Sikh Council Issues Statement on “Internal Panthik Issues in UK”

 
File Photo: UK Sikhs
LONDON, UK—In a press statement shared with Sikh24, Sikh Council UK media chair Jagjit Singh has stated that several issues were brought to its attention in the past few weeks, including beadbi at Woolwich, animal slaughter at Singh Sabha London and several other cases in the UK.  Sikh Council has stated that while it was willing to resolve such issues, it cannot mediate as such differences have existed within the community historically.  The press release further mentions that mediation is only possible when both sides are willing to come together.
 
“Taken collectively these are matters of significant concern due to their adverse impact on community cohesion and reputation within the mainstream society,” said Jagjit Singh in the press release.
 
“There have been reports of violence within Gurdwaras, the police entering Gurdwara premises, contentious programmes, inflammatory speeches, threats of self-immolation, threats of violence, the raising of differences in doctrinal views in provocative terms, fake news social media postings, footage of ritual slaughter of animals and other such matters bringing the community into disrepute, exposing internal differences for others to exploit and endangering community cohesion.”
 
Sikh Council stated that the reason behind these issues was differences over Maryada within the Sikh community.  “The Sikh Council UK is constitutionally mandated to mediate in cases of disputes where all parties are agreeable to such intervention and we remain willing always to seek to bring parties together.  We are appealing to all Sikhs to resist undertaking those activities or raising those matters of doctrinal difference or dispute in a manner which heighten tensions and lead to divisions and instead to focus on those activities which will lead to unity, progress and the betterment of the community.”
 

3 COMMENTS

  1. Sikh Council’s credibility had been severely diminished since their meeting with Modi.

    The Sangat hasn’t seen any benefits achieved from this meeting and can from a council which was seen to unify Sikh groups into one voice is now seen as another fringe.

    Let’s hope Sikh Council is able to prove itself in the future and push forward Sikh interest rather than individual members and titles.

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