SGPC seeks to meet Pakistan High Commissioner over attack on Pakistani Sikh advocate

Karachi News.Net
Thursday 17th December, 2009 (ANI)

Amritsar Dec.17 : Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) has sought an appointment from the Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi to take up the case of a Sikh advocate, who was brutally beaten and forced to convert to Islam in Pakistan recently.

A 17-member delegation led by SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar would meet the Pakistan High Commissioner in the national capital.

SGPC, in a letter to Pakistan High Commission, expressed deep concern over the issue stating that Sikh community around the world felt pained and resentful over the incident.

On November 21, Anoop Singh, an advocate, was attacked by a group of about eight to ten people in broad daylight and was brutally beaten up and left seriously injured. Fearing for his life, Anoop Singh and his family took shelter in Gurdwara Panja Sahib near Islamabad.

Dalmegh Singh, Secretary of the SGPC, said that the Pakistan police is trying to implicate Ravinder Singh, the brother of Anoop Singh in some false case. He said that according to media reports, Anoop Singh was threatened by attackers that if he did not convert to Islam, he would be killed by them.

SGPC has also requested Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to approach Pakistan Government to take a serious cognizance of the incident. By Ravinder Singh Robin

Source : www.http://www.karachinews.net/story/578708

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Indian sect members vow to marry sex workers

More than 1,000 followers of a multi-religious sect in northern India have pledged to marry female sex workers who want to escape exploitation.

Young Hindu, Muslim and Sikh men have been queuing up at the Dera Sacha Sauda (Abode of the Real Deal) in the town of Sirsa as "wedding volunteers".

They say they are doing so to stop the women from being exploited in brothels.

They also claim that their move is part of a campaign to stop the spread of the HIV/Aids virus.

The Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) is one of many religious sects operating in northern India.

Most take root by offering community services, social welfare and spiritual leadership but over time, as their followings grow, they often seek political influence.

Correspondents say that in religious terms, the DSS is hard to classify. Many experts argue that it is not, as some have said, an offshoot of Sikhism.

More than 1,200 DSS members have signed pledges to marry the sex workers following a call from DSS chief Ram Rahim Singh a little over a month ago.

Mr Singh commands a huge following of predominantly lower caste Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs across the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Two years ago his growing influence brought the DSS chief into confrontation with the mainstream Sikh clergy who claimed he had tried to imitate their beliefs.

The sectarian violence that ensued across Punjab - as well as subsequent rape and murder charges brought against Ram Rahim Singh - have cast a shadow on the affairs and functioning of the DSS ever since, observers say.

But the group's supporters believe the new campaign is to halt the spread of HIV by offering respectable options to sex workers and is part of a long list of related initiatives against drug abuse and female foeticide.

"By helping drug users and sex workers we are trying to help remove people from the highest risk situations," said Dr Aditya Insan, a senior DSS functionary.

'Delicately handled'

He estimates that 40%-50% of women working in red light districts in cities like Mumbai (Bombay) and Delhi are HIV carriers.

Mr Singh (known as Guru-ji to his supporters) proclaimed at a congregation last month that "all women forced to live as prostitutes are my daughters".

His remarks brought forth a virtual flood of eager young volunteers from his flock.

Business graduate Ashish Sachdeva, 22, is in the garments trade in the town of Sirsa. He believes that marrying a sex worker could be his chance to repay his debt to humanity and society.

"I am very well settled and it will be the greatest honour for me to respond to Guru-ji's call."

Nearly 100 young sex workers have contacted the DSS - from Calcutta's Shonagachi red light district to brothels in Delhi and Mumbai.

"This will have to be a slow and delicately handled process," Dr Insan said.

"Many women are HIV-positive. Some have young children and are understandably concerned about their future. We need to ensure these women are protected legally once they are married."

with thanks : source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8416739.stm

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Govt To Consider Adding Vasakhi To Calendar Of Annual Festivals

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 (Bernama) -- The government is to consider including the Sikh new year of Vasakhi celebrated on April 14 in its calendar of annual festivals, the Dewan Negara was told on Wednesday.

Deputy Information Communication and Culture Minister Senator Heng Seai Kie said the ministry could help promote the festival to enhance awareness among the people.

She was replying to a question from Senator Datuk Daljit Singh Dalliwal who had asked for Vasakhi to be included in the calendar.

Heng said a festival had to be dominant to be included in the calendar of festivals, and it was also dependent on the ministry's budget.

"It is the desire of the ministry to give recognition to the festivals of all ethnic groups in the country, but the country has 47 ethnic groups and if every festival is celebrated at the national level, it will involve a huge financial allocation," she said.

The ministry now focused on six festivals at the national level, which were Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Christmas, Kaamatan and Gawai Dayak, she added.

woth thanks : source : BERNAMA -- http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=462615

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Granth Sahib University to commence session March 2011

Over a year after its creation was announced, the management of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University Wednesday said the institution would start functioning from the March 2011 session.

The Sikh religious university is being set up at Fatehgarh Sahib, 60 km from here.

The decision to start the academic session of the university was taken Wednesday at a meeting of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Memorial Trust, held here under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

University vice-chancellor Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia said the construction work of the buildings of the university, which was being funded by the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), was in full swing and about 80 percent of the work has been completed. He added that the rest of the work would be completed by the end of March 2010.

The fee structure of the new university has been proposed to be nominal and lower than in the private sector institutions imparting education, Ahluwalia said.

The new university would focus on imparting education in most modern technologies such as nano-technology, bio-technology, information technology and business management besides comparative study of different religions.

The university would also house faculties of schools of emerging technologies, basic sciences, management, social sciences, arts, languages, engineering, architecture, law and social justice.

with thanks : source : http://sify.com/news/granth-sahib-university-to-commence-session-march-2011-news-education-jmqrucbjicf.html

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Sikhs removed from US Airways flight reach settlement

PTI 16 December 2009, 03:45pm IST

WASHINGTON: Three Sikh musicians, removed from a flight at the Sacramento airport in California about a year ago, have received an apology and an undisclosed amount from the US Airways under a settlement with the airlines.

Sikh organisations had termed the incident as a case of racial profiling and discrimination.

The three eminent Sikh musicians are, Davinder Singh, Gulbag Singh and Iqbal Singh - known as classical religious performers.

The incident is reported to have occurred on November 15, 2008 when they were ordered to leave the plane they had boarded at the Sacramento airport for Salt Lake City for a performance.

"However, airline employees did not provide any explanation as to why they were being removed, but they were told, through a Punjabi interpreter, that the pilot would not fly with them on board," a media release said.

"After suffering humiliation in front of other passengers, the musicians were each handed a USD 5 meal voucher and forced to delay their travel until the next day. They experienced no problems boarding the Delta flight on which they were rebooked," it said.

"To date, the airline has failed to provide any legitimate security concerns justifying the removal. The removal was apparently sparked by passengers' and crew- members' fears of the musicians' based on their ethnic and religious appearance," the United Sikh said in a statement.

with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Sikhs-removed-from-US-Airways-flight-reach-settlement/articleshow/5343701.cms

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Golf Ball .............

When things in your life seem , almost too much to handle,
When 24 Hours in a day is not enough,
Remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class
and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly,
He picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar
And proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students, if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured
them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open Areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively
filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things - family,
children, health, Friends, and Favorite passions –
Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, Your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else --The small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' He continued,
there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff,
You will never have room for the things that are important to you.

So...

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play With your children.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner.

There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.

'Take care of the golf balls first --
The things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented..

The professor smiled.
'I'm glad you asked'.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

with best wishes

SikhsIndia
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At Bhog, Darshan’s Kin Given Rs 40 Lakh

LOHA­RA­ (LUDHI­A­N­­A­): It w­as a so­­mber o­­c­c­asio­­n fo­­r th­e family­ o­­f D­arsh­an Singh­, w­h­o­­ d­ied­ in p­o­­lic­e firing su­ring th­e D­ec­ember 5 p­ro­­test by­ Sikh­ ac­tivists in Lu­d­h­iana. Bu­t befo­­re th­e Bh­o­­g fu­nc­tio­­n h­eld­ h­ere o­­n Mo­­nd­ay­ end­ed­, th­ere w­as nearly­ Rs 40 lakh­ in c­o­­mp­ensatio­­n p­aid­ to­­ th­e family­ o­­f th­e p­o­­o­­r au­to­­-ric­ksh­aw­ d­river.

Th­e mo­­ney­ c­ame in fro­­m th­e go­­vernment as w­ell as rad­ic­al Sikh­ o­­rganizatio­­ns, bo­­th­ try­ing to­­ w­o­­o­­ th­e family­ c­au­gh­t in a sensitive situ­atio­­n ah­ead­ o­­f th­e u­p­c­o­­ming SGP­C­ elec­tio­­ns.

W­h­ile th­e Sikh­ o­­rganizatio­­ns w­ant th­e family­’s su­p­p­o­­rt to­­ c­arry­ o­­n th­eir tirad­e against th­e S­AD­ go­v­ern­men­t, th­e latter­ w­ould­ like to s­ilen­ce th­e w­h­ole is­s­ue as­ ear­ly­ as­ pos­s­ib­le.

A d­ay­ after­ D­ar­s­h­an­ S­in­gh­’s­ fun­er­al, h­is­ s­on­ Gur­m­eet S­in­gh­ j­oin­ed­ th­e Pun­j­ab­ Police as­ a con­s­tab­le on­ D­ecem­b­er­ 7. Even­ as­ h­e d­id­ n­ot m­eet th­e ph­y­s­ical r­equir­em­en­ts­, th­os­e w­er­e w­aived­ b­y­ th­e D­GP in­ accor­d­an­ce w­ith­ gover­n­m­en­t or­d­er­s­ to offer­s­ h­im­ a j­ob­. H­e is­ cur­r­en­tly­ h­om­e on­ leave.

Over­ th­e pas­t few­ d­ay­s­, th­er­e h­as­ b­een­ a s­tr­eam­ of gover­n­m­en­t officials­ as­ w­ell as­ h­igh­-pr­ofile r­ad­ical S­ikh­ lead­er­s­ vis­itin­g th­e fam­ily­ h­ous­e in­ th­is­ village.

Om­ M­on­d­ay­ m­or­n­in­g, a b­atter­y­ of gover­n­m­en­t officials­ an­d­ S­AD­ lead­er­s­ vis­ited­ th­e h­ous­e ah­ead­ of th­e B­h­og cer­em­on­y­ . W­h­ile M­in­is­ter­ H­ir­a S­in­gh­ Gab­r­ia gave R­s­ 5 lakh­, th­e S­GPC h­an­d­ed­ over­ a ch­eque for­ R­s­ 5 lakh­ an­d­ pr­om­is­ed­ “an­y­ oth­er­ h­elp n­eed­ed­.”

In­ th­e after­n­oon­, S­ikh­ lead­er­s­ w­alked­ in­. Th­e UK cell of D­al Khalsa, Akan­d­ Kir­t­an­i J­at­ha an­d­ the S­ikh Fed­eratio­n­ to­g­ether co­n­trib­uted­ Rs­ 5 lakh; D­elhi Sik­h G­urd­wa­ra­ M­a­na­g­em­ent­ Co­m­m­it­t­ee presid­ent­ Pa­ra­m­jit­ Sing­h Sa­rna­ g­a­ve R­s­ 2.5 l­a­kh; Dam­­dam­­i­ T­ak­sal Rs­ 50,000; Ra­n­ji­t S­i­n­gh Da­rdri­a­n­a­ Rs­ 1 l­a­kh; a­n­d a­ F­ra­n­ce-ba­s­ed S­i­kh bo­dy ga­ve Rs­1 l­a­kh. There were a­l­s­o­ ma­n­y o­ther o­rga­n­i­z­a­ti­o­n­s­ tha­t ga­ve va­ryi­n­g a­mo­un­ts­ o­f­ mo­n­ey to­ Da­rs­ha­n­ S­i­n­gh’s­ f­a­mi­l­y.

A­ka­n­d Ki­rtn­i­ Ja­tha­ l­ea­der R.P­ S­i­n­gh decl­a­red Da­rs­ha­n­ S­i­n­gh wa­s­ a­ ma­rtyr o­f­ the S­i­kh co­mmun­i­ty. “I­, o­n­ beha­l­f­ o­f­ UK-ba­s­ed S­i­khs­, a­n­n­o­un­ce tha­t i­f­ the f­a­mi­l­y do­es­ n­o­t a­ccep­t the go­vern­men­t jo­b, a­n­d rema­i­n­s­ wi­th us­, we wi­l­l­ s­ettl­e the who­l­e f­a­mi­l­y i­n­ a­n­y f­o­rei­gn­ co­un­try o­r a­n­ywhere i­n­ I­n­di­a­ they wa­n­t. We wi­l­l­ wei­gh the f­a­mi­l­y a­ga­i­n­s­t curren­cy, but they s­ho­ul­d f­o­l­l­o­w the p­a­th Da­rs­ha­n­ S­i­n­gh to­o­k,” he s­a­i­d.

A­mo­n­g the s­p­ea­ker a­t the Bho­g ceremo­n­y were Da­mda­mi­ Ta­ks­a­l­ hea­d Ha­rn­a­m S­i­n­gh Kha­l­s­a­, f­o­rmer A­ka­l­ Ta­kht Ja­theda­rs­ Ra­n­ji­t S­i­n­gh a­n­d Ja­s­bi­r S­i­n­gh Ro­de, DS­GMC p­res­i­den­t P­a­ra­mji­t S­i­n­gh S­a­rn­a­, S­A­D (A­mri­ts­a­r) p­res­i­den­t S­i­mra­n­ji­t S­i­n­gh Ma­n­n­, Da­l­ Kha­l­s­a­ l­ea­der S­a­tn­a­m S­i­n­gh P­a­un­ta­ S­a­hi­b, S­a­n­t S­a­ma­j hea­d S­a­rba­jo­t S­i­n­gh Bedi­, a­n­d Kha­l­s­a­ A­cti­o­n­ Co­mmi­ttee co­n­ven­o­r Mo­hka­m S­i­n­gh. A­l­l­ o­f­ them co­n­demn­ed Chi­ef­ Mi­n­i­s­ter P­a­rka­s­h S­i­n­gh Ba­da­l­ a­n­d S­A­D p­res­i­den­t S­ukhbi­r S­i­n­gh Ba­da­l­ a­s­ “a­n­ti­-P­a­thi­c”.

S­O­URCE-HT

taken from : punjabnews.org

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Allahabad HC upholds life term to cop for killing 5 Sikhs in 1984

Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday upheld the life sentence awarded to a constable for killing five Sikhs at a police station in the aftermath of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination.

A division bench comprising Justice Rakesh Tiwari and Justice A K Roopanwal dismissed the appeal of Tilak Ram, who had challenged the punishment awarded to him by sessions court in Meerut on July 30, 2007. He had claimed that he was of unsound mind at the time of the incident.

Ram had opened fire on a group of Sikhs who had gathered at Badaut police station (now in Baghpat district) in the early hours of Nov 5, 1984 and had even threatened fellow police personnel when they tried to stop him from doing so.

In his appeal, Ram had pleaded that he was of unsound mind at the time of the incident and was incapable of knowing the nature of his act and hence incapable of distinguishing between right and wrong.

The court, however, dismissed his plea saying it was "not a schizophrenic act" but "an instance of Sikh killing, the like of which had happened and was happening at that time because of assassination of Indira Gandhi".

PTI

with thanks from : http://www.zeenews.com/news587706.html

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Try to save the Sikhi

Those who paid gold coins, in Mughal rules, for a sikh head, could not finish the Sikhs. But today, our kids are paying, from our own pockets for trimming the beards, for cutting hairs, for buying caps, for eating tambaku and for consuming liquor. They can not speak Punjabi. They can not recite Gurbani. Ask any trimmer and he will give a dozen explanations to prove, that, he is more than a sikh.

It's a wake up call for all of us.We can atleast try our best to save the Sikhi. We are looking for persons who can join us in this endeavour. Please add your comments, suggestions, ideas, views in the comments box below.

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Gurmat Samagam : Sri Guru Nanak Sewak Jatha

You can also upload details of Gurmat Samagam in your Gurdwara on our Sikh Blog as well sikh web portal with over one lakh hits per month. Please mail us the details, pics, posters, cards etc. for uploading without any obligation.

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