Candlelit Vigils

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

It total there were probably around 80-100 Sikhs yesterday at the candlelit vigil outside the UK Parliament in London. At its peak the vigil had around 60 Sikhs with around 250-300 candles being lit at the vigil.

Photographs are likely to be posted later this evening to show this to be true. Perhaps Kuljeet Singh turned up after 6pm when numbers started to decline.

Sikhs started arriving at 2pm for the Sikh Lobby where the following four issues were raised:

- 22nd anniversary of the November 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms

- Census 2011

- 5-point action plan presented to MPs in September at the National Sikh Convention

- Discrimination against Balihar Singh (senior Sikh police officer in Manchester)

This included a delegation of 10-12 Sikhs from Derby who held a meeting with Mark Todd MP. The Sikhs from Derby were also proactive in raising their concerns with Rt. Hon. Margaret Beckett MP, the Foreign Secretary, with regards to November 1984 before she left for her trip to India. It will be interesting in the follow up meeting with her to see if she raised the matter in her trip and if not, why not.

A meeting was held at 3pm with several of the office bearers of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for UK Sikhs. Rob Marris MP the Chair of the APPG and two of the Vice Chairs, Dominic Grieve MP, the Shadow Attorney General and John Spellar MP. A number of actions were agreed at the meeting and at subsequent discussions at the candlelit vigil.

The lobby took place from 2-4pm and was followed by a vigil from 4.00-7.30pm. Several of us were there from the start to the finish and distributed around 3,000 postcards and other literature.

It would have been great if the vigil in London had attracted many more Sikhs from in and around London. 200 Sikhs would have better than 100 Sikhs and 400 Sikhs would have been better than 200 Sikhs. However, the importance of holding a vigil that also attracted politicians and raising awareness with non-Sikhs should not be underestimated. It would have been even better if one or two Sikhs from as many towns/cities/constituencies had arranged to lobby their Mps and encouraged them to take part in the vigil.

The organisers had informed police when applying for the vigil there would be 75-100 Sikhs and this was a reasonable and realistic estimate given the vigils in other parts of the UK. This reflected the numbers we planned to take part. If we were planning to bring 400+ Sikhs it would have been unlikely that we would have received permission under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act Designated Area that imposes restrictions on 'demonstrations' within one square mile of Parliament.

The many youngsters that too part in the lobby and/or vigil from in and around London and the Sikhs from Slough that brought the two eye catching banners should be congratulated.

[Guest Papi]

nothing wrong with picking a way to raise awareness on the issue. buh we should also try our best to light the candle of naam within our hearts. a candle that will never extinguish.

[`KuMi´]

lightin a candle is a wierd gesture, its a gora thing 2 do.

I never have lit a candle for a ritual purpose ever in my life, so redirect your statement in another derogatory manner. :TH:

Lolll u <banned word filter activated>

[Nirvair S Khalsa]

It total there were probably around 80-100 Sikhs yesterday at the candlelit vigil outside the UK Parliament in London. At its peak the vigil had around 60 Sikhs with around 250-300 candles being lit at the vigil.

Photographs are likely to be posted later this evening to show this to be true. Perhaps Kuljeet Singh turned up after 6pm when numbers started to decline.

Sikhs started arriving at 2pm for the Sikh Lobby where the following four issues were raised:

- 22nd anniversary of the November 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms

- Census 2011

- 5-point action plan presented to MPs in September at the National Sikh Convention

- Discrimination against Balihar Singh (senior Sikh police officer in Manchester)

This included a delegation of 10-12 Sikhs from Derby who held a meeting with Mark Todd MP. The Sikhs from Derby were also proactive in raising their concerns with Rt. Hon. Margaret Beckett MP, the Foreign Secretary, with regards to November 1984 before she left for her trip to India. It will be interesting in the follow up meeting with her to see if she raised the matter in her trip and if not, why not.

A meeting was held at 3pm with several of the office bearers of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for UK Sikhs. Rob Marris MP the Chair of the APPG and two of the Vice Chairs, Dominic Grieve MP, the Shadow Attorney General and John Spellar MP. A number of actions were agreed at the meeting and at subsequent discussions at the candlelit vigil.

The lobby took place from 2-4pm and was followed by a vigil from 4.00-7.30pm. Several of us were there from the start to the finish and distributed around 3,000 postcards and other literature.

It would have been great if the vigil in London had attracted many more Sikhs from in and around London. 200 Sikhs would have better than 100 Sikhs and 400 Sikhs would have been better than 200 Sikhs. However, the importance of holding a vigil that also attracted politicians and raising awareness with non-Sikhs should not be underestimated. It would have been even better if one or two Sikhs from as many towns/cities/constituencies had arranged to lobby their Mps and encouraged them to take part in the vigil.

The organisers had informed police when applying for the vigil there would be 75-100 Sikhs and this was a reasonable and realistic estimate given the vigils in other parts of the UK. This reflected the numbers we planned to take part. If we were planning to bring 400+ Sikhs it would have been unlikely that we would have received permission under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act Designated Area that imposes restrictions on 'demonstrations' within one square mile of Parliament.

The many youngsters that too part in the lobby and/or vigil from in and around London and the Sikhs from Slough that brought the two eye catching banners should be congratulated.

I agree with JagtarSinghKhalsa.

Numbers at these type of events do not make too much of a difference, but the fact that certain points are raised with Members of Parliament and awareness is created, that is exceptionally beneficial to the Sikh community.

Lighting a candle in these circumstances is not any type of "ritual", it is a method to generate knowledge and understanding that the wider community can comprehend more efficiently.

True, that letting a few hundred members of the public outside the Sikh community be acquainted with our cause will not help establish Khalistan tomorrow, but it will certainly assist to establish the basis of our cause to the wider community.

I think there are also many other issues behind such events as well, the most significant in this country perhaps being to create awareness of the Sikh people, to help encounter the problem of "mistaken identity". When such events take place constantly, there is no doubt it makes an effect on the manner the public distinguishes Sikhs. Hundreds of members of the non-Sikh community were informed in some detail about the reasons for Khalistan, the demand for justice and the identity of Sikhs in Birmingham on Wednesday (as well as other towns I imagine).

The media also begin to take more notice and it is pleasant when you open half a dozen ENGLISH newspapers in the morning with phrases such as "As well as being an act of remembrance, Sikhs asked for justice by creating awareness of the atrocities in India hidden from the wider world..."

Possibly if people have additional ideas of how to create awareness, get justice, tackle the "mistaken identity" issue...etc, we could all contact or email the Panthic organisations for suggestions.

Regarding Shaheed families...It is true they still suffer and are not at rest, but Panthic organisations and bodies have not given up...THE SHAHEEDI FUND IS STILL OPEN...

There is no hesitation and doubt that such events are excellent for not only the Sikh cause in India concerning Khalistan and Justice, but also for the UK Sikh community in terms of creating awareness of who Sikhs are and their distinctive identity.

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