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Press Release and Sangat Update - Dudley, UK
30 April 2011
GNSS Gurdwara Dudley committee misleads and now refuses to meet Sikh Community leaders
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
Following our previous Sangat Updates on 5 and 6 April 2011 (which can be read on our blog), we regret to inform the UK Sangat that the Guru Nanak Singh Sabha (GNSS) Gurdwara Dudley committee confirmed its intention to proceed with the separation of the Sikh Cultural Centre's legal ownership from the Gurdwara's charity at a membership meeting on Saturday 9 April 2011.
We consider this action further demonstrates the Dudley Gurdwara committee's continued desire, in flagrant defiance of Akaal Takhat Sahib's 2006 Sandesh, to promote dancing, meat, alcohol, tobacco and parties in the Sikh Cultural Centre, which is an inexorable part of the Gurdwara having been purchased, financed and maintained by the Gurdwara. Sadly, we have also been informed that one well-known Sikh in the area, Gurbaksh Singh, openly said at the meeting words to the effect that "meat and alcohol will flow in the Sikh Cultural Centre, even if Akaal Takhat Sahib's Jathedaar comes down personally to tell us to stop".
The Sangat will recall that a meeting regarding the Dudley Gurdwara was organised and attended by members of various prominent Gurdwara committees from the midlands area on Tuesday 5 April 2011 at Guru Har Rai Sahib Gurdwara in West Bromwich following which the meeting resolved to arrange an emergency meeting with the GNSS Gurdwara committee.
The meeting was arranged for 7pm Friday 8 April at GNSS Dudley by way of the West Midlands Police and was attended by prominent Sikh community leaders representing a formidable coalition of the following leading Gurdwaras and Gurdwara Councils in the West Midlands:
- The Council of Sikh Gurdwaras, Birmingham
- The Council of Gurdwaras, Wolverhampton
- Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Sedgeley Street, Wolverhampton
- Guru Nanak Gurdwara, High Street, Smethwick
- Guru Har Rai Gurdwara, West Bromwich
- Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Wednesfield
- Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, Willenhall
- Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Edward Street, West Bromwich
- Gurdwara Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, Tividale
Sevadaars of a number of Sikh organisations were also in attendance as were representatives of Sangat Television. Officers of the West Midlands Police were also present.
Initially, the GNSS Dudley Gurdwara committee refused to meet representatives of the above Gurdwaras on the spurious basis that they were not aware of any meeting even though it had already been confirmed. The Gurdwara Parbandhiks were kept waiting for an hour and saw at first hand the stubbornness of the Dudley committee. Eventually, the committee agreed to a meeting with selected representatives of the above Gurdwaras. Satkaar Campaign Sevadaars were also present in this meeting.
The meeting was brief as the Dudley Gurdwara committee and trust representatives present said they would not discuss any issue with anyone that day as there was no agenda for the meeting. They suggested that the Gurdwara Parbandhiks arrange a suitable time to reconvene the meeting at a future date.
Upon the Gurdwara Parbandhiks' suggestion that no decisions or resolutions relating to the Sikh Cultural Centre be passed pending such a future meeting (in particular in view of the proposed Gurdwara meeting of 9 April), the Dudley committee said that the meeting of 9 April was merely a membership meeting and that no definitive resolution regarding the Sikh Cultural Centre would be passed before 16 April 2011. The GNSS Gurdwara committee promised that no resolution would be passed on 9 April and that a further meeting between the GNSS committee and the Gurdwara Parbandhiks would be accommodated before 16 April 2011. The GNSS Gurdwara trustee Darshan Singh Atwal provided his personal mobile telephone number to the Gurdwara Parbandhiks in order to agree a mutually convenient time for another meeting.
It appears that the promise made transpires to have been a blatant deception by the GNSS Dudley committee in view of the decision taken by the committee at the meeting of 9 April as noted above. The Dudley Gurdwara representatives have since refused to arrange any further meeting with the Gurdwara Parbhandiks. We understand that Darshan Singh Atwal upon being contacted by the same Parbhandiks has stated that he is too busy to have any meeting.
The Satkaar Campaign would like to thank the midlands Gurdwaras who have supported the Satkaar Campaign in relation to the Sikh Cultural Centre in Dudley. We appreciate the continued support that they have said they will provide to the Satkaar Campaign.
As we have said previously, the Dudley Gurdwara committee should note 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 established by the Gurdwara (as the Dudley committee is proposing). Once again, the Dudley committee is humbly requested to realise the sacrilege that is occurring by permitting dancing, meat, alcohol, tobacco and parties on the Gurdwara's premises, and that the committee immediately pass a resolution to prevent this sacrilege happening in the future.
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
Press Release and Sangat Update - Dudley, UK
30 April 2011
GNSS Gurdwara Dudley committee misleads and now refuses to meet Sikh Community leaders
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
Following our previous Sangat Updates on 5 and 6 April 2011 (which can be read on our blog), we regret to inform the UK Sangat that the Guru Nanak Singh Sabha (GNSS) Gurdwara Dudley committee confirmed its intention to proceed with the separation of the Sikh Cultural Centre's legal ownership from the Gurdwara's charity at a membership meeting on Saturday 9 April 2011.
We consider this action further demonstrates the Dudley Gurdwara committee's continued desire, in flagrant defiance of Akaal Takhat Sahib's 2006 Sandesh, to promote dancing, meat, alcohol, tobacco and parties in the Sikh Cultural Centre, which is an inexorable part of the Gurdwara having been purchased, financed and maintained by the Gurdwara. Sadly, we have also been informed that one well-known Sikh in the area, Gurbaksh Singh, openly said at the meeting words to the effect that "meat and alcohol will flow in the Sikh Cultural Centre, even if Akaal Takhat Sahib's Jathedaar comes down personally to tell us to stop".
The Sangat will recall that a meeting regarding the Dudley Gurdwara was organised and attended by members of various prominent Gurdwara committees from the midlands area on Tuesday 5 April 2011 at Guru Har Rai Sahib Gurdwara in West Bromwich following which the meeting resolved to arrange an emergency meeting with the GNSS Gurdwara committee.
The meeting was arranged for 7pm Friday 8 April at GNSS Dudley by way of the West Midlands Police and was attended by prominent Sikh community leaders representing a formidable coalition of the following leading Gurdwaras and Gurdwara Councils in the West Midlands:
- The Council of Sikh Gurdwaras, Birmingham
- The Council of Gurdwaras, Wolverhampton
- Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Sedgeley Street, Wolverhampton
- Guru Nanak Gurdwara, High Street, Smethwick
- Guru Har Rai Gurdwara, West Bromwich
- Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Wednesfield
- Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, Willenhall
- Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Edward Street, West Bromwich
- Gurdwara Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, Tividale
Sevadaars of a number of Sikh organisations were also in attendance as were representatives of Sangat Television. Officers of the West Midlands Police were also present.
Initially, the GNSS Dudley Gurdwara committee refused to meet representatives of the above Gurdwaras on the spurious basis that they were not aware of any meeting even though it had already been confirmed. The Gurdwara Parbandhiks were kept waiting for an hour and saw at first hand the stubbornness of the Dudley committee. Eventually, the committee agreed to a meeting with selected representatives of the above Gurdwaras. Satkaar Campaign Sevadaars were also present in this meeting.
The meeting was brief as the Dudley Gurdwara committee and trust representatives present said they would not discuss any issue with anyone that day as there was no agenda for the meeting. They suggested that the Gurdwara Parbandhiks arrange a suitable time to reconvene the meeting at a future date.
Upon the Gurdwara Parbandhiks' suggestion that no decisions or resolutions relating to the Sikh Cultural Centre be passed pending such a future meeting (in particular in view of the proposed Gurdwara meeting of 9 April), the Dudley committee said that the meeting of 9 April was merely a membership meeting and that no definitive resolution regarding the Sikh Cultural Centre would be passed before 16 April 2011. The GNSS Gurdwara committee promised that no resolution would be passed on 9 April and that a further meeting between the GNSS committee and the Gurdwara Parbandhiks would be accommodated before 16 April 2011. The GNSS Gurdwara trustee Darshan Singh Atwal provided his personal mobile telephone number to the Gurdwara Parbandhiks in order to agree a mutually convenient time for another meeting.
It appears that the promise made transpires to have been a blatant deception by the GNSS Dudley committee in view of the decision taken by the committee at the meeting of 9 April as noted above. The Dudley Gurdwara representatives have since refused to arrange any further meeting with the Gurdwara Parbhandiks. We understand that Darshan Singh Atwal upon being contacted by the same Parbhandiks has stated that he is too busy to have any meeting.
The Satkaar Campaign would like to thank the midlands Gurdwaras who have supported the Satkaar Campaign in relation to the Sikh Cultural Centre in Dudley. We appreciate the continued support that they have said they will provide to the Satkaar Campaign.
As we have said previously, the Dudley Gurdwara committee should note 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 established by the Gurdwara (as the Dudley committee is proposing). Once again, the Dudley committee is humbly requested to realise the sacrilege that is occurring by permitting dancing, meat, alcohol, tobacco and parties on the Gurdwara's premises, and that the committee immediately pass a resolution to prevent this sacrilege happening in the future.
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
