Hold polls by Dec 31: SC chides DSGMC

Friday, December, 14 2012 - 14:01

 

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has rejected Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) plea to extend the deadline for extending the deadline for elections by six months. The polls will be held by December 31 as ordered by the Apex Court earlier.

A bench of Justices Anil Dave and RM Lodha ordered for the elections saying there “is no justification now for granting extension of time” adding that the Gurdwara Committee had already been granted three months earlier on September 17, 2012.

DSGMC’s counsel senior Advocate Soli Sorabjee urged the bench to postpone the election till June 30 as the Delhi Government was in the process of amending the Delhi Gurdwara Act 1971.

It may be recalled that after the amendments come to effect, the tenure of the DSGMC president will increase from two to four years and the Sikh community will be able to elect the president directly. The move will put an end to the horse-trading and corruption prevalent in the committee as the President will be accountable to the electorate and also be able to work on the developmental agenda of the committee.  

Meanwhile, counsels Gurbaksh Singh and Abhinash Mishra appearing for Dashmesh Sewa Society argued that the DSGMC plea was nothing but a ploy to retain control over gurdwara affairs.  

The Bench directed that ‘elections must be held’ by December 31 adding that the amendment can continue as it is.The Court also said that the amendment of the Gurdwara Act cannot be cited as an explanation for seeking relaxation in time.
DSGMC pleaded that as the poll procedure will take at least six weeks, however, the Apex Court was not persuaded, the applicants withdrew the application.

Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal patron and his son and party president Sukhbir Singh Badal have ever since opposed the amendment in the Gurdwara Act terming it as interference of the Congress in the religious affairs of the Sikh community.

It needs no mention here the proximity of DSGMC and Delhi Akali Dal president Paramjit Singh Sarna to Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dixit.The Badals’ opposition to the amendment is being seen as their fear that a similar demand might gain momentum in Punjab where Sikhs might seek direct election of SGPC president who is till now decided by the Badals.

with thanks : Punjab newsline : LINK

The Turban is a means to an end :SIKHS Win School Turban Ban Case Against France in the UN

Bikramjit Singh who was expelled from school in France for refusing to remove his turban

Paris, France, 14 Dec 2012 – 

The UN Human Rights Committee has ruled that France's ban on the wearing of "conspicuous" religious symbols in schools - introduced in a law adopted in March 2004 - violated a Sikh student's right to manifest his religion, protected by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). In a decision that was sent out this week to the UNITED SIKHS legal team, in relation to a complaint made by Bikramjit Singh in 2008, the Committee accepted that the wearing of a turban is regarded as a religious duty for a Sikh and is also tied in with his identity; and that France had not justified the prohibition on the wearing of the turban.

The Committee accepted that the France was entitled to uphold the principle of secularism (laïcité), a means by which a State party might seek to protect the religious freedom of all its population; it recognised that the adoption of the 2004 law had responded to actual incidents of interference with the religious freedom of pupils and sometimes even threats to their physical safety.

However, the Committee went on to express the opinion that this was not enough to justify the interference with religious rights that the law represented. France had "not furnished compelling evidence that by wearing his keski (small turban) [Bikramjit] would have posed a threat to the rights and freedoms of other pupils or to order at the school. The Committee also considered that the penalty of permanent exclusion had not been shown to be necessary; and that it had been imposed not because of any harmful conduct by Bikramjit, but because he belonged to a broad category of people by their religious conduct. In the Committee's view, France had not shown "how the sacrifice of those persons' rights is either necessary or proportionate to the benefits achieved". 

Less than a year ago, the UNHRC had also 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. A UN 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.

Mejindarpal Kaur, UNITED SIKHS International Legal Director told a media conference in Paris today: "Laicite or secularity is not an end in itself; it is a means to an end. The end that laicite must achieve is freedom, equality and fraternity. Likewise the Turban is a means to an end and Sikhs in France will continue to wear the turban so they may work towards a society that is free, fair and for the good of all mankind."

"We now look to France to fulfil its treaty obligations under International law. It also has a moral duty to ensure that the freedom of religion and belief is upheld for everyone who lives within its territory," she added.

Stephen Grosz of London solicitors Bindmans, who was instructed by UNITED SIKHS to represent Bikramjit Singh, said: "The UN Human Rights Committee is the first international body examine the substantive merits of France's ban on religious symbols and clothing in schools. In this significant ruling, it has made clear that the prohibition is unjustified. France must now prevent similar violations in future, and in particular, the Committee said that it should review the law of 2004 that imposed the ban. France must also provide Bikramjit Singh with a remedy, including appropriate compensation. France has 180 days to explain to the Committee how it proposes to give effect to the decision.

Bikramjit Singh, whose religious rights the UN decided had been violated, said, "I am very pleased with the UN's decision and would like to reassure the French government that we are in favour of secularity, in its true sense. The Sikh turban stands for liberty, equality and fraternity because the right to wear a Turban is open to all - men and women, rich and poor.

"In fact, the Turban is a symbol of laicite- it does not discriminate. The Turban is not a sign of oppression. It's a practice of freedom," added Bikramjit Singh, who after being expelled from school, completed his education privately and is now a project engineer with an engineering firm in Paris.

President of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, Paramjit Singh said in a telephone interview: "Bikramjit Singh is an Indian national and it should have been the responsibility of the Indian government to protect his religious freedom abroad so that he and other Sikhs were not banned from wearing the turban in French public schools. Instead it took an NGO, UNITED SIKHS, to take up and win this case at the UN. We are very proud of UNITED SIKHS and congratulate the global Sikh community for the victory at the UN. I will personally ensure that this issue is raised at the Indian Parliament to ensure that France complies with the UN's decision and reverses the ban on the turban in schools".

"Religion and politics are two wheels that balance civil society. If one wheel comes off, society ceases to be stable. Laicite or secularism is the oil that ensures that the two wheels keep moving. Sikhs do not see laicite as the enemy. We see it as our friend to help us be good citizens." Said Shingara Singh, UNITED SIKHS-France Director.

"Our stand for the turban will not only benefit France but the whole world. It is not a coincidence that this battle of the turban is being fought in France - a country that lives by laicite. The Turban will show the world that the true meaning of laicite can only be achieved if its people are allowed to be free to practice their faith," said Gurdial Singh of the Turban Action Committee of France, who has been defending campaign relentlessly.

With thanks : UNITED SIKHS

Why you need to apply for a new cheque book

Considered to be a major milestone in the history of Indian banking, Cheque Truncation System (CTS) aims to make cheque clearance more efficient and reduce the clearance time of cheques to one day, thereby trimming down the floating time considerably. India processes as many as 1.2 billions cheques annually and therefore, the implementation of this system would drastically cut down the waiting period involved. The system will be implemented nationwide from January 1, 2013.

CTS cheque sample

How does it work?

An online image-based cheque clearing system, the collecting bank branch would deploy scanned images along with the magnetic ink character (MICR) of the cheque which will be sent out electronically using their Capture System, removing the need for physical/manual transfer of cheques. The captured images and the data is then signed and encrypted and sent to the Clearing House or the central processing location and thereafter forwarded to the drawee or paying bank.

This helps speed up the cheque collection process that eventually helps provide better and faster customer service.

Key Features of Cheque Truncation System

• User friendly graphic user interface
• Automated coding and endorsing of cheques
• Encryption of data file before transmission to the clearing house or the service branch
• Employs a unique transaction follower process to confirm the status of cheque
• Improved and efficient settlement and prevention of fraud
• Equipped with enhanced archival procedure that stores images and data facilitating report generation along with future enquiry
• Alerts RMs in case of return of cheque due to insufficient funds

New cheque leaf

Impact of CTS on Customers

Handling of EMIs with the Introduction of CTS

In cases where customers have issues post-dated cheques (PDC) for payment of monthly installments towards an ongoing loan, they would need to issue fresh cheques to the bank or service provider as per the new directive on CTS by the RBI. The replacement of these cheques needs to be done latest by December 31, 2012 and is applicable on all banks and NBFCs.

Encashment of Old Cheques

If you have an old cheque with you, you should get it encashed by December 31, 2012. The RBI mandate states that payments for such cheques will be honoured only till then.

Banks need to issue the new types of CTS-compliant cheque books with the prescribed features to all their customers latest by December 31, 2012. Customers may need to surrender their old cheque books or cancel them and show proof of cancellation. No replacement fee will be charged by the bank for issuing new cheque books

Apart from these aspects, the system does not, in any way, affect the way things function for a customer. They would continue using cheques as they do currently; however, cheques that have been altered or modified will not be permissible under the new system. The other precautions that need to be taken while issuing or writing a cheque are:

• Ensure that all details are clear and readable, using black or blue ink
• Write the name of the payee, amount and the date and sign the cheque correctly.
• In case you use seals on the cheque, ensure that they are imprinted in a manner that they do not mask or hide the other important fields of the cheque.

Benefits of CTS for Customers

There are many benefits of the cheque truncation system from the perspective of a customer. 

• Clearance cycle gets shortened - As this system is being implemented, the physical or manual movement of cheques for clearance has ceased. With cheques being transmitted electronically, the settlement process becomes quicker, facilitating reduction in the clearance cycle.
• The fear of loss of cheques during transfer from the collecting bank to the drawee or payee bank is eliminated.
• Limitations of the current clearance system with respect to jurisdiction and geography are eradicated. This enables integration and consolidation of several clearing locations across various banks offering different service levels into one standard clearance system applicable throughout the country.
• CTS helps reduce the scope of fraud significantly. Moreover, the electronic transmission is quick and allows early detection of fraud or any alteration with respect to the payee, amount or the issuer of the cheque. CTS prescribe minimum security features under ‘CTS-2010 standards’ along with superior verification process that further facilitates in the reduction of frauds.
• The operational efficiency of both the bank as well as the customer is enhanced with the introduction of this system.

with thanks : YAHOO FINANCE : LINK

Worth of Sikh Identity :Awareness Drive at North Carolina airports.

UNITED SIKHS Projects Lead Pushpinder Singh presenting to TSA employees

UNITED SIKHS volunteers conducted TSA Awareness events at North Carolina airports. They met with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in Charlotte Douglas Airport (North Carolina) to educate TSA staff about Sikh culture and  identity,so that Sikh articles of faith are correctly identified  and proper procedures can be  followed at the Airports.

The meeting took place in response to a recent spike in incidents of profiling of Sikhs at Charlotte Douglas Airport. It was coordinated by TSA’s diversity committee to provided an excellent platform to outline some of the common problems and challenges faced by the Sikh community because of their unique identity. TSA employees also had the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the Sikh community.

The recent terrorist threats against the United States have resulted in increased levels of security and heightened passenger screening at airports. Sikhs have reported being subjected to increased screening measures due to a lack of understanding about Sikh articles of faith. 

Mr. David Wray, Federal Security Director and head of TSA Charlotte began the meeting by saying, “Knowledge about other cultures dispels fears about them”. Ms.Sandra Holding, Assistant Federal Security Director of Law Enforcement noted, “Sometimes seeing, holding and feeling articles of faith makes a big difference and enhances media based training. The knowledge stays in the mind longer”.

Ms. Ana Bosnjak wearing a turban. Mr. David Wray and other TSA employees

It was an immensely valuable educational experience for TSA employees and UNITED SIKHS members to have such a productive dialogue about the Sikh articles of faith. TSA employees got first-hand experience holding and feeling a Kirpan.The TSA employees asked several questions regarding the Turban and Sikh Symobls.

"Personal interaction satisfies curiosity”, said Damanvir Kaur, a volunteer.TSA’s training department  offered to continue to work with the community to supplement media training with personal interactions and Q&A sessions. 

Damanvir Kaur talking to TSA employees about Kirpan and Turban

awanjit Singh and Pushpinder Singh with Mr. David Wray, Federal Security Director

With thanks : UNITED SIKHS

"Conducting public duties while practicing Sikhism and wearing turban is a great honor": Jatinderpal Singh Bhullar

Jatinderpal Singh Bhullar (from West Bromwich and is in F Company Scots Guards ) was pictured taking part in the Changing of the Guard sporting the turban.25 year Old Sikh has made history by becoming the first soldier to guard the Queen in Buckingham Palace without wearing the traditional bearskin. 

Jatinderpal Singh said ''Sikhs have served Britain in World War I and II with their turbans intact, confirming their commitment towards righteousness and serving others and living their identity till their last breath.I applaud the British Army for being appreciative and respectful towards diversity. This is The best thing in my life”. Conducting public duties while practicing Sikhism and wearing my turban is a great honor for me .I am very proud to be a member of the Household Division and to be the first Sikh Guardsman to mount guard in a turban will be the best thing in my life, especially as a member of the Scots Guards .The regiment is full of history, as is my religion.”

 Jatenderpal Singhshaking hands with Major Rick Fletcher (Slough ACIO) after taking the oath of allegiance.

Link : with thanks : Sikh Channel

What a difference !

Now, Akali leader's kin beats up traffic cop in Gurdaspur

Sunday, December, 09 2012 - 17:52

 

GURDASPUR/AMRITSAR: In another shameful incident denting further the image of Shiromani Akali Dal which is still reeling from criticism over Wednesday's murder of an Assistant Sub Inspector in Amritsar by its leader, a kin of party'sYouth Wing today bashed up a traffic policeman in Gurdaspur.

The accused has been identified as Inderpal Singh, Akali leader Paramjit Singh Laddi’s nephew. The incident took place in full public view following an argument between the head constable Gurnam Singh and the traffic cop. 

Laadi's nephew allegedly tore the uniform of the policeman on duty. The accused has been booked on the charges of obstructing a public servant from discharging his duty under sections 186 and 332 (for voluntarily causing injury to public servant to obstruct him from discharging his duty).

The incident came close on the heels of the high-headedness and blatant abuse of power when an ASI in Amritsar was shot dead by an Akali leader in broad day light and in full public view.

On December 5, ASI Ravinderpal Singh, who had protested against the eve-teasing of his daughter by the general secretary of Amritsar urban unit of SAD Ranjjit Singh Rana and his associates, was gunned down in broad day light. The incident led to a huge public outcry in the country, denting the image of the ruling party in the state which was accused of recruiting youth with shady credentials into the party and promoting him into the top official slot in the organisation for rendering 'services' to the party.


with thanks : Punjab Newsline : LINK

Now, Akali sarpanch kills man in Amritsar

Days after an Akali Dal general secretary allegedly killed a police officer in Amritsar city, a villager was kidnapped and hacked to death in Amritsar district, allegedly by a local leader of the party. Amarjit Singh, Akali supporter and sarpanch of Nangal village, the main accused in the crime, is on the run.

The local Congress MLA, Harpartap Singh Ajnala, said Amarjit is the general secretary of the block unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

 The SAD — which is already under pressure following the Amritsar policemen’s death — has denied that Amarjit holds a post in the party or is even a member.

On Saturday night, Amarjit, along with 10 others, attacked the farmhouse of one Gurpreet Singh Gopi in the outskirts of the village. He was dragged out of his bed and taken to Amarjit’s house, where the men set upon him with a spear, said a police officer.

Thereafter, the sarpanch summoned policemen from the Ajnala police station and told them that he had beaten up Gopi as he had scaled the boundary wall and trespassed into his house, Harpratap said.

The man was admitted to the civil hospital in Ajnala with multiple injuries and was later referred to a hospital in Amritsar. But on Monday morning, he died at a private nursing home in the city. Officers of the local police said it was a matter of personal enmity.

“A case has been registered against Amarjit and 10 others at the Ajnala police station. But all the men named in the FIR are absconding,” said PS Virk, senior superintendent of police, Amritsar (rural).

Condemning the incident, Harpartap, who is also the district Congress committee chief of Amritsar, said this was yet another instance of the power Akali goons wield. Pointing out how the police had failed to take Amarjit into custody on the spot, he demanded a detailed inquiry into the case.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK

Book on Sikh shrines in Pak presented to PM

LUDHIANA: Leading businessman of the city Ranjodh Singh, president of Ramgarhia Educational Council and Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi, presented the first copy of his book 'Nankana Sahib and Sikh Shrines in Pakistan' to the Prime Minister during the latter's visit to Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).

Ranjodh said, "The valuable book comprises a vivid description of Gurdwara Sri Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Sri Baal Lila Sahib and other Sikh shrines related to the life of Guru Nanak Dev. This book is written in three languages English, Hindi and Punjabi." "It is replete with illustrative pictures of the shrines. This book will serve as a strong link for the whole Sikh community, creating awareness among them about the rich Sikh religious heritage in Pakistan." 

with thanks : Times of India : LINK

Gurdwara Act: Cong pushes for change, BJP contests move

Gurdwara Act is crucial to hold the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee elections, which the Supreme Court wants before December 31.

 

The Delhi government is pushing hard to pass the much-debated and amended Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Act in the Assembly winter session, beginning Tuesday. 

The legislation is important because it will set the norms for elections to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC). The Supreme Court had ordered elections to the DSGMC before December 31. 

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had criticised the amendments to the Act, alleging that the Congress government in Delhi was “meddling” with religious affairs of the Sikhs and trying to foist its loyalists into the gurdwara committee. 

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit refuted the allegations. “We have proposed changes to the Act to increase transparency and would like to hold elections to the DSGMC under the amended Act. The elections will be held before the deadline of December 31, but we might ask the Supreme Court to give us more time if required,” she said. 

She said the amendments would be tabled in the winter session of the Assembly. 

Senior Delhi government officials said Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna last week gave his consent to the amendments and sent the returned the file to the government. “We will now send it to the Union Home Ministry, which has to clear the amendments before they can be tabled in the Assembly,” an official said. 

The amendments seek to directly elect the DSGMC president. At present, members of the executive elect the committee chief. 

with thanks : INDIAN EXPRESS : LINK : for detailed news.

VIP movement in Delhi : Delhi Aajtak : B S Vohra