GNSS Dudley Gurdwara Committee deliberately misinforms UK Sangat

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Press Release and Sangat Update - Dudley, UK
6 March 2011

GNSS Dudley Gurdwara Committee deliberately misinforms UK Sangat

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

Since contact was first established with the GNSS Dudley Committee on 21 January 2011, it has become abundantly clear to the Satkaar Campaign's Sevadaars that the GNSS Dudley Committee have no interest in fulfilling their obligation, as caretakers of a Gurdwara Sahib, to comply with Gurmat Maryada. Rather than dealing with the issue by realising the severity of their mistake and committing to comply with Akaal Takhat Sahib's 2006 Sandesh, the GNSS Dudley Committee have embarked upon an operation to deliberately misinform the UK Sangat as to the ownership of the Sikh Cultural Centre. This extensive Sangat Update provides details and hard evidence of the ways in which the GNSS Dudley Committee have done this. This reaction by them should be a matter of extreme shame for them and their belligerent attitude has continually offended the UK Sikh Sangat.

After such campaign of misinformation, the GNSS Dudley Committee have now focussed their efforts to cover up the clear link between the Sikh Cultural Centre and the Gurdwara Sahib, and are seeking to separate the ownership of the Sikh Cultural Centre from the Gurdwara Sahib.

This proposed "solution" by the GNSS Dudley Committee is completely unacceptable to the UK Sangat because, notwithstanding any change in ownership, the hall still will have been funded by the Congregation's donations to the Gurdwara Sahib. Accordingly, this "solution" is still in breach of Akaal Takhat Sahib's 2006 Sandesh, and the UK Sangat remain united in their resolve to keep the Sikh Cultural Centre within the Gurdwara Estate. The only acceptable solution is that meat, alcohol and parties are no longer permitted at the Sikh Cultural Centre.

We repeat that the UK Sangat WILL peacefully protest whenever they learn that there is a party to be held at the Sikh Cultural Centre, whether it formally belongs to the Gurdwara Sahib (as it currently does) or whether it belongs to another Trust/Charity (as the GNSS Dudley Committee are proposing).


How did the GNSS Dudley Committee misinform the UK Sangat?

The ploys by the GNSS Dudley Committee and Trustees to misinform the UK Sangat have included, without limitation: 

(1) denying that the Sikh Cultural Centre has anything to do with the Gurdwara (see Exhibit 1 - Article from Panjab Times, quoting General Secretary Jasbir Singh Rai);

Exhibit 1 - Panjab Times article (published 11/02/2011)

(2) claiming that the Sikh Cultural Centre belongs to the local Council (mentioned to various members of the UK Sangat over the telephone, and leading to the resignation of the only youth in the existing Dudley Committee - see his resignation letter attached as Exhibit 2); and

 

Exhibit 2 - Resignation letter (from Sikhsangat.com discussion thread)

(3) removing the "Sikh Cultural Centre" signboard within a few weeks of receiving our letter (the attached picture in Exhibit 3 from Google Street View shows the hall with the signboard on; this signboard is no longer on the building).

Exhibit 3 - "Sikh Cultural Centre" signboard

Evidence of the Sikh Cultural Centre belonging to the Gurdwara Sahib

The fact that the Sikh Cultural Centre is owned, is a part of, and funded by, the Gurdwara Sahib, and hence bringing it within the jurisdiction of Akaal Takhat Sahib's 2006 Sandesh, is evidenced by the following:

(A) Title Deeds

The Title Deeds of the Sikh Cultural Centre show that it currently belongs to the Gurdwara Sahib and it is in the name of the seven trustees to whom the title of the Gurdwara Sahib is vested (see Exhibit 4);

 

Exhibit 4 - Title deeds

(B) Constitution of Gurdwara Sahib

The Constitution of the Gurdwara Sahib (see Exhibit 5) makes it clear that the management of the Gurdwara Sahib and the Sikh Cultural Centre are inexorably linked. Pursuant to clause 5 of the Constitution, the Executive Committee of the Gurdwara Sahib and Sangat have "ultimate control" of the Sikh Cultural Centre. Sadly, there is even an express provision which contemplates the usage of alcohol and parties at the Sikh Cultural Centre under the sub-section "Use" of clause 5 of the Constitution.

Exhibit 5 - Constitution

(C) Charity Commission financial reports

The Charity Commission reports for the Gurdwara Sahib pool the accounts of the Gurdwara Sahib and Sikh Cultural Centre together under the same charity, and even show that the Gurdwara Sahib is subsidising the Sikh Cultural Centre, i.e., that Sangat money is being used on the Sikh Cultural Centre (see Exhibit 6, a link to the Charity Commission website, from which the Charity's accounts can be found:

http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/SHOWCHARITY/RegisterOfCharities/CharityWithoutPartB.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=502675&SubsidiaryNumber=0).

(D) Gurdwara Sahib 2011 Calendar

The Gurdwara Sahib Calendar for 2011 represents the Gurdwara Sahib and the Sikh Cultural Centre together, confirming yet again the link between the Gurdwara Sahib and the Sikh Cultural Centre (see Exhibit 7).

Exhibit 7 - 2011 calendar

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

Further evidence: Video - Foundation of Sikh Cultural Centre Dudley laid by Gursikhs

Guru Nanak Singh Sabha has ademently claimed that the Sikh Cultural Centre is owned by the Council. This video, broadcast by Sangat Tv, proves that religious heads such as Bhai Sahib Norang Singh from GNNSJ were present along with Dudley Sangat to do ardas and lay the foundations of the Centre. If this was a Council property then why was a Sikh ceremony performed on the building site in 1990? The Sikh Cultural Centre is the property of Guru Nanak Singh Sabha Dudley.