Friday, January 13, 2012
SIKHS Win Turban Case Against France at the UN
"The UN Human Rights Committee has asked France to submit a report by March 15th on measures it is taking to remedy the violation of the religious freedom of 76 year old Ranjit Singh,who was asked to remove his turban for his ID photo" said Mejindarpal Kaur, UNITED SIKHS Legal Director, who is in the fore-front of a legal campaign for French Sikhs' right to wear their turban.
Bobigny, France, 12 Jan 2012 – The UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) has concluded that France had violated the religious freedom of 76 year old Ranjit Singh when he was asked to remove his turban for his ID photograph. This was disclosed today at a media conference, in Bobigny (near Paris), by the UNITED SIKHS legal team, who had filed a communication on behalf of Ranjit Singh to the UNHRC in December 2008.
The media conference was told that the UNHRC observed that "even if the obligation to remove the turban for the identity photograph might be described as a one-time requirement, it would potentially interfere with the author's (Ranjit Singh's) freedom of religion on a continuing basis because he would always appear without his religious head covering in the identity photograph and could therefore be compelled to remove his turban during identity checks."
The Committee said that France had failed to explain how the Sikh turban hindered identification since the wearer's face would be visible and he would be wearing the turban it at all times, therefore, the regulation constituted a violation of article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which was entered into force for France on 4 February 1981. You may read the Committees views in full here. The views were adopted at the 102nd session of the Committee's sitting.
"I had faith that truth and justice would prevail and I patiently waited for this day. I pray that France will now fulfil its obligation and grant me a residence card bearing my photo without baring my head," said Ranjit Singh, who despite his ill-health has had no access to the public health-care system or to social benefits since 2005 because his residence card was refused due to his refusal to remove his turban.
"UNITED SIKHS is heartened by the Committee's observations that France is under an obligation to provide Ranjit Singh with an effective remedy, including a reconsideration of his application for a renewal of his residence permit and a review of the relevant legislative framework and its application in practice. France, the Committee noted, is also under an obligation to take steps to prevent similar violations in the future," said Mejindarpal Kaur, UNITED SIKHS Legal Director, who addressed the media conference.
"We now look to France to fulfil its treaty obligations under International law and its moral duty to ensure that the freedom of religion and belief is upheld for everyone who lives within its territory," she added.
"We are very pleased with the views that the Committee adopted and we welcome France's compliance with these findings. We also look forward to a similar resolution for Shingara Singh, whose case is still pending before the Committee," O'Melveny & Myers, a New York law firm engaged by UNITED SIKHS, said in a statement through their attorneys who spoke during a telephone interview. A decision is still awaited for Shingara Singh, whose passport has not been renewed by France because he refused to remove his turban for his ID photograph.
You may read a previous press release on our advocacy for religious freedom here.
Issued by:
Mejindarpal KaurLegal Director
International Civil and Human Rights Advocacy ( ICHRA)
UNITED SIKHS
law@unitedsikhs.org
+33 605800605/+44 8701993328
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Delegation from Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Religion & Worldview, K.U.Leuven, Belgium
From January 21 to February 19, 2012,a group of 21 European students( Masters and Bachelors)along with Prof.dr.Bert Broeckaert of the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies (KU Leuven,Belgium) is to visit India for a India Study Course on Indian Religions.
During their one month stay in India they will study religious richness and cultural Diversity of fascinating sub-continent.They will visit religious & historical places in Delhi,Amritsar,Varanasi,Bodh Gaya,Sikkim/ participate in a wide variety of rituals/attend lectures deliver by local professors and specialists/ join-in discussions with representatives of various traditions to immerse in the world of Sikhism,Hinduism,Buddhism,Jainism,Christianity,Islam,Bhai & Iscon.
This study visit is an overall efforts of Prof. dr.Bert Broeckaert who (since 2002) has been organizing courses on Indian religions for students of the Faculty of Theology,KU Leuven to build insights of number of world religions amongst Europeans to deal with religious and cultural diversity.
Delegation will stay in Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib,Delhi & in Goden Temple,Amritsar for four days.
KU Leuven Students in Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in 2009
Prize for Masters Thesis on Sikhs : Sara Cosemans,KU Leuven Student
Sara Cosemans received the award for her research "Sikhs in Haspengouw: Migration and integration from a female perspective"
She is a student of history who did her master thesis about the Sikh community in Hesbaye. It earned her the first prize at the Gülen Chair for Intercultural Studies (GCIS)& reaches out for the best master's thesis about multiculturalism,immigration and minorities at the KU Leuven,Belgium.
Sara said "When I heard about a thesis topic was about Sikhs,I was immediately approached - I was studying history after an exchange year in Guatemala and was sensitive to the backgrounds of migration. In Sint truiden-, where I live, you have the biggest and most traditional Sikh community in Belgium, but we really know very little about them. It is also very difficult to establish contacts. Luckily I have a friend whose parents Sikhs employing and housing, and she gave me in contact with people.In Haspengouw you have a group of some 1,500 registered Sikhs - from three waves of migration - and you can talk the successful integration without assimilation. Sikhs look obviously very distinctive and recognizable, but generally speak Dutch well and almost all have a home and even your own fruit farm. A number of young people studying at university successfully. I've mainly worked on the basis of interviews and also I have a lot of information collected online through Facebook by joining a number of groups. The title of my thesis refers not only to the fact that I primarily studied the position of women , but also on the fact that I did as a female researcher.It would be much harder for a man to penetrate the female part of the community. I mainly talked with women but also men, in order to determine how both groups influence each other's identity. "
"I am very honored to receive the prize and especially pleased with the publication by Acco .With the prize money - $ 1,500 ; I would like to study abroad and it will certainly come in handy. And hopefully I can continue with a PhD study ... "
Photo 1: Young girl wearing a chunni(a scarf)
Photo 2: Photo taken during a protest by the Sikhs in Louvain against the visit of Minister Kamal Nath.
Photo 3: Photo taken during the life of St.Truiden(2011) an initiative of the Cancer Foundation.
Dr.Gurdeep Kaur
University of Milan
Milan,Italy
Associate Professor
SGND Khalsa College
University of Delhi
Delhi,India
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
"Manas Kee Jaat Sabhe Eke Pehchaanbo"
Recognize the Human Race as One
The celebration of the Birthday/ Prakash Utsav of the Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh serves as a reminder to all governments, civil servants, humanitarian-aid activists and educationalists in the world to Recognize the Human Race as One.
The prakash utsav(birthday)of the 10th Sikh Guru,Guru Gobind Singh marks the birth of a father, a son, a husband, a great warrior,a strategist,a just human rights activists,a scholar,a linguist, an institution builder. He reminds every human being to stand up for human rights and justice. Even in the 16th century,in Guru Gobind Singh's army,the concept of humanitarian aid existed,where one was allowed to provide medical-aid to both the sides of the army. He also sent Sikhs far and wide to learn from other cultures and religions.Thus,he spread the message of empowerment through education and Interfaith-dialogue,created an environment and a culture to co-exist with all human and just races.He inspired humanity to stand up for a righteous cause and to the defense of the defenseless ,to provide humanitarian aid to the needy .
UNITED SIKHS Organisation takes inspiration & tailored its programs from Gurus actions ,such as the International Civil Human Rights Advocacy, Humanitarian Aid and Community Empowerment and Education. UNITED SIKHS projects have been run for centuries on the guidelines of Sikh Gurus. Their slogan, Recognize the Human Race As One, is coined by Guru Gobind Singh himself.
UNITED SIKHS volunteers continue to provide selfless service globally to make this world a better place. Their motto in life :
"Lets join hands and follow the path set by our Guru so that justice, peace and prosperity prevails for all times to come".
With thanks :UNITED SIKHS
Monday, January 9, 2012
Judicial interference in Sikh religious affairs is unacceptable
I am strongly of the view that religious affairs should be left to religious leaders and scholars because interference by other authorities; be it judiciary or executive most of the times turns out to be unacceptable and some times undesirable.
Though the Punjab and Haryana high court judgment allowing “Sehajdharis” to vote in the gurdwara elections came last month, I did not react to it immediately because I was surprised and amused after reading it. I went through all records, scholars’ views and scriptures and found no substantial evidence on “Sehajdhari” being an active part of Sikh ethos.
Sehajdhari, according to scholars, are those who are not Sikhs but believe in gurus and gurbani. This is a very wide canvass. Even the tenth Sikh guru, Gobind Singh ji, has clearly stated “Manas ki jatt sabhey ek hi pachenbo”; similarly it’s part of Sikh lore that “Awal allah noor uphaya kudrat de sab bande”— mankind belongs to one almighty.
But Guru Gobind Singh ji, who founded the Khalsa Panth, also made it very clear that the Sikh has to have a distinct identity. He said in no uncertain words: “Rehat pyari moh ko Sikh pyara nahi” (I will not like the Sikh who does not accept a distinct rehat identity).
In daily prayer, one thing is always mentioned: “Sikhan no Sikhi dan, kesh dan (Sikh(s) should be blessed with uncut hair)”.
The term Sehajdhari came into vogue after the formation of the Khalsa because many people slowly came into the Sikh fold after accepting and understanding its tenets.
Prominent examples of Sehajdhari becoming Sikhs include Master Tara Singh, the late Sardar Inderjit Singh, Bhai Mohan Singh and eminent scholar, professor Sahib Singh.
Justice JS Khehar is currently a judge of the Supreme Court. While heading a full bench of the Punjab and Haryana high court on May 30, 2009, he had held, “Retaining hair unshorn is a fundamental tenet of the Sikh”. He added, “Not only that, under the ‘Sikh rehat maryada’, a Sikh is not permitted to dishonour hair, or even to harbour any antipathy to hair of the head with which a child is born”.
Holding that religion must be perceived as it is, and not as another would like it to be, justice Khehar gave this landmark verdict on a petition challenging the constitutional validity of the definition of a Sikh as contained in the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925, filed by Gurleen Kaur who had been denied admission to an MBBS course at the SGPC-run institution on the grounds that individuals with plucked eyebrows or trimmed beards are not eligible as these were against tenets of Sikh religion.
So there is a clear distinction between a Sehajdhari and a Patit (person who has willingly cut his hair and given up the Sikh identity).
Many Sikhs have discarded their identity especially in Punjab. They are the people who are now claiming that they are Sehajdhari, which is blatantly wrong. And on this issue judicial intervention is not acceptable. Remember the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Shah Bano case, which even forced the then union government headed by Rajiv Gandhi to introduce a bill in Parliament nullifying that decision because the government viewed the judgment as interference in religion? So why are Sikhs being made an exception? The recent judgment allowing Sehajdharis voting rights in gurdwara elections is at variance with the verdict of the same court delivered by justice Khehar.
Gurdwaras form the backbone of the Sikh community. Here prayers are recited every day, exhorting Sikhs to follow the teaching of Guru Gobind Singh ji. Here “Amrit Prachar” (baptism ceremony) is held to infuse the spirit of rehat maryada among Sikhs. How can these gurdwaras be run by Patits or by those who do not accept the basic creed of the Sikh religion?
There are several Hindu temples in the country where no non-Hindu is allowed to worship, leave aside administrating them. No non-Muslim can go to Mecca and Medina. So why should Sikh gurdwaras, administration or elections come under judicial preview?
While there is state interference in their religious affairs, when it come to Sikhs’ legitimate demand of separate marriage act, no action is taken.
One may ask why people who have willingly given up the Sikh identity are so desperate to be known as Sehajdhari. I believe this is becase they are in ‘non-man’s land’. They are confused because they don’t want to call themselves Hindus.
Eminent Sikh Scholar Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha in his iconic work “Hum Hindu Nahi” very clearly and incisively explain the creed of SIkhism.
Whenever I go to other parts of the country, Sikhs complain: “We live by our religon against all odds and are proud of being Sikhs and its distinct identity, but we find it hard to explain to others when we see clean-shaven people coming from Punjab claiming to be Sikhs”.
It is time for the Sikhs leadership, clergy, scholars and intellectuals to put their differences aside and think about the future of the community and also make it clear to the government to leave Sikh institutions alone. Earlier attempts to interfere have led to disastrous consequences.
This is also the time to make the idfference between Shehadharis and Patits clear and spell out who has the right to vote and admninister gurdwaras. Sikhs need no state interference in this regard.
Source: Dr. Tarlochan Singh (Former Chairman, National Commission for Minorities).
with thanks : sikhsangat : link in headline above.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
India ( Amritsar ) getting world's largest driverless pod car system
200 electric vehicles will shuttle 100,000 passengers a day to and from holy site.
Conjuring up memories of the driver-free taxis — Johnny Cabs — seen in the 1990 sci-fi action flick Total Recall, a huge new fleet of autonomous vehicles will soon serve the Indian town of Amritsar. Developed by Ultra Global PRT, the system of 200 electric Passenger Rapid Transit cars will dwarf the one it built at London's Heathrow airport in 2010.
Traveling along a two-mile-long system of elevated roadways between seven stations, the PRT vehicles are expected to ferry 100,000 people a day within Amritsar, location of India's Golden Temple, a Sikh holy site that attracts as many as 500,000 visitors each day during peak times of the year. Ultra Global expects 35% of the site's visitors to utilize the vehicles, which will cost about the same as conventional taxis or rickshaws to hire.
with thanks : tecca : link in the headline above for detailed news.
SikhsIndia
Please pass on this message to BPL Sikh community of Delhi
WJKK - WJKF,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CTCAhuOGOWk
If you know about any Sikh family under the BPL category, in Delhi, please help it by spreading this news / message of FREE MEDICLAIM POLICY BY DSGMC. We must try to bring the entire BPL Sikh community under this scheme to serve the community. Please feel free to contact us for any more details.
With Best regards.
B S Vohra
SikhsIndia
www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com
SikhsIndia : Blog, Facebook, youtube, Twitter, Flickr .....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CTCAhuOGOWk
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Hailstones at Golden temple on Friday
HAILSTONES: An Indian girl picked up hail after a hail storm and heavy rain outside the Sikh Shrine Golden temple in Amritsar on Friday. (Narinder Nanu/AFP/Getty Images).
with thanks : link in the headline above.
SikhsIndia
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