British Army Examines Plans To Create A Sikh Regiment

[lsingh]

He's not in the Indian Army, he became a Shaheed at the Akal Takht.

Shaheed Shabeg Singh Ji raised the issue of discrimination of Sikhs in the Indian army. The Indian army hated him so much that they disfigured his body as shown in the picture below.

http://www.sikhlionz.com/disrespectmajor-6.jpg

http://www.sikhlionz.com/martyrgeneralshahbegsingh.htm

[DailyMail]

Jagsaw,

I am equally baffled as to why so many Sikhs are doing the job of the Indian govt for them.

British Sikhs should strive to be at the highest positions in all aspects of public life - journalism, the police, the military, medicine, law etc. Our aspirations should be to contribute in all sectors of society - including politics.

Sikhs in visible military positions will instil values which are complementary to good role models. Leadership skills, so often lacking in our community, are to be learned on the battlefield, which may one day be the making of a future politician, cabinet minister or a captain of industry in another field.

Personally, I'd bring back national service.

[JagsawSingh]

Jagsaw,

I am equally baffled as to why so many Sikhs are doing the job of the Indian govt for them.

British Sikhs should strive to be at the highest positions in all aspects of public life - journalism, the police, the military, medicine, law etc. Our aspirations should be to contribute in all sectors of society - including politics.

Sikhs in visible military positions will instil values which are complementary to good role models. Leadership skills, so often lacking in our community, are to be learned on the battlefield, which may one day be the making of a future politician, cabinet minister or a captain of industry in another field.

Personally, I'd bring back national service.

Oh Daily Filth, where do I begin ?

It is not for no reason that Bollywood portrays us as simpletons. It is not for no reason that they have rung rings around us for the last 25 years.

I dunno when it was, maybe 10 or 12 years ago (but certainly less than the 30 years since 1984 we talk about and certainly within the growing up lifetime of most of the young Sikhs here on this forum) but it was Prince Charles that went out of his way to beg for a Sikh Regiment. Indian High Commission went absolutely ballistic and into overdrive. I remember so clearly how Hindu organizations with the finacial support of the Indian Embassy gave their all to stop it.

Fast forward to to 2015 and, from the comments on this thread, one can see quite clearly why and how we were so easy to massacre in 1984 and manipulate ever since. Like it or not, we are living walking true examples of our bollywood stereotype. In 2015 Indian High Commission don't even need to do anything to stop it.....our new young generation are doing the job for them :wow:

[imhosingh]

must be an election coming up. In light of the collusion between the Conservative government in the 80's and Indira's government, this is a good attempt to make it look like the Conservatives are 'friends' of the Sikh community and 'respect' them. Especially as the Sikh vote is important in a few marginal seats.

Wise up, as such a regiment would not be allowed (just as you wouldn't have a Muslim regiment etc).

They are just playing to that bit of 'ego' about 'our' historic past. Lets not forget that there were Sikhs in WW2 who also fought with the Indian National Army (who sided with The Japs / Germans), because of the treatment/policies of the British/Colonialists.

If they want to look better in Sikh eyes maybe do something about the human rights issues in India (ah, they won't do that because of Indian Business interests in/with the UK and because of India's importance in that region).

[JagsawSingh]

Wise up, as such a regiment would not be allowed (just as you wouldn't have a Muslim regiment etc).

They wouldn't have a 'Muslim Regiment' because a 'Muslim Regiment' has never existed and so is not part of the British military make up.

They wouldn't have a 'Hindu Regiment' because a 'Hindu Regiment' has never existed and so is not part of the British military make up.

They wouldn't have a 'Jewish Regiment' because a 'Jewish Regiment' has never existed and so is not part of the British military make up.

A Sikh Regiment however, like the Gurkha Regiment, is an integral part of the British military history and is something that gets people like judges, politicians and historians extremely excited. As I said before, the last time it was going to happen the Indian High Commission kicked up a fuss to get it scrapped because they could see how it strengthen the Sikhs cause for seperation and difference from India / Hindus. This time around however, judging by yours and others comments, India doesn't even need to get involved. We as a community seem determined to do their dirty work for them. We are now so stupid as community we're prepared to do our enemies work against us for them, on their behalf.

[DailyMail]

Jagsaw,

Your correct. Any Sikh who even dreamed of trimming their beard was court marshalled. It was a disciplinary offence.

StarStriker,

That Vijay was deluded. He didn't fully understand the dynamics of the Indian Mutiny. Before the British arrived, The Sikh Kingdom was a sovereign nation and the Sikhs were a sovereign people. Being a nation, the Sikhs would choose to act in their own self-interest, and not what was in the self-interest of India per se. It was in the Sikhs best interest to side with the British - to not do so would let the Moghuls in through the back door, such was the disparity in numbers between the Sikhs and non-Sikhs.

imhosingh,

The Sikhs have successfully and legally argued that they are a separate race and ethnic group. Mandla v Lee, 1981. To this effect, separate regiments for the Scots, Irish, Welsh etc have existed for centuries within the British Army. The Sikh Regiment would be one other regiment.

The Hindu's, Muslim's and Christians on the other hand are religious groups and religious only. The only other group to have argued that they are a separate race are the Jews. Therefore, there are no grounds upon which a separate Muslim regiment could be raised, in my opinion.

[ASKhalsa1]

They wouldn't have a 'Muslim Regiment' because a 'Muslim Regiment' has never existed and so is not part of the British military make up.

They wouldn't have a 'Hindu Regiment' because a 'Hindu Regiment' has never existed and so is not part of the British military make up.

They wouldn't have a 'Jewish Regiment' because a 'Jewish Regiment' has never existed and so is not part of the British military make up.

A Sikh Regiment however, like the Gurkha Regiment, is an integral part of the British military history and is something that gets people like judges, politicians and historians extremely excited. As I said before, the last time it was going to happen the Indian High Commission kicked up a fuss to get it scrapped because they could see how it strengthen the Sikhs cause for seperation and difference from India / Hindus. This time around however, judging by yours and others comments, India doesn't even need to get involved. We as a community seem determined to do their dirty work for them. We are now so stupid as community we're prepared to do our enemies work against us for them, on their behalf.

Jagsaw,

For all this talk of playing into Hindu and Indian hands, you don't appear to have considered the possibility that you are playing into the white man's hands. The judges, politicians and historians, largely elderly old-fashioned conservative men, are keen for the establishment of a Sikh regiment because it is the stuff of their toffish upper-middle class wet dreams. Historians are especially susceptible to this imperialist nostalgia. If judges and politicians really esteemed the Sikhs so highly, they would have done more to assist us in bringing justice to the perpetrators of 1984 and the holocaust of our people.

And didn't the British army recently cull several regiments and make a large proportion of the UK servicemen redundant? Why are they now thinking of introducing a Sikh regiment? It seems to me to be a reversion to the days when the brown man did the white man's fighting for him. Why should young Sikh men have to die as cannon fodder in Britain's illegal wars?

As for the comparison of Sikhs to Gurkhas, the British have treated them like garbage over the years. Why would they treat the Punjabi Sikhs whom you propose to invite into these regiments any differently?

[JagsawSingh]

For all this talk of playing into Hindu and Indian hands, you don't appear to have considered the possibility that you are playing into the white man's hands.

If IBM decide to offer you the position of Chief of Operations with a salary of £130,000 because they've had recent criticism of not employing enough ethnic minorities are you going to turn around and say "No. I won't take it. I won't because I can see quite clearly you're only offering it to me for your own self interests" ?

No. You're not gonna say that are you. You're going to look after number 1. To hell with their motives, the important thing is whether or not it is beneficial to yourself.

[ASKhalsa1]

If IBM decide to offer you the position of Chief of Operations with a salary of £130,000 because they've had recent criticism of not employing enough ethnic minorities are you going to turn around and say "No. I won't take it. I won't because I can see quite clearly you're only offering it to me for your own self interests" ?

No. You're not gonna say that are you. You're going to look after number 1. To hell with their motives, the important thing is whether or not it is beneficial to yourself.

That is a fair point. And if Sikhs are willing to join in order that they might better the lot of their people and forward our political motives, then I should be proud of them.

But I am highly skeptical that the young Sikhs who will flock to this regiment, if it is indeed established, will do so for the more nuanced reasons you have given. Considering the youth of today, comprised of individuals who like to play dress up with the Nihang Bana, play gatka and twirl around swords in the belief that they are accomplished fighters, I think they will buy into the British propaganda and join the regiment out of some misplaced sense of patriotism, cockiness in their self-professed martial abilities and hunger for glory. I do not want our people to die for that.

[Ranjeet01]

There has been no mention how big this regiment would be. No mention either of how many would be front line and how many would be support.

It may be a good thing for more Sikhs in the army as it give a big kick up the backside, we are too soft.

I have trained with army people in jujitsu and they are tough physically and mentally. I am just wondering if the current generation of Sikhs are up to it.