British Army considers proposals to create a Sikh regiment
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The head of the British Army is considering plans to put together a Sikh regiment, The Telegraph quoted a British minister as saying.
British Minister Mark Francois told Commons that the Chief of the General Staff (CGS) Sir Nick Carter is reviewing the likelihood of forming a new unit that would inherit many of the “proud traditions of Sikh regiments” from the British Army’s past.
Thousands of Sikh soldiers served in the British Army in the 19th century and in both of the world wars while 10 soldiers serving in the Sikh regiment even wore the esteemed Victoria Crosses.
The proposal to create a unit solely on racial backgrounds is not a novelty. A recent attempt was done away with by UK’s Ministry of Defence amid risks that the move might be considered racist.
A Conservative former defence minister Sir Nicholas Soames, while speaking at a session of the House of Commons, urged ministers to forgo needless political correctness and voiced his support for the creation of a Sikh regiment.
Soames sees the possibility of a Sikh unit as a measure to “make up a very serious gap in our Armed Forces”.
Responding to his assertions, Mr Francois, minister for the Armed Forces, said: "We have passed this possibility onto the CGS, who is now looking at this issue and we are awaiting his comments.
"But the idea may well have merit."
Another Conservative Rory Stewart suggested the production of a Sikh company within the reserves as a constructive starting point before the actual formation of a Sikh regiment.
The latest numbers show the British Armed Forces have around 160 Sikhs in their ranks, including 130 in the Army.
Lord Singh, director of the Network of Sikh Organisations, said the possibility of a debut Sikh unit was something “that would be nice if it happened”.
“There aren’t that many Sikhs in the Army. A regiment needs a bit more. There needs to be some enticement to go, but with all the defence cuts, the Army may not look that tempting,” he added.
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Comments (59) Closed
Feb 24, 2015 12:50pm
I wonder if a Muslim Regiment will ever be given a chance.
There are a number of Muslims who wish to join the British Armed Services but choose not too because of the inability of the Services to accommodate their religious requirements.
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Feb 24, 2015 12:52pm
Bharat and China don't need their huge armies to conquer the World.
Their huge diaspora spread all across the globe is sufficient to do the job! :-)
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Feb 24, 2015 12:59pm
"One day they will get their land back,from the height's of Karakoram to the meeting point's of Multan and from the gate's of khyber to the water's of Sutlej."
"Jo Bole So Nihal "
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Feb 24, 2015 01:00pm
The British are considering what the state of Pakistan ought to have? It's a pity there aren't a fair number of Sikhs living in Pakistan today, a place close to the origin of the religion itself and many of it's followers today, sadly very late in the day ....
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Feb 24, 2015 01:01pm
Sikhs are not going to fight for you anymore. Take your head out from your behind.
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Feb 24, 2015 01:01pm
The Mighty Sikhs..
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Feb 24, 2015 01:04pm
how about we consider a 'white regiment'!
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Feb 24, 2015 01:07pm
Pakistan should also raise one.
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Feb 24, 2015 01:18pm
@Karthik there aren't many minorities living in Pakistan let alone Sikhs. Even shias are prosecuted. To have an exclusive regiment or any other pivilege needs some level of acceptance in society. Unfortunately it is not like India where a Sikh was PM for 10 years.
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Feb 24, 2015 01:22pm
good
most of pak army is sikh converted to Islam family rajputs.
Gen raheel himself is Rajput.
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Feb 24, 2015 01:23pm
India had Muslim presidents, vice presidents, Sikh PM, president, vice president, foreign minister, christian defence minister and so on. This is a huge list because India retained all religion to coexist. It is not for nothing it is called a secular country
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Feb 24, 2015 01:25pm
@Karthik have you forgotten the 250,000 Sikhs murdered by the Indian state?
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Feb 24, 2015 01:26pm
@OOps... You mean Sikhs are about to start Khalistan movement in Indian Punjab?
Somehow all the geographical references you used conveniently missed Indian areas where Sikhs reside these days. An honest mistake, I assume!
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Feb 24, 2015 01:26pm
@OOps... Erm, really? Try getting the patch of land that you call East Punjab first.
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Feb 24, 2015 01:38pm
@Mohammed Indians invented zero but seems you like it most. Sikhs have an exclusive statr what has Pakistan offered to them?
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Feb 24, 2015 01:39pm
@Mohammed where did you get this figure? Do you also have numbers for Sikhs proscected in Pakistan?
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Feb 24, 2015 02:05pm
@rana Hindu-converted , not Sikh-converted
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Feb 24, 2015 02:14pm
@rana Rajputs basically initially Hindu, either fall in Suryavanshi, Chandravanshi or Agnivanshi clans. Then some were converted to be Sikhs and Muslim, Not the other way around. I doubt you are really a Rana as your name suggests.
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Feb 24, 2015 02:53pm
There is a pradox. Sikhs take a great pride in their role in the struggle for freedom from the British Raj. At the same time they are also proud of their sons who were at the forefront of protecting that same Raj.
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Feb 24, 2015 03:06pm
@Morad786 That is untrue Muslim Religious needs are catered for in the British Army. The Sikhs have shown over many years their loyalty and bravery to Britain. The Gurkhas have their own Regiment why not the Sikhs. A Muslim Regiment would cause more DIVISION in UK but the Sikhs are an integral part of UK. They live amongst us and not in Sikh communities and are highly respected..
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Feb 24, 2015 03:08pm
@rana Not even 1% of sikhs are rajpits, About 50% of sikhs belong to the Jatt race, the rest are Khatris and chamars and Tarkhans.
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Feb 24, 2015 03:33pm
Sure they can create a Sikh regiment. And a Burmese regiment. A Pathan regiment.
And a Bengali regiment. And a Kathiawar regiment. And a Bombay regiment. And a
Marathi regiment.
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Feb 24, 2015 03:42pm
@Factual No Dear...there is no need to start Khalistan movement for small piece of land..they have got whole India,you can find Sikh's in every city of India doing great and most of their holy place's are not in Punjab like Patna Saheb and Nanded Saheb...But what they have lost and what their forefather's earned from blood and sweat has went to Pakistan and "That is the Lost Land" why won't they fought for getting back Lahore as Nankana Saheb is there...
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Feb 24, 2015 03:43pm
It should be revival of Jat and Rajput Regiments where muslims served alongside Sikhs and Hindus.
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Feb 24, 2015 03:44pm
Sikhs plz do form that regime. Khalistan movement shouldnt die.
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Feb 24, 2015 03:57pm
@OOps... Yes of course in you dreams.!
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Feb 24, 2015 03:59pm
@rana You are a Historian ?? you may have Sikh ancestors speak for yourself.
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Feb 24, 2015 04:00pm
@Mohammed "@Karthik have you forgotten the 250,000 Sikhs murdered by the Indian state?" - Boss which books or newspapers you read?
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Feb 24, 2015 04:06pm
@Mohammed :As per your scaling of numbers more then 250,000,000 muslim killed in indian ..Abe phir hum jinda kaise hai ..
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Feb 24, 2015 04:28pm
The Sikhs have done very well for themselves, both in India and the rest of the world. Pakistan remembers four of them. One who founded the religion, two who ruled the Punjab, the third, under whose command Pakistani troops was made to surrender in East Pakistan, and the fourth a former Prime Minister of India. The Sikhs have made great contribution wherever they have made home. They are a cohesive, hardworking, intelligent, community. Certainly hope the British make this regiment, it will be a good decision. Shows that hard honest work, with faith in their country is appreciated. Pakistan could have done the same many years back, but we, cannot think straight, cannot do things straight.
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Feb 24, 2015 05:14pm
In world War-l, on arrival of sikh regiment in England to fight German army it was said by the PM of England "Gentlemen of India marching to chasten the German hooligans"
The whole world has already witnessed the bravery of Sikhs everywhere.
Jo bole so nihal, sat shri akal....
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Feb 24, 2015 05:16pm
@aadil No we never claim this now you are going extra just to create conflict and its fact that in 1984 riots sikhs were Brutally killed by India army in India by the Indians , So RIP to those victims numbers does not matter but wounds matter for centuries.
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Feb 24, 2015 05:19pm
@observer and after all that Sikhs Remember Only One Lady Andra Ghandi Who hunt them and brought them on their knees What a poor state of sikhs. They were Guards , and they have offers of guards positions only.
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Feb 24, 2015 05:20pm
Hats off to Britishers and their philosophy...
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Feb 24, 2015 05:27pm
@Shamain Sikhs are more patriotic than a lot of Indians. i know this because I've interacted with them on trips to Punjab. The way people like you think scares me for the sake of pakistan. You guys are still stuck up on a 30 year old movement!
If you still think they want nothing to do with India, just google images of the Indian army.
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Feb 24, 2015 05:28pm
Many Punjab, Frontier and Baloch Regiment battalions surrendered in 1971 war. On the other hand, Sikh, Gurkha, Maratha, Jaat, Bengal regiments were victorious in many battles. After 1947, leadership affected the quality of the British-Indian military Regiments.
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Feb 24, 2015 06:05pm
Sikhs are their in Pak Army .. I am not sure how many are officers but definitely there are Sikh foot soilders
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Feb 24, 2015 06:10pm
Great, proud to be a Sikh!
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Feb 24, 2015 06:33pm
@Mohammed lol..when was this
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Feb 24, 2015 06:42pm
How do you raise a Sikh regiment in the British Army when the total intake in the Army is equal to about a Company?
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Feb 24, 2015 06:53pm
it is only fitting because the punjabi soldier wether sikh or muslim has always been the perfect mercenary
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Feb 24, 2015 06:59pm
@Factual including Haryana, torn away from them by India itself.
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Feb 24, 2015 07:05pm
My Indian Blood makes me proud than anything else in the world.
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Feb 25, 2015 01:08am
@Morad786: Why do you make religion a pre-requisite for everything? Can't you just be
human?
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Feb 25, 2015 01:08am
@Morad786 : NOT under the circumstances!
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Feb 25, 2015 01:26am
I don't see how doing this would be beneficial to the military uniformity or continuity of British armed forces. Doing this would only create rivalries within the military, and would force the military to make similar accommodations for every ethnic group. Uniformity is essential in any military, without it you would risk dysfunction.
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Feb 25, 2015 01:30am
@Ahmed they do with pride ,wherever a sikh lives you can't find a reliable and more loyal person them sikhs , we proud to have sikhs in our country they will defend their country to their last breath as they always did.
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Feb 25, 2015 01:32am
@OOps... For that first they have to liberate indian occupied punjab
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Feb 25, 2015 01:34am
@Mohammed i am sikh proud to be an indian . Whatever you say it's irrelevant, sikhs always fought for india and always will . The situation you talking about between sikhs and govt were all created by ISI go find real number and fact then come back.
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Feb 25, 2015 01:36am
@faizan : You can't pay them enough! That is why they are happy to take lower paid "coloured" soldiers to do their dirty work! Somehow the Nepali are out of British favour --
because they sued for pensions and rights after being the best fighters for the Brits for so long?
Never trust British gov --it has and will always think of mischief!
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Feb 25, 2015 01:50am
@Tranquil well poor you ,muslims are called terrorist and offered no position at all anywhere in the world what a shame .
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Feb 25, 2015 01:51am
@rana : How can we say ?. Any proof ?. Want to know. Its interesting .
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Feb 25, 2015 01:53am
@Ashutosh : That is not-so-secret code for "Hello, fellow warrior"!
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Feb 25, 2015 04:33am
@Morad786 I doubt if Sikh regiment was conceived by the British based on just religion. The sikhs have a long history and tradition of a warrior community with several bravery awards for the British as well as for India. It is definitely not about just religion.
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Feb 25, 2015 09:45am
The Sikhs are a martial race, by history. That means bravery, discipline, good planning, taking risks. They also care about fellow Sikhs, wherever they are. They work hard, have a good sense of humor, eat well, drink well and generally enjoy life. All the qualities that I would wish for myself !!!, but I am not a Sikh, and wish them all the very best. Pakistan has to look after its minorities, diversity is most important for any nation. Yes the British have made the right decision.
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Feb 25, 2015 09:46am
@Yogesh ahan, if its so irelevant, y you bothered replying to me. Is everything okay??
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Feb 25, 2015 09:57am
@Nasir First you have to give up the mentality that every religious group in majority in any particular location needs to get its own country. Punjab has Hindus too, going by your logic if Sikhs should take Punjab, should Hindus leave Punjab?
We believe in having people of all religions in a single country, not in divisions. Sikhs have the whole of India.
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Feb 25, 2015 10:37am
@Tariq Amir The Sikh Empire was the last of the Indian Kingdoms to fall to the British - and that only after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The British did not dare to pick a fight with the Sikhs while Maharaja Ranjit Singh was alive. After Punjab's annexation by the British, Punjabis (Sikhs,Muslims & Hindus) served in the British Army, just like the rest of Indians and Gurkhas had done for the British before Punjab fell.
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Feb 25, 2015 11:16am
@Singh yea he didnt dare fight,but did offr punjab to british free in platter
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