What do you say over it ?

Separate Sikh panel recommended for Haryana: Hooda

IANS

Chandigarh, July 1 (IANS) Amid a growing controversy over the issue, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda Tuesday said a committee set up by the state government on the issue of a separate managing committee for Haryana gurdwaras was in favour of a separate Sikh body for the purpose.

"The government would take a decision in view of the larger interest of Sikhs of the state," Hooda told reporters here.

The committee, headed by state Finance Minister Harmohinder Singh Chatha, who is himself a Sikh from Haryana, has in its report submitted to the state government, recommended the setting up of a separate body to manage Sikh shrines (gurdwaras) in Haryana. The gurdwaras are presently under the control of the Amritsar-based Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Commitee.

The SGPC and Punjab's ruling Shiromani Akali Dal have strongly opposed the move by the Haryana government to create a separate body for Sikh shrines in Haryana.

There are 72 gurdwaras in Haryana under the SGPC and they contribute over Rs.300 million to the SGPC kitty.

Hooda said that the Chatha committee report was being legally examined.

The SGPC has warned that it will drag the Haryana government to court if a separate managing committee was set up in the state.

with thanks : IANS : LINK

Defamation case: Tytler offers apology, Phoolka refuses

Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, accused in a criminal defamation complaint filed against him by a senior lawyer representing victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases, today told a Delhi court that he was ready to tender "unconditional apology" to the advocate to settle the matter. 

However, senior advocate H S Phoolka, who is a complainant in the case, refused to accept Tytler's offer, saying "any compromise" in a serious matter like this would send a wrong message to the people. 

His response came after Tytler's counsel told Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Gaurav Rao that his client has offered to tender unconditional apology as no public interest was involved in the complaint filed by an individual. 

"The (alleged) issue is of 2004. We are in 2014. Much time has expired. My client (Tytler) is in public life....And he has been not held guilty by any court...My client will tender unconditional apology," Tytler's lawyer told the court. 

The court asked Phoolka whether he was ready to settle the matter and accept the apology tendered by Tytler as "it is a defamation complaint and it has nothing to do with the riots." 

Phoolka, however, did not accept the suggestions of the court and said, "The matter is of great importance and any settlement will send a wrong message among the people. I can not settle the matter and any compromise is not possible." 

with thanks : business standard : LINK : for detailed news.

UK Sikhs reassure WA parents concerned over a pupil carrying a religious blade to school

BRITISH experts have moved to reassure WA parents concerned by a Perth pupil being given permission to carry a ceremonial blade to school for religious reasons.

Sikh children have been carrying Kirpans in UK schools for the past 50 years – and there has never been a single incident, The Sikh Federation (UK) says.

The comments came after a representative from Perth’s Sikh community addressed the parents and citizens committee at the public primary school last night about the significance of the Kirpan.

The ceremonial blunt blade, which is only 5cm long in this particular case, is one of five religious articles that must be worn by initiated Sikhs.

A spokesman for The Sikh Federation (UK) told PerthNow that WA parents have “nothing to fear”.

“The fact that there has not been a single case in a school in the UK for the last 50 years involving the Kirpan demonstrates parents of non-Sikh children have nothing to fear,” he said.

“We suspect there are incidents in Australian schools every week that involve some form of violence and possibly the use of weapons so this needs to be put into context.

“Sikh children have probably been wearing Kirpans in UK schools for up to 50 years.

“We estimate there may now be as many as 10-15,000 Sikh children in the UK who are practising (Amritdhari) Sikhs in schools.

“The Department for Education some 10-12 years ago gave specific guidance to schools pointing out practising (Amritdhari) Sikh children in schools were allowed to wear the Kirpan and teachers denying Sikhs this right could be prosecuted for discrimination under UK law.”

with thanks : perthnow : LINK : for detailed news.

US cable firm aims to reverse anti-turban bias

US cable distribution major Comcast will air a Public Service Announcement (PSA) throughout July recognizing Sikhs as a vibrant part of America's cultural tapestry and aiming to reverse Americans' anti-turban bias.

Featuring Waris Ahluwalia, a Sikh American actor and designer, the PSA demonstrates through words and images how Sikh Americans' values are America's values, including a love of service, family, and community.

According to Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund (SALDEF) which provided the script for the PSA, Comcast will donate $1 million in airtime on cable channels on Comcast to air it.

Comcast said it will air the PSA as part of the company's commitment to educate audiences on a variety of issues.

Eastward Films served as art directors and producers for the film.

"Sikhs have contributed to America's culture for the past 125 years, including helping to build the Panama Canal and railroads in California," said SALDEF executive director Jasjit Singh while talking about the history of Sikhs in the US.

In fact, the first Asian American to serve in the US Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, was a Sikh American, he noted.

with thanks : Business Standard : LINK : for detailed news.

Golden Temple, Amritsar

Hand written Guru Granth sahib ji

Coventry Sikh war memorial plea

A man whose grandfather fought in World War One is calling for a war memorial for Sikh soldiers to be installed in a better location in Coventry.

Maghar Singh was sent to the frontline in France aged just 15, after signing up to fight in the British Indian Army.

In 2002, his son joined other Sikhs in Coventry to help set up a memorial on a roundabout on the A444.

While praising the memorial, Maghar's grandson Jagdeesh Singh said the location underplayed the Sikh role.

Between 1850 to 1945 three generations of the family served in the British Indian Army, including Jagdeesh Singh's great-great grandfather, Bassan Singh, in the 1st Sikh Infantry.

with thanks : BBC News : LINK : for detailed news story

Letter: Need More Education on Sikh Religion

Dear Judge Susan E. Green of the Superior Court of Sutter County,

I am a Sikh. My faith – which stems from India – is acknowledged as one of the world’s major religions (there are 23.8 million Sikhs and only 13.4 million Jews). We stand out because baptized, male Sikhs wear turbans, beards and uncut hair as a sign of their faith. If you see a man on the street with a turban and beard anywhere in the USA, it’s almost certain that he is a Sikh.

The tragic events of September 2001, plus the torrent of publicity about Osama Bin Laden, led to enormous difficulties for Sikhs in the USA. On September 15, 2001, one Sikh was shot dead in Phoenix. On Sunday, August 5, 2012, a lone gunman walked into a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin and began deliberately shooting at the congregation, killing six and wounding two. These incidents were caused by mistaken identity: mistaking Sikhs for Muslims.

Sikhs are not Muslims and have no relationship with Islam. In fact, as Sikhs, we are enjoined to be tolerant and accepting of all other religions. It is a vital part of who we are.

with thanks : Huntington News : LINK : for detailed news report.

Pakistan Sikhs threaten protests against holy book desecration

A Sikh organisation in Pakistan has threatened to launch countrywide protests if those who allegedly desecrated the Sikh holy book are not arrested by Saturday.

Speaking at a press conference at Karachi Press Club yesterday, Pakistan Sikh Council (PSC) patron Ramesh Singh demanded that a judicial commission be constituted to investigate how and why such incidents had all of a sudden started happening across Sindh province, reported the Dawn.

He said that all the culprits should be arrested, tried and awarded stern punishment so that it could act as deterrence to others. He also demanded security for the religious places of minorities.

Recounting instances in which copies of the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib were burnt, Singh alleged that various incidents had been reported from across the province including in Sukkur, Dadu and Shikarpur districts.

Earlier this month, similar incidents were reported in Karachi and Shikarpur.

Singh said that Sikhs had been living in peace and harmony with other communities in Sindh for centuries but such incidents had never happened in the past. He said that Sikhs were as patriotic as other communities in Pakistan and did not want to embarrass the country internationally, but they had been pushed to the wall and it was the government's responsibility to recognise the Sikhs' religious sentiments.

Pakistan is home to about 20,000 Sikhs.

with thanks : DNA India : LINK : for detailed news.

Sikh leaders come out against opulent marriages

Sikh leaders are taking the initiative to curb extravagance at weddings. On Sunday, representatives of 17 gurudwaras met at Khar to discuss ways to do this and put an end to the game of one-upmanship associated with grand weddings among Sikh families.

"The meeting was to ensure that people spend less on marriages. These days marriage expenses run into lakhs. We feel the money wasted on fancy weddings should be utilised to better educate and socially uplift the community," said Pritam Singh, treasurer, Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Khar, where the meting was held.

Sikh weddings have, over the years, grown in grandiosity with members of the community growing richer. The catering rates per plate in some of these marriages are as high as Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000.

"The trend is to have Mexican, Italian, Thai and Chinese dishes with a large number of sweets added in. However, there isn't a matching capacity to eat, the result often being a lot of food being wasted. But this splurging, instead of triggering consternation, make many others in the community feel inferior and envious. We are now thinking in terms of introducing a code of conduct where not more than one dal, two/three vegetables, raitas, etc are served," said Kanwal Nain Singh, chairperson of the trust looking after Gurudwara Kalgidhar Sabha in Dahisar.

Decorations too eat into the purse, say Gurudwara representatives. "There was a time when people conducted marriages spending just a few thousand rupees," said Avtar Singh Sachdev, president, Khar Gurudwara, who took the initiative in organising the meeting.

with thanks : DNA India : LINK : For detailed news story.