Peaceful Rally At Ramgharia Sikh Temple Birmingham

[Satkaar]

Press Release and Sangat Update

Birmingham, UK - 2 January 2011

SATURDAY 15 JANUARY 2011: PEACEFUL RALLY AT RST BIRMINGHAM

All Sangat requested to recite Chaupai Sahib prayer in advance and attend the PEACEFUL RALLY

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

The Satkaar Campaign has come to understand that there may be a party planned at the Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia Hall, which is annexed to Ramgarhia Sikh Temple (RST), Birmingham, on Saturday 15 January 2011.

Despite notifying the RST committee of the gross violation of Sikh Maryada (Sikh Religious Protocol) that is occurring by allowing meat, alcohol, tobacco and parties on Gurdwara premises in our letter to them dated 26 November 2010, it is very regretful that the RST committee are not taking any immediate action to stop this continuous Beadbi (Sacrilege) occurring. The Satkaar Campaign is aware of at least two parties having taken place at the hall, involving meat and alcohol, since 26 November 2010. The UK Sikh Community is deeply disturbed by the RST committee's continued defiance of Sikh Maryada and Akal Takhat Sahib's 2006 Sandesh (Edict). This continued defiance by the RST committee can only be interpreted as a deliberate attempt to offend the entire Sikh Community. The President of RST Birmingham (Mr Jasvinder Singh Sagoo) was again recently asked to cancel all parties (including the party on 15 January 2011) at the Gurdwara. However, this request has not been accepted by Mr Sagoo.

Accordingly, the UK Sikh Community will be holding a peaceful rally at RST Birmingham on Saturday 15 January 2011 from 1pm, the aim of which will be to raise awareness to the RST committee of their obligation to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaaj, Akal Takhat Sahib and the Sikh Nation. Further details in relation to peaceful rally, including the protocol that must be observed, will be provided in the coming days. The UK Sikh Community are also humbly requested to recite the Chaupai Sahib prayer as much as possible in the run up to the peaceful rally, as it is only with Guru Ji's blessings that the Sikh Nation will successfully reach a resolution in this matter.

It should be noted that, from the outset, the RST committee have only been requested to comply with Akal Takhat Sahib's 2006 Sandesh to stop meat, alcohol, tobacco and parties on the Gurdwara estate going forward. The present Jathedaar of Akal Takhat Sahib, Singh Sahib Giani Gurbachan Singh Ji, recently restated live on the Sikh Channel on 4 December 2010 that the Gurmat principles set out in the 2006 Sandesh still apply today.

Numerous attempts have been made to have a face-to-face meeting with the RST committee as soon as possible to discuss this issue, though this meeting has been continually delayed by the RST committee. As has always been the case, and as is still the case, Satkaar Sevadaars are contactable at any time to have a meeting with the RST committee, to resolve this issue as soon as possible. As mentioned in the initial letter to the RST committee dated 26 November 2010, the UK Sikh Community cannot compromise on Sikh principles or Akal Takhat Sahib's 2006 Sandesh. Nevertheless, representatives of the UK Sikh Community will be available to meet with the RST committee on the weekend of 8-9 January 2011, if the RST committee accepts this offer for a meeting. However, if the RST committee does not accept this offer for a meeting, representatives of the UK Sikh Community will want to meet the RST committee on Saturday 15 January 2011.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

For the history on this issue, please refer to the following thread:

http://www.sikhsanga...eet-birmingham/

Admin Note: Old thread for future reference can be found here: http://www.sikhsanga...eet-birmingham/

[JustME]

Waheguru, it's a long coming, I for one, am shocked at the arrongance and conceit members of this committee have shown, this attitude of trying to find loop holes and thinking that they are higher than the sandesh and hukamnama from akal takht, will surly come now to hit them in the face,

So many attempts have been made to try and with them, and initiate peaceful dialogue...then we as sangat will accused of being fanatics and trouble makers for protesting at their door...lol

It is also worth noting that Grey's had this similar attitude that thier gurdwara's reputation was tarnished because of the satkaar campaign, well if u as a community refuse to list and discuss and negotiate and think by burying ur head in the sand will cause Sangat to forget what's happening...of couse u are simply inviting a protest on ur doorstep so don't moan when 100's of Sikhs are at ur gate asking for the respect of our Guru and his teachings to be adhered to....

Sangat jio please spread the message far and wide, and west midlands has so much gursikh sangat....let's not make excuses and show our unity and support in a preaceful and proactive way for Guru Maharaj.... :-)

Beanti to update ur facebook and twitter status with dates and times of protest rally...

Waheguru

It's is very safe to say that RST have brought

[SimrankaurPrincess]

Wjkk wjkf. So good that we are all uniting together to do this protest it Is sad that the gurdwara commitee has not responded beforehand. Ramgaria gurdwara in Wolverhampton westbury street have bought the GKN building and told the Express and star newspaper that one of the halls uses will be for wedding parties. Its a sad thought that majority of the Ramgarhia gurdwaras committee members consume alcohol, eat meat.

[GurSa Singh]

Wjkk wjkf. So good that we are all uniting together to do this protest it Is sad that the gurdwara commitee has not responded beforehand. Ramgaria gurdwara in Wolverhampton westbury street have bought the GKN building and told the Express and star newspaper that one of the halls uses will be for wedding parties. Its a sad thought that majority of the Ramgarhia gurdwaras committee members consume alcohol, eat meat.

Bhenji, I think you will sadly find some prabhandak committees in many Gurdwaras who do not follow Sikhi but still put themselves forward as leaders. This problem is not exclusive to RST or any other Gurdwara with the specific Ramgharia label, this problem exists in a number of Gurdwaras.

The Rally is not just solely against RST committee, as stated above by Satkaar, the Rally's main aim is to raise awareness of the growing trend that some Gurdwara Committees believe they need to cater for the ostentatious party scene by promoting alcohol, meat and parties. RST are just one of 14 other known Gurdwaras in the UK who violate Sikh principles. From the sounds of it, unless Gursikhs act now there will be more Gurdwara Complexes investing in catering for the drunk punjabi party scene.

[suchasingh1980]

wjkk wjkf

RST website says "We would like your views on this and would welcome responses to info@rstbirmingham.com"

Dear all,

Can we all send a polite email (EVERYONE) and CC Satkar in the same email. Please raise your views and write if you are happy with serving of alcohol and meat etc. in the hall or not.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be polite in the email and simply give your view on the issue only.

REMEMBER, no personal attack or anything offensive.

RST have given us a chance to say something on this issue, so we should make the most of it.

Please DO NOT FORGET to CC satkar in the email which you will send you RST.

Satkar's email are: Satkaar@hotmail.co.uk

SatkaarSevadaars@hotmail.co.uk

wjkk wjkf

[Satkaar]

Press Release and Sangat Update

Birmingham, UK - 4 January 2011

RST BIRMINGHAM AGREES TO STOP MEAT, ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND PARTIES AT HALL

Peaceful rally on Saturday 15 January 2011 is on hold, with a view to it being cancelled

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

Further to our previous Sangat Update on 2 January 2011, RST Birmingham have released a statement on their website which includes the following:

"A Committee meeting took place yesterday on Sunday 2nd January 2011 at Ramgarhia Sikh Temple in which it was decided that no further bookings will be made for Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia Hall where the families want to provide meat and alcohol and the commitee will be feeding back this information to the members and the sangat."

The full statement can be seen on www.rstbirmingham.com.

There are some uncertainties in the above statement, but we have received some further assurances in our conversations with the President, Jasvinder Singh Sagoo. A meeting has been arranged between the RST committee and representatives of the UK Sangat during the weekend of 8-9 January 2011 to formally clarify any outstanding issues. There have also been positive discussions in relation to alternative potential uses for the Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia Hall, as well as the Satkaar Campaign arranging a Gurmat Camp at RST Birmingham.

These are extremely positive steps taken by the RST committee, for which we thank them. Guru Ji has showered His blessings on the UK Sangat.

Due to these reasons, the peaceful rally planned on Saturday 15 January 2011 is on hold, with a view to it being cancelled. A further statement will be released by the Satkaar Campaign in due course, after the meeting with the RST committee has taken place.

One point that the Satkaar Campaign would like to re-iterate, as we have repeatedly mentioned, is that the UK Sangat must at all times communicate courteously and respectfully whenever discussing any issue with any Gurdwara committee - this is the Gursikh way. The implementation the 2006 Sandesh must be handled with pyaar, humility and respect, as per Akal Takhat Sahib's Jathedaar's comments on Sikh Channel on 4 December 2010.

The RST committee have shown us an extremely offensive email which was sent by an individual to the RST committee in relation to this issue. The Satkaar Campaign does not take responsibility for the actions of such person and the UK Sikh Sangat considers such behaviour as completely unacceptable.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

[MentalSingh]

Excellent, well done to all that have spent so much time and energy trying to get this issue resolved.

[paman]

This is FANTASTIC news, all credit goes to Satigur Akal Purkh for giving the opportunity to the UK Sangat to stop such a maha paap from ocurring any longer. Vadhiyaan to all Sikh Sangat who did their part!

A word of caution, I would not bow to the wishes of the RST who want the names etc put forward of the local sangat who were unhappy, so that they are then able to pressure them once the spotlight has moved off the Gurdwara. It is key that people who are disturbed by the manmat of party halls in Gurdwaray be confident in the fact that they can come to Satkaar with their worries and be confident in the fact that the Sevadaars will keep confidentiality, to protect their interests.

Also they request that there be no future demonstrations, I 'd advise against this too, as we are unable to see into the future, so this would be unwise - who knows - what happens if they revert to type?

I'm not sure how far the Satkaar people want to go, but note should also be taken of the "meat and alcohol", nothing re: Bhangra etc. Just an observation

[VanHelsingh]

On a related note, I hope the Satkaar Sevadaars undertake follow-up investigations to ensure that Gurudwaras that have stopped such beadbi, DO NOT resume such shameful practices once everything has settled down. This is just as important as stopping the initial beadbi from occuring.

[SinghWarrior]

I'm naturally inclined to be cautious until the meeting with them has actually taken place, but this is definitely good news and a step in the right direction.