Tories Storm Out In Punjabi Lessons Row

[SikhRoots]

http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/04/30/t...bi-lessons-row/

A race row threw a council meeting in Wolverhampton into chaos when furious Conservatives stormed out amid accusations of “looking down” on the Asian community.

The mass protest came during a heated debate that saw the ruling Tory Lib-Dem alliance withdraw plans to start charging for Saturday morning Asian language classes.

The classes are attended by 700 children under the age of 14 in the city.

Protesters watched in astonishment as 25 councillors left the council chamber at the Civic Centre in anger at remarks by Labour councillor Elias Mattu, who said: “They are changing their mind as a result of public pressure. They are looking down on the Asian community.”

There were cries of “withdraw” before the Conservative benches suddenly emp- tied. Mayor Christine Mills was forced to adjourn the debate for more than 10 minutes before order was restored after Councillor Mattu apologised.

Labour leader Councillor Roger Lawrence said of the walkout: “I have never seen anything like it during 27 years on the council.”

The controversy was over proposals to charge parents around £1.50p per child.

Almost 3,000 people signed a petition backed by local MPs opposing the move, with protesters packing the public gallery yesterday holding placards.

Conservative leader Neville Patten said of the walkout: “We left the chamber because Councillor Mattu was making disparaging comments about the way we view Asian people. We view them as an important part of the community and we are giving them what they want.”

Mohinder Singh Malhotra, who has taught Punjabi for more than 14 years, said today: “Research has shown that if a child learns an additional language it raises their levels of achievement in school. If they do not know their own mother tongue they lose contact with their own identity.”

[SikhRoots]

On that link, please also leave a comment. Look at what comments others have wrote and offer your support...

-- actually, it seems they have now stopped comments on that topic. Ironic that most of the posts on there are all in support of the council. Express and Star seem to have their own agenda as well...

[Guroo Guroo Jaap]

Waheguru.

There is one person behind all of those "screen names" writing all of those messages and i know who it is . . . . .

[dalsingh101]

How comes Canada has no problem with this?

[Harjeet.Singh]

They are trying to make us slaves, limiting our knowledge.

[dalsingh101]

They want to shape us all into their image over time.....wasps......

[HSD*^]

£1.50 a bloody lesson? compared to the billions of pounds wasted educating their kids, who end up on benefits anyway? typical of them - no one asked them to come to the punjab in the first place. in history lessons at school they skipped over the british raj, all they say is that they came to unite us and build a railway across our country for us - BIG F****** DEAL. and those were meant to be the good points of the british raj - dont get me started on the bad points!

also, i would agree with them if sikhs didnt pay taxes - but we do!! ratio wise we probably pay more than there whining community. i'm not saying our community is perfect though. we have major problems we will probably never bother sorting out, but these guys know how to take the biscuit.

[Tejvir]

thanks for the story. quite interesting