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US has much to learn from Sikhs: Harvard professor Diana Eck

NEW YORK: As the Sikh community in the US makes efforts to recover from the tragedy of the Gurudwara shooting, a Harvard professor has said Sikhs have emerged as a role model for Americans who can learn from the dignity and generosity the community.

"Most Americans still know little of the Sikh Americans whose history in the United States, dating to the early 20th century, is now firmly part of our common history."

"While we catch up on our basic education, however, it is important to know that Sikhs share three distinctly and deeply American values -- the importance of hard work, a commitment to human equality, and the practice of neighbourly hospitality," Harvard University professor of Comparative Religion and Indian Studies Diana Eck said in an editorial in the Dallas Morning News.

Eck said if the gunman Michael Wade Page had been simply a neighbour or a local visitor, he would have been warmly welcomed by the community and served food in the gurudwara.

The assailant would have "discovered a religious community so confident and expansive in its hospitality that it would embrace a complete stranger".

In the face of immense tragedy after the shooting, Sikhs still offered the food they had prepared to the hundreds of emergency workers, police officers and staff who surrounded the temple.

"The dignity and generosity of the Sikh community in the wake of this violence remind us just how much we have to learn from these neighbors," Eck added.

Eck said no other religious community demonstrates the meaning of hospitality as abundantly as the Sikhs, noting that the huge, "industrial-size kitchens" in gurudwaras prepare food for community members and strangers alike.

"This hospitality is not just a gesture; it is foundational to the Sikh faith. Eating together is what knits the Sikh community together and breaks down the barriers that divide the wider human community," Eck said adding that eating together symboliSes a Sikh's personal rejection of discrimination and prejudice.

"Sikhs remind us that eating together is one of the important liturgies of the human community, for people of every faith and none," the professor said.

Six members of the Sikh community were killed in the Wisconsin gurudwara on August 5 when Page opened fire as they were getting ready for Sunday morning prayers.
Page was wounded by a police officer and died from a self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head.

The shooting shocked the peaceful Sikh community, which received wide spread support and sympathy.

with thanks : Economic Times : LINK

"I complain to Waris Shah today"

I say to Waris Shah today, speak from your grave
And add a new page to your book of love

Once one daughter of Punjab wept, and you wrote your long saga;
Today thousands weep, calling to you Waris Shah:

Arise, o friend of the afflicted; arise and see the state of Punjab,
Corpses strewn on fields, and the Chenaab flowing with much blood.

Someone filled the five rivers with poison,
And this same water now irrigates our soil.

Where was lost the flute, where the songs of love sounded?
And all Ranjha’s brothers forgotten to play the flute.

Blood has rained on the soil, graves are oozing with blood,
The princesses of love cry their hearts out in the graveyards.

Today all the Quaido’ns have become the thieves of love and beauty,
Where can we find another one ,like Waris Shah?

Waris Shah! I say to you, speak from your grave
And add a new page to your book of love.

Poetry: AMRITA PRITAM


Uploaded by : Dr Gurdeep Kaur ji

Our Salute to ASI Ravinder Pal Singh ji : SikhsIndia

Our Salute to ASI Ravinder pal singh ji who was killed in Amritsar by local Akali leaders while he was trying to save his daughter from eve teasers & molesters. Our deepest condolences to the family of ASI Ravinder pal singh ji.

SikhsIndia

Shame on what happened in Amritsar today !

Bring Akali leader before me, I'll kill him: daughter of Amritsar cop

The daughter of a Punjab Police officer, who was shot dead by a ruling Shiromani Akali Dal leader in full public view on Wednesday, said she would kill the accused if he is brought before her. "Bring him before me. I will shoot and kill him like he did to my helpless father. No one came to help us as he (the accused) attacked us," the daughter of slain Assistant Sub-Inspector Ravinder Pal Singh said in Amritsar on Thursday.

ASI Ravinder Pal Singh was allegedly shot dead by Ranjit Singh Rana, a general secretary of the Amritsar district Akali Dal, and his accomplices in Chheharta area on outskirts of the city after he objected to his daughter being subjected to their harassment on Wednesday. Rana had been stalking the ASI's daughter for the last few days.

Sobbing continuously, the victim said that no one from the public came to help her and her father as Rana continued to shoot and assault them.

"After he shot at my father with his rifle, my father collapsed. Rana then hit me and I fell on my father. He kept kicking and hitting us in full public glare. I cried and pleaded for help but everyone ran away. Even when the ambulance came, I had to lift my father into it as no one came to help me," she said.

She said that the same gang, led by Rana had harassed her on December 1 also and she had complained to the nearby police station. "However, no one listened. Had police acted on that day, my father would have been alive today," she said.

About Wednesday's shooting, the victim said that after her father confronted Rana and his accomplices, Rana took out a pistol and shot her father in the leg. She also received gunshot wounds on the hand.

"After that, he ran away and I rushed my father to the hospital in my car. They came back with a rifle after some time and as my father came out of the car, he (Rana) shot him. We didn't even know him or had any enmity. I want justice," the victim said.

Rana and his accomplice were arrested on Thursday over the killing while two other men continued to elude the police. The police officer was in uniform when he was attacked by Rana.

Punjab director general of police Sumedh Singh Saini told media in Amritsar that police had swung into action immediately after Wednesday's killing and arrested the main accused. Three weapons, all licensed, were recovered from them.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK

SHO dismissed after Akali leader kills police officer

Punjab Police on Thursday dismissed a station house officer (SHO) for dereliction of duty a day after an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) was shot dead by a ruling Shiromani Akali Dal leader near Amritsar.

ASI Ravinder Pal Singh was allegedly shot dead by Ranjit Singh Rana, general secretary of Amritsar district Akali Dal, and his accomplices in Chheharta area on the outskirts of the city after he (ASI) objected to his daughter being harassed by them Wednesday. 

Rana had been stalking the ASI's daughter for the last few days.

Rana and his accomplice were arrested on Thursday for the ASI's killing while two other men continued to elude the police. 

The police officer was in uniform when he was attacked by Rana. The accused fired at and injured the ASI and his daughter after the officer confronted them for harassing his daughter. 

After some time, Rana and his accomplices returned with more weapons and shot him in the chest, leaving him dead.

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini told mediapersons here that police swung into action immediately after Wednesday's killing and arrested the main accused. Three weapons, all licensed, were also recovered.

He said the accused, who were first confronted  by a police party at Sohal village near here, were fired upon. 

"Police were able to corner them and arrest them at Rajoke village in Tarn Taran district," Saini said.

"Our colleague has been shot dead. We are taking this incident very seriously. We will get the accused punished," he said.

Saini admitted that Chheharta SHO had shown dereliction of duty and a decision was taken to dismiss him from service. 

He said the ASI's daughter had complained to the police station about being harassed by the youth but the SHO did not take any action. The officer was suspended Wednesday.

"If any child complains to police, the police official has to take action. Yesterday (Wednesday), we suspended the SHO. After further enquiries, we have dismissed him," Saini said.

However, Akali Dal leaders washed their hands of the entire incident saying the killing of the ASI was an "individual act" of Rana.

"We have expelled him from the party. This was his individual act. We cannot foresee what a particular leader may do in the future. The Akali Dal has nothing to do with it," Punjab's Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia told reporters.

Majithia is the brother-in-law of Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Police officials in the area had failed to reach the spot of the shooting even 30 minutes after the incident. The incident took place near Chheharta police station, on the outskirts of Amritsar city, 250 km from state capital Chandigarh.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK for detailed news.

Shiromani Akali Dal leader arrested for killing police officer

Amritsar Police on Thursday arrested Shiromani Akali Dal leader Ranjit Singh Rana and an accomplice on charges of killing Assistant Sub-Inspector Ravinder Pal Singh after he had objected to them harassing his daughter.

Police Commissioner Ram Singh said Rana was arrested from the border belt of Amritsar district on Thursday morning along with another accused. 

Rana had been stalking Ravinder Pal Singh's daughter for the last few days. Two other accused in the killing of Ravinder Pal are absconding.

The incident took place on Wednesday afternoon near the Chhehrata police station, which is on the outskirts of Amritsar city, 250 km from Chandigarh.

Ravinder Pal's daughter had complained that some youth used to harass her. The ASI objected to this and confronted the youth. Following an argument, Rana fired at him and his daughter and left them injured.

Witnesses said Rana and his accomplices came back to the spot in a jeep later and shot Ravinder Pal Singh in the chest from close range.

The latter was rushed to a private hospital where he was declared dead.

The Akali Dal expelled Rana, who is a general secretary of the district unit of the party. (ANI)

with thanks :  WebIndia 123 : LINK

"This is where I want to be" :Flying Officer Beer Bains in Royal New Zealand Air force

Press Note : Sd. Paramjit Singh Sarna on the Amritsar incident.

New Delhi-6^th December- S. Paramjit Singh Sarna, President Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee & Shiromani Akali Dal Delhi in a press statement here today has demanded resignation of Deputy C.M. & Home Minister of the State S. Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was badly failed in maintaining the law and order in the state especially to protect the honour of our daughters. Such shameful incidents should not be taken lightly. S. Sukhbir Singh Badal has been promoting and patronizeing anti social, Goonda elements and criminals in their party to create terror amongst the people of Punjab from restraining them to oppose their tyrannical rule in the state.  

Mr. Sarna while condemning the broad day light cold blooded murder of ASI Ravinderpal Singh in the hands of the Akali leader Ranjit Singh Rana on opposing and restraining them from molestation of his daughter. He said that goonda culture prevailing in the state was offshoot of the change in complexion of the Badal Dal under the leadership of S. Sukhbir Singh Badal and is responsible for changing the basic Panthik character of the Shiromani Akali Dal. 

Mr. Sarna further said that recently, Nishan Singh also worker of Badal Dal took away an innocent girl from her home forcibly after thrashing her parents and now Akali leader shot dead the ASI because the latter attempted to protect the honour of his daughter, speaks that “the power has gone to the heads of youth activists within Akali rank and there is no one to rein such hooligans. The membership card of the Badal Dal itself has become a license to do all immoral and illegal acts. The red beacons and VVIP stickers on the vehicles of youth Akalis' mock the ordinary citizens.

If this has happened to a police officer’s daughter, how do you expect the security of the Daughters of other people in the state of Punjab? We talk of “NANI CHHA” this has exposed the hollowness’ of the state and the ruling party. Community wants to know the action taken against the culprits so that reoccurrence of such incidents should not be done in their wildest dreams.  

Mr. Sarna said that in Delhi also their local leaders with their Goons had tried to create nuisance at Gurdwara Bala Sahib and to disturb the Executive Board meeting of the committee at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib by crashing the gate and forcibly entry in the office of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee. The Sikhs of Delhi and world over will not at all tolerate the hooliganism of the Badal Dal. 

Mr. Sarna appealed all the Akali Dals in Punjab to forget all their party differences and should collectively protest against S. Sukhbir Singh Badal and compelled him to resign for the portfolio of Deputy C.M. & Home Minister of the State.

Mr. Sarna on behalf of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee & Shiromani Akali Dal Delhi expressed their condolences and grief with the family members of the victim. 

Punjab cop killed for confronting daughter's stalkers

Three men including an activist of Akali Dal allegedly murdered an Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) of the Punjab Police in broad day light for stopping them from teasing his daughter. The incident that took place on the main GT road, meters away from Chehhertta Police station sent shock waves across Amritsar. The deceased ASI was identified as Ravinder Pal Singh posted the Gharinda Police station near Attari Border.

The Police have registered a case under section 302 and arms Act against one Ranjit Singh Rana, Gurveer Singh and one unidentified person. Rana is learnt to be one of the general secretaries in the district body of the Akali party.

The incident took place between 3:00pm to 3:30pm and even after the residents there raised alarm, the city police failed to reached the spot.

The accused fired three bullets at the ASI. Two hit his leg and foot while the third hit him near his chest.

Daughter of the cop was also injured. Police claimed that some splinter hit the girls arm.

Some men near Chehhertta area would tease ASI's daughter.

On Wednesday afternoon again when the girl spotted the SUV of the persons who teased her, she called up her father ASI Ravinder Pal Singh.

As the ASI reached the spot, there was some altercation between the cop and the accused after which the accused fired in the legs of the ASI with a pistol.

Thereafter they ran away but after about 20 minutes, the accused came back again with a rifle and fired in the chest of the ASI.

And after murdering the cop, the accused drove away.

Although the ASI was rushed to a local hospital, he was declared dead.

SSP Amritsar (rural) P.S. Virk, who reached the hospital said, “The daughter of the ASI studied in a tuition and was teased by the accused. We have learnt that there were three people in the SUV. The accused have been identified.”

When contacted Amritsar Police Commissioner Ram Singh said, “The girl had told her father ASI Ravinderpal Singh that she was teased by some boys. When again on Wednesday, the girl spotted the boys, she called her father. AS ASI reached there, there was some argument and later the accused fired at the cop, who died.”

On a question regarding Akali connection of accused Rana, the Commissioner of Police Ram Singh said, “ I am unaware of that.”

No accused has been arrested yet, he added. Although the police did not confirm, but sources claimed that Rana had fired at the cop. "We are still investigating this," said Commissioner Ram Singh.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK