Sikh group meets Obama on anti-Sikh riots

NEW YORK: A Sikh group, campaigning for justice for the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, met US President Barack Obama, ahead of his visit to India in November.

The group met Obama in Philadelphia on Monday, according to Sikhs For Justice, a New York-based group, which has initiated a case against Transport Minister Kamal Nath in NYC for his alleged role in the riots.

"It was very brief meeting and he listened patiently and nodded affirmatively," said Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor to Sikhs for Justice, who also noted that it was an "informal meeting" that took place when Obama came for the fundraiser for Democratic Congressman Joe Sestak's campaign.

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Sikh Appointed as Presidential Advisor

WASHINGTON - Amardeep Singh, co-founder of the Sikh Coalition, was appointed to the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and given a mandate to work on civil rights issues.

Amardeep Singh of Hoboken, New Jersey, was appointed on Sept. 16 to the President's Advisory Commission for Asian American and Pacific Islanders. He was sworn-in, along with 16 other commissioners, at a ceremony on Capitol Hill on Sept. 21. Images by SikhNN.

Amardeep Singh's parents were among nearly 400 guests at the ceremony. Sapreet Kaur(right) is executive director of the Sikh Coalition. Image by SikhNN.

At the swearing-in ceremony Tuesday night on Capitol Hill, he was among the 17 new commissioners charged with finding ways for these communities to have increased access to and participation in federal programs, where they remain under served.

“Given my background, the focus of the advice that I will be giving the president and the administration is going to be on the issue of civil rights,” Amardeep said, following the ceremony. “And I’m happy to say that the commission is quite committed to addressing the issue of school bullying, …specifically the South Asian and Sikh communities. We are also going to be addressing issues of hate crimes, working with the commission to do as much as we can to prevent bias and discrimination going up to the 9/11 10-year anniversary.”

These are some of the commitments the commission has been making during the course of the last two days, since its appointment on Sept. 16.

“Our nation will be well-served by the skill and dedication these men and women bring to their new roles, President Obama said in a White House news release. “I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

The commission will work collaboratively with the White House Office of Public Engagement and designated federal agencies to increase Asian American and Pacific Islander participation in programs concerning civil rights, economic development (loans), sustainable (green) initiatives, educational opportunities and healthcare access.

“How many community members are aware that on Thursday, Sept. 23, everyone in our community who is up to 26-years-old can get on their parents’ healthcare plan?” Amardeep said, as an example. “A lot of kids in college have no idea that they have access. That law is changing and our community needs to know that.

“Our job is to advise the president on how the White House, in particular, can play a role in ensuring that the community is connected to the White House and that the White House is connected to the community,” Amardeep Singh added. “We’ll be reaching out to the community to get a sense from them on what is important for them so that we can report to the president in a way that is helpful.”

The commissioners serve the White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders, which was originally formed under President Clinton and revived by executive order in October 2009. The initiative’s goal is to improve the quality of life and opportunities for these communities by collaborating with top government agency officials and community leaders in roundtable discussions.

Mike Honda, D-California, was the keynote speaker at the commissioners’ swearing-in ceremony. He represents the 15th congressional district in northern California, which has a large Sikh population. Honda has been a stalwart supporter of the Sikh community for many years and has appeared at events hosted by several Sikh advocacy groups, including the Sikh Coalition.

Honda also is chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, which worked for several years to revive this initiative, Honda said.

When it came time to select the commissioners, Amardeep Singh, Honda’s longtime acquaintance from the Sikh Coalition, was a logical choice.

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Man sues Durham-based convenience stores over turban and beard

DURHAM, N.C. — A member of the Sikh (SEEK) religious faith says a Durham-based chain of convenience stores crossed a line by telling him to get a shave and a haircut.

Surjit Singh Saund sued M.M. Fowler Inc., which owns the Family Fare chain of stores, on Tuesday in federal court.

Saund’s lawsuit says an M.M. Fowler hiring manager told him that he couldn’t wear a turban, have long hair or a beard.

Sikh men refrain from cutting their hair or shaving. They also wear turbans as part of their religious practice.

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Dr Surjit Patar awarded the Saraswati Samman - Hindustan Times

Renowned Punjabi poet Dr Surjit Patar was on Friday awarded the prestigious Saraswati Samman for the year 2009 for his Punjabi poetry-collection Lafzan Di Dargah. Union Minister for Human Resources Development Kapil Sibal presented Patar with the 19th edition of the award, instituted by the K.K. Birla Foundation in recognition of literary eminence in any of the languages included in the schedule VIII of the Constitution of India. The award money has been increased to R7.5 lakh this year from R5 lakh earlier.

Sibal said that he believed that any civilization, which does not honour its poets and writers, can never be progressive. “In our everyday life, we ‘evade’ ourselves. We fear to express ourselves. Poetry is rare form of expression that is qualitatively different. But it is dying.”

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Dr. Gurdeep Kaur

SGPC to meet Pokhriyal for restoration of Sikh shrine

Patiala, Sep 21 (PTI) SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar will lead a delegations of Sikhs to meet Uttarakhand chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal in the first week of October for restoration of Gyan Godri Gurdwara at its original place at Har-ki-Pauri in Haridwar.

Makkar told a press conference here today that various Sikh organisations have passed a resolution that they will not raise the gurdwara at any other place in Haridwar than at its original place at Har-ki-Pauri.

The Gurdwara, set up at Har-ki-Pauri in memory of Guru Nanak Dev who visited the spot in 1504-05, was demolished during the anti Sikhs riots in 1984.

Meanwhile, Sikhs have planned to take out march from Gurdwara Rakabganj in Delhi to the site in Haridwar tomorrow to press for their demand.

with thanks : MSN NEWS : link in headline above for detailed news.

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Govt can’t find reports of three anti-Sikh riot panels

Even as the trials in 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases pick up pace in courts, the reality is that the Delhi government cannot find at least three reports of committees set up to look into the rehabilitation of victims, role of the police and actions against those guilty.

The Delhi government gave this information to the Central Information Commission while responding to a RTI application by activist Suroor Mander seeking copies of reports submitted by as many as seven commissions to address different issues relating to the riots. The applicant also sought the Action Taken Reports on the recommendations of these committees. While the Home Department first sought more time to trace the records, subsequent submissions before the CIC revealed that the department never had several documents.

Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi observed that the Delhi government had initially sent the queries to the Home Ministry, which sent it back, as “presumably” they also did not have the reports. “After that the Public Information Officer at the Delhi Home Department said he could not locate the reports, which must have been produced at a considerable cost to the exchequer. In bits and pieces, they have managed to give some reports and yet the following reports are missing completely — Marwah Commission, Dhillon Committee and Narula Committee,” the CIC noted.

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Trial against Sajjan Kumar in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case to continue: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to quash the charges of murder and other offences against senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar and said the trial will continue against him in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

A bench comprising Justices P Sathasivam and A R Dave vacated the August 13 interim order staying the trial proceedings against him before a Delhi court.

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Anti-Sikh riots: Supreme Court to give verdict on Sajjan’s appeal

The Supreme Court will pronounce its verdict tomorrow on a petition filed by senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar challenging initiation of criminal proceedings against him in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases.

A bench comprising Justices P. Sathasivam and A. R. Dave had reserved its judgement on September 13 on the appeal filed by Kumar against the Delhi High Court decision which had on July 19 refused to stay the trial against him.

The high court had then refused to quash various charges, including that of murder, against Kumar saying the delay in prosecution has apparently benefited him.

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SikhsIndia

First Sikh Actor Cast in an American Sitcom

American-born Guru Singh is the first Sikh to be cast in a situational comedy on network television. He will play the part of an Indian call-center employee in the new NBC show, Outsourced.

“This is my big break,” he said excitedly. “Vadaa-ee-aa for the Panth.” He pulled away from filming the sixth of 13 episodes for this interview.

Guru Singh has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas, which his parents thought was a sensible career track. But his long-time passion for acting did not fizzle out. He went back to college for a bachelor’s degree in acting and directing, which he received from the University of Houston. This is his first acting job although he had previously done commercials and student films.

“By chance, I got in front of the casting directors,” he said. Guru Singh has had an agent in Los Angeles for nearly three years who alerted him to this part. There were many people trying out. But he only knows of one other Sikh, a friend, Bhajneet Singh Malik, who tried out for the part. The others may have been non-Sikhs with beards and turbans, he said.

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SikhsIndia

November Declared Sikh – American Month

SACREMENTO, CA – In a historic gesture for the 250,000-strong Sikh community in California, the state assembly has passed a resolution declaring November as ‘California Sikh American Awareness and Appreciation Month.’

During the month, Sikh cultural and social events will be held to highlight their contribution to California since their arrival in the state more than a hundred years ago.

The resolution (ACR 181), which was moved by Assemblyman Dan Logue (Republican), was passed unanimously by the state assembly Sept 1.

Yuba City, considered the first Punjabi village in North America, and its surrounding Sutter County areas are home to one of the largest concentration of the descendants of the first Indian immigrants into North America in the 1870-80s.

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Sufficient evidence to prove Sajjan Kumar role in 1984 riots: CBI

CBI today pleaded before the Delhi high court that it has got sufficient evidence to prove the involvement of senior Congress leader and former MP Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which six persons were killed.

"During investigation by CBI, sufficient material establishing his involvement has come on record. He had instigated the mob, armed with deadly weapons, by making highly provocative speeches," the agency said in its affidavit filed before the court.

It filled its reply in response to Kumar's plea that the criminal proceedings against him should be quashed.

Two cases were registered against the former outer Delhi MP for his alleged involvement in anti-Sikh riots in the aftermath of the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

The apex court had earlier stayed the proceedings against him in one of the cases in which five persons were killed in Delhi Cantonment area.

With Thanks : DNA india : link in headline above for detailed news.

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