Sikh group asks US lawmakers to stop racial profiling

Washington, Jun 18 (PTI) American Sikh community leaders have complained US lawmakers that they were experiencing racial profiling, mostly during travel, after 9/11 and the trend has increased of late.

"It's not fair. It's not safe," complained Amarjeet Singh, programme director of advocacy group Sikh Coalition, in his testimony before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Asking them to intervene to end their ordeal, the Sikh leaders have urged the US lawmakers to take immediate steps to end this profiling.

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

With thanks : source : PTI News

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Gold walls for Bangla Sahib Gurdwara ?

New Delhi, India: If all goes according to the plan, the main prayer hall of the historic Bangla Sahib Gurdwara in the Capital will soon shine with yellow metal.

Around 125 kg of gold, costing nearly Rs 23.75 crore (as per the current market rate) will be required for the ambitious project.

The gold will be crafted in form of fixed-sized plates, which would be finally joined together and will adorn the walls of the religious place that is very close to Delhi’s commercial hub, Connaught Place.

The first lot of 30 kg of gold was handed over by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) to Baba Harbans Singh – who has launched a kar seva (voluntary service) to make the project a reality – on Friday.

DSGMC chief Paramjit Singh Sarna says the work will be completed in around 18 months and will be done in phases to ensure that devotees are not put to any discomfort.

The gold plates will be fixed at a height of six feet from the ground to prevent any damage to them. The entire inside portion of the main hall would be covered by gold. The outer portion of the dome of the gurdwara is already gold-plated.

The move has, however, sparked off a debate, with critics saying that the money required for the project could have been spent on education of community children and other welfare works.

“It is a sheer waste of resources that can be used to uplift the condition of riot victims,” said Jarnail Singh, author of the now famous book on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots “I Accuse..”.

Sarna’s rival in politics and the head of the Delhi unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Manjit Singh GK, says the wise move would have been to educate the community kids with the donation. But Sarna is unfazed. Lashing out at Manjit, he said: “He is jealous of the good work done by us for the Sikh community.” Cost, says Sarna, is not an issue.

Some portion of the gold has been donated by managing bodies of various schools runs by the DSGMC in Delhi.

The community members are making donations, he added.

In the past, the DSGMC had gifted a golden “palki” to Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan which is currently sitting in a store house.

With thanks : sikhsangat

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New Zealand Sikhs challenge club's turban ban

IANS

Wellington: The Sikh Council of New Zealand announced on Thursday it would take legal action against an Auckland club that will not admit turban-wearing Sikhs to its premises because it bans all forms of headwear.

The Manurewa Cosmopolitan Club voted to confirm the "no hats" policy on Sunday six months after prominent local Sikh Karnail Singh was refused entry to a function in his honour because of his turban.

The club premises had been hired for a private function to honour his work as a volunteer visitor to the elderly, a town ambassador and community gardener.

After Sunday's vote, one club member told the New Zealand Herald, "Many felt that once you change the rules to let in people who wear turbans, then the next thing is that we will also have to let people who wear hoodies and balaclavas into the premises."

The Sikh Council's secretary Verpal Singh said it would seek legal assistance from the Human Rights Commission for a court ruling that the ban infringed on the Human Rights Act.

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with thanks : source : IBN Live

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Vegetables injected with chemicals to increase size

Ferozepur, Punjab: The residents of the border district, who have witnessed destruction and uprooting time and again due to flooding of the Sutlej and Indo-Pak wars, face a challenge to their lives once again and this time it is from chemically infested vegetables.

Consumption of such vegetables, which are being grown in various parts of the district, has made the residents’ lives worse.

The menace connected with the injection of various chemicals into vegetables, which cause deformities and cancer in human beings, came to light in a number of villages of the district where the growers have been injecting Oxytocin into vegetables and fruits to get more yield and bigger size.

KK Yadav, Deputy Commissioner, ordered a probe after coming to know about this problem. He said he had asked the district health authorities to inquire into the matter. “We have been injecting chemicals in the plants during the growth of vegetables so that vegetables and fruits could give a fresh and attractive look to the customers,” said Taranjeet Singh (name changed), a vegetable grower, on condition of anonymity and not disclosing the name of his village.

“People want to buy fresh-looking vegetables, hence we use this method as we find it expensive to use fertilisers to increase the fertility of soil,” said Mokham Singh, another vegetable grower.

These growers have also been using other harmful chemicals apart from Oxytocin. The packets of some of the chemicals, which were being used by them, did not carry any wrapper on which the brand name or details of contents were written.

with thanks : sikhsangat.org

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Gatka camp at Krishna nagar, Delhi - pics 1

Gatka camp at Krishna nagar, Delhi - pics 2

Gatka camp at Krishna nagar, Delhi - pics 3

Gatka camp at Krishna nagar, Delhi - pics 4

405th martyrdom day of Sikh Guru Shri Arjun Dev ji being observed today

The 405th martyrdom day of the fifth Sikh Guru, Shri Arjun Dev ji is being observed today with great devotion. It was on this day in 1606 AD that the Guru ji was tortured to death at Lahore in Pakistan during the reign of Mugal Emperor Jahangir.

The contributions of Shri Guru Arjun Dev ji included the reediting and compilation of the present Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji and the construction of the holiest of the holy places, Shri Harminder Sahib ji in Amritsar.

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Flung my shoe to protest PC’s remarks: Jarnail

CHENNAI: Jarnail Singh, the scribe who flung his shoe at Union Home Minister P Chidambaram for his remarks on anti-Sikh riots was welcomed like a hero by the Sikh community here on Sunday.

Jarnail released his book I Accuse on anti-Sikh riots.

Admirers of Jarnail from the Sikh community, who gathered in large numbers for a signed copy of the book reflected similar anguish and dissatisfaction over justice being delayed in anti-Sikh riots.

“This is what my shoe throwing act has done to me”, says Jarnail, pointing to the crowd waiting to talk to him. “The younger generations of Sikh community are getting aware of the injustice that had been meted out to their ancestors. I have been able to keep the demand for justice alive with my act. I am proud of its output. Only regret is that I lost my position as a journalist”, he said in a chat with Express after the book release.

“My act was only a symbol of anguish and protest as an individual against delayed justice by the State. It was not a personal attack on Chidambaram,” says the journalist-turned-author. “Though Chidambaram is a sensible leader who minces no words, he failed to respect the sentiments of the Sikh community at the press meet. Even while an entire community was denied justice for more than two decades, Chidambaram was expressing joy over the clean chit given to Congress leader Jagdish Tytler,” he recalled his act.

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With thanks : source : expressbuzz

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Pak Rangers to protect 300 Indian Sikhs

Paramilitary Pakistan Rangers have been deployed to protect about 300 Indian Sikhs who will participate in the Jore Mela at Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore.

The Indian Sikhs, who arrived in Pakistan over the past few days, have travelled to Gurdawa Punja Sahib at Hasanabdal near Rawalpindi.

They will reach Lahore on Monday to take part in the three-day festival.

"Keeping in view the law and order situation, we have deployed Pakistan Rangers and police for the security of the visiting yatris," Syed Asif Hashmi, chairman of the Evacuee Trust Property Board that organises such pilgrimages, told PTI.

After the recent attack on the minority Ahmedi community in Lahore that left 95 people dead, the government has beefed up security at all places of worship of minority communities.

"We have not only taken measures for the security of Sikh and Hindu pilgrims from abroad but also enhanced security for locals," Hashmi said.

No leniency could be afforded in this matter, he said.

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

with thanks : source : Hindustan Times

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