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UK Caste Discrimination Set To Become Unlawful In The United Kingdom

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
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Jun 17, 2004
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Caste discrimination set to become unlawful in the United Kingdom

By Hainder Singh

http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2013/04/...set-to-become-unlawful-in-the-united-kingdom/

London, United Kingdom (April 23, 2013): It is learnt that on April 23, 2013 the UK became the first European country to pass legislation on caste discrimination. Many including all Sikh organisations agree caste discrimination is ‘unacceptable and must not be tolerated’ as stated by the Government Minister.

The Sikh Federation (UK) which relied on the Sikh Council UK to represent a sensible Sikh view decided to directly get involved in influencing politicians at the eleventh hour this morning due to inaccurate comments about Sikhs by politicians in the House of Commons last week and the House of Lords yesterday evening.

The Sikh Federation (UK) was also concerned that another Sikh organisation, for some unexplained reasons, was disturbingly working with certain right wing Hindu nationalist organisations in opposing legislation against caste discrimination. Politicians were therefore unnecessarily linking and dangerously grouping Sikhs with Hindus.

As Lord Singh made clear in the House of Lords yesterday Sikhism totally condemns the whole system of caste and ritual purity, is opposed to discrimination based on caste and by definition one cannot be a Sikh and have a caste. However, an opportunity was missed by Lord Singh in not pointing out the existing definition of caste in the explanatory note to the Equality Act was not acceptable to Sikhs. Lord Singh did however point out ‘the concept of caste is a hierarchical division of Hindu society’.

Lord Parekh who was not in favor of legislation and spoke against it yesterday in the House of Lords stated ‘you cannot be a Hindu without belonging to a particular caste, full stop,’ which is why the legislation on caste discrimination is likely to prove to be highly divisive for Hindus.

According to information shared by Sikh Federation UK: “[t]he caste issue has already exposed a huge divide among Hindu groups based in the UK. The Alliance of Hindu Organisations UK (AHO) has called for a boycott of any such legislation as it would label the entire Hindu community as being ‘institutionally discriminatory’. Some Hindu organisations have threatened to encourage Hindus to vote against Labour and other politicians who voted for legislation to outlaw caste discrimination.

Lord Avebury in the debate in the House of Lords yesterday indicated that the Hindu Forum that speaks for a number of Hindu organisations astonishingly fails to acknowledge the existence of caste discrimination in the UK. Baroness Flather said: ‘The Hindus have come together for the first time ever, to my knowledge, to shout about the caste amendment because they feel that this dishonours them in some way. They dishonour themselves: caste is a fact’.”

Given the defeat of the Government in the House of Lords yesterday evening it was inevitable that an agreement would be reached between the main political parties in the House of Commons and legislation would be approved. It was therefore important to ensure a sensible way forward could be found.

The Sikh Federation (UK) in its short briefing sent to Ministers and the Shadow Ministers speaking in the House of Commons today categorically stated it opposed caste and caste discrimination and reminded them that many of the Hindu groups opposing the legislation refuse to condemn caste and wrongly believe cast discrimination does not exist. This important difference between Sikhs and Hindus will be crucial to build upon in the next one to two years in consultations with Government.

The Sikh Federation (UK) also stated whilst it supported the underlying spirit of the legislation to eliminate caste discrimination it did not believe legislation was the best way forward as it will enshrine caste in UK law and does not take proper account of evolving socio-economic trends in future generations. The Sikh Council UK expressed a similar view and the Government and Opposition listened and agreed to what is usually referred to as a sunset clause that will result in a review after it has been on the statute book for five years and periodically thereafter.

The Sikh Federation (UK) like other Sikh organisations, such as the Sikh Council UK, stated in its briefing for Ministers and Shadow Ministers it expected the definition of caste in the explanatory note to the Equality Act to be changed before implementation of any new law as the definition is inaccurate and offensive and there should be no reference to Sikhs. Sufficient references were made in the debate in the House of Commons to suggest politicians understand the Sikh position.

The Shadow Minister stated: ‘The definition must recognize that caste is not specific to any religion but is a social and cultural practice extending across different parts of communities. It can be subscribed to by, and affect, members of any or no religion, and the definition must reflect that.’ The Minister responded by saying: ‘We will consider carefully how to define ‘caste’.

Although MPs agreed today in the House of Commons to introduce legislation on caste discrimination the Minister also indicated the Government and Opposition had agreed that it would not be implemented in the general ballpark of one to two years to allow proper consultation on matters such as the definition of caste.
 
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spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
There are some amazing revelations in this article. It seems on its face to comment on the obvious. But line by line new realizations emerge.
 
Apr 11, 2007
351
262
It is good that we are moving in the right direction. Only the other day I learned of another religion that discriminates, against colour. It claims to be apart of a major religion. It is a blonde hair blue eyed occult and if they have sex with someone of another race, by the way you could even be an innocent party, if they suspect it they then try to hunt you down to kill them apparantly it is this type of mysterious myths that they have been using and they have put these ideas forward through out time and maybe more then likely be one of the reasons why a british national of jamaican descent was killed, and took so long to bring to justice as it is a religious cult, the case of a Mr Steven Lawerance it has something to do with a false claim to the bloodline of troy, that all blonde hair blue eyed people are descended from their madness! People are still stuck in myths and legends of suprior races, their is only one unique race and that is the unique Human race that should be respected and distinguished the same to all! :faujasingh:

they made michael jackson into a sicko aswell big people so that's why i write to help other future generations from this madness! They keep working on you until they get you, either your money or your dignity or both p.s I pray for peace!



P.s. This is not a pop at blonde hair and blue eyed people, but to the occult of madness that surrounds these types of issues! My Grandfather was Jatt had blue eyes and light brown hair and he was from indian heritage, so did my ex wife, they were both of indian heritage these types of discriminations must end! People should be allowed to mix and love freely how they want true love, not like the madness that surrounds that word! lol My strength resides with god, Peace! Then again it is all about a religious occult and it could all be a myth??
 
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