Gurdwara Act row: Sheila Dikshit dares Parkash Singh Badal to ‘leash her’

LUDHIANA: The face-off between Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit over the management of Delhi gurdwara affairs escalated on Saturday, with the latter daring Badal to "try leashing her" for her government's decision to amend the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Act 1971 to allow direct election to the post of president.

A furious Badal had on Friday called up and shot off missives to PM Manmohan Singh and Delhi LG Tejendra Khanna, seeking a "leash on Dikshit-led Delhi government" and action against those who had attacked the SAD(B) leaders and workers at Gurdwara Rakabganj Sahib on Thursday.

Speaking exclusively to TOI on Saturday, Dikshit said, "Put me on leash if you want Mr Badal. The Cabinet has already cleared the amendment. It will be sent to the ministry of home affairs and I will personally make sure that the Act is ready by December. There shouldn't be any uncertainty and ambiguity on this".

Dikshit's visit to Ludhiana comes two days after clashes between two rival Sikh factions — Delhi unit of SAD (Badal) and Paramjit Sarna-led camp — at the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee meeting at the Rakabganj gurdwara.

The melee at the 229-year-old gurdwara near the Parliament, that ensued for 30 minutes, had left at least eight people critically injured as the groups used sticks, stones and kripans against each other. The clashes fuelled the tension simmering since October 9 when the Delhi cabinet proposed to raise the tenure of the governing council of Delhi's gurdwaras from two years to four years through the Gurdwara Act amendment (2012). The same amendment also provides for direct election to the post of DSGMC president.

In his letter, the Punjab CM had also urged the Centre "to stop Delhi government from going ahead with its dangerous move to interfere in the religious affairs of the Sikh community".

Dikshit said she had not been briefed on the contents of Badal's letter. " Mr Badal is free to write to whoever he wants. My suggestion to him is that he should not interfere in elections which are not taking place in his state," she added. She also hit out at the opposition, saying many amendments were made to the 1971 Act even by the BJP-led government. 

with thanks : Times of India : LINK

‘No role in Rakab Ganj violence’

Denying that the Delhi Government had any role to play in the violence pertaining to gurdwara politics at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib here on Thursday, Delhi Gurdwara Election & Gurdwara Administration Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely said over the weekend that the main intention behind the proposed amendment to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara (Amendment) Bill, 2012, was to remove corruption and horse-trading and make the administration more accountable.

“We were receiving a lot of complaints about corruption in the gurdwara management. It was said that the members of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee [DSGMC] switched loyalties easily in the absence of any anti-defection law. Consequently, the positions of the chairman and other members of various institutions were being compromised. We wanted to clean up the system,” said Mr. Lovely.

He said the Delhi Cabinet had passed the proposed amendment on October 8 as it came under its purview. “The Act was brought by the Delhi Assembly and so it can also be amended only through its approval. So where is the question of interference?” he said.

He said just as chairmen of various bodies and banks are elected directly while members were elected separately, so too the Delhi Government had proposed the introduction of a two-vote system for separate elections for the post of president of DSGMC and its members.

“We want to give the power of election to the people of Delhi. They will be able to elect the DSGMC president as also its members. What is the harm in it? Why is the Shiromani Akali Dal [Badal] leadership so perturbed with this?” Mr. Lovely said.

He said it will be better if SAD leader and Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal focused on his State rather than projecting himself as the champion of the cause of Delhi’s Sikhs. “Punjab today is suffering from acute drug addiction. Mr. Badal should eradicate the problems of his State first,” Mr. Lovely said, echoing views expressed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at a rally in Punjab recently.

Mr. Lovely’s statements assume significance as the SAD (Badal) has been repeatedly accusing the Congress of interfering in Sikh politics in Delhi. It has also charged that the Delhi Cabinet’s decision to pass the proposal for amending the DSG Bill was motivated by politics.

with thanks : The Hindu : LINK

SGND Khalsa College : Celebration of Founders Day

Ponty Chadha & his younger brother died in bullet injuries

 

Ponty Chadha & his younger brother died in bullet injuries during firing at their farm house few minutes ago. Details awaited. Both were taken to hospital & declared brought dead. Details awaited.

DSGMC PC after the Brawl at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib : SikhsIndia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHh1EBWtDXg&feature=youtu.be

Badal wades into gurdwara management feud

NEW DELHI: Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and the Sheila Dikshit-led Delhi government are set for a face-off over management of gurdwara affairs, seen as a route to control the Sikh vote bank in the capital. The Dikshit government's plans to amend the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Act 1971 to allow direct election to the post of president is emerging as a bone of contention between the two states.

Meanwhile, a furious Badal on Friday called up and shot off missives to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Delhi Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna, seeking a "leash on Dikshit-led Delhi government" and action against those who had attacked the SAD(B) leaders and workers at Gurdwara Rakabganj Sahib on Thursday. He spoke to the PM and Khanna after he failed to get any response from his Delhi counterpart, his media advisors said in the evening

The Delhi government is now preparing to approach the Supreme Court early next week to seek approval for moving ahead with the amendment which was approved by the state cabinet in October. The Supreme Court in September directed the state to hold elections to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC, whose tenure ended in December 2011) before December 31. If the amendment is brought, it will have to be tabled in the Delhi assembly during the winter session for approval. Thus the elections would need to be scheduled for sometime early next year.

In a letter to Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Badal has blamed the Delhi government for interference in management of gurdwaras. The city government is also accused of delaying elections to DSGMC currently led by Akali Dal (Delhi), which enjoys the support of the ruling Congress in Delhi. He has sought the Centre's intervention to prevent the Delhi government from tabling before the assembly the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara (Amendment) Bill which proposes to make way for direct election of the DSGMC president. TOI has a copy of the letter sent by the home ministry to the state government last week. The ministry has sought a reply from the state of Delhi on Badal's concerns.

In his letter, Badal points out to Shinde that this amendment Bill violates the letter and spirit of the agreement reached between former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Master Tara Singh, known as the Nehru-Tara Singh Pact, "which specifically stated the commitment of the government of India not to take any steps with regard to the affairs of the Sikh community without consultation with and consent of the representatives of the Sikh community through the apex body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) at Amritsar... Also, there is no provision for a direct election of a president in any of the elected constitutional bodies in the country right from the office of the president of India, prime minister and municipalities," the letter states.

"It appears to be a calculated conspiracy of the government to delay the overdue gurdwara elections in the guise of this amendment," the letter adds, and alleges that the amendment is aimed at giving undue benefits to the ruling office-bearers of the "committee" to cling to their offices and to enjoy their extended term.

Delhi's minister in charge of gurdwara management, Arvinder Singh Lovely, vehemently rejected the concerns raised by Badal, saying the government was right in bringing amendments as gurdwara management is a state subject and DSGMC is governed by the state Act and not the parliament Act, which governs SGPC.

"This is not the first time that an amendment is being proposed to the Gurdwara Act. Even BJP government in 1993-98 proposed amendments. The proposal for direct election will only bring in transparency in election process and end the mudslinging between various factions that keep alleging the big role of money power in election. We have no intention to delay the elections," the minister said. That the mudslinging is set to get worse came through in Lovely's remarks when, taking a dig at Badal, he told TOI, "He (Badal) must instead focus on more pressing issues like drug abuse among youth in Punjab."

with thanks : TIMES OF INDIA : LINK

Brawl at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib today :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZWtcjLuXrs

Fight at Gurdwara rakab Ganj sahib over the DSGMC Elections

Special trains for Sikh Yatrees

LAHORE

MORE than 3000 Sikh Yatrees are expected to reach Pakistan through Wahga Border on November 25 to celebrate Baba Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary.

Pakistan Railways arranged Special trains for this. These trains will be guarded by the PR police. For this, a high level meeting was held on Tuesday in Home Department Punjab.

PSP to IGP Railways, SSP Railways Lahore participated in the meeting where security of Sikh Yatrees was discussed. IGP Railways issued strict instructions to make security arrangements for the special trains by deploying ATS Commandos and that bomb disposal staff should check every train.


with thanks : The News : LINK

US Sikhs welcome Obama message on Diwali

Washington: The Sikh community in America has welcomed President Barack Obama's message of Diwali greetings praising their resilience in the wake of the August shooting at Oak Creek gurdwara in Wisconsin.

. "This inspirational message reflects President Obama's compassionate heart and his commitment to create a harmonious society in America where all are respected and each faith is honoured," said Rajwant Singh, chairman of the Washington based Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE).

 "Recognizing Diwali, which is sacred to almost all faiths originating from Indian subcontinent, sends a message that America provides an opportunity for each faith to flourish and all faiths can truly enjoy the religious freedom," he said. 

 "We are confident America will continue towards 'perfect union' as envisaged by the US constitution under the able leadership of President Obama for another four years," Rajwant Singh said.

The community leader said the Sikh community prayed for Obama "and his family as he leads a difficult road of bringing political leadership together to face the challenge of financial solvency of this country". 

with thanks : Zee News : LINK : for detailed news.

A show of culture

MODEL TOWN: The cultural mA©lange, presented by organizers of Sarb Hind Sikh Educational Conference at Shri Guru Harkrishan Public School, Dugri Road, mesmerized the audience. This was the first such initiative by Chief Khalsa Diwan, the body which organized the programme after a couple of years. The participants showcased their talent by depicting the folkloric traditions of Punjab enthusiastically.

Convener of the cultural program Dharamveer Singh said such events provide a platform to the students to connect to the cultural roots of the state.

with thanks : Times of India : LINK : for detailed news.