British Sikhs & General Election 2015

 Regardless of the outcome of the UK General Election on 7 May, the main objective of the SikhManifesto has been achieved.  

Collated after nationwide consultations, the Manifesto is focussed on Sikh issues.  The process of consultation generated much interest and publicity within the community.

The glossy publication has been widely distributed in the UK.  For the first time in the history of British Sikhs, all Parliamentary candidates are aware of what Sikh issues are.  Even the Sikhs themselves are better informed about own medium and longer term concerns and interests as a distinct miri-piri (temporal-spiritual) community in the British plural society.

We can say with confidence that following the events of 2014, including World War 1 commemorations which featured young Sikhs in WW1 uniforms, that the distinct Sikh identity is no longer “mistaken”.  Some of these events made mainstream media headlines. 

(Young Sikhs in WW1 uniforms at Sandhurst, UK) 

Parliamentary lobbying, questions and debates have covered Sikh issues and concerns and the main political parties are alert to Sikh voting power.


(French Sikh students at a Sikh Parliament lobby day organised by Sikh Federation UK.
The students addressed MPs in fluent French.)

Daring initiatives by identity Sikhs, like the aid ventures of Ravinder Singh of Khalsa Aid in Iraq, promoting the Sikh institution of “langar” seva,  held sustained media interest; as did Khalsa Aid’s earlier response to appeal by Somerset (UK) flood victims.  

(Ravinder Singh of Khalsa Aid with author)

Sikhs are an outstanding example of harmonised living with sister communities. They have shown how diversity – in their case distinct Sikh religio-cultural identity – can be accommodated within national identity. They have retained own core values and way of life while enriching the way of life of the countries they live in.

On 25 April, the 100th anniversary of Australian and New Zealand (ANZAC) troops landing at Gallipoli in World War I, was marked by nationwide commemorative events.

As I write this article from Australia, I am also looking at some images of visible Sikh presence at these events in Australia and New Zealand.


Sikhs marching on ANZAC Day in Sydney, Australia.  

Prominent local Sikhs are alert to such opportunities.  

In South Australia,  Sardar Baldev Singh Dhaliwal JP, ex-Councillor and leading  community mentor for over three decades, attended local commemorations at Adelaide,  to show Sikh solidarity with fellow Australians. 

(Baldev Singh Dhaliwal JP when he became the first Sikh Councillor in Riverland, South Australia.)

A Sikh Australian journalist wrote, “As Australians prepare to mark this centenary with great respect, to honour those who fell in the battle, the contribution of Indian troops in Gallipoli is also being remembered. They comprised Gurkha and Sikh battalions, and thousands of mule drivers who literally moved the British forces and their allies; but their vital contributions to the Gallipoli campaign has been overlooked..…. Many regard April 25, 1915, as the day when Australia truly forged its national identity.” (Manpreet K. Singh of Melbourne). 

Like the Australians a hundred years ago, young Sikhs in the diaspora are also re-discovering their proud military tradition and national identity.

The role of the Sikhs in World War I is brought out together with that of other communities from undivided India. Despite the confusing label “Indian” used in World War 1 commemorations for Hindus, Muslims (many now in Pakistan and Bangladesh) and Sikhs in the undivided Indian subcontinent, the role of the Sikhs in World War I as a distinct people, is now increasingly acknowledged.  In UK, a lion's share of the credit goes to dedicated Sikhs led by S. Harbinder Singh Rana of Anglo-Sikh Heritage Trail. 

Due to electronic media and extended family communications, Sikhs in diaspora countries are well informed about Sikh participation in the life of the nation in the UK. One article in “Daily Sikh Updates” of 17 March, lists ten progressive points about UK Sikhs from which Sikhs in other countries can learn.  The Sikh Manifesto is listed as a major achievement in that article. The Manifesto also shows the way to successful Sikh integration in the plural western societies.

It seems that, at last, diaspora Sikhs are beginning to take up the “mistaken identity” challenge to unique Sikh identity more seriously. The message loud and clear is that “We are Sikhs and we have hard won rights as loyal citizens of the countries we live in”.  The message is reaching the politicians, mainstream media and the public.  

Yet, Sikh miri-piri (temporal-spiritual) ideology ensures that their loyalty is not unconditional. The egalitarian Sikh ideology will support equality and justice for all; but, it will oppose all types of discrimination, injustice and authoritarian regimes. Sikhs have integrated and adopted British identity as loyal citizens, as the second part of their “Sikh-British” identity. However, Sikhs have always opposed “assimilation” i.e. absorption into the majority community, at the expense of diversity. British society has evolved so that no one talks about “assimilation” anymore.  

Most civilised countries have evolved to include diversity as an integral part of their way of life. Today, the “English way of life” includes diversity. That is how the civilised world is coping with the phenomenon of a shrinking global village in which diversity has to co-exist with universal human values. That is a challenge for those religious communities who are struggling to reconcile their religious codes and practices with internationally accepted human rights.

British Sikhs should focus on the Sikh Manifesto issues to secure a fairer deal in British pluralism. They need no advice or support from abroad. They should not become embroiled in issues such as caste politics in the UK. [It strains credulity to the limit when some try to convince us that caste is a British colonial invention!]

There are some issues like the plight of illegal immigrants from India, including Panjab, which require humanitarian solutions. Such matters should be discussed and tackled in consultation with the government. However, to take up such issues in the context of a general election would be counterproductive in the current political climate.

The impression from Sikh diaspora countries is that, at last, British Sikhs are getting their political act together.  While the Sikh Manifesto promotes united action by UK Sikhs under ten points, it also  encourages global Sikh communities to play a more prominent public role in their adopted countries.  It helps integration, while promoting Sikhs as a distinct global theo-political community. 

Sikh Manifesto link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4tpu52zulblmulp/The%20Sikh%20Manifesto%202015-20%20by%20The%20Sikh%20Network.pdf?dl=0

Gurmukh Singh

Sewauk2005@yahoo.co.uk

Article may be published with acknowledgement.
Other articles at following links:
http://www.panjabtimes.co.uk   - at Sampadki (Editorial) &News & Views" and WW1 serial.

http://www.sikhmissionarysociety.org/
(see at "Articles" under "Articles on Sikh Ideology and Identity".)

© Gurmukh Singh

Need for UK Sikh Manifesto for Election 2015

Full document at link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4tpu52zulblmulp/The%20Sikh%20Manifesto%202015-20%20by%20The%20Sikh%20Network.pdf?dl=0

Sikh Manifesto for UK General Election

It is a typical winter Sunday morning in London (UK) and we are watching a BBC TV programme, “The Big Questions”. The discussion before selected participants is about the Holocaust. We can see an identity Sikh in the group. We are given the impression at the outset that at some point, the discussion would move on to non-European genocides in the 20^th Century.

Did the world learn any lessons from the Holocaust? We hope that the Sikh on TV – a rare sight ! -  would be given an opportunity to take part. Maybe, even 1984 would be mentioned.   

We are disappointed. Other pogroms are mentioned in passing; but the presenter keeps talking to the same, articulate four or five, Jewish speakers about the Holocaust.  In fact, as is often noticeable, the cameras seem to avoid the turban wearing Sikh in the discussion group.

A British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, who was in Delhi only a few days after the nationwide massacre of Sikhs in November 1984, had no problem ignoring the thousands who lost their lives in Delhi and the rest of India only a few days before her visit. Instead, she returned to the UK to muzzle her fellow citizens, the British Sikhs!  

The French have no problem forgetting the thousands of proud turban wearing Sikhs who gave their lives for Europe’s freedom.

Despite a sizeable Sikh population in the UK, Sikhs are hardly seen or mentioned in the media news, articles or programmes. TV cameras have blind spots for  identity Sikhs, or just flash past them. Sikhs are either avoided or mentioned in some negative context. Peaceful Sikh lobbying and demonstrations about Sikh issues are hardly shown on TV, or mentioned in the mainstream media.

Yet, there is greater political awareness amongst the 500,000 plus British Sikhs today than ever before in the last 60 years.  Sikhs are law abiding and least dependent, loyal British citizens. As such, they have their rights to be seen and heard as a distinct community in the diverse British society.     

Political engagement is the need of every significant community in the British plural society to safeguard community interests within the wider national programmes. Respect for diversity and for the rights of minorities should be an important component of the manifestos of all political parties in a true democracy.

Whole hearted participation in the life of the nation has been stressed by visiting prominent Sikhs like Sardar Tarlochan Singh ex-Indian MP and Chair of the National Commission for Minorities (March 2003 – March 2006). 

Politicians need to be reminded periodically of what those values are which unite diversity as one nation.  Let us take the French ban on the wearing of turbans by Sikh children in French schools in relation to the main objective of the European Community (EC).  That objective is unrestricted movement of workers, goods and capital. Any restrictions on the free movement of these components of an open market by any EC country can be challenged under EC law. At least such restriction would not be in the true spirit of a “common market”, and the underlying concept of EC begins to be eroded.

British Sikhs fail to understand why the successive British Governments have not challenged the French to get the turban ban lifted, because it restricts movement of British Sikh families to France as workers. 

If British politicians need reminding about the significance of the turban in the Sikh psyche then, despite over 200 years of Anglo-Sikh relations, we should educate them.

And so, the need for a “Sikh Manifesto” as a reminder to the political parties that the votes of over half a million Sikh in the UK do count, even if, regrettably, they are not counted or monitored under the current system for collating statistics by the Office for National Statistics! (That is another item of concern in the Sikh Manifesto). In this way the Sikh Manifesto would become part of the policy of the next government. It would also brief individual MPs of Sikh issues which they would be expected to represent on behalf of their Sikh constituents in the next Parliament.

The Sikh Manifesto would be specific to British Sikh needs; but it would be based on universal egalitarian Sikhi principles of equality and a level playing field for all. These are also the British values which unite diverse cultures and religions while sharing core human values as one nation. 

In today’s diverse British society, political party manifestos for national programmes, also need space for minority issues and concerns, so that these are addressed by the party or coalition which forms the next government . That is the main purpose of the Sikh Manifesto. The document is a briefing for national political parties, from the Sikh perspective.  It is also a good example for other significant British minorities.    

Following consultations and based on earlier similar papers like the “Sikh Agenda”, relating to British Sikh issues produced over the last decade, a 10 points “Sikh Manifesto” was released on Saturday 31 January, 2015 at Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara, Havelock Road, Southall , UK.

The difference this time is that well educated next generation Sikhs have been involved. They have owned this 10-point briefing for the General Election on 7 May this year to inform the UK political parties, Parliamentary candidates and voters.

Gurmukh Singh

Sewauk2005@yahoo.co.uk

Article may be published with acknowledgement.
Other articles at following links:
http://www.panjabtimes.co.uk   - at Sampadki (Editorial) &News & Views" and WW1 serial.

http://www.sikhmissionarysociety.org/
(see at "Articles" under "Articles on Sikh Ideology and Identity".)

© Gurmukh Singh

Sikh Tradition of Morchas & Martyrdoms

Panjab Times (UK) lead column  (18 December 2014)

http://www.panjabtimes.co.uk/category/editorial/news-and-views/

Sikhnet: 

http://www.sikhnet.com/news/sikh-tradition-marches-morchas-martyrdoms

- Based on discipline and dignity

- British democratic values do support egalitarian Sikhi values

- Need for code of discipline during protests

Gurmukh Singh

  

 As mentioned last week, sensibilities of the global Sikh community have been deeply hurt by the damage done to the Saroop of Sri Guru Granth Sahib at Jodhpur village in Punjab. There have been strong protests. 

As we continue to face such challenges, we also need to remind ourselves of the proud Sikh tradition of historical campaigns (“morchas”) and sacrifices made for just causes. World-renowned national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, and even the fair minded British colonial rulers, paid liberal tribute to the discipline and dignity with which the Khalsa led the freedom struggle for India’s independence, and to free the Gurdwaras from the control of the Mahants. Sikh history is dotted with countless martyrdoms and sacrifices which teach us how to live and die with dignity.

Sikhs have clashed with oppressive regimes and used armed conflict as a last resort. In peacetime, Sikhs have always supported regimes which promote egalitarian values and rule of law. Most probably, that has been the main reason for the durability of Anglo-Sikh relations (see “Anglo-Sikh,,,” serial in Panjab Times) through peace treaties, wars and later as allies to defend the free world. And so the ex-colonial Britain has evolved into a true multi-racial democracy in which Sikhs are significant stake holders and contributors. 

Sikhs have always been accepted as hard working and law abiding citizens of these countries due to own Sikhi values which are also the ideals adopted by these societies.

Even when protesting in a democracy, we need to abide by and influence others through Sikhi values. 

A few years ago, I had the privilege of covering a protest by young Sikhs at Trafalgar Square in response to a challenge by some religious zealots from another community threatening public conversions. The behaviour of the Sikhs was exemplary and highly praised by the police and the on-lookers. The protest was totally effective.

In addition to upholding Sikh tradition, we also need to be aware of the hardening attitude of the UK government towards irresponsible, almost criminal behaviour of certain elements in all communities. The political focus is also on immigration control. To quote a colleague, “Some who arrive in this country from abroad do not believe in freedom of speech and the right of individuals to have differing views from theirs. Both of which are fundamental teachings of Guru Nanak Sahib. Tolerance and respect are key to Sikhi way of life. Some established in the UK are also manipulating the youth.”

Sikh values can only accept law abiding behavior as a method of protest in the countries we live in i.e. unless the law of the country the Sikhs live in is itself failing to protect human rights. In the UK, the country we have adopted, this is a wakeup call for Sikh youth leaders to give responsible collective lead.

As an umbrella organization, the Sikh Council UK is ideally placed to facilitate a constructive discussion on this and related issues to agree a code of exemplary Sikhi behavior in British pluralism, which itself is aspiring towards the same human values as those taught by Sikhi.

Gurmukh Singh

Article may be published with acknowledgement.

© Gurmukh Singh

One comment about this article from a non-Sikh:

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Aryeh Leib  [e-mail address edited out]
To: sewauk2005@yahoo.co.uk
Sent: Tuesday, 30 December 2014, 15:20
Subject: Sikh Tradition of Morchas and Martyrdom

Veer ji,

Many thanks for your heartfelt and well thought out piece in GLZ on proper conduct for demonstrations and the like, in the spirit of Gurmat. May I suggest publishing it in a wider forum? These are words that need to be heard by the Sangat-at-Large, which unfortunately seems to be led all too often by those who subscribe to the notion, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease", the results of which are frequently at odds with the stated goal.

Again, thank you, and please continue your efforts!

Aryeh Leib Lerner

Israel

---------------------------------

This article is probably the first in a series.  
I leave it to editors to publish articles of interest from this blog with acknowledgement.

Gurmukh Singh
SEWA UK

British Army Honours First World War Sikhs

(Click on photos for full image)

Sikh platoon at Sandhurst in WW1 uniforms

The invitation from 1914 Sikhs Directorate  read, “On 12^th September 2014 the British Army will be hosting an event dedicated to Saragarhi Day and this will also see the launch of the BAFSA(British Armed Forces Sikh Association).  This is to be hosted at the prestigious Royal MilitaryAcademy, Sandhurst and will culminate in a march past by the 1914Sikhs platoon.”

            

It was only after attending that I realised how important and historic the event was !  Even more so the following morning, when I turned on the TV.  “BBC 24 Hours” peak time morning news was already showing those awe-inspiring British Singh jawans, resplendent in their First World War Sikh regiment uniforms filling the TV screen.  Not only has the British army acknowledged (at last) and “honoured the contribution made by Sikh soldiers during World War One”,  but even the British mainstream media has woken up to that historical fact.  No longer are the Sikhs lost in generalised labels like “Indians” or “Asians”.  They stand tall as “Sikhs”.

Having done some army training while at High School in Malaya,  I am only too well aware how much training these young 36 Sikh volunteers would have put in to achieve the high standard that they displayed marching up and down the parade ground at Sandhurst. Full credit goes to Anglo-Sikh Heritage Trail (sister organisation Maharaja Duleep Singh Centennial Trust) for much hard work behind the scenes. 

In the Indian Army Memorial Room, Lord Indarjit Singh delivered a well balanced speech followed by others. With the two visible identity Sikh Lords present - the other being recently appointed Lord Ranbir Singh Suri - all played their part.  Many Sikh community leaders, including from Sikh Federation UK, were there with also a good mix of smartly dressed young Sikh men and women, boys and girls. 

It was an opportunity to meet many old and new faces, and to also mix with serving Sikhs in the British army and at least one Squadron Leader from the Royal Airforce.  A short exchange with Lord Suri confirmed my own first impression that his cultured presence in the Lords will certainly add to British Sikh influence in the Lords.  It was a pleasure meeting him; and a bonus having a photo taken with both Sikh Lords and their wives. (Something for the family album!)

Such a show of British Sikh solidarity as we remembered the epic battle of  Saragarhi, gives us a hope for the future that we will be counted and recognised as “Sikh” and as “British”.

British Sikhs can progress when there is recognition of complementary roles and skills, above personality level.   We congratulate those young British Sikhs in uniforms, proud of their Sikh identity.  They will continue to show us the way forward, as they march in step to “take part in ceremonial and re-enactment parades  during the next 4 years.” (quote 1914 Sikhs Directorate)

Lords Indarjit Singh and Lord Ranbir Singh Suri (white turban) with their wives.

Author in the middle.

Gumukh Singh 
Sewauk2005@yahoo.co.uk
Article may be published with acknowledgement.

© Gurmukh Singh

Khalsa Aiding & Winning Friends

From Khalsa Aid:

"The waters may have rose, but your spirit has risen higher", banner on Parrett River, Burrow Bridge, Sommerset.  

 

Message in response to post from Ravinder Singh (Chief Executive of Khalsa Aid) on "Sikh News Discussion" of 28 February 2014:

From: gurmukh singh

To: sikh_news_discussion@yahoogroups.com
Cc: Ravinder Singh (Khalsa Aid)

Sent: Saturday, 1 March 2014, 11:05

Subject: Re: [sikh_news_discussion] KHALSA AID winning the hearts of local communities [4 Attachments]

"The waters may have rose, but your spirits have risen higher." (banner on River Parrett, Burrow Bridge, Sommerset ( see photo)

The flood water is still there at Burrow Bridge at dangerously high level (see photos taken on 27th February)
"Raaj karega Khalsa !", but how ?

Many from the local community came to greet us warmly on seeing Ravinder Singh and his Khalsa Aid colleague "Billa" Singh. Many told me that, they were crying out for help when all emergencies had failed. Khalsa Aid responded on hearing the appeals on radio, and the burly "sevadars" arrived with a truck full of supplies to help. The locals described them as "giants" who defied the weather to work tirelessly day and night in pouring rain, piling up sand bags on the river bank (photo).

Please bear in mind that the attached photos of the receding water were taken only a couple of days ago.

Khalsa aid was given peaktime TV coverage during the floods period, which according to the local people, was the only community aid charity which responded, while the government services remained in utter chaos.

Truly, only seva in the field in true Sikhi spirit will continue to bring our next generations closer to other communities.

In any case, "Wich dunia sev kamaayiay. Taa(n) dargeh baisan paayiay" - "seva" - selfless and non-discrminatory service in this world is a pre-condition and the path to Waheguru's Presence.

( As we were talking to Charles Payton, the church warden, and his wife (ex Air India hostess) sitting around a table drinking coffee at the local Pub "HQ" for the services, UK IP's Nigel Farage (anti-immigration), also visiting and well aware of massive Khalsa Aid popularity, made it a point to come over to shake hands - Ravinder Singh was not too keen about earlier press photos which captured him and Nigel in the same shot ! It is only afterwards that I realised who he was.)

Gurmukh Singh

Message from Ravinder Singh, Chief Executive, Khalsa Aid on Sikh News Discussion:on 28 February, 2014:

Sardar Gurmukh Singh, Patron of Khalsa Aid visited the floods affected Burrowbridge,

Somerset yesterday. Khalsa Aid ( KA ) was the only NGO in Burrowbridge when the floods were at their most dangerous levels. KA was working very closely with the local community group FLAG. The local community has been very welcoming to the Sikh volunteers and has even provided accommodation in their homes for the volunteers.

Sardar Gurmukh Singh was invited by the CEO of Khalsa Aid Ravinder Singh to visit Burrowbridge and to present a framed print of Harmandir Sahib to the local community. The local church warden, Mr Charles Payton requested " something from the Sikhs" as a momento for the village , he received the special gift and was overwhelmed by it.

" What a wonderful community! I am so pleased that Khalsa Aid was involved in assisting the community in its hour of need. I sincerely hope this will be the beginning of a great friendship among our communities." Sardar Gurmukh Singh.

Ravinder Singh

Historical Episode of Komagata Maru during the Ghadar Movement

Paper commissioned by Sikh Study Forum, East London.


(Note: It is a co-incidence that about two weeks after I had sent this paper to S. Baldev Singh Sabbar, convener Sikh Study Forum, towards mid-September 2013, I read a report in the Panjab Times UK (10 October 2013) about a book, “Ghadri Baabay kaon sann” (Who were the Gadhri Babas) by Ajmer Singh. Apparently the book stresses that the Babas – founders of the Ghadar movement - got their inspiration from Sikh ideology. A conclusion also reached by this paper. Many writers have ignored this self-evident truth and not done justice to Sikh tradition nor to the Ghadar movement.)

"This ship belongs to the whole of India, this is a symbol of the honour of India and if this was detained, there would be mutiny in the armies." (a passenger on Komagata Maru told a British officer.)

“The visions of men, widened by travel and contacts with citizens of a free country, will infuse a spirit of independence and foster yearnings for freedom in the minds of the emasculated subjects of alien rule.” (Gurdit Singh Sandhu of Sarhali)

When invited to write a paper about the Komagata Maru episode during the Ghadar Movement, I started with some facts and figures. I also had in mind the words of a renowned patriot, Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna, the first President of the Ghadar Party.
He said:
"We were not Sikhs or Punjabis. Our religion was patriotism.”
(Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna)

The ship, Komagata Maru carried 376 passengers consisting of 340 Sikhs, 24 Muslims, and 12 Hindus, all British subjects. When looking at these figures, not only do we need to bear in mind the population mix of undivided Punjab before 1947, but also take into account the fact that the total Sikh population in 1914, when the ship set sail for Canada, was no more than about 3 million. It would seem that Baba Sohan Singh’s statement that “We were not Sikhs...” is made in the spirit of a true patriot.

But then, Prof Puran Singh also wrote rather cryptically, “Punjab is neither Hindu nor Musalmaan; Punjab lives in the name of the Guru’s”
(Panjab na Hindu na Musalmaan, Panjab jeenda Gura(n) dey naam te”)

Panjab is the land of the Gurus.
Panjab, Gurua(n) di dharti hai.

That is because, Guru Nanak’s wake-up call was for all, and above religious divisions. His clarion call to have belief in One Creator Being [and one humanity] was first heard in Panjab; and, according to Sir Mohamad Iqbal, “a perfect human being woke up India from a bad dream.”

Phir akhir sada utthee toheed ki Panjab se
Hind ko ek Mard-e-Kamal ne jagaya Khwaab se.....
(Sir Mohamad Iqbal)

Therefore, Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna’s statement can be looked at in a more positive way.
The egalitarian ideology of Guru Nanak is the heritage of the Sikhs. It is also the heritage of all Indians and of all humanity. That heritage is not exclusive to the Sikhs; but also inclusive of all those who understand and accept the universal ever green message of Guru Nanak.

Only Guru Nanak Sahib’s revolutionary ideology can explain the passenger figures on Komagata Maru being 340-24-12 being Sikh-Muslim-Hindu, respectively. Hugh Johnston wrote The Voyage of the Komagata Maru: The Sikh challenge to Canada's Colour Bar”. (1979, Toronto: Oxford University Press.) He does not mince his words; he writes about the “Sikh” challenge to Canada’s colour bar.

I have digressed slightly; because, in the context of any phase of the struggle for people’s freedom in India, it is important to understand why the Sikhs feature so prominently. Here, at the outset, I am intentionally alluding to the possible reasons for the later split in the Ghadar Party in America into Communist and Anti-Communist factions after World War I. A movement which does not acknowledge the source of its insipration and continually draw from it, will run into the sands.

From childhood, a Sikh grows up listening to the fearless deeds of the Khalsa, and begins to understand that a Sikh is prepared to die as a warrior fighting for the righteous cause:

Said Guru Nanak: “It is the right of a brave person to die for a worthy cause.”
Maran munsa surya(n) hak hai.jo hoay maran parvano. SGGS 579 (2nd;.... ..jo hoay mareh parvano..).SGGS 580

Before the martyrdoms of Guru Arjan Dev and Guru Tegh Bahadur, the Semitic martyrdom tradition, to which Guru Nanak Sahib’s ideology gave a new meaning, was unheard of in India. [But this is a topic for another discussion.]

It is true that the inherited freedom-loving Sikh spirit was further influenced by socialist thought popular in western universities.

Sikhs living abroad resented the prejudicial treatment they were receiving (and continue to receive to this day) from the majority white communities in the countries they migrated to. Their anger began to be directed towards the British colonial rule in India.

In 1913, the Pacific Coast Hindustan Association, popularly known as the Ghadar Party was formed, mostly by Sikh emigrants to the United States. Ghadar means "revolt" or "rebellion." It is an Urdu word derived from Arabic. The President of the Ghadar Party was Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna. Others like Kartar Singh Sarabha, Rashbehari Bose, Dyal, Tarak Nath Das, Maulavi Barkatullah and V G Pingle were the leading figures.

Komagata Maru incident was one of several in the history of the struggle for Indian independence, in the early 20th century. This episode of connected events, started with a challenge to exclusion laws in both Canada and the United States. These racially biased laws, were designed to keep out people from the Indian sub-continent.

The Canadian government passed an order-in-council on January 8, 1908, that prohibited immigration of persons who "in the opinion of the Minister of the Interior" did not "come from the country of their birth or citizenship by a continuous journey and, or, through tickets purchased before leaving the country of their birth or nationality."

In effect that applied mainly to Indians; because a continuous journey by sea from India to Canada or America was not possible. Ships had to stop in Japan or Hawaii. Yet, in 1913 alone, Canada accepted a record number of over 400,000 immigrants from Europe.

On the American side, a legal battle over the rights of Indians to obtain U.S. citizenship was being fought by Bhagat Singh Thind, whose youngest brother Jagat Singh was a passenger on Kamagata Maru.

The background to the incident was that a Sikh businessman, Gurdit Singh (1861 – 1954), a supporter of the Ghadar Party, established the Guru Nanak Steamship Company and chartered a Japanese ship, Kamagata Maru, to transport Indians to Canada in defiance of Canadian exclusion laws. He was well aware of the laws and by challenging the continuous journey regulation, he wanted to open the door for immigration from India to Canada.

So we need to look at the incident and the Ghadar Movement in the historical context of the struggle for the freedom of the Indian sub-continent from colonial rule.

The ship was scheduled to start from Hong Kong in March 1914, but Gurdit Singh’s planned voyage was illegal under Canadian laws. He was arrested for selling tickets for this illegal voyage.

However, he was later released on bail and given permission by the Governor of Hong Kong to set sail. The reason for the Governor’s decision is not clear. It may be that there was doubt in the Governor’s mind about his own legal position for not allowing the ship to set sail. After all, he was not bound by Canadian laws.

The ship departed on April 4 with 165 passengers. After picking up more passengers at Shanghai on April 8, the ship arrived at Yokohama on April 14. It left Yokohama on May 3 with 376 passengers, mostly Sikh, as we have seen, and sailed into Burrard Inlet, near Vancouver, on May 23. However, it was not allowed to dock.

The name of the first immigration officer who boarded the ship is given as Fred "Cyclone" Taylor.

From this point on, as in every story, there are heroes and villains. The heroes are the defiant passengers of Kamagata Maru and the Ghadar Party organizers of the “Shore Committee”, and the villains are the racialist law makers and politicians, and the overzealous officials who made life difficult for the passengers.

At that time, Balwant Singh was the head priest of the Gurdwara in Vancouver. He had been one of the three delegates sent to London and India to represent the case of Indians in Canada. He and another revolutionary, Maulavi Barkatullah met with the ship en route. Revolutionary literature was distributed and political meetings took place on the ship.

A Conservative MP, H H Stevens, who was in league with an immigration official Malcolm R. J. Reid, organised a public meeting to send the ship back without allowing any passengers to disembark. There is little doubt that Stevens, the politician, in league with Reid, the official, were behind the mistreatment of the passengers. Under political pressure, the Conservative Premier of British Columbia, Richard McBride, gave public assurance that passengers would not be allowed to enter the country.

During this time a "Shore Committee" was formed and organised protest meetings in Canada and the United States. It is quite remarkable that in those days the Committee managed to raise Canadian dollars 22,000 to charter a ship, while resolving to go back to India to start a revolution.

A court case in the name of a passenger, Munshi Singh was started to test the exclusion laws. However, on 6 July “the full bench of the B.C. Court of Appeal gave an unanimous judgment that under new orders-in-council, it had no authority to interfere with the decisions of the Department of Immigration and Colonization.”

Passengers became restless in the crammed conditions on the ship. They sacked the Japanese captain, but the Canadian government ordered the harbour tug Sea Lion to push the ship out to sea. On July 19, the angry passengers attacked the police with lumps of coal and bricks. HMCS Rainbow, a former Royal Navy ship, under the command of Commander Hose stood by.

In the end, out of 376, only 20 passengers, who had not violated the exclusion laws , were admitted to Canada. The ship was forced to leave for Asia on July 23, exactly two months after its arrival in Vancouver.

During this time, the British colonial rulers were being kept informed of all these events including the declared revolutionary agenda of the Shore Committee and the role of the Ghadar Party ring leaders on board the Komagata Maru.

The ship arrived in Calcutta on September 27, 2014. It was stopped outside the harbour by a British gunboat, and the passengers were placed under guard. When the ship docked at Budge Budge Ghat, the police went to arrest Baba Gurdit Singh and about 20 other men who were identified as revolutionaries.

They resisted arrest and there was a general riot. Shots were fired and 19 of the passengers were killed. “Some escaped, but the remainder were arrested and imprisoned or sent to their villages and kept under village arrest for the duration of the First World War.

This incident became known as the “Budge Budge Riot”.

The Komagata Maru incident inflamed passions and gave a massive boost to the cause of the Ghadar Party. Meetings were organised by the Party not only in California in 1914 but also in other diaspora countries and members were recruited to the revolutionary movement. The incident was used as a rallying point by the leaders. The declared intention was to start a massive uprising in India. Some of them returned to India at the start of World War I, and started anti-British activities.

Kartar Singh Sarabha, was an eighteen years old student at the University of California, Berkely. He returned to India and, possibly with the Indian Mutiny of 1857 in mind, incited Indian soldiers to revolt. He was captured with others, tried at Lahore, and sentenced on 13th September 1915. He washanged three days later.

With Indian and world attention focussed on the War, any possibility of a popular uprising was crushed quickly by close of year 1915.

That plan did not work immediately but did take India one significant step closer to independence.

Before concluding, I would like to say something about the true story of Indian independence. Depending upon own leanings, some would like to start it from the Indian Mutiny in 1857. However, I would suggest that struggle for the liberation of the Indian sub-continent started with Guru Nanak Sahib’s challenge to Babar, the Mughal invader, with a tacit message of revolt to the people of India when he said “Hindostan draaya...”. He used the word Hindostan i.e. the whole people of the Indian sub-continent, who feared for their lives. The later colonial powers also were invaders, albeit, more sophisticated and less cruel. Nevertheless , their intention was to conquer and enslave Indians.

5th Nanak, Guru Arjun, spoke of “halemi raj”, in which no one would inflict pain or suffering on another; and, 9th Nanak, Guru Tegh Bahadur, told the same people to be brave, and “frighten none, and accept fear from no-one.”

We can start the story of Indian independence from Guru Gobind Singh’s challenge to the hill rajas at Rawalsar in 1701 to rise up against slavery and overthrow the foreign invaders. From Baba Banda Singh Bahadur onwards, thousands of Sikh shaheeds of the 18th Century Khalsa continued the struggle for people’s freedom.

Despite good Anglo-Sikh relations, a series of incidents kept reminding the freedom loving Sikhs that they were not free under the British colonial rule. The freedom movement in Panjab had in fact started as soon as Panjab was annexed in 1849. This picked up at national level towards the end of the 19th Century when the Indian National Congress party was formed in 1885.

The Sikh writers, preachers and poets had not forgotten, nor were they going to let the people of Panjab forget, the loss of their Panjabi Khalsa Raj. It was a soldier in the Khalsa army of Panjab who first resolved to fight against British colonial rule following the annexation of Panjab. This man was Baba Ram Singh (1816 – 1885). His stress was on simple living, regular meditation on Naam (God’s Name) and boycott of all foreign goods and services. His method of fighting foreign rule was effective and later adopted by the Indian national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi.

Following the Komagata Maru episode and the Ghadar Party activities, when the Sikh jawans returned home after the First World War, they realised that they were denied the freedom for which they had made such great sacrifices during the War. New Sikh movements started. Some of these aimed to reform own religious institutions and to free them from British control. Others arose to oppose British colonial rule. British administrators of India were concerned; because they had experience of Sikh determination when they were fighting for a just cause. Sikhs suffered the consequences for their lead role in the freedom struggle by making over 80% of all sacrifices (hangings and life imprisonments resulting from the freedom movement). These sacrifices in the struggle for freedom were made by a community numbering less than 2% of the population of the sub-continent!

The next phase of the Indian struggle for independence was triggered by the massacre at the Jallianwala Bagh at Amritsar, the holy city of the Sikhs. It was on the Vaisakhi day on 13th April, 1919.

However, in the context of the Komagata Maru episode, we can say that the final phase of Indian independence started with the Ghadar Party, further motivated by this historic incident.

Gumukh Singh
Sewauk2005@yahoo.co.uk
Article may be published with acknowledgement.

© Gurmukh Singh

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Recommended further reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komagata_Maru_incident#cite_note-8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghadar_Party

Meeting with Jathedar Akal Takht Sahib

Sikh Council UK: Progress Meeting with Jathedar Akal Takht Sahib

In his letter of 9 October to Singh Sahib Giani Gurbachan Singh ji, Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib, S. Gurmel Singh Kandola, Secretary General of the Sikh Council UK, thanked him for “a constructive meeting which paved the way for furthering the cause of Sikhs living abroad.”

That meeting took place on 29 September, 2013 at Ramgarhia Gurdwara Sahib, Oswald Road, Southall, UK. Singh Sahib was accompanied by his PA, S. Jaswinder Pal Singh.

S. Gurmel Singh’s letter of 9 October, also introduced me as member of the Council’s Board of Jathedars visiting Panjab, and suggested a follow up progress meeting at Darbar Sahib in the first week of November.

As mandated by Sikh Council UK, I met Singh Sahib and S. Bhupinder Singh, In-charge of Akal Takht Sahib Secretariat, at Darbar Sahib on Wednesday 6 November 2013.

The main aim of this meeting was to agree regular (routine level) consultation process between Akal Takht Sahib and the Sikh Council UK, and also extension of the same process to representative organisations in the Sikh diaspora countries.

Renowned global Kirtania, Bhai Dya Singh of Australia, who led the religious proceedings from the Sikh side at the Parliament of World Religions in December 2009, also attended as an observer for Sikh Australians and the Australian Sikh Council (see footnote).


There were two main aims of the meeting following on from discussions with Singh Sahib on 29 September meeting:

- To link Gurdwaras and Sikh organisations at national and international level with Sri Akal Takh Sahib.

- To set up a two way consultation process at working level, supporting and briefing Akal Takht Sahib, while seeking regular advice and additional practical level guidance about Sikh Reht Maryada e.g. about “mixed” marriages when one partner was a non-Sikh, same sex marriages, misuse of chairs and benches in Gurdwara halls etc. (Draft paper about “mixed” marriages in English and Punjabi, and position paper on same sex marriages, were handed to Singh Sahib.)

Main points were also given to Singh Sahib in Panjabi.

Singh Sahib continues to show a keen interest in a “Supreme” (Vishav) Sikh Council at world level, linking national level Sikh councils. He agreed that the Sikh Council UK is ideally placed to give support and advice to promote this initiative. He appreciated the Sarbat Khalsa ideal as the founding principle of the Sikh Council UK, bringing diverse Sikh organisations (“garam/naram” factions) and Gurdwaras together, while keeping an open door for those who remain undecided about sitting around one Panthic table.

While understanding the parameters of his position, I was much impressed by Singh Sahib’s grasp of global Sikh issues and what needs to be done. The “maan-maryada” and authority of Sri Akal Takht will be enhanced through communication with Sikh diaspora and exposure to modern challenges faced by the global Sikh community.

A point stressed by S. Bhupinder Singh was that serious correspondence (postal or by e-mail), must be constructive and uphold the high position of Akal Takht Sahib. Such communications will be responded to as directed by Singh Sahib at the meeting. I had a further follow up telephone discussion with S Bhipinder Singh on 7th November to ensure clear understanding of issues. He accepted that our communication will be mostly in English, which can be translated by Sri Akal Takht Sahib Secretariat as required.

Organisations promoting grass-roots (Sangat) representation in the diaspora countries, are now in a position to link up and initiate upward reform of our central institutions by bringing them face to face with 21st Century issues. Yet, the only way to make progress is to understand and take into account the political pressures under which the senior office holders, including Jathedar Akal Takht Sahib, are working. To show this understanding is not to yield to such “politics” and negative influences, but to counter such forces and to strengthen the position of the office holders by inviting them to respond.

Research, advice and guidance is always a two way process. Sikh scholars should form panels wherever they live, produce research and draft papers, and submit these through national organisations, to Akal Takht Sahib for consideration and issuance, where necessary, of related formal guidance by the Singh Sahiban.

Above are some main points which Singh Sahib ji received in writing and himself added to in discussion.

Permission was sought and given by Singh Sahib for these matters to be reported in news and further discussed by the Sikh Council UK and other national organisations in diaspora countries.

Following the meeting, Bhai Dya Singh and I were acknowledged by Singh Sahib with siropas, received in humility.


(Note: Bhai Dya Singh of Australia was visiting Darbar Sahib following a Kirtan tour of Malaysian Gurdwaras (37 programmes in October organised by the Malaysian Sikh Naujavan Sabha), with two renowned Gursikh musicians from Punjab, Paramjot Singh (Guiness world record holder for tabla) and Sandeep Singh (taus and dilruba). Singh Sahib appreciated Bhai Dya Singh of Australia’s Kirtan recordings for young Sikhs in diaspora countries.]

Gurmukh Singh
Member Board of Jathedars
Sikh Council UK

Chair Advisory Panel
The Sikh Missionary Society UK
E-mail: sewauk2005@yahoo.co.uk