LONDON, UK — The Sikh Council UK condemned the attack on Sikh preacher Bhai Amrik Singh Chandigarh following attack on him. President of the Southall Park Avenue Gurdwara Bhai Gurmail Singh Malhi has also condemned the attack. He has extended his apology to Bhai Amrik Singh and sought end to such attacks in Gurdwaras across the UK.
Sikh Council UK condemns attack on Sikh parcharak which occurred at Southall Gurdwara yesterday. pic.twitter.com/IuUM6kCyWu
— Sikh Council UK (@SikhCouncilUK) May 8, 2018
Speaking to media, Giani Amrik Singh said, “Yes, I was brutally assaulted but I am in Chardikala. We had a very good historic programme in Slough and I profusely talked about the struggle of 1978 and 1984. The organisers did an excellent job and it never crossed my mind that this would happen.”
Giani Amrik Singh was in the United Kingdom at the invitation of the Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Slough. He was part of the many Sikh scholars and activists-Bhai Gurdev Singh of Australia from Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Nirwair Khalsa teammates from England and Bhai Ram Singh of the Damdami Taksal Jatha, not owing allegiance to Chowk Mehta’s Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma, representatives of Akhand Kirtani Jatha and some members of the Missionary Colleges. They participated in the 2-day widely telecast over the UK from Singh Sabha Slough.
On 7 May at around 11 am, when Giani Amrik Singh was making his way to the stage to start his sermons, an elderly Sikh stood up and shouted a few words, apparently, “You cannot speak here.” He then rushed to the microphone of the stage, where the stage secretary Gursharan Singh Mand was still speaking. Suddenly, the stage secretary asked Giani Amrik Singh to apologise for his sermons.
Giani Amrik Singh politely refused and said, “If I have said anything wrong or libellous, prove it and I will apologise to the Gur Sangat.”
Then-president Gurmail Singh Malhi and his team then asked Giani Amrik Singh “to accompany them into an anteroom to discuss the issue.” It is clear that the whole episode was pre-planned and well-orchestrated whereas Giani Amrik Singh thought that he was going there “to further capitalise and enhance the good atmosphere” that had been built during the two-day programme in Slough.
Those who attacked Giani Amrik Singh included among others Charan Singh Birmingham, Raghbir Singh of Awaz-e-Qaum and Paramjit Singh. While attacking Giani Amrik Singh, away from the reach of the Sikh Sangat, they reportedly said,
“Pin him down. Do not allow him to go scot-free.”
Writing about the incident, Jagdeesh Singh of Kesri Lehar, UK has said, “ The thuggish attack on Parcharak Giani Amrik Singh once again reveals an enduring tumorous cancer within the Sikh community which manifest every so often.”
Expressing personal pain and agony, he lamented,
“I do not mind the beating, but removing my turban has really hurt me. I am a family man with sons and daughters and daughters-in-law. Facing them is not going to be easy.”
Exhorting the Sikh Sangat to rise up to such elements, Giani Amrik Singh said, “If the Sangat does not stop these people in the ranks, there will be more such incidents, which will put the whole community to disrepute. It is time to make cause with these people without any delay.”