Hardliners divided over holding 'Sarbat Khalsa'

In a bid to project united front, a section of hardliners today urged the organisers of the 'Sarbat Khalsa' (congregation of Sikhs) to convene it at Akal Takht on November 30 and build a consensus on its agenda so as to make it a grand success. 

Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema (SAD Panch Pardani), Satnam Singh Paonta Sahib (Dal Khalsa), R P Singh of Akand Kirtani Jatha, Paramjit Singh of Sikh Youth of Punjab, and Gurpreet Singh of Gurdwara Kendri Singh Sabha today met the organizers of the event-- Simranjit Singh Mann, Mohkam Singh and Gurdeep Singh Bhatinda. 

with thanks : Business Standard : LINK : for detailed news report.

Harjit Sajjan: Canada's new Minister of National Defence

The 44-year-old was born in Punjab, India and immigrated to Canada with his family in the mid-70s, where they settled in Vancouver. The city has always been home to Sajjan, at least when he wasn’t defending Canada oversees in Bosnia or Afghanistan with the Canadian Army.

During his time in service, Sajjan deployed four times, three to Afghanistan, where he ultimately became the first Sikh person to command a Canadian regiment. That wasn’t his only honour while serving; Sajjan is a decorated soldier with 13 medals including the Order of Military Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal.

Locally, he worked as an officer in the Vancouver Police Department for 11 years in South Vancouver and served as Detective in the Gang Crime Unit. After being elected on October 19,Sajan told Vancity Buzz his main concern in Ottawa was going to be youth.

with thanks : vancitybuzz : LINK : for detailed report.

Another sacrilege in Punjab

Torn pages of Guru Granth Sahib found at a village in Moga district

Incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib continue unabated in Punjab with torn pages of the holy book being found on Wednesday at three different places in a village in this district, triggering tension in the area.

The pages were found in Malke village and the authorities assured the agitated locals that the guilty would be arrested soon.

Protesters demanded that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal should visit the spot and assess the situation himself.

Senior administration and police officials rushed to the spot as tensions rose, with villagers gathering in large numbers.

The situation is under control and police has taken the pages of holy book into its custody, DIG Amar Singh Chahal said. A team of forensic experts collected evidence from the spot.

The DIG assured the villagers that those behind the crime will be arrested soon and will be dealt sternly.

News with thanks from : TheHindu : LINK : for detailed news report.

"My Name is Parampal Singh ,Not 'OSAMA' " : Parampal Singh

           Sikh man addressed as Osama by a restaurant employee in US.

This has not happened for the first time, in fact it is one among the many incidents where the Sikh community faced harassment and discrimination

In a shocking incident, a Sikh man was called "Osama" when he visited a fast food restaurant called Nathan in Aberdeen Maryland in the United States of America. 

Parampal Singh Ghai stopped at the restaurant along with his father to grab some snacks after a family birthday celebration in Virginia, while waiting after ordering his food he realized that the cashier had not asked his name.

When he saw employees calling out the names of other customers as and when their orders were ready, he checked the receipt and was not only appalled but felt humiliated as well. 

The receipt mentioned his name as Osama, when he confronted the cashier all he got in reply was a smirk. Parampal decided to return his food when he saw the other employee and customers laughing at him. The Sikh man might take a legal action against the outlet and the matter is taken up by the Sikh Coalition too.

This has not happened for the first time, in fact it is one among the many incidents where the Sikh community faced harassment and discrimination.

In September 2015, few days before the 9/11 anniversary, the Sikh community received another shocking reminder that the prejudice against them still prevailed in the US. Seen as a hate crime, an elderly Sikh-American man was injured and addressed as a 'terrorist' and 'Bin Laden' in Chicago.

After the 9/11 attack, Sikhs were often identified as terrorists due to their beards and turban. They have often faced discrimination and been the victims of a prejudicial mindset post 9/11 as racial profiling was at an all time high. 

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/sikh-man-addressed-as-osama-by-a-restaurant-employee-in-us/1/514822.html?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=referral

Jokes Hurting Religious Sentiments of Sikhs should be banned : DSGMC

New Delhi / 2 November 2015 -Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) today took a tough stand against the jokes hurting religious sentiments of Sikhs.DSGMC President Manjit Singh G.K. and General Secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa while addressing media alongwith Senior Advocate of Supreme Court of India Harvinder Kaur Chaudhary, demanded to formulate strong laws to prohibit jokes which hurt Sikh sentiments.

G.K. alleged that it was in the decade of 1980s due to faulty policies of Congress party led government of those days Sikhs were seen as terrorists and they were targeted with jokes which hurt their religious sentiments.According to him, “Satwant Singh and Beant Singh who were charged with killing of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi were named Santa and Banta respectively to hurt the Sikh sentiments”, adding that a number of websites who are doing business in the name of Sikh jokes are doing a business of crores of rupees every year”, said G.K.  

Referring to a meeting of Congress party president with the President of India on the issue of the atmosphere of uncertainty in the country, G.K. asked her to also take up the issue of immunity given to the perpetrators of 1984 Sikh genocide and making fun of Sikhs, by the Congress party. DSGMC president also raised questions on the BJP role in delay in justice to Sikhs.

Speaking on Jokes of clock striking 12 for the Sikhs, G.K. said that history speaks valor and courage of Sikhs when looters used to loot India and also take along girls, forcibly from here, Sikhs used to fight with the looters to rescue the girls and also safely send them back to their homes. “Some people are spreading hatred by making jokes, instead they should go back into the rich historic background of Sikhs,” suggested G.K.  

Sirsa demanded that the websites which are spreading Sikhs jokes should banned so that Sikhs who are in a small minority in country should not be targeted. Supporting Harvinder Kaur Chaudhary, Sirsa said that all political parties are exploiting minorities. “Writers these days are returning their awards but where were they when Sikhs were mercilessly killed in 1984 genocide,” questioned SIrsa.

Speaking on the occasion Chaudhary said that due to jokes on Sikhs, the entire community was being projected in poor light and it adversely impacts their perception also. She advocated that Sikh jokes are impairing the rights of religious freedom given to Sikhs in the Constitution of India, so tough laws be framed and have a provision for tough punishment and penalty for offenders. 

With Thanks : Media DSGMC

The UK's First National Sikh Memorial

Unveiling of the Sikh Memorial at the National Arboretum,Staffordshire ,UK

Unveiling of the Sikh Memorial to the sacrifices made by Sikh soldiers in the World Wars took place at the National Arboretum,Staffordshire on 1st November 2015  . 

It was attended by many dignitaries and members 7 high officials of the armed forces (serving and retired members) . As well as  Professor Gurinder Singh Mann, Bhai Mohinder Singh, Peter Virdee  &  Royal British Legion Riders also grace the occasion with their presence.

 Few Pics courtesy to  Prof.Gurinder Singh Mann

Link :https://www.facebook.com/sikhmuseum.org.uk/?hc_location=ufi

DSGMC Honored Senior Lawyer Bibi Harvinder Kaur Chaudhary who filed PIL in Supreme Court against "derogatory" jokes directed at the Sikh community.

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The Supreme Court on Friday ( 30th October 2015 ) agreed to hear a petition asking for direction to ban nearly five thousand websites displaying jokes on the Sikh community. Petitioner Harvinder Chowdhury in her  Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has requested the court to issue an order banning all websites which spread jokes portraying the 'sardar' community as 'persons of low intellect, stupid and foolish'.

Such a complaint has come up for the first time in Delhi - that too before the Supreme Court. Earlier, Sikh groups have on several occasions gone to the police, especially in Mumbai, seeking ban on such jokes.

The issue was first successfully raised in March 2007, when on a complaint filed by a Sikh businessman Mohinder Nanksingh Kakar, Mumbai-based publisher Ranjit Parande was arrested for publishing a book on Santa and Banta, that allegedly carried "derogatory" jokes directed at the Sikh community.

Link :http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/not-a-joke-supreme-court-agrees-to-hear-pil-seeking-ban-on-sardar-jokes/1/511068.html

DSGMC President lashed on Congress,Kejriwal and Modi Governments :Demands Justice for 1984 Sikh Genocide Victims

New Delhi / 1 November 2015:

In his address on the occasion of Ardaas performed on conclusion of Shri Akhand Path in the memory of the innocent Sikhs killed in the 1984 genocide the President of Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) Manjit Singh G.K. today lashed on congress governments from time to time in Government of India, present Government in Delhi led by Arvind Kejriwal and the Government of India led by Narendra Modi.

G.K. said that Sikhs have a glorious history and have laid their lives for the nation but in return of their loyalty and strength they have received mistrust from different political parties of the country.“In the War of Independence 90 percent of them who laid their lives were Sikhs and in the war with the neighbouring countries Sikhs fought with velour and attained martyrdom. Sikhs now don’t want compensations they want justice”, said G.K.

G.K. also said that Sikhs had a great hope from the Bhartiya Janta party (BJP) which is leading Government of India but in this government also the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Delhi police which is investigating the cases of Sikh genocide of 1984 are favoring the perpetrators of the genocide. “CBI is intentionally weakening investigations in the cases of genocide”, reiterated G.K.

The President of DSGMC also said that the scale of looting, killings, rapes, properties set on fire, and sacrilege of Shri Guru Granth Sahib was so mammoth that 15000 FIRs should have been registered but in reality only 587 FIRs were written, out of which 247 FIRs were closed just without any investigation. Whatever action was taken was after the recommendations of about ten commissions and inquiries committees set up form time to time to investigate genocide.  

G.K. said that Sikhs have no hopes from Arvind Kejriwal and he was only trying to take the credit of the compensation announced by the Government of India which was proved when Kejriwal distributed cheques of compensation in Tilak Vihar area today, and G.K. termed it as an act of playing petty politics. He dared Delhi CM to check his actions.

The President of DSGMC also lashed on Kejriwal for not providing staff and premises to work for the SIT constituted by Government of India for past 8 months to investigate the genocide of 1984. “To give Justice of the bruised Sikh community, the Kejriwal government should make adequate arrangements and facilities to make SIT functional,” demanded G.K.

Raising questions on the contribution of Delhi government in the compensation given genocide victims today, Manjit Singh G.K. asked the Delhi government to make efforts at its level to rehabilitate Sikhs who were rendered homeless in the Genocide.

The DSGMC President also raised the issue that the way CBI was filing closure reports of the cases related to the genocide in congress party regime, currently also it is working on the same pattern which is very shameful.

With Thanks : Media DSGMC

Dirty politics behind Punjab turmoil: Arvind Kejriwal

For the unrest in Punjab over the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has blamed “dirty politics” and sought action against those responsible for the October 14 police firing that killed two Sikh protesters at Behbal Kalan in this district.
As the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that fancies winning the 2017 assembly elections in the state, he went to Faridkot’s Sarawan and Niamiwala villages on Saturday to meet the families of police firing victims Gurjeet Singh (25) and Krishan Bhagwan Singh (45). All four MPs of the AAP are from Punjab, of which two were suspended recently for “anti-party activities”.
‘Pained by desecration’
Taking the Punjab government on, Kejriwal said it should have been prompt in reacting to the desecration incidents but let the public anger rage. Expressing pain over the tearing of copies of the Sikh holy book, he said it had hurt everyone and disturbed him personally.
Demanding strict action against the officials who ordered firing on peaceful protesters in Faridkot, Kejriwal also called for a fair inquiry to justify the Punjab government’s theory of a foreign hand in the first-reported desecration incident at Bargari in Faridkot district, adding that the official investigation, as of now, had many gaps. “If the Punjab government wants, it can catch the actual culprits within 24 hours and punish them, since it has all the agencies it takes,” Kejriwal said.
Reacting to the demand for people’s commission that religious preachers have raised to look into the Bargari incident, Kejriwal said it was the state’s responsibility to inquire. Appealing for peace and harmony in Punjab, he said big injustice had been done to the families of the firing victims and the AAP was with them.
Addressing the media at Sarawan village of police firing victim Gurjeet Singh, Kejriwal said Punjab was burning and the state government need to do something quickly. “Delay in catching the real culprits will intensify public anger,” he said. Party’s Punjab affair’s in-charge Sanjay Singh, Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann, Faridkot MP Sadhu Singh, senior leader HS Phoolka, and Punjab convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur accompanied him.
‘Don’t frame innocents’
The families of the two brothers accused of sacrilege were also present at Sarawan when Kejriwal said that no innocent should be implicated, unless the government wanted to risk more unrest. Gurjeet’s family asked Kejriwal to lead its fight for justice. “Even if the protesting mob swells to lakhs, firing is not justified. After cane charge, tear gas and warnings, if the situation still demands it, firing should be at the feet. To shoot directly into the crowd is condemnable,” said the AAP convener.
Kejriwal claimed Gurjeet’s family must have the copy of the first-information report (FIR) against the police officials who had ordered firing. “The family also has the right to record its statement. The cops who killed two innocent men deserve to be punished,” he added. Sarban Singh, maternal grandfather of Gurjeet Singh, said police had declined the family’s repeated requests for the FIR. “My grandson went out to serve langar (food prepared in common kitchen) at the protest, and within 45 minutes, was brought back dead,” he said. On October 21, the government had ordered an FIR against police for opening fire.
  http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/dirty-politics-behind-punjab-turmoil-arvind-kejriwal/story-H7NXvfipQtfawmL9PjjQmJ.html

Gurbachan Singh: We are higher than Panj Piyares – Sikh house in chaos

They can’t take such decisions, says Makkar; we’re supreme, asserts Akal Takht jathedar

Amritsar, Punjab: Plunging the Sikh ‘panth’ into a deeper crisis over pardon to Sirsa dera head, defiant Panj Pyaras asked the five Sikh jathedars to step down for hurting the religious sentiments of the Sikh community by taking decisions that were in violation of the ‘maryada’ (tenets) and status of the Akal Takht — the supreme temporal authority of Sikhism.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) was quick to term their decree as illegal, saying the suspended Panj Pyaras have no “legal right” to issue any such order.
Before seeking the resignation of the jathedars, the Panj Pyaras waited for them from 10.20 am to 11.55 am at the Akal Takht in the Golden Temple complex here. When nobody turned up, the Panj Pyaras issued a ‘gurmatta’ (religious decree), asking the jathedars to resign.
“A number of decisions taken in the recent past were against the norms that govern the Akal Takht,” said the ‘gurmatta.’
The ‘gurmatta’ also directed the SGPC executive to secure the resignation of the jathedars. If they fail to quit on their own, the executive should terminate their services, it added.
The Panj Pyaras had summoned the jathedars, including Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, for their role in granting pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a blasphemy case.
The Panj Pyaras, dressed in their traditional white flowing robes, waited for jathedars on the first floor of the Akal Takht building. When they failed to appear, the five held consultations among themselves and thereafter drafted the ‘gurmatta’.
“You have violated Sikh tenets by failing to appear in person before us. Neither did you send any message or gave us a written clarification, which clearly shows your intentions of having little or no regard for the religious codes that govern our institutions”, stated the handwritten ‘gurmatta’.

Link :http://sikhsangat.org/2015/gurbachan-singh-we-are-higher-than-panj-piyares-sikh-house-in-chaos/