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Sikh Council chaos: mass resignations from UK's top Sikh body over accusations of take-over
By Barfi Culture Team
27th April 2019

The UK's largest umbrella body of Sikh groups was today left in tatters after mass resignations from its General Assembly.

68 delegates making up about thirty gurdwaras and organisations tendered their resignation today in protest at recent events.

They said they expected their letter to be read out today at a meeting of the Sikh Council due today in Southall.

Those resigning said the body was under "undue influence" from the Sikh Federation UK, a Birmingham-based lobby group, and the Sikh Council UK had effectively become its mouthpiece.

Full letter
We will not be attending the General Assembly meeting of Sikh Council UK called by you in Southall today and expect you will read this letter out to all colleagues.

We are writing to formally tender our resignation and disaffiliation from Sikh Council UK.

This is a decision we have reached with a heavy heart and after several months of attempting to reach a resolution on a way forward for the Sikh Council UK following the last six months of turmoil. We have repeatedly raised our concerns and attempted to pursue dialogue with you but unfortunately all our efforts have remained fruitless with
some of the Board of Jathedars point blank refusing to meet with members of the Sikh Council UK Executive Committee in recent weeks.

We have the following specific concerns:

- There has been a total violation of the Sikh Council UK constitution, operating procedures and code of conduct in matters relating to the leadership transition, calling of meetings, sharing of information and behaviour at meetings

- Despite repeated complaints being raised there has been an abject failure to deal with serious concerns including the actions of two senior Sikh Council UK members, Dabinderjit Singh and Baldev Singh Bains, that lead to false information being shared with Government Ministers and politicians bringing the Sikh Council UK into disrepute.

- There is a disproportionate and undue influence in the affairs of Sikh Council UK by members of one unaffiliated organisation, Sikh Federation UK, to the extent that the Sikh Council UK is now viewed as simply a voice for Sikh Federation UK.

We have over a period of time attempted to resolve these matters internally but matters have now reached a stage where we do not consider there is a way or a will to address our concerns and we are unwilling to continue with our membership of Sikh Council UK.

As part of formal disaffiliation from Sikh Council UK we anticipate a full refund within 2 weeks of all monies we and our respective delegates have paid to Sikh Council UK.
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Barfi Culture has contacted the Sikh Federation UK for comment.

This story will be be updated with more developments as they come in.





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