Punjabi students suffering in UK-Southall crisis
I saw this discussion show on Sikh Channel today. I felt so guilty. Can’t believe no one is ready to help these nearly 100 Punjabi students in Southall, who came on student visa and now struggling to survive. Most of the students came from villages, and they are all uneducated or just +2 pass but managed to get visa by hera ferri.
I wish I was there on Sikh channel to express my views. Never mind mein keda teer mar dena se! I met lots of students in UK and in India from all background and religion. After watching this talk show on Sikh channel I realised British people are not that keen to help our own kids. Why? Gods knows! I will explain different components of this problem without taking side of any one. I am not genius, nor I am any rich business man.
I am glad Sikh channel is trying to help people, doesn’t matter whether its their duty or they are doing it for name or fame. Whoever participated in the discussion, they all made very good points from different angles. Few uncles were very unhappy with Punjabi students and were not keen to help them. But others had mixed opinions from why are they here and why they came and how much help can be provided. i will tell you why, what and who…….
Why these students are here?
To earn money, not to study. otherwise in India we have very good schools and universities there and all are better than british institutes. There are 12000 seats in Engineering colleges, 50% seats don’t fill every year because no one wants to study there. There is a lots of reservation for villagers, and for sikhs. All they need 33% in A- level or in +2 to become engineer. The students who can’t even get 33%, how can they survive in UK. I am sorry to say that they are lazy and kamchor.
How can we help them?
I am so thankful to Sikh channel to arrange some money for these students. If you add the yearly budget or income of all Gurudwaras in UK, it will be almost nearly half of SGPC income. More than enough to help all Sikhs in UK. All Gurudwaras get charity from UK governemnt, then the chadawa, also they get money from government for different sikh ceremonies, such as each Gurudwara gets around £20,000 to £50,000 for Bhaisakhi Nagar Kirtan. Where does this money go? No doubt most of the money they are spending on Gurudwara buildings. They are in competition with other Gurudwaras for the beauty and size of their buildings. No one provides any service for sikh community such as Gym, Punjabi education etc. Only few are providing these services.
Why can’t these students stay and eat in Gurudwaras? Its sangat money and it should be used for sangat.
How they came to UK?
Only 30% British students go to Uni each year. Universities in UK are really struggling financially. Now they are dependent on overseas students to meet their two ends together. They pay commisions to agents in UK and India to bring more students to their Uni. Any one can get admission in UK colleges or Universities. Thats the reason they are starting new courses everyday, some courses are so shit and so easy that my grandmum can do it. Now a days they have started english courses to attract less educated students in developing countries. I have met thousands of overseas students in UK, who can hardly speak english but they are doing MBA to Phd. Also they don’t get enough support in their colleges, and most of them are depressed and are being bullied by british students. Also they are facing racism.
Bad behaviour showed by British Rich people on Sikh channel!
One uncle was worried about his British sikh culture. Thank god some one is worried. He said Indian Punjabi villagers will put wrong impressions on our british sikh kids! Because they are all clean shaven. May I ask all those uncles about their own kids? How many bear turban and how many married to sikhs? One caller said, its better than getting married to a kala or gora than getting married to a Punjabi villager. Another caller asked them why did they go to kenya 40-50 years ago and how they settled in UK. It means if British people put their foot in shoes of Punjabi students then they can understand their pain. Also their veiws are different in England and in India.
Moral of the story
I would like to tell Punjabi students, not to expect too much from British sikhs. They are all 2nd class citizens of UK. They are all loosing their culture and religious beliefs day by day. No British sikh ever helped me in my last 7 years in UK. British people helped me and bullied me. But I survived because of british white people help.
But end of the day these Punjabi Sikh students are our blood, our young children, we can’t see them suffering on the roads. Please come together and help them, God will help you.
Or pray with me if you can’t help them
Oh my dear Waheguru, Why can’t I help these young helpless students? You gave me everything from intelligent kids to mercedes and 20 houses, now I want to help them, but still don’t feel like helping them. Why God? Is it jealousy? Or still something missing in my life! Please God give me strenth, give me more money to help these kids. Because end of the day I came to this country for money and for better life style.
Do Indian Punjabi help us when we are in trouble in Punjab
No one helps NRIs in India. When few people snatched my land in my village, no one stood by me. My all villagers were supporting the other guy who took my land. We see property dispute cases every day. In Punjab our own villagers are snatching our land and properties. There were some cases where they killed Punjabi NRIs for property.
Still I would like to request all Punjabis in UK, to help our people, with money, food, shelter and jobs.
Message to students by a homeless drugy sikh
Public veiw on homeless people
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January 3rd, 2010 at 1:34 am
Please write your views. I am also feeling very guilty. We all can do something for them. I need your opnion and ideas. please write your comments here or contact me.
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Jatt-Soorma Reply:
January 3rd, 2010 at 1:46 am
I donated for sikh students in southall on paypal through sikh channel. have you donated for the wellbeing of our punjabi sikh students in southall.please do it
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January 3rd, 2010 at 5:44 am
Hi There,
I dont agree with the answer of 1st question and who ever written that they are lazy and kamchory(Did he ever studied in india? if yes then i am sure he will certainly got failed or getting passing marks only).
To get seat in engineering college 33% is not enough(ha ha f**K**g a big joke 33%)
Try Nanded or Bidar Engineering colleges their cut off list percentage was 85% last year 2009.
Colleges in U.K are big jokes,they are like grocery shops openend in not bigger then an average house in India or like 2-3 shops together = college.
These Types of places in india are called tuition centres for childrens aged 8yrs- 15yrs old,Even Govt schools are bigger then them.
Atleast Students coming here in England on proper Visa’s not like other came to england illigaly or came here as a domestic helpers.
check history of people those who came to england in early 50’s or before that most of them was unskilled without any education or qualifications they worked in england as domestic helper,factory workers only now they have some status because of some of the people successfull in giving their children proper education,Parents dont have enough time to look after their childrens what they doing(they getting addicted to drugs,alcohol etc).
Atleast Indian Childrens(Students) First think about their parents.
Gurudwara Bhai ji’s forgot their time when they have to do kirtan if asked by visa officers.
They serve langar with shoes on Why ???
Hemkunt & manikaran sahib is in himalyas still they serve langar without shoes.
Asian People here in England Think they are modern and they can also do modernise sikhi as well.
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Jatt-Soorma Reply:
January 3rd, 2010 at 11:06 am
Veer ji, you are 100% right. I respect your views. my purpose of saying kamchoor was to mention those people who don’t do anything in india and force their parents to get money.As I mentioned I know everybody, british and indians, i know the theory of 33% and exact number of seats in punjab. me and my dad helped many villagers to become engineer in punjab who were good for nothing but all they got civil eng or the lower than civil.all you need just pass marks. I have studied in india from village to DAV college chandigarh.Sorry if i hurt your feeling. but veer ji what about reservation for jatts, pendu cota,fouji cota.border area cota,sikhi cota. your views are 100% right about british people.they have forgotten their own days and now they are advising others.lets see how much they help these punjabi students.
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January 3rd, 2010 at 11:14 am
33% are enough to get admission in GNE college ludhiana if you have reservation. I got selected in sikhi kota. I started wearing turban and got admission. Now I am in australia after my ILETS.I earned more than any other of my villagers, doing two jobs and getting commision from students to help them settle in australia.ਲਖੀ ਜੱਟ ਦੇ ਮੁਕੱਦਰਾਂ ਚ ਐਸ਼ ਕਰਨੀ
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GNE Reply:
January 3rd, 2010 at 11:18 am
ਰੋਜ ਨਵਾਂ ਖੜਕਾ-ਦੜਕਾ ਕਰਦੇਂ ਹਾਂ….. ਬਾਈ GNE clloge ਵਿਚ ਪੜਦੇ ਹਾਂ….. ਕੁੜੀ ਕਲਾਸ di ਕੋਈ ਫ਼ਸਦੀ ਨਹੀੰ…………… ਇਸ ਲਈ ਸਾਰਾ ਟਾਈਮ “tuck shop” Ja “PG block” de bahar ਖੜਦੇ ਹਾਂ…. ਕਲਾਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਨਾ ਕੋਈ ਨ੍ਲਾਇਕ ਨਾ ਕੋਈ ਹੋਸ਼ਿਆਰ….. ਪਰ ਪੇਪਰਾਂ ’ਚ ਇਕ-ਦੂਜੇ ਦੀ ਪੂਰੀ ਮਦੱਦ ਕਰਦੇਂ ਹਾਂ…… ਨਤੀਜਾ ਚੰਗਾ ਆਵੇ ਜਾਂ ਮਾੜਾ ਮਿੱਤਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਪੂਰਾ ਸੈਲੀਬਰੇਟ ਕਰਦੇਂ…… burraaahhhh
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January 3rd, 2010 at 6:51 pm
Freshies need to go back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Jatt-Soorma Reply:
January 3rd, 2010 at 11:11 pm
Meray veer everyone was freshy one day. Have you heard Manmohan Waris song, Kum kisey da rukda nahi, ethey sab da sar janda. Waheguru got plans for every body. They are also sikhs, sikhs can fight any fight, they don’t need any support, Waheguru will help them. But whole sikh cummunity will be tested. its an exam for british sikhs, lets see who fails and who passes.
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ishpal Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 7:26 pm
ur previous generations where freshies. this should be classed as a racist terms-in the eyes of gorras you r alos a freshee-having freesh dna and blood and skin colour!!!!authentic jatt bandah should not say this. jatts ar ehere to help our brothers
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January 3rd, 2010 at 10:59 pm
I believe everyone deserves a chance in life,it does not matter where they are from or what they are here for. We know why they are here, to have a better life, from reading some articales above it is the same when are parents and grandparents came here and had silly comments by NF and BNP, my grandad was in the british army and still not wanted by society in this country. We should learn from this. They are gods kids and we all live in the same planet so do what you can to help.
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Jatt-Soorma Reply:
January 3rd, 2010 at 11:15 pm
Well done merey veer, thats the spirit.
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January 3rd, 2010 at 11:03 pm
Copied from Sikh sangat.com
On tonights ( 2nd Jan ) Sikh Channel show ” Southall Student Crises ” the panel consisted of fraudster Harbans Singh Kohli ( also appeared on previous shows ) , Kohli has conned many small shop keepers out of tens of thousands of £££s .
He was sentenced to 4 yrs in prison in 2006 at Northampton court, its a joke that Sikh Channel appointed him as a contact for immigrant student affairs on their behalf !! Sikh Channel probably enjoy donations from the Gurdwara in Ealing which MR Kohli runs and dont care about his victims etc. RUBBING SALT INTO THE WOUNDS OF SMALL BUSINESSES WHICH SUFFERED DUE TO HIS GREED !!
read here.
I would like to ask these sikhs not to blame anybody. If they don’t think Mr kohli is an ideal candidate to look after the funds, why can’t they take this responsiblity. When good people don’t come to perform any duty, bad people get chance. God will punish these people if they misuse sangat money.
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January 6th, 2010 at 10:08 pm
Sat Sri Akal ji, firstly this is a very good site for sikhs to interact.
Now coming to the Southall Crisis, i remember being in Kenya in 1992. I saw scores of Punjabi boys from Punjab, who came to Kenya to look for betterment in their status.
I chatted to a few humble ones, and they were living in the grounds of the gurdwaras of Kenya. They were fed, homed and clothes washed. They are all comfortable there and now my point is why cant the Gurdwaras of UK let these students live in the gurdwars till they find a way of supporting themselves!! Only a holy occassion, hundred thousands are donated by the public, “Maatha Thake”, where are these invisible funds?
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January 6th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
There are 30 to 100 british people who are homeless in each city in UK, maximum nubers are in london. I never saw any sikh living on roads in my life. These people are served by churches and other charitable societies. one I know is Jesus army. I tried to work with these guys last year, very nice people, they asked me am I a christian, if not why I want to join them. My answer was, doesn’t matter If I am not from their religion, I would like to do something for man kind, its my duty to look after other people who can’t look after themselves. I hope british sikhs will help these students, otherwise we won’t be able to show our faces to anyone in india.
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January 18th, 2010 at 2:07 am
There are a number of reasons why sympathy towards these people is limited, here are some of them (in no particular order) for your consideration:
The majority of these people are not here to study but are using a legal loophole in order to earn money. They have little educational background and education was never on their mind when coming here.
They did not leave India because they are destitute. If they have RS 700,000 (£12,000) to pay an agent then they could have invested in education or some kind of business back home. It is common knowledge that they force their parents to sell off land in order to fund their trip over here instead of putting in the work to make something of themselves back home.
They have arrived during a time of worldwide economic upheaval where even educated people with excellent employment histories are finding themselves out of work. As result they find themselves without employment and become a burden on the community as a whole. so now a community made up of hardworking people who are themselves struggling are expected to carry the burden of people who came here under false pretences to earn cash and live what they think will be a glamourous lifestyle. why should the community carry the burden of these people?
Since they are clearly not students and have no intention of studying essentially they become illegal immigrants under a new name (they are breaking the law by not studying and working more than the allowed time per week, thereby contravening the terms of their visa). These are not the boys that left Punjab in the 80s for fear of their lives, these are spoiled people who arent willing to work back home and dream of easy money who come here and find it is a very different harsh reality.
They are known for causing trouble. They congregate at Gurudwaras and take advantage of the fact that the Guru Ghar is open to all. They have been known to “eye up” and harrass girls and try to strike up affairs at the Gurdwara and some have had to be expelled as result of their behaviour. They also hang around at shopping malls etc doing the same.
They treat the Guru Ghar and Sevadars with no respect, to the extent that people have become tired of them and their bad attitudes and this is causing further friction. Then they use the argument that the Guru Ghar is for everybody to try to stir up emotion. At a Gurdwara close to me one of these people came in and asked for Parshada. The Bibi serving langar said “Wait, take Sabji as well.” He replied “no, we’ve made meat at home we just needed roti”. So now its not even a Parshada to him anymore its just Roti. How do people who show no respect like this expect to be treated sympathetically?
Due to their attitude and behaviour they are not accepted into mainstream society and so end up banding together. with no real prospects for settling down, drink, drugs and prostitution are rife amongst them. Ask anyone that employs them, they will tell you that this is true. And no, it is not the fault of the community, these people have made their choices and decided not to go back no matter what.
They behave with great arrogance, further reflective of the fact that they are here with the intention of doing “Aish”, not to work hard and become productive members of society.
As for the question of why cant they stay at the Gurdwara? No Guru Ghar has unlimited resources, and they were never intended to be hostels for illegal immigrants. The Gurdwara is there for the Saadh Sangat and for society as a whole, why should these people be given preference? We all know there is corruption within committees but that doesnt change the point I’ve made.
As a community we have a great deal of challenges that are more deserving of immediate attention. Domestic violence, mental health issues, lack of education about Religion, drug abuse amongst the youth, healthcare, care of the elderly, the list is endless. Why should these people with their self inflicted pain be at the top of that list? why should money, effort and appeals be directed towards them and other problems be ignored? they have got themselves media coverage by being a nuisance to the extent that the police has started approaching community leaders about them, thats why they have coverage, not because they deserve it more.
They have the arrogance to come on TV and say “you came over here just like we did”. Wrong. Economic migrants from the 60s were welcomed and given passports because there was a labour shortage in this country. These were people with a strong work ethic who came here on invitation. Many were educated in fields such as engineering or at least had some kind of work skills, albeit manual work. Many of those who came since have come legitimately and worked hard. Even the illegal immigrants of the 80s-90s came here at a time when the building industry was booming and there was work to be had. They too were skilled labour. The vast majority of these so called students have no skills and no education. There is no comparison.
They are arrogant enough to call up talk shows about this problem and say that people should marry their daughters to them. And then what? they still have no skills and no education, and will be a burden on the families stupid enough to consider marrying their daughters to such a character. If he cant support himself how will he support a wife? not at all, the girls parents will become responsible for supporting them both and why should they?
people come on television and will argue that this accounts for 10-15% of these so called students giving the rest a bad name. I would say, having met many of these characters, that they are the overwhelming majority with genuine cases being few and far between.
There is all this emotive language being used trying to envoke feelings of guilt saying that these are our fellow Sikhs it is our duty to help them. To these people “fellow Sikhs” etc are just words. We are very quick to counter attack and ask “are the uncles on the Sikh Channels real Sikhs? are their children real Sikhs?”.. if that is the case then lets agree that nobody is a real Sikh and leave religion out of it altogether. So now tell me why does the community owe you support?
They are not vulnerable destitute “Bhalle Maanas”. These are very shrewd people who know how to take advantage. They have found that the streets here are not paved with gold, the intelligent thing to do would be to cut their losses and go back home. But no, they see an angle to exploit the situation and attack “soft” targets such as Gurdware as described above.
I would put it to you that these are the reasons why people are not sympathetic. If they wanted to go home, and if a charity were to be organised where a ticket would be bought for them and given to them at Heathrow airport (not one penny put in their hands, just the ticket) and they would get on the plane, then i beleive the community would want to help, which is the sentiment I have heard echoed by many people in the community.
I know some people will be saying “so what, British Sikhs do all of the above, they too harrass women, they too act with arrogance, they too do X, Y and Z”.. But that is a pointless argument since it is not British Sikhs who are on TV doing appeals asking for the community to raise cash and sort out their problems.
In conclusion I would like to make a prediction. with the economic downturn and developing economies such as India and China etc gaining momentum, I predict the time will come that people will be packing up and moving back because that is where the work, opportunities and quality of life will be. When that day comes employers back there will be choosy for the best candidates and once again those who are hard working will come out on top. Then characters like these so called students who are complaining now that we dont let them sit on our heads will once again be complaining that these NRIs have come over and taken the best jobs etc. My point is people like them complain very well, exploit very well, unfortunately they dont do much else. If they learned to study very well, work very well and appreciate all they had back home very well, we wouldnt be having this discussion.
[Reply]
Jatt-Soorma Reply:
March 12th, 2010 at 10:43 pm
Indians don’t pack. They can live here on roads but can not tolerate insult by their villagers by going back to their villages. Thanks a lot for writing on my blog, normally punjabis are so busy.
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January 26th, 2010 at 12:32 am
This is a fantastic discussion with some excellent points raised. You will all be pleased to know that the Sikh Channel has raised funds, and these can be monitored now on the Sikh Channel webpage. I think some of your points are excellent and the Sikh Channel welcomes all input from its viewers. Remember you can contact the Sikh Channel in many ways, regarding this issue and others at news@sikhchannel.tv and feel free to post comments on the Sikh Channel News facebook page. We are starting a new news programme and we want your input. Thank you for watching Sikh Channel, and thank you to those who have contributed to the Southall Crisis.
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January 29th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
Ssa Veerji, hats off to you by showing some sympathy to our Sikh siblings from India. Even if the majority of the Sikh students from India are not genuine students we as a sangat should be there to support them as we share the same forefathers.I am a British born Sikh and get very upset when I see British Sikh take the fun out of these students by calling then freshies/fresh off the boat etc
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March 5th, 2010 at 12:55 am
credit fix…
I have to give credit the author for running a nice site!…