Canadian NRI, (Retd) Lt-Col Pritam
Singh Jauhal introduced Turban at the Royal Canadian Legion
Vancouver, Dec. 24, 2007
Harkirat Singh/ LA Gary Singh
Few weeks back, General Harbhajan Singh from Chandigarh, introduced
us NRI, Lt-Col Pritam Singh Jauhal (Retd) who settled in Surrey,
BC, Canada who fought of his pagri, symbolic of his honour and
religion, like a warrior. He refused to bow to those horrible
racist Candian guys at the Royal Canadian Legion branch of Newton
who wanted him to take off his turban and forced the Legion to
change their condemnable attitude towards turbaned Sikh. He is
one of those officers who knows how to get what he wants - especially
respect.
As a member of the Royal Canadian Legion 6 Cloverdale B C, in
recognition of his service during the Second World War, was among
40 other Canadians mostly Caucasians who received a Veterans Badges
during a specially arranged colorful Ceremony held at the Crescent
Legion 240 Surrey, B C on July 09, 2005. The Badges was presented
by Mrs Leslie Maudsley, President of Ladies Auxiliary Legion,
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.
On behalf of Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II, the Government
of United Kingdom, Ministry of Defence has decided to issue beautifully
designed Veterans Badges to all Second World war Veterans who
fought in the war as a part of the Commonwealth Forces. In Canada,
these Badges are issued to eligible Second World War Veterans
through the Royal Canadian Legion, on receipt from London, England.
Full Story
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Veteran Fights For Honour
And Religion
By Reeta Sharma of Chandigarh Tribune in Vancouver
The 73-year-old war Veteran Pritam Singh Jauhal would put many
lazybones to shame. Once offended and humiliated, he fought the
battle of his pagri, symbolic of his honour and religion, like
a warrior. There is not a weapon in his arsenal which he did not
put to use. “I had to restore the honour of my pag”
he says, looking back.
Lt-Col Pritam Singh Jauhal (Retd) was not allowed to enter the
Newton Legion Branch, a wing of the Royal Canadian Legion, while
a celebration of the Remembrance Day parade was on. The Legion
had specially invited Indo-Canadian veterans of World War I and
II through proper Newspapers. Lt Col Jauhal, like a disciplined
army man, visited the Newton Legion Branch on November 8,1993,
three days before the parade, to seek details of dress to be worn
on the day of the celebrations. Despite clearance of a formal
jacket and “pagri” he along with four other Sikhs,
was stopped at the gate. As per Legion’s rules entering
the lounge with a head-dress was strictly prohibited. What Lt
Col Jauhal fought was not against these rules but the fact that
for a Sikh a pagri was not a mere head-dress.
This remarkably active war veteran displayed perseverance and
an iron will to fight for honour of his pagri in a most methodical
and meticulous manner. Lt Col, Jauhal fought in World War II along
with Canadians in Africa in the Eighth British Army under the
famous Field Marshal Montgomery from August 1940 to December,
1942. He later represented his own country, India at the International
Commission for Supervision and Control in Vietnam in 1961. He
also served in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) as a Commandant.
He retired as a Lieut-Colonel after close to 40 years of meritorious
service, earning as many as 13 medals.
The Remembrance Day Parade was led by Arni Bayless, pipes band,
the veterans, scouts brass band and the Scouts themselves. “
We were ordered on 73 Avenue to form up for ceremonies which included
speeches, offering of prayers for the dead , traditional laying
of wreaths, sounding of the Last Post and Reveille and observance
of two minutes silence.” We could not control our tear in
the service of the dead..”, Lt Col Jauhal said.
“It was the first time that non-Canadians were participating
in the parade. Everything was moving fine till we reached the
Newton Legion Building Gate. I was asked to remove my pagri to
enter the Lounge. How could I? I tried to reason out, to make
them understand the significance and symbol of a pagri of a Sikh.
But they refused to allow me in. Four other Sikhs too were prohibited
from entering the Lounge. The Newton Legion President, Mr Frank
Underwood, was called to the gate. He too refused to budge. All
my logic of being invited guest fell on deaf ears.
“Then I took him aside with a couple of other members of
the Legion. I made all-out efforts to make them understand the
pagri was not a mere head-dress. For a Sikh it was a part of his
religion’s direction. That he never removes it from his
head even when dead and is cremated along with it. I told him
that when I met the first President of India Dr Rajendra Prasad,
in 1951 and the President of Vietnam, Dr Ho Chi Minh in 1961,
I appeared with my turban on my head.”
“Sikhs fought all wars, including World War I and II with
turbans on their heads. They never wore helmets. That in Pre-Independent
India, British and non-Sikh Commissioned Officers had to take
off their hats to enter the combined Officers Messes, whereas
Sikhs were permitted entry with turbans on their heads. Even in
Buckingham Palace of England, Sikhs were allowed to appear before
the King and the Queen with their turbans to receive Victoria
Crosses, the highest award for valour and utmost bravery. Even
while saluting a dead body Sikhs in uniform are permitted to wear
their turbans because we believe it as a gesture of respect for
the dead.”
“There is no occasion as per our religion when a Sikh is
supposed to remove his turban. Even in Canada all the twelve Municipal
Police Forces in British Columbia Sikhs have been permitted to
wear their turban. But unfortunately all my pleas fell on deaf
ears. Many members of the Newton Legion tried to persuade the
authorities to let the Guests in. They even demanded change in
the rules but the President refused point-blank. As a result Ms
Penny Priddy MLA of constituency walked out of the Lounge in protest
against the treatment meted out to invited veteran Sikhs. She
was scheduled to make a speech on the occasion. Along with her
Councellor Bruce Ralston too walked out of the ceremony. This
inevitably brought the national media on the scene.”
The issue was picked up and became a national debate. Lt Col
Jauhal was interviewed on various TVs at least fourteen times
and invited to speak on ten talk-shows. While the national media
(TV, newspapers, radios) gave the issue a constructive, logical
and appropriate angle, the ageless warrior fought the battle of
the pagri in many other fronts. He wrote letters giving all details
of the incident and symbol of the pagri to all conceivable related
authorities. All the M Ps of Canada, all organizations dealing
with religious discrimination, all Canadian authorities relevant
in law making and even to the Queen of England, There are about
100 branches of Royal Canadian Legion which all received Lt Col
Jauhal’s letter giving his point of view.
As a result of public pressure, the Executive Council of the
Royal Canadian Legion called an Emergency Meeting and unanimously
approved a national policy concerning the wearing of religious
head-dress of Sikhs and Jews “ is not to be considered to
constitute head-dress in the traditional sense.”
This had an immediate effect on Newton Legion President, Mr Frank
Underwood. He read out as apology to all affected World War Veteran
Sikhs on B C T V on December 1, 1993, saying, “On behalf
of the Executive Committee of our Legion, I apologize to all concerned
War Veterans for any embarrassment and inconvenience caused by
the application of long-standing rules on November 11, 1993”
.
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