During World Autism Awareness Week (running from March 27-April 2nd, with World Autism Awareness Day on the 2nd), Sikh PA are working with Gurleen Kaur Manku of AS Mentoring to help publicise just how families and individuals can get help. Conditions such as autism can be taboo subjects within Asian communities, where there often aren’t the support networks needed to help those affected. Here we share a statement from Gurleen about her own experiences with autism and where there is support available.

Gurleen Kaur Manku, Autism Employment Consultant.

“I’m a British Sikh professional working as an Autism Employment Consultant for AS Mentoring. I also have a younger brother with autism. My brother is now 13 and we’ve faced numerous obstacles due to his autism in accessing appropriate education, healthcare and the wider community.

“Autism affects the whole household. My brother’s challenging behaviours make social outings difficult. However after persistence and with God’s grace he is learning. I’m very proud that he is a member of Sikh Scouts and the children have all been welcoming.

“Through my work with adults with autism, individuals often face associated mental health problems and other co-occurring conditions. Even if they are able to hold down some form of employment with reasonable adjustments in place, they still struggle with social situations and flexibility of thought.

“It is important for people to know support is available. They can turn to the National Autistic Society, Autism West Midlands and additionally adults can access AS Mentoring. I hope that more awareness of autism within Asian communities will make more things possible for those on the spectrum, including attending a Gurdwara or any place of worship, as everyone should be allowed their own spiritual journey.”

Following yesterday’s Independent news story headlined “Neo-Nazis’ plan White Pride march on same day as Sikh religious festival”, the Sikh Press Association spoke with many of the organisations involved in the situation, in an attempt to bring clarity to the issue.

Independent online article

Below we share statements from Edinburgh Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Edinburgh police and Edinburgh council. We have also spoken to Unite Against Fascism about their presence in Edinburgh on the day and recognise they wish to do everything possible to ensure the Nagar Kirtan (Sikh religious procession) on March 25th is not disturbed. We hope to provide a statement from them directly.

As a result of our inquiries, Sikh PA would like to make the following clear about the situation;

• Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj will NOT be present at the Nagar Kirtan
• The Nagar Kirtan is not for Vaisakhi or for any other Sikh festival. It is a celebration by Edinburgh’s Sikh community of the 40th anniversary of the opening of the first Gurdwara in the city
• The alleged “white pride march” is likely to be a static demonstration. Neither the council nor the police have given approval to any march of this kind
• The Nagar Kirtan takes place from 11am-1pm and the “white pride” demonstration is set to start around 1pm. The two separate events are planned for locations approximately three miles apart
• Edinburgh police and Edinburgh council have been speaking with Guru Nanak Gurdwara Edinburgh (the organisers of the Nagar Kirtan) ever since the situation became apparent. All parties involved feel there is no real danger to the Nagar Kirtan but all necessary precautions will be taken

For any further information or for interviews on the issue, please email Media@SikhPA.com.

Guru Nanak Gurdwara Edinburgh statement regarding “white pride march” and Nagar Kirtan on same day

Following an Independent newspaper article regarding a “neo-nazi white pride march” on the same day as a “Sikh religious festival” in Edinburgh, we would like to clarify the situation reported on.

The Sikh event taking place is not a “religious festival”, but a celebration by the Sikh community of the 40th anniversary of the opening of the first Gurdwara in Edinburgh. This is different from the Nagar Kirtan we hold for Vaisakhi and will not see the presence of Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj at the event.

The Nagar Kirtan will go on a procession of approximately two miles, all within the locality of the Gurdwara. This will take place from 11am-1pm and be approximately three miles away from the city centre, where the “white pride” demonstration is set to take place around the time we will be finishing. We never planned to go into the city centre, and we do not believe the “white pride march” was done to coincide with our Nagar Kirtan.

We have discussed the issue with the council and the police and recognise they will do their best to ensure the Nagar Kirtan is not disturbed in anyway. We would also like to express the great relationship the Edinburgh Sikh community has with our locals. We do not fear any trouble and we will be holding this event as it was always intended. We encourage anyone of any background to come along and join us to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first Gurdwara in Edinburgh.

The City of Edinburgh Council statement on “white pride march” coinciding with Nagar Kirtan

The Council has not received notification from organisers. We will continue to work with police to ensure minimum disruption to the community resulting from any event.

Police Scotland statement on “white pride march” coinciding with Nagar Kirtan

Police Scotland have been made aware of several demonstrations planned for Saturday 25th March in Edinburgh. 

We are working with our partners, including The City of Edinburgh Council, to put in place a proportionate policing operation to facilitate peaceful protest and minimise disruption to the public.

Advocacy group Sikh Coalition has appealed to every Sikh-American to exercise extra vigilance and caution during this period of heightened vulnerability.

Following a news story about a Sikh amateur footballer being stopped from playing football due to the wearing of a patka (see full story here), Sikh PA share the following statement from the Panjab F.A.

“In 2017 it is extremely disappointing to know that a qualified referee could think a religious head covering is a reason to bar someone from playing football.

“This kind of ignorance is neither in accordance with FIFA regulations, which approved the wearing of religious headwear in 2014, nor is it in accordance with British law and values. It is ridiculous to think someone could think a dastaar (Sikh turban) or a patka (Sikh head covering) or anyone with outwardly sporting a religious identity, could be seen as a danger to anyone on a football pitch and would be denied the right to participate in the beautiful game we have all come to love.

“We commend Nirvana FC for their stance on the situation. There is often discussion about why there are so few British-Asians in the game of professional football, and this incident highlights one obstacle that Sikhs and all people of religious identity can face. Sikhs play football at a variety of levels across the world with their heads covered and will continue to do so.

“We at Panjab FA are making inroads to highlight British-Asian talent in football and we will continue to demonstrate that religion/faith in ones’s belief is no barrier to playing. We will support all people to further improve inclusion and diversity in the game.

“We hope the F.A quickly address the situation to ensure nothing like this happens again.”

Harpreet Singh, Founder & Chairman of Panjab F.A. 

The Panjab FA (Panjab Football association) represents Panjab of both India and Pakistan and the Panjabi community worldwide.

The key objective of the association is to establish the first ever national football team for men and women of Panjabi origin. In 2016 the Panjab national team were runners-up in the Conifa World Cup, losing to host nation Abkhazia in the final. For more information on the Panjab FA, see here. 

Sikh PA share the following statement from the Sikh Council UK based on the Justice Zora Singh Comission report. The report was set up in 2015 to establish what was behind a series of attacks against Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj, the Sikh scriptural Guru found in every Gurdwara (Sikh temple) and the resulting lethal police brutality against Sikhs protesting about the attacks in India. Sikh PA feel the findings of the attack highlight what Sikhs in India have, and still are going through. The mood of the Sikh diaspora in regards to these incidents was at the time reflected in the huge #SikhLivesMatter campaign.

The Sikh Council UK today called for comprehensive and urgent action by the next Punjab Government following the leak of the findings of the Justice Zora Singh Commission.

The Commission was established in October 2015 by the Punjab Government following the desecrations’ of the holy Sikh scriptures the Guru Granth Sahib in Punjab and the subsequent killings of unarmed Sikhs who had gathered to protest against the desecrations.

The principal findings and recommendations of the Commission were that: –

• > The investigations by the Punjab Police into the incidents of the desecrations of Guru Granth Sahib at villages Burj Jawahar Singh Wala and Bargari were flawed and improper.
• > Punjab Police officers fired riffle bullets at Sikhs protesting the desecrations at Kotakpura Chowk injuring seven including Ajit Singh grievously.
• > The Punjab Police subsequently failed to provide CCTV footage to the Commission in relation to the events at Kotakpura Chowk giving inconsistent reasons why it was not available.
• > Punjab Police officers fired riffle bullets from point blank range of approximately a yard out at unarmed Sikhs who were sitting on the floor peacefully protesting at the desecrations at Behbal Kalan killing Gurjeet Singh and Krishan Bhagwan Singh and injuring six others some grievously.
• > The firing upon ‘defenceless protestors’ sitting on the floor at Behbal Kalan was ‘absolutely unwarranted’ and ‘beyond comprehension’ and not in self-defence as alleged by the Punjab Police; the Punjab Police officers interviewed provided inconsistent and false testimonies to the Commission in relation to the events at Behbal Kalan.
• > The Punjab Police failed to undertake any alternative crowd control measures in the courses of policing the protests at Behbal Kalan such as loud speaker warnings or use of water-cannons, tear-gas, latti charge, firing in the air, use of rubber bullets etc.
• > The Commission recommended a criminal investigation is undertaken to identify the police officers responsible for the firings including reviewing the complicity of the SSP in charge Charanjit Singh Sharma and that charges are laid against the offenders before a court of law within 6 months.

Sikh Council UK Chair of Indian Subcontinent Affairs Sub-committee Gurdial Singh Atwal said “It is shocking that the Commission report has laid dormant for the past year with the Akali-BJP Punjab Government despite the clear findings. We are calling for immediate action by the next Punjab Government to implement the recommendations of the Commission against the guilty officials and also calling for a high level and independent investigation to be undertaken as a matter of urgency into the deliberate desecrations of religious scriptures that have occurred in recent years within Punjab”.

He added “It has been alleged the inaction of the Punjab authorities to bring the culprits to justice has been motivated by political calculations in the lead up to upcoming state elections in Punjab by way of seeking to gain the favour of political block voting of certain anti-Sikh groups whose members have even been suspected of having involvement in the incidents of desecrations. These allegations have gained more traction in recent days in light of the decision of the Dera Sacha Sauda cult group to support the Akali-BJP alliance political parties in the impending election following the visit by a number of prospective candidates of Shiromani Akali Dal to the Dera Sacha Sauda to garner the votes of the followers of this group in flagrant breach of the 2007 Hukamnama (edict) of the Akal Takhat which mandated Sikhs to socially and politically boycott this group for its anti-Sikh activities. We are calling upon the Akal Takhat to summon those Sikh representatives of the Shiromani Akali Dal for defying the Hukamnama”.

End

For further information, please contact

Jagjit Singh on: 07960 721308

Balvinder Kaur on: 07867 608417

Or email: info@sikhcounciluk.org

Editors Note: Sikh Council UK is an accord of Gurdwaras and Sikh institutions in the UK and Europe. We are recognised as the national advocate for British Sikhs and at the European Union.