Dudley Gurdwara Update

[GurSa Singh 70]

There was a time when Guru De Sikh made sure there was no sharab da tekha within a radius of the pavitar Gurdwara or even in the same village of the Gurdwara. Now the manmukhs allow those sarab de tekha in the Gurdwara's properties.

The current committee show non-compliance to Sikh principles and protocol therefore should resign. Failing that the committee members such as Ajit Sandhu, Darshan Atwal, Piara Purewal, Jasvir Rai and Anoop Sinh need to be stripped of their involvement in any Sikh activities and the running of the Gurdwara should be taken over by the Sikh community so that Sikh principles are adhered to.

[darknight 22]

Any one knows whats happining with the jathabandi leaders...have they had another meeting??

[SikhWorldTv 243]

The only way the real Sadh Sangat ji of this Gurdwara Sahib can protest is by financially bankrupting this Committee. As I have said before you can not buy Wahegurus blessing with bundles of cash here or Sri Harmandar Sahib Ji its your pure heart and Seva to Humanity which is the mark of a true Sikh. We need to start hitting these Kursi Committees in the pocket by only £1/$1/1Rupee charahwa (donation) and then carrying out sachi Seva at the Gurdwara Sahib or in the wider Community which is worth more than money.

If you want to help Sikhi donate to Sikh Media - TV or Radio this is the only way we can reach many people with the TRUTH and GURBANI.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjLUUZxO5_U

[darknight 22]

unfortunately the tv media could have highlighted this case better....its been none existant....only a matter of time when the tv executives will be the new kursi committees!

[Satkaar 108]

PLEASE FORWARD TO ALL YOUR SIKH CONTACTS TO CONTINUE RAISING AWARENESS

Press Release and Sangat Update - Dudley, UK

30 April 2011

www.SatkaarCampaign.blogspot.com

GNSS Gurdwara Dudley committee misleads and now refuses to meet Sikh Community leaders

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

Following our previous Sangat Updates on 5 and 6 April 2011 (which can be read on our blog), we regret to inform the UK Sangat that the Guru Nanak Singh Sabha (GNSS) Gurdwara Dudley committee confirmed its intention to proceed with the separation of the Sikh Cultural Centre's legal ownership from the Gurdwara's charity at a membership meeting on Saturday 9 April 2011.

We consider this action further demonstrates the Dudley Gurdwara committee's continued desire, in flagrant defiance of Akaal Takhat Sahib's 2006 Sandesh, to promote dancing, meat, alcohol, tobacco and parties in the Sikh Cultural Centre, which is an inexorable part of the Gurdwara having been purchased, financed and maintained by the Gurdwara. Sadly, we have also been informed that one well-known Sikh in the area, Gurbaksh Singh, openly said at the meeting words to the effect that "meat and alcohol will flow in the Sikh Cultural Centre, even if Akaal Takhat Sahib's Jathedaar comes down personally to tell us to stop".

The Sangat will recall that a meeting regarding the Dudley Gurdwara was organised and attended by members of various prominent Gurdwara committees from the midlands area on Tuesday 5 April 2011 at Guru Har Rai Sahib Gurdwara in West Bromwich following which the meeting resolved to arrange an emergency meeting with the GNSS Gurdwara committee.

The meeting was arranged for 7pm Friday 8 April at GNSS Dudley by way of the West Midlands Police and was attended by prominent Sikh community leaders representing a formidable coalition of the following leading Gurdwaras and Gurdwara Councils in the West Midlands:

- The Council of Sikh Gurdwaras, Birmingham

- The Council of Gurdwaras, Wolverhampton

- Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Sedgeley Street, Wolverhampton

- Guru Nanak Gurdwara, High Street, Smethwick

- Guru Har Rai Gurdwara, West Bromwich

- Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Wednesfield

- Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, Willenhall

- Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Edward Street, West Bromwich

- Gurdwara Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, Tividale

Sevadaars of a number of Sikh organisations were also in attendance as were representatives of Sangat Television. Officers of the West Midlands Police were also present.

Initially, the GNSS Dudley Gurdwara committee refused to meet representatives of the above Gurdwaras on the spurious basis that they were not aware of any meeting even though it had already been confirmed. The Gurdwara Parbandhiks were kept waiting for an hour and saw at first hand the stubbornness of the Dudley committee. Eventually, the committee agreed to a meeting with selected representatives of the above Gurdwaras. Satkaar Campaign Sevadaars were also present in this meeting.

The meeting was brief as the Dudley Gurdwara committee and trust representatives present said they would not discuss any issue with anyone that day as there was no agenda for the meeting. They suggested that the Gurdwara Parbandhiks arrange a suitable time to reconvene the meeting at a future date.

Upon the Gurdwara Parbandhiks' suggestion that no decisions or resolutions relating to the Sikh Cultural Centre be passed pending such a future meeting (in particular in view of the proposed Gurdwara meeting of 9 April), the Dudley committee said that the meeting of 9 April was merely a membership meeting and that no definitive resolution regarding the Sikh Cultural Centre would be passed before 16 April 2011. The GNSS Gurdwara committee promised that no resolution would be passed on 9 April and that a further meeting between the GNSS committee and the Gurdwara Parbandhiks would be accommodated before 16 April 2011. The GNSS Gurdwara trustee Darshan Singh Atwal provided his personal mobile telephone number to the Gurdwara Parbandhiks in order to agree a mutually convenient time for another meeting.

It appears that the promise made transpires to have been a blatant deception by the GNSS Dudley committee in view of the decision taken by the committee at the meeting of 9 April as noted above. The Dudley Gurdwara representatives have since refused to arrange any further meeting with the Gurdwara Parbhandiks. We understand that Darshan Singh Atwal upon being contacted by the same Parbhandiks has stated that he is too busy to have any meeting.

The Satkaar Campaign would like to thank the midlands Gurdwaras who have supported the Satkaar Campaign in relation to the Sikh Cultural Centre in Dudley. We appreciate the continued support that they have said they will provide to the Satkaar Campaign.

As we have said previously, the Dudley Gurdwara committee should note that the UK Sangat WILL PEACEFULLY PROTEST whenever they learn that there is a party to be held at the Sikh Cultural Centre, whether it formally belongs to the Gurdwara Sahib (as it currently does) or whether it belongs to another trust/charity established by the Gurdwara (as the Dudley committee is proposing). Once again, the Dudley committee is humbly requested to realise the sacrilege that is occurring by permitting dancing, meat, alcohol, tobacco and parties on the Gurdwara's premises, and that the committee immediately pass a resolution to prevent this sacrilege happening in the future.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

[VanHelsingh 1,985]

If the people representing the Gurdwara are being so stubborn, perhaps the best thing to do is to ensure nobody from the community makes any bookings for using the hall (non-violently and without intimidation and threats)? Hit this Dudley commitee in the pocket.

Get the word out amongst the community that everyone should boycott the hall? If people are so determined to have a party where meat, sharaab, etc., is served, then book a community centre or a school hall, etc?

[darknight 22]

A good update and reflection on whats going on the defiance of the Dudley "Sangat" is amazing if only a similar lust for sikhi existed as there is for maas and sharab we would rule the world......does anyone know where the funds go to the gurdwara (or the un accountable managment commitee of the centre) ...when you have a tea at the centre before the wedding??? I hear about £300 is charged for this privilage which is a good earner!!

[Satkaar 108]

Article published in Punjab Times (w/e 12/05/11):

UK Sangat will protest if GNSS Dudley Gurdwara allow meat and alcohol to be served at Sikh Cultural Centre

[darknight 22]

Maybe someone can arrange for the akal thakt da jathadaar to come to dudley would love to see him take on these guys......my £1 is on dudley to win :-)

[satnamsinghsangha 1]

As a Sikh member of Dudley, who has been living in this town for over 40 years I find it disgraceful that any Sikh would make comments on any media network and not have the strength which was given to us by our Guru's to stand up for our rights and not to be afraid to put their real name to their comments. Sudo names are for the weak who are afraid to stand up to their beliefs and hide behind computer screens.

The facts about Dudley Community Centre are very simple. The community of Dudley (vast majority Sikh) decided to build a community centre for the purpose of small parties to celebrate birthdays, weddings and other functions. It was always clear that alcohol and meat would be served on such occassions and that as a sign of respect, the enterance to the community centre would not be facing the Gurdwara. The contributors of this project have been funded by donations and the generosity of Dudley Metropolitan Council. When this community centre was built no Gurdwara donations were used to build or fund the community centre. Furthermore when the GNSS Temple was demolished and re-built there were no Temple funds used to contribute towards the running of the community centre when it was temporarily used to house the Granth Sahib.

Dudley Council would not give grants of hundreds of thousands of pounds if any individual religious group stipulated that they would use the community centre for their individual needs. Therefore this centre was built for the purpose of use by all members of the Dudley community.

Somewhere along the line, with changes over the last 10 years between committee members the community centre has been re-named to represent the Sikh society rather than the Dudley community. Efforts are being made to correct this error.

There is no need for anyone to distrupt this function on 28th May 2011 and causing aggrevation to a innocent Sikh families happy occassion. Dudley is a peaceful community and we are capable of dealing with our own moral and religious affairs.

[deepakpalsingh 0]

It was always clear meat/sharab would be served? Why have this party hall in vicinity of Gurudwara mate if Dudley had to show respect? Merely by facing the hall in other direction doesn't discount the fact that you are serving meat/alcohol in vicinity of Guru Granth sahib ji. Would you tolerate a meat shop in vicinity of Golen temple asr? If not, why are the considerations different here? Is there a different Guru Granth sahib here than Asr?

Innocent sikh families? Yea - who kill innocent animals for taste! And I liked the bit about your own moral and religious affairs! It's not your personal agenda mate, it's a sikh panthic agenda to preserve respect of their guru everywhere.

You have presented facts but they are not impressive, I'm afraid. So the protests shall continue. One don't understand one thing - you have the entire city to have such parties. Why involve a sacred place??? Hope you realize that we are not doing it for our selfish motive, but for respect of our common guru. WJKK WJKF

As a Sikh member of Dudley, who has been living in this town for over 40 years I find it disgraceful that any Sikh would make comments on any media network and not have the strength which was given to us by our Guru's to stand up for our rights and not to be afraid to put their real name to their comments. Sudo names are for the weak who are afraid to stand up to their beliefs and hide behind computer screens.

The facts about Dudley Community Centre are very simple. The community of Dudley (vast majority Sikh) decided to build a community centre for the purpose of small parties to celebrate birthdays, weddings and other functions. It was always clear that alcohol and meat would be served on such occassions and that as a sign of respect, the enterance to the community centre would not be facing the Gurdwara. The contributors of this project have been funded by donations and the generosity of Dudley Metropolitan Council. When this community centre was built no Gurdwara donations were used to build or fund the community centre. Furthermore when the GNSS Temple was demolished and re-built there were no Temple funds used to contribute towards the running of the community centre when it was temporarily used to house the Granth Sahib.

Dudley Council would not give grants of hundreds of thousands of pounds if any individual religious group stipulated that they would use the community centre for their individual needs. Therefore this centre was built for the purpose of use by all members of the Dudley community.

Somewhere along the line, with changes over the last 10 years between committee members the community centre has been re-named to represent the Sikh society rather than the Dudley community. Efforts are being made to correct this error.

There is no need for anyone to distrupt this function on 28th May 2011 and causing aggrevation to a innocent Sikh families happy occassion. Dudley is a peaceful community and we are capable of dealing with our own moral and religious affairs.