SGPC teams up with UK varsity for scholarships to Sikh students

Express News Service
Posted: Saturday , Jun 27, 2009 at 0301 hrs IST

Ludhiana:
Sikh Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) has decided to institute scholarships in collaboration with University of Cambridge (UK) for needy and meritorious Sikh students for research studies leading to M.Phil or Ph.D degrees.

Addressing the press conference, Avtar Singh Makkar, president of SGPC, informed that the SGPC had received a proposal from Department of Human Resources, University of Cambridge (UK) in the month of February, 2009, regarding providing opportunities to students of Indian nationality from the Sikh community, who are of outstanding academic ability, to study at the Cambridge for programmes regarding M.Phil and Ph.d degrees.

For this purpose, Michel O’Sullivan Joseph, Director of Cambridge Commonwealth Trust, arrived yesterday to discuss modalities for creation of scholarships. Cambridge Commonwealth Trust grants about 860 scholarships to commonwealth students, who are meritorious and fullfil the eligibility for admission to Cambridge University, UK.

Makkar said Michel O’Sullivan Joseph visited important institutions of higher education of SGPC yesterday accompanied by Director Education SGPC. Michel O’Sullivan Joseph held a meeting with Makker in which the Director, Education, and principals of the colleges of SGPC and Agya Paul Singh from Ludhiana participated. It was decided in principal to institute scholarships for needy and meritorious Sikh students to study at Cambridge (UK) for their M-Phill and Ph.D degrees.

Makkar said the amount of scholarships will be shared as 50% each between the SGPC and Cambridge Commonwealth Trust. Scholarships will be granted through SGPC-Cambridge University Education Foundation, which will have members from India and abroad.

with thanks : source : http://www.indianexpress.com/news/SGPC-teams-up-with-UK-varsity-for-scholarships-to-Sikh-students/481960

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Sikh personalities : Sd. Jatinder singh Shunty

SikhsIndia
26th June, 2009

Shaheed Bhagat Singh Seva Dal is a Government Registered social and national voluntary organization founded with the view to serve mankind. Free Cremation to helpless and unclaimed bodies along with Immersion of ashes, Blood donation, Free Ambulance, Free Hearse, Free medicine for T.B. patients, Free Artificial Limbs and Rickshaws for Handicapped ,and a lot more, is being done by this organization.

Jatinder Singh 'Shunty’ is the man behind East Delhi’s biggest social service organization. He say’s, “I request all the men and women, young and old to come forward to implement various programs of the organization vigorously. New suggestions and ideas are welcome. Those who are interested to see the organization working more efficiently can enlighten us with their thoughts, intentions and schemes.” He adds, “We welcome public participation in the country's unity and integrity, to become active member of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Seva Dal and thereby, volunteer in the human service of our great mother india.”

The achievements of this institution are being uploaded with the appeal to cooperate in this noble and national cause and for further progress of this institution having the aim of services to the mankind following the foot prints of mother Teressa and Bhagat Pooram Singh Ji.

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Delegation from the Interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of Religion & Worldview, K.U.Leuven, Belgium

SikhsIndia
25th June, 2009

A delegation from the Interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of Religion & Worldview, K.U.Leuven, Belgium is to visit India in the month of August, 2009 to Study the Indian Religions. Prof. Bert Broeckert, from the Department of Theology from Katholieke University, Leuven, Belgium is coming to India as a part of their University's Summer Course Programme on Indian Religion.( along with a group of 34 European students who are 20+21 years of age & two other senior Ph.D Students: Miss Goedele Baeke & Mr.Joris Gielen).

Dr. Gurdeep Kaur, a reader in the University of Delhi ( PH.D with title of Thesis , The Concept of State in Sikhism with Special Reference to Guru Granth Sahib) has arranged the visit to Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib. DSGMC President Sd. Param jit singh Sarna as well Sd. Tarjeet singh Nagi, Member DSGMC have arranged the stay at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib for three days as asked.

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Frequent strikes force Sikhs to leave Nepal

Kathmandu, June 24: The frequent strikes across Nepal have not only crippled daily life, but have badly hit the business of Sikh community forcing majority of its members to emigrate to India.

For the Sikh community living in Birgunj, a southern Nepalese town bordering India, the frequent strike and shut down have even crippled their livelihood.

The Sikhs, who came from India decades back and now engaged in transport business, are suffering the most and many have already left the country, The Kathmandu Post reported.

Gurudwara Guru Nanak Satsang, a religious organisation of the Sikh community in Birgunj revealed that more than 90 per cent of the Sikh families in the city have already left for India to find safe place to continue their business.

"There were 452 Sikh families in Birgunj until six years back. Now only 29 families remain," Nanak Singh, chief of the organisation, was quoted as saying by the paper.

There are almost 200 days shut downs and strikes, local and national ones, either in hill areas, Terai or Kathmandu in a year these days, forcing many people to quit their business.

Nanak Singh said Sikhs from other parts of the country are folding up their businesses as well.

Bureau Report
with thanks : source : http://www.zeenews.com/news541828.html
with thanks Map from : http://geography.about.com/library/cia/blcnepal.htm


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Sikhs are hardcore poor, too

Sikhs are hardcore poor, too
By : Jaspal Singh


IPOH: One in every 20 Sikhs living in Perak is a hardcore poor, according to Sikh community leaders.

This information so astounded Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir that he has decided to include the eradication of hardcore poverty among Sikhs in his administration's action plan.

Speaking to the New Straits Times here yesterday after meeting the Union of Perak Sikh Organisations (Upso) at his office, he said the data on hardcore poor within the community took him by surprise.

"Like many others, my worldview of the Sikhs has been that they don't have severe socio-economic problems like other communities.

"But, after listening to Sikh leaders talking about the level of hardcore poverty in the community, I must say that it did shock me."

He said the state government viewed the issue of hardcore poverty seriously.

The community's hardcore poor numbers around 1,500, constituting about 400 families or 5 per cent of the total 28,000 Sikhs in the state.

Leaders of Upso, an umbrella body representing seven Sikh non-governmental organisations, met Zambry to highlight various problems faced by the state's Sikh community.

The group also highlighted the need for state government intervention to help with issues involving single mothers, language and education.

Zambry also pledged to look into land problems faced by several gurdwara sahib.

The dialogue with Zambry yesterday was arranged by his Chinese affairs adviser Datuk Chang Ko Youn, who is also Gerakan deputy president.

Zambry, who spent almost two hours listening to Sikh leaders, also agreed to the setting up of a Sikh advisory body so that it would be easier for the community to bring up its problems directly with the state government.

"I encourage the Sikhs in the state to unite behind one organisation or body so that it will be easy to deal with the state government and vice-versa. I think the board proposal is good one and ought to be studied and implemented."

In the meantime, he said Upso could act as an intermediary between the community and the state government.

with thanks : source : http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Tuesday/National/2589596/Article/index_html

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Sikh matrimonial - free service to the community

www.sohnijodi.com has started its "Sikh Matrimonial - free service to the community" , for the benefit of Sikh community all over the world.You have to send a mail to SOHNIJODI with your profile with or without a pic, and it will be uploaded free of cost on the Sikh web portal www.sohnijodi.com. The portal which covers Sikh news, views, pics, vids, and a lot more about sikhism, received 8,641 visitors with 83,574 hits in the month of June, 2009. Sohnijodi is not a match maker. It's just giving a wide coverage of your profile to the visitors of its portal.You can chat at Yahoo ID sohnijodi in this regard.

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Invitation to American Sikhs to join the police force

The Yuba City Police Department has given a confirmation to the SALDEF (Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund) to join the police forces.

They have issued the confirmation saying they have always respected the Sikh identity and would continue to do so in the future. According to current Yuba City Police Chief Robert D. Landon, "Our policy has not changed and we continue to respect the customs of the Sikh faith"

Earlier on January 23, 2007, Richard Doscher, former Yuba City Police Chief had written to SALDEF, ”We have no policy which precludes an employee of the Sikh faith from wearing a turban or beard (or possession of a kirpan) during their employment with us.”

SALDEF has expressed its gratefulness to the Yuba City Police Department and Chief Landon for providing equal job opportunities for Sikh Americans willing to join as law enforcement officers. It also hopes other Police departments will also adopt a similar policy.

Meanwhile, Richmond, CA Police Department has also welcomed Sikh Americans to join the police forces.

Richmond Police Department’s Chief Chris Magnus confirmed that, “The Richmond Police Department welcomes applications from members of the Sikh community for the position of police officer as well as other jobs within the Police Department. We recognize and take pride in serving a diverse community which we are aware includes a significant number of Sikhs.

“Our department continually looks for applicants who represent the diversity of the community and we appreciate the value they bring to our agency. Any employee who is of the Sikh faith would not be prohibited from wearing a turban or having a beard. We encourage anyone who would like information about employment opportunities with the Richmond Police Department to contact us."

with thanks : source : http://www.emgonline.co.uk/news.php?news=5845

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Akal Academy Baru Sahib student dies in Himachal

Parents of Himachal student cry foul over his suicide
June 23rd, 2009 - 10:57 pm ICT by IANS

Shimla, June 23 (IANS) Parents of a Class 10 student of a prestigious residential school in Himachal Pradesh, who allegedly committed suicide Sunday, are suspecting a foul play behind their son’s death, police said Tuesday.
Karam Singh, 16, of Akal Academy at Baru Sahib in Sirmaur district, died after he was found hanging in the school toilet. He belonged to Kharar town in Punjab.

“The parents of the victim are suspecting foul play into the death of their child. They are demanding a probe into the incident,” Deputy Superintendent of Police Vinod Dhiman told IANS.

“We have received a complaint lodged by the child’s father, Mehar Singh. We are awaiting the autopsy report, which was conducted in Kharar Tuesday,” he said.

However, Kaka Bir Singh, a trustee of the academy, ruled out any foul play in the death of the student.

“The school staff noticed the body of Karam Singh hanging in the school hostel toilet around 2 p.m. Sunday. They took the boy to a nearby hospital, from where he was referred to the Chandigarh’s PGI hospital. The boy died on the way to hospital,” said the trustee.

The boy had joined the school in Class 2.

More than 1,000 students, mostly children of Sikhs settled in foreign countries, are studying in the Himachal Pradesh school, which is up to Class 12. It was established in 1987.

with thanks : source : IANS & thaindian.com

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Add Sikh personalities from your area

Sat sri Akal,

Do you know about any Sikh personality from your area. A sikh personality with some achievements in any field. Please mail us alongwith pics for uploading on our Sikh blog / sikh web portal.

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MasterCard appoints Citi's Ajay Banga as president and COO

MasterCard appoints Citi's Ajay Banga as president and COO
21 Jun 2009, 0418 hrs IST, PTI

NEW YORK: Global payment firm MasterCard has roped in Citigroup's Ajay Banga as its new president and chief operating officer (COO), while
indicating that the Indian banker could be its next CEO in about a year.

Banga, currently Citi's Asia-Pacific CEO, will get an annual salary of $800,000 besides other benefits at MasterCard, while he has also been given a sign-in bonus of $4.2 million. As per his contract, Banga's upfront payments would remain intact even if he leaves the company after not being offered the position of CEO at MasterCard by June 30, 2010.

However, he would have to forefeit part of his package if he resigns under different circumstances, or cases like termination of his employment by the company. Banga would join MasterCard on August 31 and would report to Robert W Selander, CEO, MasterCard said in a statement.

with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Business/International-Business/MasterCard-appoints-Citis-Ajay-Banga-as-president-and-COO-/articleshow/4682348.cms

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Sikh Personalities : Dr.Gurdeep Kaur - Academic Profile

SikhsIndia
21st June, 2009

Dr. Gurdeep Kaur is an Associate Professor,(reader), in the Department of Political Science, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College,University of Delhi, Dev Nagar,Delhi. She has done her PH.D from Dept. of Political Science, Univ. of Delhi, with title of Thesis , The Concept of State in Sikhism with Special Reference to Guru Granth Sahib. Currently She is Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Theology, Katholieke University,Leuven, Belgium.

She already has three popular books to her credit. Out of which two books on Sikhism are Political Ideas of the Sikh Gurus and Political Ethics of Guru Granth Sahib.

Her Recent Publications/Papers/Conferences include : 'State in Sikhism’; 'Khalsa, political Implications', with Sunita Puri in Encyclopedia of Hinduism 1999, Univ. of South Carolina;, 'Contribution of Sanskrit to Sikh Scripture; The Nature of Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Kingdom; Relevance of Sikh Scriptures in the present context', presented at World Punjabi Conference,United Kingdom, London, 'Environment and Sikhism' , ‘Welfare State Perspective in Sikhism’ In XIXth IPSA ,World Congress, Durban, South Africa, 'Women in Sikhism’, ; Ethics in Religious Scriptures & its Contemporary Relevance 'presented at International Conf. 'Parliament of the World Religions', Barcelona, Spain.

She also Participated as Delegate in the ‘9th World Punjabi Conference’ at Lahore Pakistan, January30-February 1,2004. In August 09,she is going to Limerick, Ireland to present a paper on Sikhism & Ecological Balance in the International Conf. on Interdisciplinary Theological Perspective on Ecology & Economy.

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Mastuana temple to effect structural changes: Akal Takht

Mastuana temple to effect structural changes: Akal Takht
21 Jun 2009, 0511 hrs IST, Yudhvir Rana, TNN

AMRITSAR: Coming down heavily on the management of Mastuana gurdwara for reportedly planning a replica of the venerated Golden Temple, Sikh religious bodies and intellectuals who gathered under the aegis of Akal Takht on Saturday called for demolition of domes, doing away with a pond and changing the structure's name of Sri Guru Singh Sabha.

Unleashing the broadside at a meeting convened by him at Teja Singh Samundari Hall, Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, while talking to the media later, said, "My statement is to be treated as hukamnama. The congregation of Sikh religious bodies has decided that the gurdwara'a sarovar be filled with earth, Har Ki Pauri and four domes be demolished and its name changed."

Appearing unforgiving towards Baba Baldev Singh Suharaewala for hurting religious sentiments of Sikhs with a Golden Temple look-alike, formerly known as Gurdwara Sach Khand, Angitha Sahib, the jathedar added, "He will be summoned to Akal Takht for submitting a clarification."

The changes will reportedly be effected under the supervision of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee engineers to rule out any likening whatsoever to Harmandar Sahib.

The meeting which lasted for nearly two-and-a-half hours was attended by representatives of 55 different Sikh religious bodies, including Nighang organizations, SGPC president and office bearers and former central minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa. In fact, some radical Sikh groups like Dal Khalsa even demanded the pulling down of the complete gurdwara.

Incidentally, jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh left the meeting in between, expressing his resentment over the presence of jathedar of Takht Patna Sahib Giani Iqbal Singh.

with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chandigarh/Mastuana-temple-to-effect-structural-changes-Akal-Takht/articleshow/4682432.cms

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Protesters rush B.C. Sikh temple

Hundreds of people crowded at Abbotsford, B.C., temple Thursday evening to protest a performance by a controversial high priest.

Baba Mann Singh Pehowa, a priest who has faced allegations of rape in India, was supposed to sing at the Kalghidar Sikh temple, but he never made it to the microphone.Hundreds of protesters rushed the temple.

Police officers were on scene working to control the crowd.Pehowa waited inside the temple, and was eventually given a police escort out of Abbotsford.

In addition to being accused of rape in India, it is also alleged he has committed blasphemous acts in the Sikh religion, such as having people bow down to him.

Pehowa has faced similar protests during visits to Australia and the United States.

with thanks : source : http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/06/18/bc-abbotsford-temple-protest.html

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Independent Rajya Sabha Sikh MP Tarlochan Singh, the former chairman of National Commission for Minorities in India

Shastar Vidya camp finished at Delhi

SikhsIndia
18th June, 2009

Jathedar Gurcharan Singh ji, popularly known as Gatka Master or Ustad ji, organised a Gatka camp of 30 days, at Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Krishna Nagar, Delhi. A good number of boys & girls including small kids of 3 years participated in the camp. On the last day of the camp i.e. today, all the participants played gatka in front of a massive gathering. Viewing small kids playing Gatka was a pleasent surprise for one & all. Jathedar Gurcharan Singh ji is a Member of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee as well Chairman of Guru Harkrishan Public school, Hargobind enclave, Delhi.

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Sikh Jatha returns from Pakistan after observing 403rd Martyrs Day

By Ravinder Singh Robin

Attari (Punjab), June 17 - ANI: After observing 403rd Martyrs Day of Guru Arjan Dev, the 5th master of the Sikhs, the Sikh Jatha (group) of nearly 200 devotees returned at Attari railway station from Pakistan on Wednesday through a special train.

The group, during its 10 days stay in Pakistan, visited Nankana sahib, Sacha Sauda, Rohri sahib, Punja Sahib and Gurdara Dera sahib in Lahore.

A few members of the group had an opportunity to visit Gurdara Kartarpur sahib situated in Narowal district of Pakistan Punjab.

The main function was held at Gurdwara Dera Sahib where nearly 5000 devotees from all over the world assembled to observe the Martyrdom Day of their 5th master.

Devotees returning from Pakistan opined that the Government of Pakistan should give country-wide visa so that they could have visited other Gurdwaras in Pakistan.

There are more nearly 172 historical Sikh shrines in Pakistan but Pakistan grants specific visa to visit only 5 of them.

The devotees demanded that the Heads of the Governments of India and Pakistan should take these issues on their top agendas and facilitate the pilgrimages.

Every year thousands of devotees from India visit Pakistan to pay obeisance to their holy shrines.

Sikhs considered Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev the first Sikh master, as their Mecca.

The devotees have been demanding a corridor to visit Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, which is situate in Pakistan nearly 2.5 kilometres from Dera Baba Nanak, which is on the Indian side. - ANI

with thanks : source : http://www.littleabout.com/news/18814,sikh-jatha-returns-pakistan-observing-403rd-martyrs-day.html

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Legendry Sikh artist Dya Singh is an icon of the Australian music scene

Dya Singh is an icon of the Australian music scene and has quietly gained a phenomenal 'standing' worldwide as a 'world music' artist in the last 15 or so years. Dya Singh is one of the many Indian artists that MAV supports and promotes through our mission to foster cultural diversity and respect through the promotion, enhancement and celebration of multicultural arts in Australia. His 'world music' and 'Sikh spiritual' music group has travelled to USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Kenya, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand and throughout Australia since its formation in 1994. He is now based in Melbourne

Dya Singh has extraordinary musical talent and knowledge and he has enormous skills that he has contributed to the musical sector in Australia both musically and culturally. He is a highly valued artistic individual benefiting not only the Sikh community, but the wider Australian community with his knowledge and capabilities in music. He believes music is a way to bring communities together and create understanding.

These are the excerpts from Article " Legendry Sikh artist Dya Singh is an icon of the Australian music scene".

You can read the complete News / Article at : http://www.emgonline.co.uk/news.php?news=5709

With thanks : Source : As above

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SIKHSINDIA
16th June, 2009
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Jewish community honours Sikh philanthropist

Jewish community honours Sikh philanthropist
By ANDY LEVY-AJZENKOPF, Staff Reporter
Thursday, 18 June 2009

TORONTO — The Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy (CIJA) and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto last week honoured Sarabjit S. “Sabi” Marwah with the 2009 Words & Deeds Leadership Award.

The award is presented to community “leaders whose contribution to humanitarian causes, tolerance and inclusion in Canadian society has been outstanding,” according to CIJA and UJA Federation.

Marwah – vice-chair and chief operating officer of Scotiabank – was fêted at a gala dinner at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in downtown Toronto by more than 700 guests, including numerous dignitaries, politicians and Jewish and Sikh community leaders. He was recognized for his ongoing philanthropic efforts with United Way Toronto, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and his previous service on the Board of Canadian Council of Christians and Jews.

In his acceptance speech, Marwah thanked the Jewish community for the award and said Jews and Sikhs share many commonalities.

“The fact that I, a Sikh, am being honoured tonight by the Jewish community is a striking illustration of our common humanity,” he said.

“I recently learned of a Jewish proverb that says ‘do not be wise in words, be wise in deeds,’ which is what this award is all about,” he added. “It is also reminiscent of a Sikh tenet which [states], ‘Being good is a virtue; but doing good is a greater virtue.’”

with thanks : source : http://www.cjnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17119&Itemid=86

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Outrage over Golden Temple replica in Punjab

Outrage over Golden Temple replica in Punjab
15 Jun 2009, 1126 hrs IST, IANS

SANGRUR, PUNJAB: The Sikh leadership in Punjab is furious over attempts by a sect to replicate the design and structure of their holiest shrine -
the Golden Temple or Harmandar Sahib at Amritsar.

Reminiscent of the huge row after the Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh had sought to imitate the tenth Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, by wearing look-alike robes in April 2007, the private shrine in Punjab's Sangrur district, 170 km from Chandigarh, seems to have upset everyone -- from common devotees to the apex Sikh clergy and the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC).

While an indignant SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar has ordered the management of the Gurudwara Sachkhand Angeetha Sahib at Mastuana to halt further construction on the structure, the head priest of the Akal Takht (the highest temporal seat of Sikhism), Giani Gurbachan Singh has declared it "sacrilegious".

"No one will be allowed to make a replica of Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple)," the Akal Takht head said.

A probe panel sent by the SGPC to Sangrur recorded video evidence and said in its report that the sect was trying to replicate Sikhism's holiest shrine. The panel reported "a blatant attempt to copy the design of Harmandar Sahib".

The roots of the controversy go back 40 years ago.

The shrine, owned by the cash-rich Mastuana Dera headed by Sant Sadhu Singh, has been under construction since 1967. It had provoked similar controversy when its outer shape became apparent in the early 1990s and the then Akal Takht Jathedar had issued a Hukumnama (religious edict) barring its completion till key structural changes were made.

The Mastuana sect comprises of Sikh followers, mostly from the lower-strata of society. Its main influence is limited to a part of south-west Punjab's agricultural belt of Malwa.

Recent attempts to restart work on the incomplete shrine have provoked angry objections.

SGPC chief Makkar has summoned a meeting (Sarbat Khalsa) of important Sikh leaders and religious organisations at Amritsar on June 20 to decide on the fate of the Mastuana Gurudwara. He said any attempt to replicate the sacred Harmandar Sahib built by the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan dev himself, "would not be tolerated".

The Mastuana shrine management has submitted a written apology to the Akal Takht but its fate will be known Saturday.

"The issue, including specific directions on necessary structural alterations will only be issued after the June 20 meeting," a SGPC spokesman said.

The issue is expected to raise further acrimony amidst demands that the controversial Golden Temple replica be pulled down completely. SGPC chief Makkar has said he wants to "settle the matter once and for all".

With thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Outrage-over-Golden-Temple-replica/articleshow/4657572.cms

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