Homeless Sikhs In London...

[BhaiSukhSingh]

this is very old news SWAT a charity has been helping these folks for years. They had a break up with sikh channel last year as they raised £1000.00s of pounds ond only a bit of that reached the homeless.

Just watching sikh channel live anyone else?

just seen the presenter say "if your not gonna come on camera we cant help you"

i thought this was seva not trying to get good TV

than you got some lady dragging the homeless out of bed WTH !! they said the dnt wanna be on TV

SHAME ON SIKH CHANNEL AGAIN!!!!!

[proactive]

The channel wanted to show how these guys live. It might have seemed that they were being pushy but if the channel didn't show clips of their living condition then some fools would have wanted proof that the problem exists. Rather than criticise Sikh Channel why not give them some kudos for having shown the problem to the sangat and at least affected the thinking of some of the Gurughars as well as members of the sangat who phoned in to offer help. The channel also had organisations such as United Sikhs ring in to publicise that they also help these guys to take up the UK Border Agency scheme who gives free tickets to those who want to return to Punjab.

SHAME ON SIKH CHANNEL AGAIN!!!!!

Give it a rest you fool.

As for the guy who said that we should report them to the immigration authorities, that won't really help them. Majority of these guys are illegals who when they arrived in the UK made sure they destroyed any documentation (like passports) they had with them. If there is nothing on record with the UK border agency then they cannot deport them until they can get them a temporary passport from the Indian govt. UK BA cannot deport anyone until the receiving country accepts that that person is their citizen. If these guys came through the visa route then their information is held at the UK BA and they can be deported in a few weeks. If they came via lorries then there is no record of their at the agency so the agency has to apply to the Indian govt for verification of their details which involves a police visit to their village and their checking with their families and the panchayat that this person belongs to that village, This cane take months and as the agency doesn't want to incur costs for detaining them then they are left to fend for themselves until the deportation is sorted out.

[JSinghnz]

Give it a rest you fool.

Be civilized and do not use offensive language on this forum.

[SinghWarrior]

Important issue raised, and well done to Sikh Channel for highlighting this shocking situation which many were not aware of.

I do agree with the above poster though, that Dr Jugbir did seem a bit disrespectful to those out on the street and was trying to sensationalise the issue. Whilst covering an important issue, he should tone down the "tabloid" nature of the reporting. One particular thing I disliked was the way he sought to find certain Gurdwaras to blame. It is not the Gurdwaras' fault that they are in this situation, it is the combination of them being illegals (hence can't claim benefits/social security) and there being economic troubles (and hence no job).

Gurdwaras can do more, and I'm sure they will as a result of this coverage, BUT we have a tendancy to make issues such as this a blame game, when the reality is that they are many issues facing the Panth. WE ALL need to STEP-UP to tackle them, rather than always looking to point the finger at Gurdwara committees.

[SantLUCIFER]

What happened to seva? Gurdwara Sangat can stuff their faces with Langar, but when the real destitute need it, they shrug and turn away. Durgah vich sab kitab hovega!

[Porsche911]

I think the Sikh Channel did really well to report this last night.

I can see why a few people here may think Dr Jagbir Singh Ji seemed as though he was "exaggerating" in his report, but I think he actually wanted to Highlight how Rough it was for the Homeless folks out there. He was trying to wake up the audience to show them that this is REALITY and its happening right now. Meaning that we need a Reaction and the best reaction would have to come in a Constructive form - providing SEWA for these helpless folks on the Streets.

I was SHOCKED hearing that some folks have been in the same place for 2-3+ YEARS.

There is a Live Phone In show tonight on the Sikh Channel - re: the same topic. Would be nice to see how we advance from here. Im sure theres plenty of Sangat ready to help here.

[inderking]

Anyone that has been in the country for two years and not found regular jobs and is having to depend on a community, should actually go back to india. I am sorry half of these people would not give you the time of the day, people should not automatically think, that becuase these people are SIkhs they will be community focused, all they care about is making money and getting permenant residency in the UK by an means. If they are so concerned about their situation why do they take drugs? They have the mental capacity to get to the UK illegally but not the intelligence to give up drugs ! I cannot imagine any of these people in Punjab helping anyome else that are in their perdicament now, look at the familes of the Shahedes and the Ex- Sikh Army personnel of 1984 who cared for them in Punjab. If they can find work I wish them all the success, but if they cannot they should take the best option and go back to Punjab.

[m4ndy]

I agree with you ^^^

Earning a living by criminal means e.g. Supplying and selling drugs for Money they are better off deported back to India. Parents should think when they send their children to a foreign country have a back up plan in place.. But I guess because this is the UK they are lucky as a lot of countries would traffic weak people from a country that is not their own into human slavery. Although human trafficking does take place in some parts of the UK.

Everyone has the right to earn, but earn it in honest means according to rules and regulations otherwise that's how these troubles start..

UK border Agency do have a point.

[Sikh24]

We just carried a news article on Sikh Channel coverage: http://www.sikh24.com/2011/12/plight-of-immigrants-exposed-in-uk/

[Hammertime007]

Its bonkers why sell your land to come to England just to live like homeless tramp.