People

Sikh-Britons: A Success Story

GARETH JOHNSON

 

 

 

All our political parties in Britain are often guilty of focusing too heavily on the negative aspects of immigration and multiculturalism but I believe Sikh-Britons should be recognised for not only their great success in fully integrating themselves into British society but also for their extraordinary contributions.

Recently, I hosted a Westminster Hall debate about the success story that is the Sikh-Briton Community and of how that success has evolved. This does not just involve good community relations but also educational achievement, business acumen, military service, and a respectful attitude to their neighbours and the rule of law.

Sikhism is a 500+ year old religion with over 30 million followers worldwide. It is ranked as the world's fifth largest religion, with far more followers than Judaism.

In my Constituency of Dartford, United Kingdom, Sikh-Britons make up the largest ethnic minority. What is particularly noticeable is how well they have integrated themselves into the local community - not just through business, but also through charity work and the hospitable nature of the local gurdwara.

Gurdwara Guru Hargobind Sahib is a lively, bustling and welcoming place. I mentioned it in my maiden speech to Parliament in 2010 because of its unique situation. Its location next door to a Baptist church, with both congregations enjoying very cordial relations, is testimony to the good race and religious relations we have locally.

On a personal note, I recently attended a Sikh wedding at Gravesend in Kent, at the invitation of a local Dartford Councillor, a Sikh-Briton himself. The ceremony was held at the Gurdwara Guru Nanak. What struck me about the building was not just its beauty but also the manner in which it was built. Carpenters and bricklayers from the community all spent their spare time building this magnificent monument together, to have a religious home that their community could be proud of and worship in together.

Anybody who is looking for an example of the Big Society in action need only go to this gurdwara.

Sikh businesses are also disproportionately successful - in part because Sikh-Britons have a deserved reputation of having a strong work ethic. Indeed Sikhs are second only to Jews in how financially productive they are as a religious group. This belief in hard work and the importance of the family has been the reason why Sikhs have been so successful in the UK.

A cursory look at the Sunday Times financially successful list throws up a disproportionately high number of Sikhs. There is a clear determination amongst Sikhs to strive hard and be successful in business which is a trait that is very much to their credit.

Another claim to fame that the Sikh community can call on is the extraordinarily low crime rates associated with Sikhs. In a previous employment I was a magistrate's legal adviser and I accompanied a group of magistrates around a Feltham young offenders' institution.

The question of religious worship was raised and it became apparent that there were no facilities for Sikhs.

This concerned some of the magistrates who challenged this and were met with the response that we rarely get Sikhs here. I don't know if that is still the case but certainly there has always been a culture of Sikh complicity with the law that should be celebrated and emulated in local communities.

Other examples of the contribution that Sikhs make to the UK are witnessed in the British Army where many Sikhs have served, and continue to serve, with distinction.

We have recently witnessed the sight of the first Buckingham Palace guardsman to wear a turban rather than a bearskin. This throws up a difficult debate between respect for the turban and respect for the traditions of the guards. What is clear though is the respect that the British army has shown for the turban in allowing it to be worn without a bearskin. Indeed, turbans have been worn as an alternative to non-Sikh military headdress for centuries.

Of course, we have to ensure we do not become complacent. In 2010 I raised the issue of the searching of turbans in British airports with the secretary of state in the Commons chamber.

Whilst we need to preserve security on aeroplanes we should also recognise the significance of the impact that the searching of a turban has on a Sikh. We need to ensure that security staff use all other available measures - such as scanning - before doing so. EU regulations on this issue haven't been appropriate in the past and I praise the Department of Transport for tackling the issue with the seriousness it deserves. Fortunately on this issue, common sense was able to prevail.

Clearly, challenges remain for the Sikh-Briton community. Prejudices are still a widespread problem.

It is also true that ignorance of the Sikh religion is what often lies behind many prejudices. The typical response to the Kirpan illustrates this very well. Maybe hundreds of years of Englishmen fearing Scotsmen with their Sgian Dubhs have lead to an instinctive fear of the kirpan. Clearly we should see it in its correct context and be less obstructive towards it.

I don't claim to be an expert on the Sikh religion but I have seen over the years how much of a positive impact Sikhs have had not just in my constituency but across Britain.

There are still many issues to be resolved, from citizenship and integration to understanding Sikhism and its cultures and traditions. But I also feel the time is right to pay tribute to Sikh-Britons in all that they have achieved. Their contribution amounts to so much more than their numbers, and I was honoured this week to have had this opportunity of hosting a debate that recognises this.

 

The author is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Dartford, United Kingdom

[Courtesy: Politics]

March 15, 2013

 

 

read other articles in People