Meetings:
3rd June 2013 three members of the Policy Team attended an informal meeting with Alok
Sharma MP Parliament regarding Caste Legislation. The meeting created an opportunity for
an informal discussion between the groups and some Conservative MPs.
3rd June three members of the Policy Team held a EHRC meeting with an officer of the
Equality and Human Rights Commission about research of interest to the Council.
8th June Media and Communications Committee met at Singh Sabha Gurdwara Sahib
Coventry.
21st June Informal meeting with an official of the Home Office to raise requests for further
meetings to better understand exploitation of people from India by human traffickers.
21st June SCUK representatives met with Pat McFadden MP to discuss Labour Party plans to
engage with the Sikh community and SCUK Political Engagement Programme
22nd June the Operations Team Meeting of Sikh Council took place at Guru Nanak Prakash
Gurdwara Sahib Coventry
22nd June Executive Committee Meeting of Sikh Council took place at Guru Nanak Prakash
Gurdwara Sahib Coventry
27th June attendance at a Labour Party meeting to discuss Sikh Engagement Strategy
The Midlands Regional consultation meetings took place Saturday
29th June 2013 at Guru Arjan Dev Ji Gurdwara Sahib, Derby and on Sunday 30th June 2013 at Ramgarhia Sikh Temple, Birmingham Both meetings were very well attended amongst a number of issues
constructive consultation
also took place on: Mixed Marriages Consultation and the Implication of Caste Legislation.
Events:
4th June Census Meeting of ongoing consultations was attended by Balvinder Kaur on the Future of the Population Census – “Beyond 2011″ Meeting explored specific needs in the fast paced changes in the landscape of society which may outdate a census almost immediately as it is carried out.
Discussions included issues relating to future requirements for population and small area socio-demographic statistics for specific sub groups of the population including those with protected characteristics. Options discussed included: · Full census (long form for everyone),
· Rolling census (every 5/10 year period) · Short term (everyone), long form (sample),
· Short form annual survey (US model)
6th June 2013 Sikh Council UK held its first ‘Political Engagement Programme’ event with Conservative Party. The event saw sixty Sikh candidates come together to learn about how to get involved in the political arena. Applicants were invited from across the community and were asked to demonstrate a history of professional excellence, service to their local community and a good understanding of Sikh issues.
16th June 2013 Executive Member of Sikh Council Mankamal Singh attended and spoke at an inter-faith discussion forum titled “Serving Our Community” at Southwark Cathedral. The objectives of the forum was for the faith groups to share how their traditions celebrate and encourage service to community, how it is mandated in holy scriptures and how it is put into practise.
Casework:
Following the news of ban on turbans at St Joseph’s Higher Secondary School in Baramulla Jammu Kashmir Sikh Council UK wrote to Chief minister of Jammu Kashmir, Head of School, Head of Catholic Church UK and the Pope with concerns of this discriminative decision. The United Sikh has brought the matter to the attention of the international Sikh Community and led on the campaign in India. We understand the School has since retracted its discriminatory policy.
Sikh Council was contacted by a person who was made to remove his dastaar at an Airport in Rome during security searches. This was said to have been done in a very rude and threatening manner. The individual has since sought advice from the HR team within his company. Sikh Council Forwarded the newly amended regulation (EU) No 185/2010 as regards the screening of passengers and persons other than passengers by Explosive Trace Detection (ETD) equipment in combination with Hand Held Metal Detection (HHMD) equipment” to assist the process
Request:
Glasgow Gurdwara requests for reps of Sikh Council onto Big Question: (Sikh voice) BBC 1 programme to take up broadcasts debates on religious, social and moral issues. Sikh Council accepted this request and asked for details to be put forward to the BBC
Media:
Sikh Council was contacted by reporter at Leicester Mercury regarding an article he was doing on the recent death of a prominent Sikh leader in Leicester. Omparkash Chand was said to be the president of the Harrison Road Temple, the Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, for more than 16 years. Sikh Council contacted the President of Shri Guru Ravidass Bhavan Birmingham Mr Lashman Singh Sehmar to take up a telephone interview with the reporter.
