Press Release and Sangat Update
Dudley, UK - 29 May 2011
Dudley Gurdwara agrees to implement Akal Takht Sandesh in Sikh Cultural Centre
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
Over 500 Sikhs from across the country gathered outside the Sikh Cultural Centre in Dudley which is part of the Guru Nanak Singh Sabha (GNSS) Gurdwara (Sikh place of worship) to attend a PEACEFUL rally against the committee and trustees of the Gurdwara.
The peaceful rally took place after months of attempted discussions and dialogue with the GNSS Dudley Gurdwara by both the Satkaar Campaign and senior leaders of the UK Sikh community from various other Gurdwaras in the West Midlands. Attempts were continuously made to persuade the GNSS Dudley Gurdwara committee to follow Gurmat Maryada (Sikh code of conduct) and specifically the 2006 Sandesh (edict) issued by Sri Akal Takht Sahib (the supreme temporal authority in the Sikh religion) which prohibits the consumption of meat and alcohol at any premises which belong to or are related to a Sikh Gurdwara. The history of this entire episode and the GNSS Dudley Gurdwara committee’s refusal to meet with representatives of the Sikh community along with details of the 2006 Sandesh can be read of on our blog (www.SatkaarCampaign.blogspot.com).
It was brought to the attention of the UK Sangat (Sikh Community) that the GNSS Gurdwara committee had taken a booking for a party, which would permit alcohol and meat, to be held at the Sikh Cultural Centre on Saturday 28 May 2011. A PEACEFUL rally was originally called by the UK Sangat to take place outside the Sikh Cultural Centre on that date to raise awareness of those few Sikh Gurdwara committees who allow such sacrilege to occur in the sacred properties of the Gurdwara and how this is offending and hurting Sikh sentiments.
Members of the family who had originally booked the party at the Sikh Cultural Centre in Dudley on 28 May 2011 contacted representatives of the Guru Nanak Gurdwara West Bromwich to arrange an emergency meeting with representatives of the local Sikh community. The meeting took place on 25 May 2011 and was attended by representatives from various Sikh Gurdwaras in the West Midlands.
At the meeting the family members explained that they were aware of the rally and that they had been told by representatives of the Dudley GNSS Gurdwara that the protesters wished to stop all Sikhs having parties in Dudley . However, having understood the nature of the rally, which was merely against such parties taking place on Gurdwara premises, they too agreed that hosting the party at the Sikh Cultural Centre in Dudley was against the principles of the Sikh religion.
The family members explained that subject to finding an alternative venue at short notice they would be prepared to cancel their party. Having found an alternative venue the family duly cancelled its party booking at the Sikh Cultural Centre. This in turn led to the original peaceful rally being cancelled by the UK Sangat after consensus with Sikh community leaders and other Sikh organisations.
However, for some reason which can only be interpreted as a defiant and deliberate attempt to play with the sentiments of the Sikh community, another party booking was arranged at the Sikh Cultural Centre by the GNSS Dudley Gurdwara to take place on 28 May 2011. This was confirmed by West Midlands Police to Sikh community leaders on the evening of Friday 27 May. It is widely believed that the booking was made by a committee member of the GNSS Dudley Gurdwara although this has not been confirmed.
A PEACEFUL rally was called at short notice on Friday evening to take place the following day outside the Sikh Cultural Centre. A protocol was released for all attendees to observe; (http://satkaarcampaign.blogspot.com/2011/05/protocol-for-peaceful-anti-beadbi-rally.html)
Despite such short notice the rally was attended by approximately 500 Sikhs young and old alike including men, women and children from across the country. The attendees included representatives from various other Sikh Gurdwaras in the Midlands.
Following various discussions and attempts at mediation during the rally, representatives of the GNSS Dudley Gurdwara management committee and trust, present at the Sikh Cultural Centre, agreed to sit down with representatives of other Sikh Gurdwaras and other Sikh community leaders. Following discussions between them in the presence of the West Midlands Police, the GNSS Dudley Gurdwara representatives accepted that their actions had infuriated the sentiments of the Sikh Community for which they were apologetic. The representatives confirmed that the Sikh Cultural Centre was indeed part of the GNSS Dudley Gurdwara estate and that it would remain so. They crucially accepted that the GNSS Dudley Gurdwara would now implement the 2006 Akal Takht Sandesh by way of prohibiting parties with meat and alcohol at the Sikh Cultural Centre and all other premises belonging or related to the GNSS Dudley Gurdwara with immediate effect. The GNSS Dudley Gurdwara representatives agreed to sign a statement to such effect and to confirm the same in writing to the Akal Takht Sahib in Amritsar India
The Satkaar Campaign would like to express our thanks to the representatives of the GNSS Dudley Gurdwara for the courageous and historical decision that they have taken in difficult circumstances. We are also thankful to the representatives of the various Gurdwaras and Sikh organisations for their involvement on this issue, and we believe that their engagement made a foremost contribution to resolving the GNSS Dudley issue.
The rally remained largely peaceful where Sikh men, women and children sat down in front of the Sikh Cultural Centre and chanted and recited prayers to raise awareness of the gross sacrilege that was taking place. Whilst the vast majority who attended remained peaceful and engaged in chanting and reciting prayers there was unfortunately a small element of disorder. The Satkaar Campaign does NOT condone any such behaviour and is, and will always remain, a PEACEFUL movement that makes all attempts to resolve issues through raising awareness and dialogue. Representatives of the Satkaar Campaign and other Gurdwaras remained in full dialogue with the West Midlands Police before and during the rally.
We have one humble Benti (appeal and request) to make to the worldwide Sangat: we request the Sangat to increase our Bani/Simran abhiyaas for the Chardikala of the Khalsa Panth to become united in our thinking and collectively resolve these issues through PEACEFUL means. We further humbly ask those few Gurdwara committees who permit meat and alcohol onto Gurdwara properties to adhere to the 2006 Akal Takht Sahib Sandesh.
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
