I send my best wishes to everyone in India, Britain and around the world celebrating Vaisakhi.
I know this is an incredibly important time for the Sikh community as families and friendscome together to commemorate the birth of the Khalsa and give thanks. From Southall toSunderland, from Ottawa to Amritsar, Sikhs around the world will be marking Vaisakhi withvibrant parades and celebrations with homes, Gurdwaras and entire neighbourhoods burstinginto life with decorations and colour.
Vaisakhi also gives us a chance to celebrate the immense contribution of British Sikhs, whohave enriched our country for over 160 years. Whether it is in the fields of enterprise orbusiness, education, public service or civil society, Britain’s Sikhs are a success story and modelcommunity.
And I see this contribution every day, all around. Like at the magnificent Gurdwara SahibLeamington, where I saw for myself the values of Sikhism – of compassion, peace and equality– in practice. And across the country I see how Sikh and Asian businessmen and women areboosting the economy by creating jobs and opportunities. But this contribution is not just arecent thing it goes back many, many years and was never more starkly demonstrated than 100years ago during the First World War.
Just last month we commemorated the Indian soldiers, many of whom were Sikh, who foughtbravely alongside the Allies in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in Northern France. I pay tribute tothose men who travelled far from home and who fought and died with their comrades in thefight for freedom. We will never let their sacrifice be forgotten.
So at this important time, let us commemorate the birth of a great religion, let us give thanksfor everything the Sikh community does for Britain and let us celebrate the successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith democracy country that we are.
So wherever you are, I wish you all a very happy and peaceful Vaisakhi.