LONDON, UK—Lord Tarsem Singh was the first Sikh in the U.K. to be honoured as a Lord in 1999.
On his memorial day on Monday 4th February 2013 many Lords , MPs and his close associates gathered in Committee Room 14 of the House of Commons to pay homage and tributes to him. Honourable MP Virender Sharma chaired the event which wasorganized by United Peace and Lady Mohinder Kaur King and nephew Hardeep Singh were invited too.
Paramjit Singh Kohli (Sikh Interfaith Activist) spoke of Lord Tarsem Singh King’s dedication to the Sikhi Values and his feelings of the sufferings of the Sikhs in India, in particular of the 3rd Holocaust of the Sikhs in 1984. He was above party politics, sectarian politics and assisted all who came to him. For Lord Tarsem Singh King’s dedication and sewa to upholding Sikhi Values, Paramjit Singh, on behalf of the Sikhs in the U.K., thanked Lady Mohinder Kaur King to accept “SAROPA” (Robe of Honour) and a velvet binded “Neitnem Gudka” (Sikh Daily Prayer Book).
Lord King was the first Sikh Lord in 1984 to write to the Indian Government regarding the unacceptable, inhumane killings of the citizens of India (men,women and children) just because they were born Sikhs who fought for India’s independence and after that always and still protect the country from outside attacks.
So many Lords and MPs entered the Committee Room 14 to express their experiences and tributes to the Noble Gentle Giant Lord Tarsem Singh Ji. They all spoke of the man of the people who led the most humble life as prescribed by the First Guru Sahib Guru Nanak Dev Ji. They all affirmed that Sardar Tarsem Singh King was the most compassionate, listening, daring Lord who walked the corridors of the Power for 13 years but remained detached from its egoistic power base. Some of the words the Lords and MPs used were:
- Lord King’s dedication of the work in the House of Lords;
- His fearless and humble way to speak and help people from all communities;
- His passion for freedom for peoples of all countries;
- His passion for Human Rights and and his expressed hurt to hear peoples sufferings;
- His ease to sit and stand with the Prime Ministers and Presidents from all over the world;
- The word “NO” was not in his vocabulary – they need help and I must do something
it never mattered if they were Sikhs, Hindus, Iranians, Turkish, Africans, Bosnians Jews or any other.
- His guidance to Lords and MPs too, etc.
MP Keith Vaz said that MPs and Lords will ensure that a portrait of First Sikh Lord be displayed in the House of Commons.
Finally, from the Sikhi Sewa Values, we will always remember Tarsem Singh Ji for his assistance and guidance in all our concerns to name a few: 1984 Victims’ rehabilitations, justice; Turban Issues in Europe; Halal only provision in the U.K.;
Sikh girls’ grooming in the U.K.; Hardships of Homeless and without jobs Indians living rough in the U.K., and others.
