Pyara

In the absence of any established UK Sikh Organisation taking any lead whatsoever in the last week during which the global Sikh image just got openly crapped on by the Indian media, we need to stand together and support the NSYF initiative as a media task force to combat and tackle the continuous Indian media slur and misinformation being generated by the elites. Established SCUK, SFUK, BSC, NSO etc, clearly lack the capacity and acumen to steer this.

The "funding" for Sikh Channel mentioned above was probably a £4 a month direct debit form....

Ridiculous!

At last, a UK based Sikh Organisation has taken the initiative to write an official PR in response to all the crass Indian media reporting of last week. Well done NSYF. http://nsyf.org.uk/news/vilification-of-sikhs/ The vilification of Sikhs Oct 8by Shamsher During the recent events surrounding retired Lt.Gen K.S. Brar, there has been hysterical reporting by certain sections of the Indian media. While the Indian media is not exactly a paragon of impartiality and balanced reporting, the recent coverage has left most readers we have spoken to in disbelief. It varies from misreporting and hysteria, to publishing material that is simply false. This has created a potentially dangerous situation, in a country where religious differences can be easily exploited for political gain, and where there is well documented history of these differences spilling over into communal violence. Today after a week of arrests and investigation we have learned that two Sikh men have been charged with “wounding with the intent to do grievous bodily harm”, a full week after the incident on 30th September. During the initial investigation UK Police did not comment on the religion or ethnicity of the individuals it was detaining for questioning. This is in stark contrast with the Indian media who began with reports of unidentified assailants on the 1st of Oct. This then developed into reports of “four bearded men” on the 2nd; by the 3rd it had descended into a full scale international conspiracy in which law abiding Sikh organisations, including religious, charitable and political bodies were labelled as being linked to ‘terrorism’. This situation has been used to make unfounded allegations in the wider Indian media of the rise of Sikh extremism globally, no doubt to justify the recent arrests and torture of Sikh political activists in the Punjab, which prompted Human Rights Watch to call on the government of India for an investigation and to “promptly enact the Prevention of Torture bill and…take immediate steps to implement its provisions, including ending all torture and ill-treatment by security forces and prosecuting those responsible”. The most shocking comments came in reports that featured remarks from Foreign Office (FCO) Minister Hugo Swire (the minister is in charge of trade with India). The minister was reported to have said “It (the attack on Brar) is of great concern to the United Kingdom. We don’t want these people here exporting their terrorist views because they represent a real threat to people in the UK apart from anything else”. Given the way the Indian media has handled this incident these remarks give the impression that the minister was referring to Sikhs in general. The NSYF Press Office contacted the FCO for clarification, and in a statement issued to the NSYF the FCO made it clear that “The Minister’s comments were quite clearly referring to the perpetrators of this crime and were not directed towards any community”. They further commented that they “…don’t have any control in the way the (Indian) media is reporting this incident”, and that interpreting them in this way was “completely incorrect”. The NSYF Press Office will be providing a full analysis of the reporting in this incident, and writing to individual news agencies about the misrepresented facts of the Indian army invasion of Amritsar code named ‘operation blue star’.

Look forward to see it. Thanks

Residential Giani of Shepherds Bush Gurdwara has been missing since this morning. Local Sangat believe he's one of the guys picked up by CTC. I presonally question whether authorities are mixing immigration issues in order to pump up arrest numbers...We need our Sikh Council and Jathebhandi's to take a lead now!

Agree with Angrez...A gut feeling is that CTC are randomly picking active young Sikhs for questioning to keep the elites satisfied. It all feels very random. Nevertheless, the established jathebhandi’s need to now vocally come out before the UK Sikh community get trodden on by the authorities and the media. There is a dangerous opening for some serious manipulation of the anti-terrorism hysteria by anti-panthic individuals within and outside our community. Seems like CTC could react to every lead they receive in relation to anyone who may openly shows sympathy or an affiliation to the issues in Punjab.

http://content.met.police.uk/News/Eight-more-people-have-been-arrested-over-the-attempted-murder-of-an-Indian-national/1400012081246/1257246745756 Eight more people have been arrested over the attempted murder of an Indian national Officers from the Counter Terrorism Command have arrested a further eight people in connection with the investigation into the attempted murder of an Indian man in central London on 30 September. A further three were arrested on immigration matters unrelated to the attempted murder investigation. On Friday, 5 October two people were arrested at 00:30hrs at a residential address in Hillingdon borough. A 42-year-old man [E] was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and a 38-year-old woman [F] was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. A further three men, [G] age 42 [H] age 30 and age 37 were arrested at 01:00hrs on the street on Queensdale Road, in Kensington and Chelsea borough, on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. At 05:00hrs three people were arrested at a residential address in Holland Park. Two men [J] age 32 and [K] age 31 were arrested on conspiracy to murder. One man age 20 [L] was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. A further three men, aged [M] 45 years, [N] 29 and [O] 28 were arrested at the same address on suspicion of immigration matters unconnected with investigation into the attempted murder. This follows the arrests on 4 October. One man [A] age 33 and one woman age 40 were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder at a residential address in Wolverhampton at approx 17:00hrs. A further man, [C] 34ys and a 25-year-old man [D] were arrested at approx 17:30hrs and at 19:00hrs on suspicion of conspiracy to murder after a car was stopped on Heath Lane in West Bromwich. All 15 are in custody at police stations in central London and west London. A number of search warrants have also been executed in connection with this investigation. The searches are being carried out at a residential address in South Shields, a residential address in Birmingham and two residential addresses in London. Enquiries are ongoing and police continue to appeal for information about the incident. Police were called at approx 22:40hrs on 30 September to reports of a man assaulted in Old Quebec Street, W1 near the junction with Oxford Street. The victim, an Indian national who is visiting London, was with his wife when they were approached by four men. He was assaulted with what is believed to be a knife or sharp implement and suffered a wound on his neck. His wife was not injured in the attack. The four men are described as being of Asian appearance, and were wearing dark clothing and long black jackets. They all had long beards. One of the men is described as younger and slimmer than the other three. They all fled in the direction of Oxford Street. Officers and London Ambulance Service attended the scene and discovered a man, aged 78, suffering from an injury believed caused by a knife or sharp implement. He was taken to hospital where he received treatment and was later discharged. Detectives are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time or who may have information about the incident. In particular they want to speak to those people who assisted the wife and the victim at the scene following the attack.

There not much intelligence behind what Indian “intelligence” are quoting as the mentioned UK Sikhs organisations are pretty transparent. The Indian media are just name dropping to pump the fallacy to the Indian readers.

http://content.met.p...6/1257246745756 Four people have been arrested following an attempted murder in central London Officers from the MPS have this evening arrested three men and one woman on suspicion of conspiracy to murder in connection with the investigation into the attempted murder of an Indian man in central London on 30 September. One man [A] age 33 and the woman age 40 were arrested at a residential address in Wolverhampton at approx 17:00hrs. A further man, [C] 34ys, was arrested at approx 17:30hrs after being stopped in a car on a street in West Bromwich. A 25-year-old man [D] was arrested in the same circumstances at 19.00hrs. All four are being taken to a central London police station where they will be interviewed by detectives. Inquiries are ongoing and police continue to appeal for information into the incident. Police were called at approx 22:40hrs to reports of a man assaulted in Old Quebec Street, W1 near the junction with Oxford Street. The victim, an Indian national who is visiting London, was with his wife when they were approached by four men. He was assaulted with what is believed to be a knife or sharp implement and suffered a wound on his neck. His wife was not injured in the attack. The four men are described as being of Asian appearance, and were wearing dark clothing and long black jackets. They all had long beards. One of the men is described as younger and slimmer than the other three. They all fled in the direction of Oxford Street. Officers and London Ambulance Service attended the scene and discovered a man, aged 78, suffering from an injury believed caused by a knife or sharp implement. He was taken to hospital where he received treatment and was later discharged. Detectives are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time or who may have information about the incident. In particular they want to speak to those people who assisted the wife and the victim at the scene following the attack. Any witnesses or anyone with information can contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

I am hoping Sikh Council UK are preparing something. Anyone know if there is anything in the pipeline, the time slot is very tight and a UK Sikh body should have responded by now. There's nothing official on the website http://sikhcounciluk.org/

Desperate crass reporting below by TOI....Putting 2 and 2 together to architect a 99! The TOI article makes a ridiculous attempt to link the UK's 84 rally's, Pakistan, motorbikers and even Coventry Ramgharia Gurdwara Hall beadbi to the "Brar Tale". http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Attack-not-meant-to-kill-Brar-but-show-uprising-still-alive/articleshow/16648355.cms? Attack not meant to kill Brar, but show ‘uprising’ still alive NEW DELHI: Even though the attackers of Operation Blue Star commander, Lt Gen K S Brar, are yet to be identified, agencies here suspect it might be linked to the radical elements in the Sikh diaspora, who have repeatedly disrupted Republic Day and Independence Day events of the Indian High Commission in the UK. According to intelligence sources, radical Sikh groups such as Dal Khalsa UK have been organizing protests for years now outside the Indian High Commission office in London as well as at the consulate office in Birmingham. Of late, some militant Sikh youth have gone a step beyond by even disrupting these national events. Sources said the Sikh youth make forced entry at R-Day or I-Day receptions, posing as invitees from the Indian community, and mask their faces before shouting pro-Khalistan slogans, breaking glassware, and grabbing/throwing microphones. "These radical Sikh men then escape on their motorcycles as quickly," an intelligence official said adding that though the local police are posted outside, they do little to stop or intercept them. Sources indicated that the UK law enforcement authorities prefer to take a neutral stand, assessing the Sikh protests as an internal matter of the Indians. Though the Indian authorities have been pursuing the British government to get tough with the Sikh extremist elements, the UK has been reluctant to oblige. Incidentally, the Indian agencies fear that the success of the Sikh radicals' protests this year — they even led a huge protests against the pending execution of Balwant Singh Rajoana, assassin of former Punjab CM Beant Singh — may have emboldened them to go for the high-profile strike at Brar. Brar, incidentally, had not followed the recommended drill of informing the local High Commission and the UK authorities of his visit to London, which would have ensured deployment of requisite security for his protection. The attackers were possibly aware of this and may have been following him for some time. According to an intelligence officer, the UK has been found rather wanting in acting against the Sikh radicals, who now may be playing into the hands of groups like Babbar Khalsa International that are making fresh attempts at reviving Sikh militancy with help from Pakistan's ISI. The attack on Brar is seen not as much as a daring assassination attempt, but as a message to convey that the Khalistanis are still alive and kicking.

These over "angelic" type kathas cloud us from understanding the real facts of our ithaas. It becomes less about the learning from the facts and more about enhancing the fable. The Brar myth (in relation to Brar being remorseful about the Bluestar attack after being diagnosed with terminal cancer) has been one of the worst examples of this with some prominent kathakars confused the sangat with fiction over fact.

I don't think it was known that he was in the UK or that he perhaps visits the UK regularly. He obviously doesn't stay with family when he visits and stays in Central London out of desi areas. In his interview he seems familiar with the area which suggests he must be visiting London pretty regular. Not staying with extended family ensures his visits are low key. It's a big shame that the UK sangat were not aware of this visit(s) as there could have been large high profile protests.

The above NDTV article claims Brar stated the following below. Either a set up or a bodge up! "According to Mr Brar, a mobile phone had been recovered from the scene, which may help lead the police to the assailants. The police were also expected to go through CCTV footage from the area that has several cameras."

This was done to glorify Brar as a national hero, demonise the Singhs and cyclical Indian media justification why the events of 1984 had to happen. It’s the periodic media cycle which is used in India, every so often revive an anti-1984 sentiment against the Sikhs. Brar had become a forgotten individual in modern mainstream India. This whole staged incident revives his name and gives him a new heroic image in India. A 78 year old patriotic Bharat Vasi is able to fight 4 young tough Sikh men. It’s a behzti all round, the portrayal is of bumbling Sikh terrorists against a highly competent decorated ex Army official who is almost in his 80s.

It's all "glory" now for Brar. Check his interview out with NDTV. http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/lt-general-ks-brar-they-slashed-my-neck-but-i-fought-back-274493 http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/fromndtv/249071 Lt General KS Brar: They slashed my neck, but I fought back London: Lieutenant General Kuldeep Singh Brar, who led Operation Blue Star against Sikh militants holed up inside the Golden Temple in 1984, was stabbed and injured in London. General Brar and his wife were returning from dinner at London's Piccadilly Circus when four men assaulted him with a knife and pushed his wife to the ground. Speaking to NDTV, General Brar described the attack saying the men had intended to assassinate him. "Suddenly 4 bearded tough looking men wearing black jackets and black clothes pounced on me. One of them pushed my wife to the side, she fell down and started screaming for help. Three of them charged at me, one pulled and tried to assassinate me. He slashed my neck with the knife but being an Army man I fought back. I kicked and boxed and warded off the attack, but in the meantime they had already slashed my neck," he said. General Brar's wife says she began crying for help after which a few men from the vicinity came and that scared the men off. "I was standing by watching and called for help. The ambulance was there within minutes and we rushed him to hospital," she said. In New York, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna said that the general should have informed the Indian High Commission so that security could have organised for him. General Brar was in London on a private visit. The retired army officer remains on the hit-list of many Sikh militant groups and usually stays in a high-security compound in the cantonment area in Mumbai. He is a Z-category protectee. Sources say that Gen Brar is returning home to India on Tuesday. General Brar is a decorated soldier who saw action in the 1971 war with Pakistan. He was among the first to enter Dhaka to force the Pakistani army into surrender. On June 5, 1984, troops including many Sikh soldiers entered the Golden Temple premises in Amritsar to flush out militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale demanding a separate state for Sikhs called Khalistan. Several soldiers were killed in firing by the terrorists. But General Brar's troops were successful and Bhindranwale was killed. Operation Blue Star upset many Sikhs. The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards a few months after Operation Blue Star. This was followed by several years of terrorism that affected Punjab. In the 1990s, General Brar wrote a book called Operation Blue Star: The True Story.

Something about the way the story is being reported just doesn't sit right. Maybe we need some solid UK verification to substantiate all of this. Has a UK news agency investigated the story yet?

These news reports are confusing. If he was stabbed last night how can he be allowed to fly back tomorrow, even if his condition is stable? Surly this London hospital will need to keep him in for recovery particularly as he's a 78 year old man.

We went for the premium canvas 38 x 64 of the Liberated Ones. It's well worth the investment and the inspiration/energy is amazing. One word of advice, spend good money on the framing, go to an expert. The framing cost me almost as much as the print, but it's an investment for life which you can then pass on to your children when they grow up.

She's an ideal role model for us all...kesan swasa sang nibhai!

It’s an interesting thought and pretty relative to the situation today but lets not fall into trap of architecting and promoting a stereotype of the “priests”, because let’s face it...as the supposed amritdhari Gursikhs, we don’t seem to commit to our Gurdwaras. Most of us will spend all our lives sitting on the sidelines watching the tamsha. If all the amritdhari’s collectively stepped into their local Gurdwara’s daily running then the system would change overnight. There’s more to the Gurdwaras than a monthly rehansabhai, there are 29 other days in the month which the amritdharis’ need to commit to. If that’s not going to happen, then we must accept the need for these mechanical “priests”.

Why put the mechanical "priests" of the Gurdwaras down when no one really in the sangat seems to commit to doing the amrit vela parkash, asa di vaar, making the degh etc. It's all good and well putting the Granthi's down but why don't the "true" Gursikh alternatives then take the lead in the Gurdwaras...

I don't get it!! After all the raula the guy turns out to be Sikh. Just a confused alcoholic I suppose... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2203242/Drunk-man-threatened-slit-pregnant-girlfriend-s-throat-Stanley-knife-unless-converted-Islam-spared-jail.html

...this Singh's words are amazing.