Sikhs In The Uk Conference 2006

[azadvir singh]

Only 50-80 Sikhs attended.

Why such a poor turnout?

If Harjit Singh says BOSS has 56 Sikh Societies why did more Sikhs not attend.

Why don't students run BOSS?

Is Jaswant Kaur still a student?

It must be at least 10 years since Harjit Singh was a student!

Is Satnam Singh still a student?

Is Professor Gurharpal Singh an authority on Sikh matters?

If he is, he should know there were over 90 Sikh councillors, which came down to 80 councillors at the last local elections - there are also Conservative Sikh councillors OR was he just helping out his friend Dr Rai by pleasing the Labour Govt Minister - by saying what he wanted to here.

[Pyara]

Only 50-80 Sikhs attended.

Why such a poor turnout?

If Harjit Singh says BOSS has 56 Sikh Societies why did more Sikhs not attend.

Why don't students run BOSS?

Is Jaswant Kaur still a student?

It must be at least 10 years since Harjit Singh was a student!

Is Satnam Singh still a student?

Is Professor Gurharpal Singh an authority on Sikh matters?

If he is, he should know there were over 90 Sikh councillors, which came down to 80 councillors at the last local elections - there are also Conservative Sikh councillors OR was he just helping out his friend Dr Rai by pleasing the Labour Govt Minister - by saying what he wanted to here.

160884[/snapback]

If Singhs stopped bitching about each other and stood together than the world would be a better place!

Still got so much to learn.........

[Prem]

Many need to wake up to the reality of who the Home Office is prepared to be seen and work with and WHY. The Home Office has made it clear that it is more willing to deal with (and fund) those that do little or no longer:

i) mention their support for an independent sovereign Sikh State

ii) consistently campaign for the human rights of Sikhs in India

iii) challenge the banning of Panthic organisations in the UK

iv) support the separate recognition and monitoring of Sikhs

Jagtar Singh Khalsa

The Sikh Federation campaigns for the de-proscription of the ISYF, isnt that right? The ISYF is banned as a terrorist group in the UK, USA and Canada. What are the links between the ISYF and the Sikh Federation? And why does the Sikh Federation feel the need to campaign on behalf of an organisation proscribed by the British government as a terrorist organisation?

Do you not think that perhaps it is the Sikh Federation's advocacy for a terrorist organisation that makes the government wary of dealing with them?

Do you not think that in light of this it would be better for the SF to break all links with the ISYF and cease to campaign for the ISYF?

Don't you think that the SF's agenda would be better served by this? Given the post 9/11 and 7/7 zero tolerance approach towards any groups that advocate the use of violence for political means?

[Nirvair S Khalsa]

Don't you think that the SF's agenda would be better served by this? Given the post 9/11 and 7/7 zero tolerance approach towards any groups that advocate the use of violence for political means?

161003[/snapback]

Prem Jee,

When has the International Sikh Youth Federation, that used to operate in the United Kingdom before it being banned as a "terrorist organisation", ever advocated the use of violence for political means?

Vaheguroo Jee Kaa Khalsa, Vaheguroo Jee Kee Phateh!!!

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

Many need to wake up to the reality of who the Home Office is prepared to be seen and work with and WHY. The Home Office has made it clear that it is more willing to deal with (and fund) those that do little or no longer:

i) mention their support for an independent sovereign Sikh State

ii) consistently campaign for the human rights of Sikhs in India

iii) challenge the banning of Panthic organisations in the UK

iv) support the separate recognition and monitoring of Sikhs

Jagtar Singh Khalsa

The Sikh Federation campaigns for the de-proscription of the ISYF, isnt that right? The ISYF is banned as a terrorist group in the UK, USA and Canada. What are the links between the ISYF and the Sikh Federation? And why does the Sikh Federation feel the need to campaign on behalf of an organisation proscribed by the British government as a terrorist organisation?

Do you not think that perhaps it is the Sikh Federation's advocacy for a terrorist organisation that makes the government wary of dealing with them?

Do you not think that in light of this it would be better for the SF to break all links with the ISYF and cease to campaign for the ISYF?

Don't you think that the SF's agenda would be better served by this? Given the post 9/11 and 7/7 zero tolerance approach towards any groups that advocate the use of violence for political means?

161003[/snapback]

Dear Prem

I will respond fully why the Sikh Federation (UK) and other like-minded organisations democratically challenge the banning of Panthic organisations in the UK and other restrictions abroad (Sikh Agenda for the UK Government - Item 8)

I will also improve your knowledge on where the ISYF is or is not banned, you should not simply rely on the Indian media or Indian authorities for your information.

Please email me your telephone number and I will call you and also explain why you may be in danger of being in breach of the Terrorism Act 2000 in what you have just written.

However I'm surprised you tounched upon item iii) only, but are silent on the other three:

i) mention their support for an independent sovereign Sikh State

ii) consistently campaign for the human rights of Sikhs in India

iii) challenge the banning of Panthic organisations in the UK

iv) support the separate recognition and monitoring of Sikhs

What is common to all of them is that any Sikh organisation pushing on these four fronts is opposed by the INDIAN GOVERNMENT and it is active in lobbying the UK Government. Sikh organisations that have 'sold out' are silent or oppose the above and are welcomed by the Home Office as it pleases India.

[Prem]

Jagtar Singh Khalsa

I won't give you my telephone number, we can discuss the matter here - or you can private mail me.

I just wanted to know why the SF campaigns for the de-proscription of an organisation banned as a terrorist organisation by Britain and America. It should be self evident to you that whatever the activities of the Indian government, in this post 9/11 and post 7/7 world, anything that has the taint of terrorism is not going to be legitimate in the eyes of the British government. It is simply my advice to you - drop the support for the ISYF and move on. It will get you nowhere. Anybody who advocates violence for a political cause is out of favour, full stop. Already in the Behzti affair the newspapers brought up the 'extremist links' of the Sikh Federation when reporting on the role of SF activists in organising the protests.

I am not arguing for or against - I am simply telling you that this is the way it is today, this is how it is in 2006. You will get no sympathy as long as the terrorist card is held against you - fair or unfair, it is a simple fact.

[Guest DKI]

I believe the alleged 'extremist links' of the Sikh Federation (UK) were quoted by newspapers from representatives of certain Sikh organizations. They were not actually 'brought up' by the papers themselves unless you are referring to Indian papers which had occasionally targeted the Sikh Federation (UK).

By the way, the Sikh Fed is quite approachable so you should not be wary of speaking with its representatives.

Regards,

[Prem]

Dear MS Nijjar

The simple fact is that the ISYF is an organisation which is banned in Britain and America. This is from a list from the US State Department:

We can discuss the rights and wrongs of this until the cows come home, but the fact is that no matter how hard we try, tying the Sikh cause to the mast of the ISYF and campaigning for it to be un-banned is doomed to failure. No matter what the influence of the Indian government in getting it banned, in the post 9/11 and post 7/7 world, it will never happen. You simply have to be realistic about this.

[Prem]

I believe the alleged 'extremist links' of the Sikh Federation (UK) were quoted by newspapers from representatives of certain Sikh organizations. They were not actually 'brought up' by the papers themselves unless you are referring to Indian papers which had occasionally targeted the Sikh Federation (UK).

This is from The Times

THE violence that forced the cancellation of a controversial Sikh play was caused by militant extremists who aligned themselves to the protest, organisers claimed yesterday.

The Sikh community fears that its reputation has been tarnished by the trouble at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, which led to the play Behzti (Dishonour) being abandoned.

The Times has learnt that members of the Sikh Federation were among the demonstrators on Saturday night. The group was formed in the aftermath of the banning of the International Sikh Youth Federation under the Terrorism Act 2000. The ISYF is committed to the creation of an independent Sikh state in India and, according to the Foreign Office, has been involved in assassinations, bombings and kidnappings, mainly directed against Indian officials and interests.

All I am saying is that as long as this is available for people to pick up on, it will always be an albatross around the neck of the SF. Any kind of organised extremist activity or link will be seized upon. In the current climate the British government will never do business with any organisation that can be traced back or campaigns for the de-proscription of the ISYF. Especially since 9/11 and the London Bombings.

[Prem]

DKI

As I understand it the Dal Khalsa recently made an unequivocal statement that it was commited 100% to peaceful activities to bring about its political aims and was going to work at the grassroots level and reach out to Hindus in Punjab too. This is what we need across the board. This is a progressive and intelligent strategy. We need more of this - especially with people ready to slander those who want to focus on Human Rights abuses in Punjab and in the current international climate regarding the use of violence in light of Islamic groups. We simply will not get a sympathetic hearing from anybody, otherwise.