Many people over the last few weeks have been saying to me that I shouldn’t be getting involved in politics. I’ve always said that if we don’t get involved how are we going to get our voice heard? I believe the revelations over the last week have proved my point – we need to get involved.
We, as Sikhs, have a chance now while this is in the media’s eye to put ourselves forward for interviews with BBC, Sky, ITV, Channel 4 and give balanced views, not just an emotional one. What happened in 1984, I will never understand the hurt or distress, because I wasn’t alive then but it is clear from all your reactions over the last week that there is a lot of hurt and pain about the attacks. I know my heart sinks every time I hear about what happened — but I cannot imagine what those who lived through it feel.
I asked a question on Tuesday on whether anyone knew if there was a movement in the UK to educate the Government and Party leaders of the time what was happening in India. The response I got, from many elders, was that there wasn’t — is this not a failing on our part?I’m not justifying the involvement the government may/may not have played. But what have we done so far? Rallies and marches in central London, talked a lot about this amongst our own community, panth time — hang on none of this links in to the people who actually make decisions on our behalf with other governments.
And then when someone does set up a forum, which I tried to do a week or so ago, the members of the sangat that have been most vocal on social networks and have some really valid points, didn’t attend to voice those opinions. We can make a change and a difference to policy — but only if we get involved.
As Ravi Singh said on facebook (copied below), we are now a nation of screamers. We don’t get involved anymore we just sit around (or type) and complain. We were given Miri and Piri (spiritual and temporal/political), yet we seem to only focus on the spiritual side. We need to start picking up the sword again (or in this day and age pick up the pen!).
Agreed no party or government is going to be totally in our favour, but we need to work with them. And, as a few people have already said, yes politics is dirty but who said we had to drop down to that level and play. We have the truth on our side, and more importantly we have Maharaj who will emphasise and put our point across for us.
We need to learn from our mistakes of not getting involved, we need to make sure our voice is heard and we need to make sure that British Parliament always hears the Sikh voice regardless who is in power.
Bhul Chuk Maf (forgive me for anything I’ve said wrong)
Waheguru!
Great posts by others:
