US Senator asks Carter to end dress policy for Sikhs in army

WASHINGTON: A top US Senator today asked Defense Secretary Ashton Carter to repeal a dress policy in its army which prevents Sikhs from serving in the military with their religious articles intact. 

"Under current Department of Defense (DoD) policy, implemented in 1988, members of the Sikh faith are unable to serve in the military unless they abandon their articles of faith--namely maintaining unshorn hair, beards, and wearing a turban," Senator Tim Kaine wrote in a letter to Carter. 

with thanks : EconomicTimes : LINK : for detailed news. 

Rival groups in Crawley's Sikh community in bitter dispute over temple and holy books

WORSHIPPERS at a Crawley temple were left in tears after a bitter row between members of the town's Sikh community led to one group arriving unannounced to remove holy books to take them to a new temple.

The community has been divided over plans to relocate from the temple in Spencers Road, West Green to a newly renovated building in Ifield Green, Ifield.

Last Wednesday that dispute came to a head when one group arrived at the Siri Guru Singh Sabha in West Green to remove cooking utensils, electrical equipment and the temple's six copies of the Sikh holy text – the Guru Granth Sahib.

They planned to take everything over to the new temple – the newly converted Edwards Sports and Social Club.

with thanks : craeleynews : LINK : for detailed news.

Buena Park Sikh leaders call for investigation after temple vandalized

Sikh community leaders in Orange County are urging authorities to investigate a weekend episode of temple vandalism as a possible hate crime, while police have increased patrols near the religious center.

Gang graffiti was found scribbled on the exterior of the Sikh Center in Buena Park on Sunday, while an expletive and the word "ISIS" was scrawled on a community member’s truck, according to the Sikh Coalition.

"We believe that the Gurdwara Singh Sabha was vandalized because it is a Sikh house of worship," the coalition's attorney Gurjot Kaur said in a statement. "We call on local and federal agencies to investigate this vandalism as a hate crime and request increased law enforcement security at the gurdwara immediately.”

with thanks : latimes : LINK : for detailed news.

DSGMC has misused gurdwara funds: Sarna

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 9

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee led by the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) has mismanaged the committee finance, failed to make a road map for the controversial 400-bedded Guru Harikrishan Hospital (GHH) adjacent to Bala Sahib Gurdwara and increased the committee expenditure, said general secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi), Harvinder Singh Sarna.

Running the GHH was the main election issue of SAD Badal during 2013 DSGMC elections. The SAD has been in the committee for about three years, but so far no road map has been prepared for the hospital, said Sarna while addressing a conference. 

The SAD Badal had also said that former DSGMC president Paramjit Singh disposed of the proposed Guru Harikrishan Hospital to a private company for Rs 300 crore. Why don't they make public the document of the sale of hospital, he questioned.  

with thanks : Tribune : LINK : for detailed news.

Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Sahib ji : SikhsIndia

'His Name Is Darsh Singh': Pushback Against 'Joke' Goes Viral

Greg Worthington

• The University of Texas at Austin

 ·104 followers

 · December 5 at 9:46pm · Austin, TX, United States ·Edited · 

Let me tell you why this shit isn't funny. I know this guy and his name's not 'Muhammad.' He's not Arab, he's Punjabi. He's not even Muslim, he's a Sikh. His name is Darsh Singh and he's a US citizen, born and bred. That jersey he's wearing in this pic, it currently sits in a Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC because he made US history as the NCAA's first turbaned Sikh American basketball player for Trinity University in my hometown of San Antonio. He was co-captain .........

On Sunday, Worthington took to Facebook to introduce Singh and explain why the "joke" in the photo was not funny. As of Tuesday morning, Worthington's post has received more than 23,000 likes and more than 10,000 shares.

Please read the entire news : with thanks : nbcnews : LINK

Sikh gurdwara vandalised with racist graffiti

A Sikh gurdwara in Wednesfield was vandalised with graffiti at the weekend.

The Wednesfield gurdwara that was vandalised with graffiti. Credit: Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, Wednesfield South has condemned the incident and said:

We the Sikh community are a peaceful community as are the Muslim community across the UK. We are the same Sikh community who contributed towards the Christmas tree near Wednesfield library as well as the St Thomas Church clock.

We're the same Sikh community who answered the call from England to fight in both World Wars.

Whoever did this needs a serious history lesson.

– COUNCILLOR BHUPINDER GAKHAL, WEDNESFIELD SOUTH

with thanks : itv : LINK : for detailed news.

How an outnumbered 6th Sikh Battalion saved Poonch

The 6th Sikh Battalion heroically defended the strategically important town against a numerically superior Pakistani force 44 years ago. One of the bravest battles of the 1971 war was actually fought hundreds of kilometres away from Bangladesh, to protect the town of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir. The 6th Sikh Battalion heroically defended the strategically important town against a numerically superior Pakistani force 44 years ago.

Officials said that during the 1971 conflict, the heroic stand of the battalion against a numerically superior enemy saved the politically important town of Poonch. The battle was fought from December 3-6.

As India joined the war on behalf of then East Pakistan on December 3, 1971, Pakistan attacked on the Western front. Pakistani brigades in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) comprising 5 Frontier Force Rifles, 7 POK Battalion and 51 Punjab Regiment were given the task of capturing two piquets as also the helipad in Poonch which were held by the 6 Sikh.

0 The assault began on the evening of December 3 but 6 Sikh, with artillery support, held them off for three days after which there was no major attack. The battalion suffered eight casualties and 33 were wounded. For their action, the battalion won one Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) and five Vir Chakras and the battle honour ‘Defence of Poonch 1971.’

with thanks : The Hindu : LINK : for detailed news.

Young Sikh Man Attacks Congress Leader Jagdish Tytler To Avenge His Alleged Role In 1984 Riots

Congress Leader Jagdish Tytler, who is one of the main accused in the 1984 Delhi riots case, was attacked by a 23-year-old Sikh man in the capital today during a wedding function.

ANI

Reports said the incident took place at 11 pm at a farm house in the Mehrauli area, where Tytler had gone to attend the wedding.

“The Congress leader was leaving the wedding ceremony when the incident happened. A youth named Sehaj Umang Singh started abusing Tytler and then tried to throw a glass at him. However, the leader escaped unhurt,” a police official revealed.

Indian Express

Following the attack, the man was caught and handed him over to the police. He was detained, and later let off after a brief interrogation.

"It's ridiculous that in a country like ours somebody who has killed 3000 ppl can roam around free having fun. And if I speak my heart out in public I have to be reprimanded and taken to the police," said the attacker - Sehaj Umang Singh Bhatia.

Tytler is accused of being one of the stalwarts of the 1984 riots which brutally massacred thousands of Sikhs in the aftermath of PM Indira Gandhi's assasination on October 31,1984.

Last week, CBI’s closure report on Tytler in the case was rejected by court which asked the agency for further investigation.

with thanks : indiatimes : LINK : for detailed news.

Surat Singh Khalsa gives up water after his ‘feasting’ video goes viral !

Fumed over the video that has gone viral on social networking sites fasting sikh activist Surat Singh Khalsa has given up water too on Saturday. In the video fasting sikh has been shown taking soup and other eatables. Khalsa said it is forged video that has been posted on social networking sites with intension to thwart his agitation. The video was gone viral on Friday.

He added that he has never taken anything except water since January 16.

In a video message shared on social networking site Surat Singh Khalsa through his supporter said the SAD-BJP government has been trying end his protest and hatching conspiracies to damage his image. In the protest he will not drink water until the release of Sikh prisoners lodged in jails even after completing their sentences.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK : for detailed news.

Tasty, Sugar Free - Natura - Firni !

I am sure all of you have tasted custard, Kheer and many similar things, so many times. Today i will tell you about the Sugar Free Natura - FIRNI. It's a very tasty food and very easy to make. The Ingredients include a Bowl of milk, three spoons of rice, Sugar free natura, Dry fruits and Elaichi powder..

Just soak the rice in water for some time say 15 to 20 minutes and grind it in a mixer for a few minutes to make a paste of it. Take another bowl and put the milk in it for boiling. Once boiled, simply mix the rice paste into it. Put the mix on a low flame for some time and keep on stirring constantly. Add the Sugar Free Natura in it as per your taste and the FIRNI is ready. Spray the Elaichi powder for a sweet smell and taste.

Pour the Firni in the serving bowl. Now add the dry fruits as per your taste and let it cool for some time. Your Firni is now ready for serving. Just taste it and you will find it delicious. It is a healthy product as no sugar is used in it. You can take it in your breakfast or as a dessert after the dinner.If you want to know more about Sugar Free Natura, please log on to : http://sugarfree-india.com/