Seriously...

The Turban Bus Dispute


Listen Later

Journalist and author Sathnam Sanghera returns to his home town of Wolverhampton where a battle raged over the right to wear the turban on the buses in Enoch Powell's constituency at the time he made his Rivers of Blood speech.

In 1967 Sikh bus driver Tarsem Singh Sandhu returns from his holidays wearing a turban and a beard, both against the uniform regulations. The Wolverhampton Transport Committee insists rules are rules and there will be no exceptions, so Mr Sandhu enlists the help of a Punjabi political party, the Akali Dal, who employ radical tactics. They bus in Sikhs from around the UK for the biggest march in Wolverhampton since the war, and one of their leaders, Sohan Singh Jolly, announces that he will set himself on fire if their demands are not met.

Right in the middle of the dispute, Enoch Powell makes his infamous Rivers of Blood speech, specifically citing the Sikh campaign as a dangerous example of communalism, where religious or ethnic groups seek special rights that threaten the very fabric of society.

Sathnam Sanghera discovers the real story behind the dispute with surprising revelations that shed light on the history of race relations in the UK.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Seriously...By BBC Radio 4

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

257 ratings


More shows like Seriously...

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,589 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,051 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,470 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,801 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,880 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,766 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,043 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,118 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,090 Listeners

Comedy of the Week by BBC Radio 4

Comedy of the Week

489 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

1,990 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

479 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

591 Listeners

Profile by BBC Radio 4

Profile

106 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

44 Listeners

Thinking Allowed by BBC Radio 4

Thinking Allowed

297 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

851 Listeners

All in the Mind by BBC Radio 4

All in the Mind

67 Listeners

Private Passions by BBC Radio 3

Private Passions

46 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,184 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,015 Listeners

Life Changing by BBC Radio 4

Life Changing

103 Listeners

This Cultural Life by BBC Radio 4

This Cultural Life

81 Listeners

When It Hits the Fan by BBC Radio 4

When It Hits the Fan

49 Listeners

Young Again by BBC Radio 4

Young Again

45 Listeners