Fource conversion

Every now and then there is excitement amongst Sikhs about conversions of Sikhs to other religions. This mostly concerns Sikh girls (young women ?) becoming Muslims, rarely about Sikhs becoming Christians and never about the many Sikhs who without any conversion are Hindus.Last week a leaflet was handed out after the Wednesday simran in the Sikh Missionary (Southall) about a conversion of a young Sikh woman to Islam by somebody who falsely claimed to be an ex prisoner in Guantanamo.The emphasis on Sikh ‘girls’ seems a bit hypocritical to me. Why do we never see postings about Sikh ‘boys’ becoming Muslims ? Can ‘boys’ decide for themselves, and are ‘girls’ to do what their fathers and brothers decide for them ? Can ‘girls’ not make up their own minds? I am of Christian background and became a Sikh, and people of Sikh background have the right to become Muslims. If we keep treating our sisters as second class citizens, do not be surprised if they are going to look elsewhere. Sikh men look wonderful with their turbans regardless whether they wear western or Panjabí clothes. ‘Sikh’ women look like any other Panjabi in their chunnis and salwar kameez. At Sikh meetings, if older women are present at all, they tend to sit in the background and agree with all that Bhai Sahib says. It takes courage for the likes of Mejinderpal Kaur, Parmjeet Kaur, Balwinder Kaur and Satnam Kaur to come amongst men who do not feel comfortable in their presence.We have to change ourselves, we should all stop being Hindus, stop emphasising our Panjabi culture, and emphasise on being SIKHS. We have to look like Sikhs and behave like Sikhs.
If we do that fewer people of Sikh background will become Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists or whatever.If you seriously think that somebody has been coerced into another religion by unethical means, then we can do something about it. We have good relations with the police, and when at one of our recent meeting I asked about forced conversions we were asked to report any such incident.The law of this country and Guru’s ‘law’ are at one in this respect. Forced conversions (and forced marriages) are unlawful. If you know of any such case and you do not feel confident to take it up with your local police, contact me and I will certainly take it up for you ! Guru taught us that all can reach God if sticking to the universal principles contained in the Guru Granth. Forcing people to change their religion or to marry against their wishes is against the law and not in tune with those universal principles.

Harjinder Singh Sikh Activist Columnist
Vice-Chair Faiths in Further Education
Forum Faith & Cultural Diversity Consultant Heston,
Middlesex, UK



we went their with up to 100 Sikh youth at the lecture, which was advertised to display trophy-converts, which included someone who claimed to have denounced his Sikh faith and embracing Islam. The lecture had the aim to ridicule, misinterpret and incite hatred against the Sikh faith in the hope to 'brain wash' innocent Sikh students into an extreme form of Islam. The organisers cancelled the talk by the speaker who was to publicly denounce and attack the Sikh faith and glorify Islam at London School of Pharmacy but are known to be holding them secretly at other universities
During the talk, the Dean of the University and the Student Union attempted to prevent the event from continuing. Some Muslim students attending the event clearly felt embarrassed by the actions of the Islamic Society attempting to ridicule and incite hatred against others.
One Sikh protester raised his arm to allow time to speak. He made it clear that 'Sikh' convert should not slander the Sikh Gurus, disrespect the Sikh religion and incite hatred against Sikhs in his talks and that the intended convert speaker should not speak because it the talks intention was to provoke hatred and confusion.
The Sikh Sangat left the Islamic Society event with grace and honour, which makes the Sikh community proud of them and their actions. The Sangat concluded the day at a Gurdwara Sahib where an Ardaas was offered for thanksgiving and for strength and determination to uphold the Guru's principles and serving the Guru. The whole incident highlighted that Gurmat Parchaar is needy in institutions like prisons, hospitals and schools and that every Sikhs needs to recognise his or her duty to know about their religion and defend their faith.

we are missing are very big point in this that women are equal to men in sikhism.they are not sheep which need protection from a man ,these organisation trying scar you are stupid hindu.guru nanak have given full rights to women to protest them self and if want impose that women or girls need to be protected by men then we are not sikhs we hindus.ours sisters need to inpower them self and use all means to protect them self,we are here to help them if they want but act instead of them.