Hyde Park Rally '10

[SikhRoots]

http://www.sikhroots.com/component/content/article/8-featured/1316-1984-rally

This month, we have commemorated the 26th year anniversary since the Indian government attacked Sri Harimandir Sahib, Amritsar. There weren't high expectations of a great turnout following last years special 25th anniversary commemorations but sceptics were proved wrong with an even greater gathering and trouble-free, peaceful protests. There were a record number of people gathered at Hyde Park, London and within a space of an hour, all coaches had arrived from many Gurdwaras around the United Kingdom. From Smethwick Gurdwara alone, there were 9 coaches and 7 coaches from Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, Wolverhampton - even more than last year.

In previous years, there have been groups of youths with their faces covered by balaklavas so they remain unrecognisable to the government. This year, there was no nonsense with the youth and elders alike willing to show that they were proud to be Sikhs and openly and freely support the notion for Khalistan - that, and the fact that support for Khalistan is growing rapidly, is sending shivers down the spines of the Indian government with the message that Sikhs will never give up on bringing those guilty of the crimes in 1984 to justice and fight to ensure the foundations of a seperate Sikh homeland.

Full pics :

[Pyara]

I'd say this was the strongest turnout since 2004. It was a real cross section of the community, a lot more women and kids than the usual testosterone driven male elders and naujwaan turnout.

There seemed to be a mature conduct this year and I agree on the comments regarding previous years where the covered faces, effigy foot stamping, swearing slogans and flag burning of the past had put many people off from attending. I think on the back of this year's conduct, the sangat turnout will be even larger next year.

The Sikh Channel presence also helped in raising the profile of the gathering. Probably why more mothers and kids felt like attending this year.

It's always good to see a level of professionalism within Sikhs. Considering the lack of jathebhandi and general sangat support, I have to say that the Sikh Fed UK guys pull this off really well every year. I don't think we sometimes give them the credit for keeping the profile of 1984 at the level it has been. Let's face it no other group gets off their backsides to organise anything of this scale, yet many have lot's to say to bring the organisation of the event down and many are even ready to hijack some stage time to promote themselves.

Besides the usual limelight hijackers, the Trafalgar square part of the gathering (particularly the videos) and the English speeches impressed many first time attendees.

[S 3]

I'd say this was the strongest turnout since 2004. It was a real cross section of the community, a lot more women and kids than the usual testosterone driven male elders and naujwaan turnout.

There seemed to be a mature conduct this year and I agree on the comments regarding previous years where the covered faces, effigy foot stamping, swearing slogans and flag burning of the past had put many people off from attending. I think on the back of this year's conduct, the sangat turnout will be even larger next year.

The Sikh Channel presence also helped in raising the profile of the gathering. Probably why more mothers and kids felt like attending this year.

It's always good to see a level of professionalism within Sikhs. Considering the lack of jathebhandi and general sangat support, I have to say that the Sikh Fed UK guys pull this off really well every year. I don't think we sometimes give them the credit for keeping the profile of 1984 at the level it has been. Let's face it no other group gets off their backsides to organise anything of this scale, yet many have lot's to say to bring the organisation of the event down and many are even ready to hijack some stage time to promote themselves.

Besides the usual limelight hijackers, the Trafalgar square part of the gathering (particularly the videos) and the English speeches impressed many first time attendees.

Vidoes?

You mean the interviews of K.S Brar..... Mark Tully.... and Khushwant singh....who all have anti sikh and anti-truth opinions on 1984!

Was a terrible choice of videos... after watching those videos..people who sit on the fence are most likely to side with the indian government now.

[Pyara]

Vidoes?

You mean the interviews of K.S Brar..... Mark Tully.... and Khushwant singh....who all have anti sikh and anti-truth opinions on 1984!

Was a terrible choice of videos... after watching those videos..people who sit on the fence are most likely to side with the indian government now.

Fair comments...but...After 26 years the Sikhs desperate requirement is still for a high budget, technical, professional film to be produced using a broad range of visual expressions to document the reality of 1984. The problem is until then eveyones reliant on using clips from these old documentaries produced by the History Channel or the BBC... Sorry to say them various youtube videos out there would not be seen fit in professional terms for broadcast quality......Even if clips were shown of Brar and Tully, the rest of the event, speakers, banners, slogans, literature clearly voiced what Sikhs feel. I think the communications were pretty clear and I find it hard to believe that any newbie attending the remembrance programme would only take Tully or Brars short clips on board..

[Pure]

It was a great, first time I have been I was in awe of the way it was conducted.

But I think the slogans we shout need to be improved, we are going into a heavy populated white area, but we are shouting Khalistan Zindabad, Raj Karega Khalsa etc.

I am not saying stop them , but some English ones are needed, so the public know what we protesting about.

The video was good, it had the reason why it started and was fairer than the BBC one.

[amzsingh]

Gurfateh Jee,

Photographs from the 1984 Rally '10, Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square are up on G5 Sikh Media here and on facebook here

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

Vidoes?

You mean the interviews of K.S Brar..... Mark Tully.... and Khushwant singh....who all have anti sikh and anti-truth opinions on 1984!

Was a terrible choice of videos... after watching those videos..people who sit on the fence are most likely to side with the indian government now.

The two video clips which ran for just under 30 minutes were taken from the 45-minute 'Storming the Temple ' film made for the History Channel some 6 years ago (on the 20th anniversary). Most recognised at that time that this was a well balanced film that put across the Sikh side quite well.

The video clips were carefully edited and if you watch again (I appreciate you only watched them once and other things may have been going on in Trafalgar Square ) you will see the words of K S Brar. . . . Mark Tully . . . . and Kushwant Singh were used to support the Sikh cause (through careful editing) or the statements (particularly those of K S Brar) were shown to be clearly false based on the evidence. Sometimes our blood boils over seeing these characters, but you will find when you watch again we ‘used’ them to our advantage as far as we could.

We will try and get the video-clips shown on Sunday on Youtube and/or better copies distributed so people can watch again and make up their own minds. The footage for the clips was not from Youtube, but from a DVD and although the quality suffered on the large screen on a sunny day, you will find the clips on DVD are quite clear.

[gulabsinghjaman]

the rally was great this time, but i still dont understand if this has any impact on the freedom movement in punjab? people in punjab dont even knw we had a rally, it doesnt come in the media or anything, punjab is the main place where awareness of 84 and what happened needs to be raised and i doubt these rallies r contributing to that.

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

the rally was great this time, but i still dont understand if this has any impact on the freedom movement in punjab? people in punjab dont even knw we had a rally, it doesnt come in the media or anything, punjab is the main place where awareness of 84 and what happened needs to be raised and i doubt these rallies r contributing to that.

It is the first news item online in Daily Ajit, Jalandhar (15 June 2010). This newspaper is read by millions of Sikhs in Punjab. Hopefully, this will make an impact with some of them.

See link below:

http://www.ajitjalandhar.com/20100615/

[SikhRoots]

Video slideshow of photos :