions, and argues against, accusations that Sikhs were conspiring to ethnically cleanse Muslims from Eastern Punjab. Contents [hide] * 1 Critical reception * 2 See also * 3 Notes * 4 External links [edit] Critical reception It has been reprinted several times and cited in various academic compilations of literature concerning the Partition of India. Ishtiaq Ahmed, of the Department of Political Sciences at Stockholm University, has examined the book and reports that many of the incidents related in the text can be independently verified. In one such incident, Muslim "goondas" (thugs) in Lahore received packets containing "churis" (bangles) and "mehndi" (henna) from some Muslims of Lahore. Ahmed describes this as a "bizzare antic meant to shame them for their unmanliness and cowardice at not finishing off Hindus and Sikhs", thereby inciting them into violence against Hindus and Sikhs.[1] This incident has been verified by the British political officer at the scene, a Mr. Eustace. However, Ahmed also writes that the book does not mention the counter-attacks on Muslims by Hindus and Sikhs. He notes that "The Sikh reprisals against Muslims in East Punjab are explained [in the book] merely as a reaction".[1] [edit] See also * Partition of India * History of the Punjab * Persecution of Hindus * Anti-Hindu [edit] Notes 1. ^ a b 'Forced Migration and Ethnic Cleansing in Lahore in 1947: Some First Person Acoounts', in Ian Talbot & Shinder Thandi (eds), People on The Move, Punjabi Colonial, and Post-Colonial Migration, Oxford University Press 2004 [edit] External links * Ebook version of the text * Select Research Bibliography on the Partition of India, Compiled by Vinay Lal, Department of History, UCLA; University of California at Los Angeles list * A select list of Indian Publications on the Partition of India (Punjab & Bengal); University of Virginia list This article about a history book is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. This Indian history-related article is a stub. See the WikiProject History of India for article coordination. You can help by expanding it. Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_League_Attack_on_Sikhs_and_Hindus_in_the_Punjab_1947" Categories: History book stubs | Indian history stubs | 1950 books | Genocide | Sikh history | Books on Hindu history | British rule in India | History of Punjab | Historiography of India | Pakistan Movement | Books about Islamism | Partition of India | Divided regions | Forced migration http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_League...the_Punjab_1947

Muslim League Attack on Sikhs and Hindus in the Punjab 1947 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Muslim League Attack on Sikhs and Hindus in the Punjab 1947 is a book by Sikh author Gurbachan Singh Talib. It was first published in 1950 by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) and has been reprinted several times. The book consists of harrowing stories of the Partition of India between the new nations of India and Pakistan. The Partition led to one of the greatest population movements in the 20th century, as Muslims in what would become India, and Hindus and Sikhs in what would become Pakistan, fled across the new borders. This book details the sufferings of the Hindus and Sikhs who fled their homes in the western Punjab, the North-West Frontier Province, Sind and parts of Kashmir. An appendix contains numerous press and eyewitness accounts of atrocities committed against the refugees during the Partition. The book takes a position against Pakistan and the Muslim League, which it accuses of planning the massacres. The author mentions, and argues against, accusations that Sikhs were conspiring to ethnically cleanse Muslims from Eastern Punjab. Contents [hide] * 1 Critical reception * 2 See also * 3 Notes * 4 External links [edit] Critical reception It has been reprinted several times and cited in various academic compilations of literature concerning the Partition of India. Ishtiaq Ahmed, of the Department of Political Sciences at Stockholm University, has examined the book and reports that many of the incidents related in the text can be independently verified. In one such incident, Muslim "goondas" (thugs) in Lahore received packets containing "churis" (bangles) and "mehndi" (henna) from some Muslims of Lahore. Ahmed describes this as a "bizzare antic meant to shame them for their unmanliness and cowardice at not finishing off Hindus and Sikhs", thereby inciting them into violence against Hindus and Sikhs.[1] This incident has been verified by the British political officer at the scene, a Mr. Eustace. However, Ahmed also writes that the book does not mention the counter-attacks on Muslims by Hindus and Sikhs. He notes that "The Sikh reprisals against Muslims in East Punjab are explained [in the book] merely as a reaction".[1] [edit] See also * Partition of India * History of the Punjab * Persecution of Hindus * Anti-Hindu [edit] Notes 1. ^ a b 'Forced Migration and Ethnic Cleansing in Lahore in 1947: Some First Person Acoounts', in Ian Talbot & Shinder Thandi (eds), People on The Move, Punjabi Colonial, and Post-Colonial Migration, Oxford University Press 2004 [edit] External links * Ebook version of the text * Select Research Bibliography on the Partition of India, Compiled by Vinay Lal, Department of History, UCLA; University of California at Los Angeles list * A select list of Indian Publications on the Partition of India (Punjab & Bengal); University of Virginia list This article about a history book is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. This Indian history-related article is a stub. See the WikiProject History of India for article coordination. You can help by expanding it. Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_League_Attack_on_Sikhs_and_Hindus_in_the_Punjab_1947" Categories: History book stubs | Indian history stubs | 1950 books | Genocide | Sikh history | Books on Hindu history | British rule in India | History of Punjab | Historiography of India | Pakistan Movement | Books about Islamism | Partition of India | Divided regions | Forced migration http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_League...the_Punjab_1947

BBC NEWS Top Tory axed over Army race row A Tory MP has been forced to quit his frontbench role after making comments on race in the Army which party leader David Cameron called "unacceptable". Shadow homeland security spokesman Patrick Mercer said he had met "a lot" of "idle and useless" ethnic minority soldiers who used racism as a "cover". The former officer also told the Times that being called a "black <admin-profanity filter activated>" was a normal part of Army life. But Mr Mercer later said he "deeply" regretted any "offence" he had caused. 'Way it is' Of the English-born black men he knew in the Army, he told the Times: "They prospered inside my regiment, but if you'd said to them: 'Have you ever been called a nigger,' they would have said: 'Yes.' "But equally, a chap with red hair, for example, would also get a hard time - a far harder time than a black man, in fact." What I have said is clearly misjudged and I can only apologise if I have embarrassed in any way those fine men whom I commanded Patrick Mercer Conservative MP Mr Mercer, MP for Newark, added: "But that's the way it is in the Army. If someone is slow on the assault course, you'd get people shouting: 'Come on you fat <admin-profanity filter activated>, come on you ginger <admin-profanity filter activated>, come on you black <admin-profanity filter activated>.'" He also said: "I came across a lot of ethnic minority soldiers who were idle and useless, but who used racism as cover for their misdemeanours. "I remember one guy from St Ann's (Nottingham) who was constantly absent and who had a lot of girlfriends. "When he came back one day I asked him why, and he would say: 'I was racially abused.' And we'd say: 'No you weren't, you were off with your girlfriends again.'" After the comments were published, Mr Mercer was asked by his party to resign his frontbench position and did so. 'Not tolerated' Mr Cameron said: "The comments made by Patrick Mercer are completely unacceptable and I regret that they were made. "We should not tolerate racism in the Army or in any walk of life. Patrick Mercer is no longer a shadow minister." He also said: "I was completely shocked when I read the remarks of Patrick Mercer." He added that "racism is disgusting and has no part in any part of our society". Labour MP Sadiq Khan said: "I find these comments shocking and most members of the public will find them outrageous." But Leroy Hutchinson, a black former corporal who served with Mr Mercer for 12 years, said: "He never tolerated racism in the battalion and not a single one of his men would consider him to be racist." Mr Hutchinson told the BBC: "In the forces... name-calling - whether you be black, white, ginger, red, brown - it is part of the establishment." He added: "It's not meant and it doesn't come across from an individual as a racist comment. It's just part of the culture. "When you wear that uniform, it is what goes on and it's been happening for a long, long time." 'Privilege' In a statement, Mr Mercer said: "The offence I have obviously caused is deeply regretted. "I had the privilege to command soldiers from across the East Midlands of whom many came from racial minorities. "It was a matter of great pride to me that racial minorities prospered inside the unit, and, indeed at one stage all of my company sergeant majors were black. "What I have said is clearly misjudged and I can only apologise if I have embarrassed in any way those fine men whom I commanded. "I have no hesitation in resigning my frontbench appointment." Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk_p...ics/6431005.stm Published: 2007/03/08 17:35:16 GMT © BBC MMVII

For all our esteemed UK residents Channel 4 on Monday 12th March at 9pm will be showing a 90 minute documentary on the partition of India during 1947. This year marks the 60th anniversary since India gained independence and this 90-minute drama-documentary, filmed entirely on location in India, charts the events of six traumatic months in 1947 which saw the end of the British Raj in India. http://www.channel4.com/listings/C4/index....&position=5 Long Live the Khalsa! PS: Admin can you put a sticky on this please?

WJKK WJKF Has anyone any information on how the Police and the Crime Prosecution Service views the statements made by various individuals in the Dispatches documentary?

Shame Jasvinder Sanghera These women live in terror, and honour-based violence is at the root of all their fears.'SHAME is the heart-rending true story of a young girl's escape from a nightmare. Overwhelmed and alone, Jasvinder was 15 when she ran away from home to escape a forced marriage to a much older man she'd never met. She had to move constantly, ever wary of being tracked down for betraying her family's honour. Her three years in hiding ended with the news that her sister Robina had committed suicide by setting herself alight-because she was being so badly abused by her husband. At the funeral the family ostracised Jasvinder and twenty years later, her sisters still refuse to speak to her. Jasvinder has since educated herself, become a parent and founded a shelter for women fleeing their families in similar circumstances-and in many cases, fearful for their lives. Even today, she still receives threats on the lives of her children from the families of the women she cares for. This is her story. ISBN 0340924616 Format Paperback Dymock's Price:$35.00 http://dymocks.com.au/productdetails/produ...px?R=0340924616

WJKK WJKF, What the Dispatches documentary has uncovered the sheer racism of a so-called moderate Islamic Mosques cum Community Centers. Recently the Police together with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) put Nick Griffiths of the far right British National Party (BNP) on trial for ‘stirring up racial hatred’. As a British subject I expect the Police and CPS to bring charges against theses people featured in the documentary. I also expect the Labour Party to hold a full enquiry in to the activities of the Labour Peer Lord Ahmed. We know sites like Sikh Sangat is monitored by various Security Forces around the world, please do your job in putting these preachers of racial hatred behind bars, deport those where necessary and strip the various Centers (involved in preaching hate) of Charity Status. A message to my fellow Sikh brethren please use your contacts in the Police, Security Forces, Political Parties to bring these preachers of racial hatred to Justice. Let the battle commence in the Law Courts. To peace, freedom, justice and the British way of life. Long Live the Khalsa!

http://www.channel4.com/news/dispatches/article.jsp?id=1066 British TV Channel4, Broadcast - Monday 15th January 2007, 8.00PM A Dispatches reporter attends mosques run by organisations whose public faces are presented as moderate and finds preachers condemning integration into British society, condemning democracy and praising the Taliban for killing British soldiers. Prime Minister Tony Blair recently described tolerance as 'what makes Britain Britain' but in this extensive undercover investigation, Dispatches reveals how a message of hatred and segregation is being spread throughout the UK, inspired by Saudi Arabia - a country our government calls its principal ally in the Middle East. Dispatches has investigated a number of mosques run by high profile national organisations that claim to be dedicated to moderation and dialogue with other faiths. But an undercover reporter joined worshippers to find a message of religious bigotry and extremism being preached. He captures chilling sermons in which Saudi-trained preachers proclaim the supremacy of Islam, preach hatred for non-Muslims and for Muslims who do not follow their extreme beliefs - and predict a coming jihad. "An army of Muslims will arise," announces one preacher. Another preacher said British Muslims must "dismantle" British democracy - they must "live like a state within a state" until they are "strong enough to take over." The investigation reveals Saudi Arabian universities are recruiting young Western Muslims to train them in their extreme theology, then sending them back to the West to spread the word. And the Dispatches reporter discovers that British Muslims can ask for fatwas, religious rulings, direct from the top religious leader in Saudi Arabia, the Grand Mufti. Saudi-trained preachers are also promoted in DVDs and books on sale at religious centres and sermons broadcast on websites. These publications and webcasts disseminate beliefs about women such as: "Allah has created the woman deficient, her intellect is incomplete", and girls: "By the age of 10 if she doesn't wear hijab, we hit her," and there's an extreme hostility towards homosexuals. The investigation reveals that the influence of Saudi Arabian Islam, Wahabism, extends beyond the walls of some mosques to influential organisations that advise the British government on inter-community relations and prevention of terrorism. The Dispatches reporter attends talks at mosques run by key organisations whose public faces are presented as moderate and mainstream - and finds preachers condemning the idea of integration into British society, condemning British democracy as un-Islamic and praising the Taliban for killing British soldiers. Undercover Mosque features interviews with moderate British Muslim figures who are speaking out against the influence of Saudi Arabia's extreme brand of Islam, which is seeking to overturn Islamic traditions of diversity and peaceful co-existence: "We are losing our children to extremists," says Haras Rafiq of the Sufi Muslim Council. Dr Al Alawi of the Islamic Heritage Foundation also warns: "If this continues, you will have extremist mosques in every corner of the UK. You will not have moderate Muslims walking on our streets anymore." Join the Dispatches Forum to discuss this Dispatches investigation. Share this article

WJKK WJKF I asked for for "us as Sikhs to e-mail, fax, write, phone the Forum below to ensure that they write to the Secretary of State and demand a full public enquiry in to the West London Mental Health Trust handling of Navjeet Sidhu", sadly no-one from this Forum did. Now the "West London Coroner’s Court was told how Navjeet Sidhu, 27, from Southall, West London, had been driven to suicide by the high expectations that her extended Sikh family had of her". This Sikh sister of ours was under the care of the NHS who for what ever reason seems to failed her. Please act now for the Community's sake.

WJKK, WJKF Many of you will be familiar with the tragic suicide of Navjeet Sidhu (aged 27) by throwing herself together with her two children in front of a moving train in Southall (UK) in August 30th 2005. It has now come to light the Navjeet Sidhu was being treated for depression and the West London Mental Health NHS Trust responsible for her care and I quote "A secret inquiry into the lapses, conducted by West London Mental Health Trust, identified 11 areas "where it was felt that the case could have been managed differently, or where practice could and should be improved". Please read the full article below. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jht.../07/nsuic06.xml In Britain there is a system in place where each NHS hospital, Primary Care Trust (PCT) is overseen by a Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) Forum. Their responsibility is as follows:- "Each forum is made of up of volunteers in their local community who are enthusiastic about helping patients and members of the public influence the way that local healthcare is organized and delivered. Forum members come from a broad variety of backgrounds and have a range of experience and skills". They do have limited legal powers and they can write to the Secretary of Health and demand a full public enquiry. I want us as Sikhs to e-mail, fax, write, phone the Forum below to ensure that they write to the Secretary of State and demand a full public enquiry in to the West London Mental Health Trust handling of Navjeet Sidhu. The details of the Forum are as follows:- PPI Forum West London Mental Health Forum Coordinator Advocate for Mental Health 73 St Charles Square SW1V 2QA Tel: 020 8968 2607 / f 020 8969 1500 Email: anne@afmh.org.uk http://www.cppih.org/forum/westlondonmentalhealth0473.html In Sewa of the Sikh Panth. [/b]

We are all familiar with the ‘War on Terror’’ since 9/11. What is puzzling to me is that on the 10th August , 2006 President stated the following regarding the foiled attempt to blow up planes planned in Britain "that this nation is at war with Islamic fascists." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5262120.stm and yet on the 18th August, 2006 Saudia Arabia announces a deal to buy 72 Eurofighters. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5262120.stm The dominant form of Islam in Saudi Arabia and Qatar is Salafism, Osama Bin Laden is a prominent example of a Salafi Saudi Muslim. Salafi differ from the earlier contemporary Islamic revival movement of Islamism of the 1970s and 1980s, in that (at least many) Salafi reject not only Western ideologies such as socialism and capitalism, but also common Western concepts like economics, constitutions, political parties, revolution and social justice. Muslims should not engage in Western activities like politics, "even by giving them an Islamic slant." [4] Instead, Muslims should stick to Islamic activities, particularly dawah and jihad. Salafi promote sharia rather than an Islamic political program or state. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salafism Is this a sensible Western Foreign Policy to pursue in supplying the latest technology in militarily hardware to Saudia Arabia?

The Moslems complain about the West foreign policy in the Middle East but I don’t hear the oil rich Arab countries complaining? I don’t agree with my country’s (Britain) foreign policy in not apply enough pressure on countries for e.g. Burma, China, and India in not improving their human rights record but I won’t be committing acts of terrorism. Britain is a democratic, liberal, secular, capitalist country if you don’t agree with this you can always move to the North Korea, Nigeria, Saudia Arabia? I am sensing a sea change in Britain’s tolerance for ‘outsiders’. My fear now as Proactive stated is that we may get caught up in the backlash when we have been hundred percent loyal to Britain, socially and economically productive and reaching the top in other areas such as Monty has done for England in the cricket very recently.

In Britain each December the BBC have a competition to select a Sports Personality for the Year. For 2006 I believe Monty has now done enough to be a very serious contender. Please click on the link below to see the 2005 winner and others sportsmen and women who have won this esteemed award. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_rad...005/default.stm Jeevan

What Muslims Want Channel 4 Monday 7 August, 8pm Jon SnowChannel 4 News presenter Jon Snow tackles one of the most difficult and controversial questions facing our country today: to what extent do Muslims in Britain pose a threat to this country and its values? There is a growing fear that the 1.6 million Muslims in Britain are rejecting the majority liberal, tolerant beliefs in this country for a radicalised version of Islam in which violence can be justified. Dispatches has conducted the most comprehensive and rigorous survey to date of Muslim opinion in Britain, with startling results. http://www.channel4.com/news/microsites/D/dispatches2006/

"I rather watch Harbhijan turn a 5 and half-ounce ball than Becks bend the ball". Once Norman Tebbit and his cronies apply the 'Cricket Test' to white British passport holders settled here in the UK from such diverse places as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe etc. then maybe I might consider supporting England. Tebbit conveniently forget the largest volunteer army ever assembled in the history of mankind was the Indians who fought against the fascist regimes during WWII. These brave souls not only passed the 'Cricket Test' they set new standards when it came to freedom and democracy. It is partly because of their sacrifices we can support who we want when it comes to sport. As a test of loyalty supporting England in the cricket or football is meaningless by itself.

The cricket test was a phrase coined by Norman Tebbit in referring to supposedly questionable loyalties of immigrants to the United Kingdom in 1990. It is also known as the Tebbit test. During the 1980s and 1990s there was a perception in parts of the UK that some immigrants to the UK did not have a primary loyalty to the UK, but continued to identify with their countries of origin. The most famous expression of this was made by Conservative politician Norman Tebbit in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. He said: "A large proportion of Britain's Asian population fail to pass the cricket test. Which side do they cheer for? It's an interesting test. Are you still harking back to where you came from or where you are?" Q) With Monty Panesar doing himself and England proud have we the Sikhs residing in Britain now passed the infamous Cricket Test? Long Live the Khalsa! Jeevan

I believe now is the time for Britain to adopt postive discrimination in the Public Sector for visible ethnic minorities especially us Sikhs Race law update needed, Phillips Britain's race laws need updating to help in the battle against terrorism, the chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) has said. Trevor Phillips has called for a debate on positive discrimination in favour of Muslims applying to join the police. In a speech to be delivered on Monday he will question whether the police are "fit for purpose" for anti-terror campaigns. He will also say race relation laws are stopping diversification in the police. Mr Phillips will emphasise that it is not just a matter of fairness and equality, but an issue of national security. Muslim commitment In the speech to be given at the Social Policy Forum at the Government Office for London, he will say that British Muslims are as committed to tackling "terrorism" as anyone else. And as an example of how the new system might work, he will cite the Police Service of Northern Ireland, where the law was changed to allow it to recruit half of all its new officers from the Catholic community. "I can't say for certain whether I think we should go down this road; and if we do how exactly we'd do it," he will say. If you don't have Muslim officers to put into surveillance cars, you can give up any hope of doing covert operations in some areas Trevor Phillips, Chairman, CRE "But I do know that we have to debate such measures if we are going to avoid the spectre of a mainly white security and justice apparatus policing increasingly aggrieved and hostile black and Asian communities." Referring to the 2 June raid in Forest Gate, east London, he will say: "Every time an operation like this goes wrong it further alienates communities who want to help in the fight against terrorism." Mr Phillips, who has been head of the CRE since 2003, will stress that race relations legislation is hindering the process of diversifying police and security forces. "If you don't have Muslim officers to put into surveillance cars, you can give up any hope of doing covert operations in some areas." Community tolerance Mr Phillips, a former head of the National Union of Students, will also warn that it cannot be taken for granted that Muslim communities will put up with anti-terror searches indefinitely. The CRE was set up in 1976 and although it is maintained by a Home Office grant its role is independent. It can provide legal advice and assistance to people who think they have been discriminated against. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/5092696.stm Published: 2006/06/18 17:20:37 GMT Jeevan

As a visible ethnic minority I feel the Sikhs are missing the point about one of our own being beaten up in Oxford. In simple terms the Police have failed to serve and protect. Jeevan

WJKK WJKF They say this forum is monitored by the Police and Intelligence Services due to its pro Khalistan stance and the Respect for Guru Granth Campaign. Well here is a message for my friends can you explain why you think it is appropriate for a modern 21st Century Britain to discriminate against loyal soldiers of the British Armed forces in terms of equal pay? Surely this is against the Equal Pay Act and the offenders (MOD) should be prosecuted by the full extent of the law? BBC NEWS Gurkhas make UK pensions demand A group of Gurkhas from Nepal have handed in a petition to Downing Street to demand the same pay and pension rights as British-born soldiers. The veterans say many ex-Gurkhas have been left "destitute and disillusioned" by unequal pensions. About 30 Gurkhas marched to No 10 before handing in their petition. The government says members of the Gurkha Brigade do not need as much money because the cost of living in Nepal is lower than in the UK. I come because we have some problems and it is high time that these problems are addressed by the concerned authorities in London Capt Rambahadur Limbu Pensions for serving Gurkhas have been reformed for those who left the service after 1 July 1997. In a speech outside Downing Street, Capt Rambahadur Limbu, 70, a Victoria Cross winner, said: "It is an honour for me to be once again in England. "But I come because we have some problems and it is high time that these problems are addressed by the concerned authorities in London." The 1 July 1997 cut-off date was a "great concern", he said. "The Gurkha veterans with no pension is also a serious issue," he added. He called on the government and the Queen to "deal with the injustice faced by the Gurkhas". Cut-off date Falklands veteran Sgt Deepak Maskey says he receives a pension of £130 per month, but that a British comrade would get more then £600. There were 32,000 Gurkha veterans living in Nepal who had been affected by the cut-off date, he added. "We have been with the British soldiers throughout every major war," he told BBC News. "Now people begin to realise in this 21st century that there have been discriminations and we want to break that." The British government's argument that it was cheaper to live in Nepal was "totally irrelevant in the pension issue", he said. "Would [uN Secretary General] Kofi Annan be paid pensions based on the cost of living in Ghana? Certainly not," he said. Gurkha service pensions, paid under the Gurkha pension scheme, compare favourably with professional and white collar salaries in Nepal Ministry of Defence A Ministry of Defence spokesman said Gurkha conditions of service had been "determined not to be discriminatory but rather appropriate to their unique status as Nepalese citizens serving in the British Army". Their "unique pension arrangements" had been vindicated by a judicial review in 2003, she added. "Gurkha service pensions, paid under the Gurkha pension scheme, compare favourably with professional and white collar salaries in Nepal." Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/5005612.stm Published: 2006/05/22 16:51:24 GMT © BBC MMVI

WJKK WJKF Dear Lion (LK) King you stated "What has been done on the SIngh's side to stop bibis converting to Islam? Absolutly NOTHING", this statement is not true. An example of this is in July 2004 nearly a 1,000 Sikhs (including myself) attended a rally to meet the issue of converting Sikh and Hindu girls to Islam by the Al-Majourin group. Sikhs from all over the UK attended including Derby. Many Sikh girls wanted to attend this event to show solidarity to the Sikh Panth but in the meetings leading up to this event a decision was taken in discouraging our sisters to attend as there was the real threat of physical violence by the Moslems. There is also a group like www.whyichosesikhism.com to help our sisters. What we have to do as part of the Sikh Panth is by giving the space and freedom to our girls to see the world but grounded in Sikhi. The worst mistake our parents are making is keeping our 'daughters' under lock and key and the first freedom our sisters get unfortunately the Moslem boys have charmed their ways in to their hearts. Also in speaking to many our of sisters they are fed up with a sizeable minority of our own Sikh males who act and behave like 'gangsters' in language, fashion, music etc. This is a war but not in the sense of drawing swords but a spiritual battle. We have to educate our youth to act and behave intelligently, refrain from alcohol, look beyond caste, not ask for a girl's family to give dowry that’s a Hindu custom not a Sikh custom. The worst abusers of Sikhi is unfortunately the Sikh male. The battle has to be fought and won in our community first before we launch a war with the true enemy. Bhul Chak Maaf

WaheGuru Ji Ka Khalsa WaheGuru Ji Ke Fateh Since 1984 how much in donations (£, $,) made it to the survivors of the riots? Having Remembrance Days is great in the mean time survivors need economic aid to re-build houses, business premises, money for education, food, water, health needs etc. Yes 21 years on hard cash is required by the survivors to overcome incredible hardship. Yes I was able to donate through my own sources. Put your hand on your heart fellow Sikhs and ask yourself (and those around you) who actually donated money and ensured it reached the victims of Operation Blue Star and the survivors of the riots in October/November 1984? I spoke to various Sikhs and Organizations over the years and they stated very little money made it to the victims particularly Delhi as these Sikhs were drawn from the low caste? Bhul Chak Maff

A tribute to those who stood up to the extreme right. The Clash, X-Ray Spex, Steel Pulse, The Tom Robinson Band, Asian Dub Foundation, Billy Bragg what do these past and present bands have in common? They are just some of the bands that have supported an anti-racist agenda and have not been afraid to raise their heads above the parapet. Do you remember what Britain was like in the 70s and early 80s when the National Front was gaining in popularity? The extreme right seemed to be lurking around every street corner and in dark alleys waiting to pick on the minorities and woe be tide to you if you had a turban on, or wore the traditional salwar-kameez. With your distinct headgear, national dress you could be spotted in the West End of London from the East End of London. Still the decent people of Britain stood up to the NF but look what happened to one of them? Remember Blair Peach? For those who are too young or are not aware of the race issues of Britain, Blair Peach, was a white schoolteacher born in New Zealand, murdered on the streets of Southall on April 23rd 1979 during a demonstration for the Anti-Nazi League against the NF. The Police the maintainers of law and order were the prime suspects in this crime. Sadly to this day no one has been brought to justice over the his murder. Things had to get a lot worse before it got better. On July 3rd 1981, the Sikhs fought back and took the law in to their own hands on an unprecedented scale. Carnage and devastation took place in the new Sikh heartland of Southall. The Sikhs were trying to stop a gathering of the NF in a local pub the Hamborough Tavern off the Broadway. An Asian woman was assaulted earlier on in the day; this was the spark for the civil unrest that followed. The meeting did not take place that night; the pub was razed to the ground. Petrol bombs, bricks, stones, anything that could be hurled was thrown that night aimed first primarily at the Tavern where members suspected of the extreme right had gathered and then the Police who had to bring law and order back on to the streets. During the summer of 1981 across the major cities and towns of Britain riots took place that this nation had never witnessed. I sincerely hope that that the economic and social conditions of this country will never be as harsh to trigger off such similar events. This is my thanks to the decent people of Britain, from those in the public eyes like rock bands to the ordinary citizen of Britain, thanks for sticking up for us. With your help let us consign the extreme right of Britain to a footnote in history. This is even more important now with the local government elections in May and the BNP fielding more candidates than ever before. Jeevan

One way to support girls is to sponsor their education and before you ask I have been able to do this in the past and I will do so in the future. Jeevan