Delhi HC asks Centre to decide on ‘blacklisted’ 169 Sikhs

The Delhi High Court today directed the Centre to take a decision on the plea of Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management (DSGM) to allow the entry of 169 Sikhs who were blacklisted and barred from entering India during the days of Khalistani extremism. 

A division Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Sanjiv Khanna directed the Home Secretary to take a decision in eight weeks and disposed of a PIL for review of the list. 

Filing its petition through senior advocate K T S Tulsi, the DSGM pleaded the list of 169 Sikhs should be reviewed as it has led to "unnecessary harassment" to various individuals at different airports and embassies across the world due to non-renewal of their passports by Indian government. 

Appearing before the Bench, Tulsi apprised it of a recent case involving Mayor of Slough (UK) Joginder Singh Bal who had been sent back from Delhi airport on the ground that his name figured in the blacklist. 

with thanks : Indian Express : link above for detailed news.

SikhsIndia

Swiss gurdwara donor drug dealer?

AMRITSAR: Activities in the only gurdwara with classical Sikh architecture in Switzerland have come to a standstill with the police of the European country booking the main donor for allegedly indulging in drug- trafficking and money laundering.

The Sikh NRI Ranjit Singh Masuta on Wednesday blamed the Swiss police for allegedly implicating him in false cases and causing him huge financial losses, due to which, he was not in a position to support the activities in the gurdwara built on land donated by him.

Sikh Foundation of Switzerland that manages the Gurdwara Sahib and a representative body of Sikhs there have decided to defend Masuta in the 2005 case, in which he was later given a clean chit, foundation chairman Karan Singh said on Wednesday. The foundation hired two lawyers to contest the case and called a meeting of Sikhs of Europe to muster support for the donor. 

 

with thanks : Times of India : link above for detailed news.

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SGPC, DSGMC on war path again

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) are once again at loggerheads; this time over a word in the form for registering new Sikh voters for the next SGPC elections. 

DSGMC office-bearers have blamed SGPC for playing with basic Sikh tenets by interpreting the word ‘patit’ (disqualified Sikh) as one who indulges in ‘dhumarpaan’ (smoking), contrary to Sikh Gurdwara Act-1925 that uses the word to mean ‘use of tobacco’. 

Former SGPC Secretary, Manjit Singh Calcutta, a close confidant of DSGMC chief Paramjit Singh Sarna, said SGPC has ignored the major discrepancy. “The SGPC has resorted to an anti-Panthic and anti-religious act by allowing changes by Gurdwara Election Commission — using the word ‘dhumarpaan’ instead of ‘using tobacco’. This means that anyone using paan-masala, gutka, paan and khaini, which usually contain tobacco, is not disqualified as a Sikh”, he said. 

with thanks : Indian Express : link above for detailed news.

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Alexandra Aitken, daughter of former government minister Jonathan, has married a devout Sikh

Demonstration of Sikh Martial Art(Gatka)at SURAJKUND MELA

Surge of immigrants from India baffles border officials in Texas

Reporting from Harlingen, Texas —

Thousands of immigrants from India have crossed into the United States illegally at the southern tip of Texas in the last year, part of a mysterious and rapidly growing human-smuggling pipeline that is backing up court dockets, filling detention centers and triggering investigations.

The immigrants, mostly young men from poor villages, say they are fleeing religious and political persecution. More than 1,600 Indians have been caught since the influx began here early last year, while an undetermined number, perhaps thousands, are believed to have sneaked through undetected, according to U.S. border authorities.

Hundreds have been released on their own recognizance or after posting bond. They catch buses or go to local Indian-run motels before flying north for the final leg of their months-long journeys.

"It was long … dangerous, very dangerous," said one young man wearing a turban outside the bus station in the Rio Grande Valley town of Harlingen.

The Indian migration in some ways mirrors the journeys of previous waves of immigrants from far-flung places, such as China and Brazil, who have illegally crossed the U.S. border here. But the suddenness and still-undetermined cause of the Indian migration baffles many border authorities and judges.

The trend has caught the attention of anti-terrorism officials because of the pipeline's efficiency in delivering to America's doorstep large numbers of people from a troubled region. Authorities interview the immigrants, most of whom arrive with no documents, to ensure that people from neighboring Pakistan or Middle Eastern countries are not slipping through.

 

with thanks : latimes : link above for detailed news.

SikhsIndia

'Let a Sikh head Punjab and Sind Bank'

CHANDIGARH: Following a query by PMO on why only a Sikh should always head the Punjab and Sind Bank, and amidst arguments put across by various Sikh leaders to continue with the tradition, Congress MP Pratap Bajwa has now written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, urging him to select a Sikh for the job. 

With thanks : Times of India : link above for detailed news.

SikhsIndia

Telford Sikh man 'murdered' western daughter

A Sikh man accused of strangling his daughter could not accept her western lifestyle, his son told a court.

Gurmeet Singh Ubhi, 54, denies murdering Amrit, 24, at their home in Telford, Shropshire, last September. He told police he had applied "minimal pressure" to her neck, Leicester Crown Court heard.

The jury heard a physical argument developed as Mr Ubhi demanded she turn down her music. He was also unhappy about her relationship with a.....

with thanks : BBC news : link above for detailed news

SikhsIndia

Add your matrimonial profiles in www.sohnijodi.com

www.sohnijodi.com - A sikh web portal with over 10,000 visits per month is the best option for uploading your matrimonial profiles. At a very nominal price i.e. just to cover the costs of the portal, it's the best option for Sikh Matrimonial. The section was not in operation for the last few years as we were busy in promoting the portal. But now we hope to make it operational soon.

VAISAKHI CELEBRATION IN WASHINGTON

ਝਖੜੁ ਝਾਗੀ ਮੀਹੁ ਵਰਸੈ ਭੀ ਗੁਰੁ ਦੇਖਣ ਜਾਈ ॥੧੩॥
Even in violent storms and torrential rain, I go out to catch a glimpse of my Guru. ||13||

ਸਮੁੰਦੁ ਸਾਗਰੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਬਹੁ ਖਾਰਾ ਗੁਰਸਿਖੁ ਲੰਘਿ ਗੁਰ ਪਹਿ ਜਾਈ ॥੧੪॥
Even though the oceans and the salty seas are very vast, the GurSikh will cross over it to get to his Guru. ||14||

The above words seem to come true when Sadh Sangat at the Gurudwara Sahib in Renton, WA braved the snow and rain to organize the annual Nagar Kirtan for the Vaisakhi Celebrations.  It is probably a record that the Northwest is facing snow at this time of the year.  Yet the Sikhs celebrated the birthday of the Khalsa with the same enthusiasm.  

Sincerely,
Sarab Singh
Aasra Punjabi English Magazine
PO Box 5716, Kent, WA 98064
Phone: (206) 550-3154

Bhai Harbans Singh ji visits Seattle

Bhai Harbans Singh ji’s family had great respect for Baba Nand Singh ji of Kalera. At one time Baba Nand Singh ji asked Bhai Harbans Singh ji’s father if he had any son ? His father said  that he had seven daughters but no son.  Baba ji said he should pray to Waheguru during Amrit Vela. Bhai Harbans Singh ji was born in 1940 at village Jagadhri. When he was 40 days old his family took him to seek the blessings of Baba Nand Singh ji. Baba ji took him in his lap and took out some ilaichi and mishri from his pocket and after biting them he put them in Bhai Harbans Singh ji’s mouth. Baba ji asked his parents to teach him Kirtan and protect him from bad company.

Bhai Harbans Singh ji  belonged to a poor family.  One day he was sitting on a small rug and making inserts of the trays when a Bhatra (Indian mendicant) came and sat with him and started watching his feet. He said you will become one of the famous Ragis and your tapes will be admired by everyone. You will have all the riches just like Kings. In 1968 you will leave Jagadhri and in 1971 you will visit abroad. He was right. Bhai Harbans Singh ji became the famous Ragi admired by the world over.

Yogi Harbhajan Singh Khalsa:  Bhai Harbans Singh had great respect for Yogi Harbhajan Singh Khalsa ji. He said if you check his pockets, he will only find Bhai Harbans Singh ji’s tapes. He said when he use to visit Yogi ji, Yogi ji cooked food with his own hands for him in respect of Kirtan. He use to put lot of ghee and dry fruit and then put that in flour to cook chapattis (Indian bread). Then Yogi ji treated him Yogi tea. At the time his health was fairly good and everything he ate could digest easily. In respect to Bhai Harbans Singh ji Yogi ji gave him a pearl necklace. In respect to Yogi ji’s work Bhai Harbans Singh ji gave him a Chawar made from the feathers of peacock. It is the same that Bhai Dhanna ji also had.  He said he taught quite a few American Sikhs shabad: “Aad Gur E Nameh, Jugad Gur E Nameh,” etc.

When his Kirtan was being planned at the Renton Gurudwara someone called to say that Bhai ji had attended the Bhog of Indira Gandhi. Bhai ji said that at the orders of Tohra ji, Bhai ji had done Kirtan at the Bhog of Sanjay Gandhi. He said there is a cassette also with the picture of Sanjay Gandhi on it. He recited “Kaun Mua Re Kaun Mua ? Brahm Giani Mil Karo Bichara” and “Baba Bolte te Kahan Gaye, Dehi Ke Sang Rehte”. He said that Indira Gandhi also broke as a mother on the death of her son Sanjay Gandhi. Later Indira Gandhi appreciated his Kirtan and said it has given her solace. He said that she use to visit Buta Singh house a few times to listen to his Kirtan. Jagjeet Singh from Dubai who is presently settled in Seattle also said that when he participated in the Bhog of Sanjay Gandhi lot of newspapers had carried negative criticism against him. They said he  earned lot of money. Bhai ji had said because of security people weren’t being able to come close to him. But he said it is ok for the newspapers to criticize him. It cleanses his clothes.

Bhai Harbans Singh ji was blessed with two sons and two daughters. He said one of his son had joined him in Kirtan when he was 7 years old. He accompanied him for 35 years. During a boat accident at Har Ki Pauri during the Jal Parwah (leaving the body in river of great saints) he passed away. Bhai Harbans Singh ji misses him a lot and prays that he dedicates the rest of his life to Kirtan. He said we need to dedicate our life to Kirtan and Path, and live a good and respectful life.

Jassi Atwal,  son of Salwinder Singh Atwal was murdered in May 2008. After 18 years Waheguru Ji blessed him with a son who he has named Jassa Singh Atwal. In thanking Waheguru he had invited Bhai Harbans Singh ji to visit Seattle. 

Sincerely,
Sarab Singh
Aasra Punjabi English Magazine
PO Box 5716, Kent, WA 98064
Phone: (206) 550-3154