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India Today
27 minutes ago
- India Today
Demand for Sikh regiment in British Army peaks, minister says open to idea
Following calls for a dedicated Sikh regiment in the British Army, comprising members of the community in the UK, the Keir Starmer-led government has said that it's open to the idea. Earlier this month, Labour peer Lord Kuldip Singh Sahota raised the issue in the House of Lords, citing the loyalty and courage of Sikh soldiers in both World Wars, The UK Defence Journal Defence Minister Vernon Rodney Coaker expressed his willingness to discuss the matter with the Sikh in July, Sahota, in the House of Lords, asked about progress on long-standing calls for such a unit in the British responded that he was open to discussions, saying, "I am quite happy to meet him (Sahota) to see what more we can do to recognise the contribution of soldiers such as Sikhs, and those of many other faiths as well".Notably, according to The Royal Logistic Corps Association, there were 130 Sikh soldiers in the British Army and another 70 serving across defence forces in 2019. However, media reports estimate that the number of Sikh soldiers in the British Army to have risen to around 160 in Minister Coaker, in the first week of July, pointed to the Victory over Japan Day commemorations on August 15, as a moment to reflect on the global wartime sacrifices of the British forces. "Not least among that were the Sikhs of the world, who played a valiant part," the UK Defence Journal quoted him as no firm commitment was made, the conversation signals fresh momentum to acknowledge Sikh military history in the British Armed A NEW IDEA TO HAVE SIKH REGIMENT IN THE BRITISH ARMYThis isn't a new 2015, Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois told the House of Commons that General Nicholas Carter, then-Chief of the General Staff, was reviewing the feasibility of a Sikh unit, possibly a reserve Defence Minister Sir Nicholas Soames urged the government to "do away with political correctness" and establish the regiment, praising the "extraordinary gallant and distinguished service by Sikhs to this country down the generations".Francois had in 2015 noted the proposal's merits, saying it was raised by several MPs and was under consideration. The discussions emphasised carrying forward the traditions of Sikh regiments from the British Indian Army, though no action ASSOCIATED WITH BRITISH ARMY SINCE MID-19TH CENTURYSikhs have served in the British military since the 1840s, after the annexation of the Sikh Empire in British colonisers, to bolster their grip, categorised military regiments in the British Indian Army by caste, religion, and region, designating Sikhs, Gurkhas, Jats, Rajputs, Nagas, and many others as "martial races" that were suited for recruited heavily from Punjab after the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny or the First War of Independence, as the community was deemed divisive strategy prioritised military utility over the cultural depth of the Sikhs transformed this imposed label into a legacy of the late 19th century, Sikhs were a cornerstone of the British Indian Army, serving in regiments like the Sikh Regiment and Punjab per the UK Defence Journal, in World War I, over 1,00,000 Sikhs fought in France, East Africa, Mesopotamia, and Gallipoli, earning Victoria Crosses in battles like Neuve were less than 2% of British India's population but 20% of its World War II, 3,00,000 Sikhs served in North Africa, Italy, and Southeast Asia, their impact huge in combat and support roles, the journal also India's Independence, the Sikhs became a part of the Indian Army, though some still serve in the UK LEGACY CAN LINK COLONIAL TIES TO MODERN BRITAINA Sikh regiment would be similar to the Brigade of Gurkhas, which recruits from Nepal and Indian Nepali-speaking communities, linking colonial ties with today's British Army.A Sikh regiment could do the same for Britain as the Gurkha Regiment has, boosting diversity in the British 2015 push did not yield results, but Coaker's openness a decade later could signal a shift in the British Army.- Ends advertisement
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Business Standard
27 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Tharoor declines to speak on Op Sindoor, opts for ports bill debate
The Congress asked its MP Shashi Tharoor if he was interested in speaking during the Operation Sindoor debate in Parliament but he declined and instead expressed a desire to speak on 'The Indian Ports Bill, 2025', party sources said on Monday. There has been intense speculation on whether Tharoor, who led the delegation to the US among other countries, will be picked as a speaker by the Congress given that his enthusiastic endorsement of the government's action following the terror attack has soured his ties with tge party. Asked whether Tharoor was asked to speak during the debate, a senior Congress functionary told PTI, "It is a practise that senior leaders are asked whether they are interested in speaking on a major issue. Gaurav Gogoi and K Suresh had reached out to him and asked if he was interested in speaking during the debate on Operation Sindoor, to which he said he is not interested and would like to speak on the ports bill." There was no immediate response from Tharoor on the assertion by the party sources. Asked whether he would speak in Parliament on Operation Sindoor, the seasoned Lok Sabha MP had earlier quipped to the media that he is on a "maun vrat". The first week of disruption in Parliament's Monsoon session is set to give way to a fiery debate on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor from Monday afternoon as the ruling alliance and the Opposition prepare to lock horns over the two issues steeped in national security and foreign policy imperatives. The BJP-led ruling National Democratic Alliance and opposition parties are expected to field their top guns during the discussion in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Opposition parties have framed their public criticism of the government around alleged intelligence lapses behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 civilians killed, and US President Donald Trump's claims of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly attacked the government's foreign policy, claiming that India did not receive international support on Operation Sindoor and has cited Trump's frequent mediation claims to target the ruling alliance. The government has rejected Trump's claims. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Express
27 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Jay Leno on steering clear of politics on The Tonight Show: ‘Don't think anybody wants to hear lecture'
Jay Leno revisited his two-decade tenure on The Tonight Show in a candid conversation with David Trulio, President & CEO of the Reagan Foundation, explaining why he consistently avoided political humour. 'I like to think that people come to a comedy show to kind of get away from the things, the pressures of life, whatever it might be,' Leno said, adding, 'I love political humour, don't get me wrong, but what happens is people wind up cozying too much to one side or the other.' Leno was known for walking a fine line between humour and neutrality during his run from 1992 to 2009 (and again briefly from 2010 to 2014). He told Trulio that his strategy was simple: appeal to everyone. 'Why shoot for just half an audience? Why not try to get the whole?' 'I don't understand why you would alienate one particular group,' he said. 'Or just don't do it at all. I'm not saying you have to throw your support or whatever, but just do what's funny.' According to Fox News, Leno recalled receiving conflicting hate mail over the same jokes, with one viewer accusing him of siding with Republicans, and another calling him a Democratic sympathiser. 'And I go, 'Well, that's good.' That's how you get a whole audience,' he said. Leno's philosophy on comedy is simple. 'Funny is funny,' he told Trulio. 'I don't think anybody wants to hear a lecture.' He drew a contrast with the current political climate in comedy, where many late-night hosts have embraced explicit political opinions. 'Now you have to be content with half the audience because you have to give your opinion,' Leno noted. He pointed to his long friendship with fellow comedian Rodney Dangerfield as a model for apolitical comedy. 'I knew Rodney 40 years,' Leno said. 'I have no idea if he was Democrat or Republican. We never discussed, we just discussed jokes.' The interview comes just before CBS announced the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. As reported by CNN and Fox News, the network cited financial constraints, but the decision drew speculation about political motives, given Colbert's consistent criticism of Donald Trump. Weeks before the announcement, CBS and its parent company Paramount paid Trump $16 million in a settlement related to a 60 Minutes segment. Colbert had openly criticised the deal, calling it a 'big fat bribe' on-air. The show is now set to end in May 2026. (With inputs from CNN, Fox News)
