SGPC voter forms have caste column

JALANDHAR: A few days after SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar exhorted Sikhs not to mention their caste during the census as the same was against Sikh ideology, it has come to light that voter forms published for SGPC elections have a column for specifying whether a person belongs to any scheduled caste.

Meanwhile, conditions prescribed in the forms for voters are being termed incomplete by Sikh leaders, who are holding that some crucial lacunae have been left out, which could be exploited by vested interests who do not completely follow the definition of a “Sikh” as mentioned in Sikh Rehat Maryada.

The voter form published by the Gurdwara Election Commission says at the end that a voter from scheduled castes should specifically mention whether he is an SC as prescribed by Article 341 of the Constitution.

“This is against Sikh principles and is not required at all,” said Manjit Singh Calcutta, former secretary general of SGPC, who has written to chief commissioner, gurdwara elections, seeking clarifications on these issues. “Any enumeration on the basis of caste is taboo in the Sikh panth. The rights of the weaker and backward sections of society are completely protected in the Sikh Gurdwara Act by provision of reserved seats. Any enumeration of votes on the basis of Manu’s caste system is anathema in the Sikh religion,” he said, demanding withdrawal of voter forms that were violative of Sikh ideology.

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM THE LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With thanks : source : Times of India

SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com
www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

Cossie club votes to keep ban on turbans

A Cosmopolitan Club embroiled in controversy after barring a turban-wearing community leader from its premises has voted not to change its entry rules about headwear.

The Manurewa Cosmopolitan Club's annual general meeting yesterday voted to keep the club's headwear policy - which bans entry to all people with headgear, including those wearing it for religious reasons.

The Herald understands from club members at the meeting that the rules were relaxed to allow headgear that is worn for "health reasons", such as a bandage or a bandanna used by a cancer patient.

Club manager Patricia Rangi did not want to comment yesterday, but said through a spokesman that the club would issue a statement today.

The Manurewa Cosmopolitan Club, in Manukau City, faced strong criticism from the Sikh community last year after it banned leader Karnail Singh from entering to attend a function held in his honour.

The matter was taken to the Human Rights Commission in January, and the parties agreed at mediation that, depending on the outcome of yesterday's meeting, the issue could go back to the commission.

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM THE LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With thanks : source : NZHERALD

SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com
www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

Shabad Kirtan (Asaa Bhi Othe Janha)

Pak Sikhs demand visa-free travel to India

Patiala (Punjab), Jun 11 (PTI) Sikh families from Pakistan today appealed to the Indian government to facilitate a visa-free travel to India for pilgrimage and higher studies for their wards.

A 136-member contingent of Sikhs from Peshawar is on a pilgrimage to India which today visited Gurdwara Dukhniwarn Sahib here.

"We want a visa-free zone between India and Pakistan that will facilitate normal visits to India. It will also help build more confidence between the two countries," Leader of the group, Wazir Singh told PTI.

"We got visas after five months for the current visit.

Detailed news can be viewed from the link in headline above.

with thanks : source : PTI

SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com
www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

Murdered Indian woman and daughter in New Zealand farewelled in same coffin

Murdered 32-year-old Indian woman Ravneet Sangha and her 18-month-old daughter Anna were farewelled cradling each other in the same coffin at Pyes Pa Crematorium chapel in Tauranga, New Zealand, on Friday.

More than 500 people attended the funeral, and were overwhelmed with grief at their premature deaths.

Ravneet was found dead in a house in Otumoetai, a Tauranga suburb, on Sunday evening, while Anna's body was found on Tuesday afternoon- almost 20 hours later - as it had been concealed in the house.

The family of Dev Sangha, Ravneet's husband and Anna's father, said that he was inconsolable at the service.

Dev had been holidaying in India when he was informed about her death and, initially, the disappearance of their daughter Anna.

Politicians, taxi drivers and workers from the local orchards joined members of the Sikh community to support Dev.

Detailed news can be viewed from the link in headline above.

with thanks : source : Sify

SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com
www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

SGPC displays rare historic treasure in Golden Temple

Amritsar, June 11 (ANI): The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) displayed rare items dating back to the fifteenth to eighteenth century inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple to mark the Guru Gaddi Nashini of Guru Hargobind, the sixth spiritual master of the Sikhs.Thousands of devotees thronged the Golden Temple to have a glimpse of these rare invaluable historical items.All the valuable articles belonging to the Golden Temple were kept for display in the “Toshakhana” (treasury) on the first floor of ‘Darshani Deori’ (entrance gate to golden temple).

The display of rare items, called as Jlau, has its own pristine grandeur. ‘JLAU’ literally means a rare glitter that fazes the eyes on its first sight. The Toshakhana is attached by four golden doors. One door has artistic work of flowers, while the remaining three depict different aspects from the lives of the Great Sikh Gurus.

The doors were presented by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.It was said each gold door was made at a cost Rs.3000.

There is one Canopy of gold weighing twenty pounds. On top of the canopy, a peacock having its neck made of pure Sapphire in a single piece is sitting. According to the estimates of a jeweller, only this piece of Sapphire costs sround four million rupees.The stone is without any blemish. In the eyes of peacock there are diamonds. Overall, this canopy is studded with 3600 diamond stones and 101 big pearls. Just under it, there is a diamonds headband with strings of pearls. Jewelers of Lahore prepared this headband on the occasion of marriage of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s first son Naunihal Singh.

Impressed by its art and the beauty, Maharaja presented this band as offerings to Golden Temple. Its cost came around Rs nine lakhs at that time.

Apart from this, there is one sword of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Its hilt is of pure gold studded with pearls and emeralds. The showcase lying in the Toshakhana is displaying five spades having silver handles and gold blades.

In 1973, the Punjab and Sind Bank presented the temple with one golden spade and five silver bowls. At that time Sant Kundan Singh from Jagron presented the temple with one silver spade, one sword with silver hilt and Sikh emblem of gold with silver stand.

According to SGPC, there are five necklaces, one small Canopy and one ring with a Sapphire in middle and eight diamonds around, which were presented by Princess Bamba granddaughter of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, daughter of PrinceDaleep Singh.

Besides, there are also jewels in the Toshakhana from the house of General Dhana Singh Malwai, a General in the army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.In the early nineties, an American Sikh, who came here to pay obeisance presented a pearl necklace of three strings and three diamonds.

Detailed news can be viewed from the link in headline above.

with thanks : source : ANI & ThaIndian

SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com
www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

After Hindus, divorce could get hassle-free for Sikhs too

NEW DELHI: With amendments on the anvil to make divorce easier for Hindus, a similar move may be underway for Sikhs.

The Cabinet on Thursday cleared amendments to the Hindu Marriage Act and the Special Marriage Act, allowing the provision of ‘‘irretrievable breakdown of marriage’’ to be included as ground for divorce.

Sources said a similar provision could be added to the draft Sikh Marriage Act that is currently under consideration with the law ministry.

At present, Sikhs are governed by the Anand Marriage Act of 1909 which the draft bill seeks to replace. The demand for a separate marriage Act stems from the need to register marriages solemnised under their religious ceremony Anand Karaj.

It is learnt that sports minister M S Gill intervened in the discussion on Hindu Marriage Act to say that similar provision for “irretrievable breakdown of marriage” should be made for Sikhs, adding that Anand Marriage Act was 50 years older. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said it would require a separate proposal.

Gill said the community had pursued former law minister H R Bharadwaj with the demand but to no result. Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee Paramjit Singh Sarna said the committee was in favour of a separate law to govern Sikh marriages.

‘‘We have separate set of Sikh rituals and we would like to be registered under the Sikh Marriage Act rather than the Hindu Marriage Act as we have to do now. It is a matter of our identity and a legal recognition to Anand Karaj,” Sarna said.

Detailed news can be viewed from the link in headline above.

With thanks : source : Economic Times

SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com
www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

Sd. Bhupinder Singh Kohli - Navi Mumbai

SAMAJ SHAKTI AWARD 2010 FOR SOCIAL SERVICE Pics of the Award Ceremony of Sd. Bhupinder singh Kohli from Navi Mumbai. Earlier the vid was also uploaded.

Our heartiest congratulations to Dear Mr Kohli on this achievement.

B S Vohra
SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com
www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

Tohra's wife gets cabinet rank

Chandigarh, June 9 (PTI) Punjab government today decided to grant cabinet rank to iconic Sikh leader and former SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra's wife Joginder Kaur Tohra.

Detailed news can be viewed from the link in headline above.

With thanks : source : PTI News

SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com
www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

400 Sikhs pilgrims arrive for Jor Mela

LAHORE: Over 400 Sikh yatris arrived at 3:45 pm yesterday to attend the 404th death anniversary of Guru Arjun Dev Jee at Gurdwara Dera Sahib to be held on June 15.

The yatris left for a three-day visit to Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasanabdal after they were warmly welcomed by officials of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Perbandhak Committee (PSGPC).

Talking to The Express Tribune, the ETPB spokesperson Aamir Hashmi assured that the Sikh pilgrims would be provided with the best facilities during their 10-day stay in the country.

Meanwhile, other members of Gurdwara Parbhanhak committee emphasised the need to take confidence building measures.

Talking to The Express Tribune, PSGPC member Sardar Ragbeer, welcoming the yatris, said, “India and Pakistan should resume talk on bilateral relations.” This would ease the visa obtaining process for so many Sikhs interested in annual pilgrims to Pakistan, he added.

The yatris are scheduled to leave Hassanabdal for another religious visit to Gurdwara Jana Asthan in Nankana Sahib on June 11. They will return to Lahore on June 14 to attend the festivities at Gurdwara Dera Sahib scheduled for June 16.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2010.

SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com
www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

‘Khanda’ On Underwear – US Firm Calls back Design

LU­D­HI­A­NA­: A leadi­ng clot­hi­ng r­et­ai­ler­ oper­at­i­ng f­r­om­­ t­he US has deci­ded t­o wi­t­hdr­aw i­t­s desi­gns car­r­yi­ng t­he ob­j­ect­i­onab­le use of­ t­he Kbanda reli­gi­o­­us i­nsi­gni­a and an i­mage o­­f­ t­he Si­kh guru o­­n i­t­s p­ro­­duc­t­s, i­nc­ludi­ng underw­ear and t­ho­­ng c­o­­llec­t­i­o­­n.

F­o­­llo­­w­i­ng an o­­ut­rage i­n t­he Sik­h­ co­mmu­n­ity settl­ed i­n the US, C­afe­Pr­e­ss, a­n­ o­n­lin­e­ re­ta­il cha­in­ tha­t imp­o­rts­ fro­m P­un­ja­b­ a­n­d K­e­ra­la­-ba­s­e­d g­a­rme­n­t ma­n­ufa­cture­rs­, s­a­id its­ p­ro­ducts­ did n­o­t ca­rry­ “a­n­y­ ma­licio­us­ in­te­n­t” a­n­d o­ffe­re­d a­n­ a­p­o­lo­g­y­ “fo­r a­n­y­ o­ffe­n­ce­ its­ p­ro­ducts­ ha­d ca­us­e­d” to­ the­ co­mmun­ity­.

A­ Ludhia­n­a­-ba­s­e­d re­p­re­s­e­n­ta­tive­ o­f the­ re­ta­il cha­in­ s­a­id tha­t be­in­g­ o­n­lin­e­ clo­thin­g­ re­ta­ile­r, the­ cha­in­ a­llo­ws­ third p­a­rtie­s­ fro­m a­ro­un­d the­ wo­rld to­ cre­a­te­ the­ir o­wn­ de­s­ig­n­s­ a­n­d ho­s­t the­m o­n­ the­ir we­bs­ite­. “The­ is­s­ue­ ha­s­ be­e­n­ bro­ug­ht in­to­ o­ur n­o­tice­ a­n­d the­ de­s­ig­n­s­ withdra­wn­. It ha­s­ be­e­n­ cla­rifie­d tha­t the­ cha­in­ wo­uld us­e­ g­re­a­te­r ca­utio­n­ a­n­d s­tricte­r me­a­s­ure­s­ in­ mo­n­ito­rin­g­ co­n­­ te­n­t o­n­ its­ we­bs­ite­,” the­ re­p­re­s­e­n­ta­tive­ s­a­id.

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM THE LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With thanks : source : HT

SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com
www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com