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UK Sikhs Win Legal Battle to Stop Meat Plant Near Gurudwara

Vegetarian Sikh's Fight Back

The Sikh community in UK has achieved a major victory by winning the legal battle to stop the construction of a meat processing plant next to their Gurdwara in Bradford city. The Sikh community and the worshippers had opposed the supermarket chain Pakeezah’s move to open a meat processing plant next to the Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara on Leeds Road. They had argued that the situation of carcasses being cut just next to the Gurudwara would be offensive to the community as a major part of them are strict vegetarians. However, the planning panel ignored their protest and gave permission to turn a car workshop in nearby Percival Street into a wholesale meat plant in August last year.

The community then approached the high court to challenge council’s decision. And, yesterday in an official statement council revealed they wouldn’t defend their decision in the court which means the deal for the store is off. The Gurdwara’s general secretary Govinder Singh Dhaliwal thanked other Bradford religious groups for their support during the legal battle and expressed his delight over council’s decision to back down from their earlier stand. He said,

“This decision will strengthen the relationships among the faith communities and their support is a good example of community cohesion. This decision by the Council strengthens our belief in the democratic political process, which has responded to public opinion”.

Council leader, Councillor David Green, said: “We have listened to the considerable concerns expressed by local people and groups about the planning application. In light of the legal advice we’ve received, we’d rather not spend any public money and have therefore decided not to oppose the judicial review“.

Man in Blue #WordsOfWisdom the way we should live and i m trying my best too.

Posted by Rupan Bal on Sunday, 1 March 2015

Painting of the 7th Sikh guru, Guru Har Ri Ji and the animal sanctuary and medicinal garden he kept in the
city of Kiratpur, just as the foot of the Himalayas. Guru Har Ri Ji is remembered in the Sikh tradition for his deep sensibility to the natural world and its preservation. Image: Meeri Peeri Khalsa.

 

Guru Har Rai Sahib established 52 gardens in his lifetime. Sikh Environment Day (14th March) is also the Gurgaddi Diwas (enthronement day) of Guru Har Rai ji, the 7th Guru of the Sikh who became Guru in 1644: he was a great humanitarian who inspired Sikhs to preserve nature and promote the well-being of animals. Original  Source

Commenting on the importance of Sikh Environment Day, Program Manager for EcoSikh Bandana Kaur notes:

In the fields of agriculture, education, communications, health and business, Sikhs are leaders with a tremendous potential to move to the head of the curve in the field of the environment, in line with our religious teachings. the natural demands of our planet will require us to restructure our lives in a more sustainable manner, which in the end will not only benefit ecology and society but help us build a more robust and innovative economy based on the protection of our natural resources.

More information on Sikh Environment Day is available from EcoSikh. A good basic overview of how the Sikh religion has traditionally viewed nature is available from: Alliance of Religions and Conservation

Sikh Leader Reminds His Followers That Protecting The Environment Is Their Moral & Religious Dutykhanda

The Economic Times reports that the Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority in Sikhism, has issued a statement to Sikhs throughout the world that preserving and restoring the environment was their “moral and religious duty“.

Akal Takht Jathedar (a title signifying an ordained leader of the Sikh clergy) Gubachan Singh said:

Wherever in the world you may be, your focus should now be on cleaning up of natural water resources rather than building gurudwaras.

The Jathedar made the announcement on the banks of the Kali Bein river in Sultanpur Lodhi, which nine years ago was severely polluted and which the Akal Takht help clean by organising and engaging the local community. Founded in the 15th century on the teachings of Guru Nanak, Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world, counting 23 million followers throughout the world, though by far the largest number are in Punjab, India.

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