Prince Battles For Sikh Regiment In Army

[kdsingh80]

http://www.dailybestarticles.com/prince-battles-for-sikh-regiment-in-army/

Author: By Kim Sengupta

Highly controversial plans to raise a Sikh regiment within the British army has pitched the Prince of Wales into conflict with the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The MoD believes that such a force would be divisive and immensely difficult to organise, even though the proposal has the support of some past and present senior officers.

The Prince, colonel-in-chief of a number of regiments, has taken a keen interest in ethnic minority recruitment and is known to have lobbied for a separate Sikh regiment in meetings with General Sir Charles Guthrie, while he was chief of defence staff.

Leaders of Britain’s half a million Sikhs think the Royal backing significantly boosts their chances of a regiment of their own. They say such an unit will be no different from the Scots, Welsh and Irish Guards or the Gurkhas, and there will be no shortage of young recruits from a community that prides itself on its martial heritage.

Sikhs have fought for the Crown, from Flanders to Burma, as part of the old British Indian army, with a large number winning decorations for gallantry. They continue to play a central role within the Indian Army and have produced several of the country’s chiefs of staff.

Mohan Singh Gill, one of a group of former servicemen campaigning for the setting up of a regiment, said “The army has a shortfall in recruits and we have young men to fill that. We have a warrior tradition and nothing to prove if you look at our record.”

Harbinder Singh Rana, the chairman of the Maharaja Duleep Singh Sikh Centenary Trust, said “The army should do this because we have a legacy of military achievement with this country. I could give the army 280 names tomorrow.”

Outside consultants brought in by the MoD to attract ethnic recruits have also rejected the Prince’s proposals and advised against forming such an unit.

The MoD points out that a Sikh regiment will be a religious one. There are also logistical problems. There are currently only six Sikh officers and 18 other ranks out of the Army’s 105,000 personnel, which would make it impossible to form a purely Sikh officer corps.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The Prince of Wales is very interested in the matter of recruitment from ethnic minorities. He believes there should be a debate on this issue and that, of course, includes the Sikhs with their martial traditions.”

[dalsingh101]

He probably just wants to use them to get back at Muslims for 'taking liberties' with his princess.

<awaits furious response from the indignant>

[amardeep]

I hope UK will be able to gather a sikh fauj and the regiment will afterwards go to India to punish those responsible for 1984 and 2002!

[Guest zulu]

I hope UK will be able to gather a sikh fauj and the regiment will afterwards go to India to punish those responsible for 1984 and 2002!

no offense but your living in a 'kookoo land' if you think that will happen!

[kdsingh80]

I hope UK will be able to gather a sikh fauj and the regiment will afterwards go to India to punish those responsible for 1984 and 2002!

Sikh Fauj of UK will go Iraq and Afghanistan to protect the interest of UK.That fauj will not fight for sikh cause

[dalsingh101]

Sikh Fauj of UK will go Iraq and Afghanistan to protect the interest of UK.That fauj will not fight for sikh cause

That's the main reason why people are against the idea. Incase the Sikhs ever try and do anything independent. Besides, I read that the UK army now has more than enough applicants for squaddies as the recession here has pushed lots of youngsters to sign up..

[amardeep]

no offense but your living in a 'kookoo land' if you think that will happen!

Ofcourse i know this will never happen, however you always have hope

Edited April 18, 2010 by amardeep

[kdsingh80]

That's the main reason why people are against the idea. Incase the Sikhs ever try and do anything independent. Besides, I read that the UK army now has more than enough applicants for squaddies as the recession here has pushed lots of youngsters to sign up..

The recession is now almost over and with Birth rate

of around 1.5 per british woman How many recruits in Future Could British army will find.Apart from money Britishers have no motivation to join the Army when they know that there is not even remote chance of being attacked or Invasion of UK.

[dalsingh101]

The recession is now almost over and with Birth rate

of around 1.5 per british woman How many recruits in Future Could British army will find.Apart from money Britishers have no motivation to join the Army when they know that there is not even remote chance of being attacked or Invasion of UK.

The recession is in no way over KDS, not here. Working class jobs are hard to come by and competition is fierce. I don't think it is solely money that motivates them. Whenever a country goes to war, patriotism usually goes up also.

These guys also have the legacy of being one of the most successful military machines over the last few centuries. I imagine some young Brits take pride in that. I know an invasion is not likley, but there are some here who feel swamped by immigration and some serious gloomy folk predict a sort of low level balkanisation across ethnicity.

I think this has been a God send for the Brits who would have otherwise struggled to fill places in the military. Especially as the Afghan war is so unpopular.

No need for a Sikh regiment then, other than PR purposes?

[Mithar]

If Sikhs have no problem in fighting for the Indian army I don't see what is wrong with a Sikh regiment in the British Army. Although I think that like the Gurkha recruits who come from Nepal, the Sikh recruits should also come from back home in Punjab. The Punjabi born Sikhs from the rural areas have all the martial qualities of their grandfathers and would make the best of soldiers. But this proposal is looking for UK born Sikhs which is not the same.

[cul]

If Sikhs have no problem in fighting for the Indian army I don't see what is wrong with a Sikh regiment in the British Army. Although I think that like the Gurkha recruits who come from Nepal, the Sikh recruits should also come from back home in Punjab. The Punjabi born Sikhs from the rural areas have all the martial qualities of their grandfathers and would make the best of soldiers. But this proposal is looking for UK born Sikhs which is not the same.

citizens of commonwealth countries are allowed to join the british army