Sikh monument irks Kisumu preachers

KISUMU, Kenya, Feb 8 – The controversial monument erected by the Sikh community in one of the streets in Kisumu has caused jittery among the city residents.

The storm was raised by members of Repentance and Holiness Ministry associated with Prophet Dr. David Owuor who claimed the statue was ‘satanic’.

The monument, erected on top of a rock along Mosque Road on a roundabout, has remained the subject matter in the lakeside city.

Pastor Helen Ochieng of Repentance and Holiness Ministry in Kisumu who led worshippers in condemning the monument said the statue portrays a society worshiping an Idol and it should be brought down.

Ochieng said as Christians they will ensure the monument is erected elsewhere not along the streets of Kisumu.

She asked the authorities who approved the construction of the monument to rescind their decision as its presence will mean doom for Kisumu people.

“Strange happenings in Kisumu are as a result of the presence of the monument. Recently we witnessed a stormy rainfall that caused massive destruction,” she said.

However, Charjeet Hayer, Chairman Kisumu Siri Guru Sabha said the monument has been erected to commemorate 100 years of Sikh presence in Kisumu and has nothing to do with religion.

“I appeal to our religious brothers not to view the monument as idolatry but a sign of peace,” he pleaded.

Hayer said they are celebrating the arrival of their ancestors in Kisumu in the early 1901 and nobody should associate it with idolatry. Residents of Kisumu now fear passing along the street for bad omen.

“Cyclists will have to follow longer routes only to avoid passing through that street. They say whenever they pass there, their business dwindles,” said John Omollo, a cyclist.

with thanks : LINK : for detailed news.

Disaster Charity Khalsa Aid Helps Flood Victims

A charity that usually helps out in foreign disaster zones has come to the aid of flood-hit residents in Somerset.

Khalsa Aid is on hand to distribute bottled water, food, warm clothing, antiseptic fluid and whatever else is needed to help those in deluged communities.

Ravi Singh from the Slough-based Sikh charity said they were compelled to act after watching Sky News' coverage of the heavy rain and high winds that have battered the country.

The charity has previously helped people in the Philippines affected by Typhoon Haiyan and Haitans trying to recover from the devastating earthquake there in 2010.

But Mr Singh said communities much closer to home were their focus for the moment.

"This is our community, these are our countrymen who are in dire need," he said.

"I never knew the amount of devastation until we drove around to get to this place, we had to go several different routes and it’s amazing. The floods … the fields are like lakes. It’s unbelievable, how will they recover from this disaster?

"I think we all need to pull together; it’s very very important."

He urged anyone who was thinking of trying to help to contact organisations already in the area, so as to avoid blocking roads and causing more problems.

"I appeal to every community, keep these guys in your prayers, do as much as you can, it's our time now to serve our own community," he added.

with thanks : LINK

Shocking state !

with thanks : HT

Sikh Groups Call On Obama to Reinstate IRS Agent Fired For Wearing Religious Article of Faith.

On January 28, 2014 letters were sent to President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder by twelve major American Sikh advocacy organizations, including UNITED SIKHS, calling on the Obama Administration to immediately reinstate Kawaljeet Tagore, a Sikh IRS Agent based out of Houston, TX fired in July, 2006 for wearing a kirpan, a Sikh religious article of faith.

Following her termination, Tagore sued the IRS and the Federal Protective Service (FPS),the federal agency responsible for the security of federal buildings, under Title VII and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act for failing to accommodate her Sikh religious practice of wearing the kirpan, a dagger-like article that symbolizes the Sikhs’ commitment to justice.  Even though FPS and IRS allow saws, box cutters, letter openers, and cake knives into federal buildings for work-related purposes, the IRS and FPS defended Tagore’s lawsuit by claiming that a federal criminal law, 18 U.S.C. section 930, prohibits them from according Tagore any accommodation for her kirpan.

In 2012, a Houston federal judge sided with the government and dismissed Tagore’s lawsuit. However, on November 13, 2013, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit—relying on a December, 2012 FPS Policy Directive that requires accommodation of kirpans —reversed the federal judge’s ruling in favor of FPS. The Fifth Circuit held that the new FPS Policy Directive “contradicts the arguments previously advanced by the government for denying Tagore an exception or exemption for the wearing of her kirpan.

Yet, to date, the government has refused to reinstate Tagore to her position as an IRS agent, compensate her, or accommodate her kirpan.

“A hard working IRS agent is being kept from work due to her religious beliefs in a country founded on diversity and religious freedom. The FPS has already allowed 2.5 inch kirpans in almost 9,000 federal buildings but will not allow Ms. Tagore to wear her kirpan to work in an IRS building. Now that this inconsistency has been addressed by the Fifth Circuit, it is time to give Ms. Tagore her job back,” said Anisha Singh, staff attorney and policy advocate for UNITED SIKHS.

In their letter, UNITED SIKHS, along with other Sikh advocacy groups, claim that the “IRS and FPS’ continuing violation of Ms. Tagore’s right to religious accommodation is contrary not only to RFRA and FPS Directive 15.9.3.1 but to the guiding principles and tenets of the Obama Administration,” including an Executive Order that requires federal agencies to promote diversity. The Sikh groups call on Obama to “direct the Civil Division of the Department of Justice, IRS, and FPS to appropriately resolve” Tagore’s lawsuit, by “reinstating her employment with the IRS and providing her with an exemption to wear her kirpan to work.”

with thanks : UNITED SIKHS

Belgium Delegation at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib with Mr. Kulmohan Singh;Chief Advisor & PR of DSGMC

Hindustan Times : 84 Riots News

Hindustan Times : 84 Riots News

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Sikh Light Infantry is best marching contingent

New Delhi, Jan 28 (PTI) Army's Sikh Light Infantry has been awarded the best marching contingent among the three Services at the Republic Day parade this year while the CRPF contingent bagged the honours in the paramilitary and auxiliary forces category.

"In the Services category, Territorial Army (Sikh LI) has been adjudged the best marching contingent in the Republic Day Parade 2014.

With thanks : PTI News : LINK

Breaking News : 1984 Riots

Delhi govt will form an SIT on 1984 anti-Sikh riots after all discussion; justice will be done: Delhi Assembly Speaker M.S. Dhir.

With thanks : India Today : LINK

Worshippers escape as lightning hits Sikh temple

IANS

London, Jan 27: Worshippers at a Sikh temple in the British city of Leicester had a lucky escape when its roof collapsed after being struck by lightning.

CCTV footage showed a group of elderly women were singing hymns at the Ramgarhia Sikh Temple in Leicester on Jan 25 afternoon when a bolt of lightning struck, blowing a hole in the roof and sending worshippers fleeing in panic.

The rear wall and roof of the temple collapsed, media reported.

One person who suffered minor injuries was discharged after treatment at a hospital.

Temple president Indy Panesar told Leicester Mercury that it could have been a lot worse as there were 250 people in the prayer room about half an hour before the strike.

"There were about 20 people in the main prayer hall, with some of them being the old women singing,” Leicester Mercury quoted Panesar as saying.

"It is a miracle no one was seriously hurt or killed," Panesar said. He said the temple's holy scriptures were not damaged in the roof fall.

"The scriptures were in the main prayer hall and could have taken a direct hit but did not,” he said.

"One of the women respectfully collected them and we put them in a safe place. That was another amazing piece of good fortune." 

with thanks : IANS : LINK