In photos: Canada's first Sikh defence minister returns to India

Harjit Singh Sajjan is the first Sikh to hold the top defence job in a foreign land.
And this, says Monali Sarkar, is his first official trip to the country of his birth.

Photograph: Kind courtesy @HarjitSajjan/Facebook

Harjit Sajjan began his first visit to India as Canada's minister of national defence with a stop at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in New Delhi, one of the many around the world that are dedicated to soldiers who died in the two World Wars.

Eighteen Canadians lay among the fallen at this cemetery. He said the visit was a particularly 'poignant' one.

Sajjan was born in Punjab and migrated to Canada with his family when he was 5 -- incidentally a beneficiary of the immigration reform introduced under Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's father, then PM Pierre Trudeau.

He is the first Sikh to hold the top defence job in a foreign land.

Photograph: Press Information Bureau

He also laid a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti, noting, 'India's contribution to supporting peace has come at a great cost. Paying respects to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.'

Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Sajjan was accorded a guard of honour during his ceremonial reception in New Delhi.

He has served in the Canadian army's reserve force with deployments in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Afghanistan. He also became the first Sikh to command a Canadian reserve regiment.

Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

'India's Tri-Service Guard of Honour makes a lasting impression,' Sajjan tweeted.

Photograph: Kind courtesy @ArunJaitley/Facebook

A key engagement during the trip was Sajjan's meeting with his Indian counterpart Arun Jaitley. He said they had 'a great discussion… about opportunities to strengthen Canada-India defence relations.'

Photograph: Kind courtesy @HarjitSajjan/Facebook

On April 20, his last day in New Delhi, Sajjan met with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

'The Canada-India bilateral relationship is strong and I look forward to further growing the ties that bind us together as two countries dedicated to peace.'

He is also scheduled to travel to Punjab and Mumbai.

Sajjan's visit to Punjab -- where he will visit his native village in Hoshiarpur, inaugurate the Canadian consulate general's new office in Chandigarh, and pay obeisance at the Golden Temple in Amritsar -- has became controversial.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has refused to meet him, dubbing him a 'Khalistani sympathiser.'

Asked about the allegation by the Indian media, Sajjan said, 'I don't want to be sucked into the internal politics of a province of a nation. My goal is to build relationships. I am proud of the fact that I was born here.'

with thanks : rediff : LINK

Canada minister at Harmandar Sahib, gets cold shoulder from government

Chandigarh, April 20 (IANS) Canada’s Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan on Thursday paid obeisance at the Harmandar Sahib in Amritsar and visited other places in Punjab, but the Amarinder Singh government cold-shouldered the visiting dignitary.

No Punjab minister or senior state government official either welcomed Sajjan to his native state or accompanied him on his visits to various places, including to the Harmandar Sahib (Golden Temple) or to his native village Bombeli in Hoshiarpur district.

Sajjan — the first Sikh to become the defence minister of a western country — was, however, provided security as per the protocol.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh stirred a controversy last week when he said during the Canadian Minister’s Punjab visit he will not meet the “Khalistani sympathiser”. Amarinder Singh accused Sajjan and other ministers in Canada of having links with radical elements who demanded a separate Sikh state of Khalistan.

Amarinder Singh remained adamant on not meeting Sajjan despite the Canadian minister proposing a meeting.

Sajjan flew into the Sikh holy city of Amritsar on Wednesday evening. He was received at the airport by junior officers of the Amritsar district administration. Members of some radical groups were also present outside Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport with banners to welcome Sajjan.

The Canadian minister started his day early on Thursday with a visit to Harmandar Sahib to offer prayers at the holiest of the Sikh shrines.

Sikh radicals, belonging to hardline Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) and other Sikh organisations, raised pro-Khalistan slogans and clashed with a task force of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee outside the complex as Sajjan arrived there.

However, the visiting dignitary avoided radical elements and was received by top SGPC functionaries, including its President Kirpal Singh Badungar, to a red-carpet welcome.

Sajjan remained at the shrine for over an hour, during which he prayed inside the sanctum sanctorum and listened to hymns. SGPC task force ensured the radical elements did not create any scene inside the shrine complex.

Sajjan, 46, was later honoured by the SGPC with a ‘siropa’ (traditional robe of honour) and presented a replica of the Golden Temple and a sword.

The minister then visited the Pingalwara Charitable Trust premises near Amritsar to meet destitute children housed there. He also visited an all-girls orphanage in Jalandhar city, 150 km from here.

Sajjan visited his family house in native village Bambeli, 15 km from Hoshiarpur. His father Kundan Singh Sajjan and other relatives were present to receive him.

Chaos prevailed as village residents and those from neighbouring areas thronged Bombeli to catch a glimpse of the Sikh Canadian Minister.

This is published unedited from the IANS feed.

with thanks : india.com : LINK

Delhi Congress stalwart Arvinder Singh Lovely joins BJP

Delhi Congress stalwart Arvinder Singh Lovely joined BJP. He said that he was being ignored since last two years while he was willing to serve the city. He was not included in the various committees formed by Ajay Maken. Even though he is an automatic member of the manifesto committee, as he was Ex  President of the Delhi Pardesh Congres committee, he was not invited while declaring the manifesto. While joining BJP, he showed faith in the Leadership of  Modi ji & Amit Shah. 

1984 anti-Sikh riots: Tytler refuses to undergo lie detector test yet again

Congress leader Jagdish Tytler on Tuesday yet again refused to undergo a lie detector test in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

A Delhi Court has reserved its order till May 9.

Earlier in February this year, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had sought the court's permission for lie-detector tests on Tytler and arms dealer Abhishek Verma.

Earlier, the CBI had in its plea requested the court to direct the duo to appear before it and accord their consent for conducting polygraph test so that further investigation can be conducted in the matter.

Tytler is accused of leading a mob in the 1984 Pul Bangash case in which three Sikhs were killed.

with thanks : 
Business Standard : LINK : for detailed news

EXCLUSIVE: Sikh taxi driver assaulted, turban stolen by drunken passenger in the Bronx

A drunken passenger roughed up a Sikh cabbie and snatched the turban off his head in an assault the NYPD is investigating as a possible hate crime.

Harkirat Singh, 25, said the theft of his religious garb was the culmination of a scary encounter early Sunday with a belligerent boozehound and his three buddies that has made him too scared to drive another night shift.

“I'm so afraid. I don't want to work,” Singh told the Daily News at his home in Ozone Park, Queens.

"It's an insult on my religion, also,” he said. “An insult of my faith. It's horrible.”

The immigrant from Punjab, India, said he picked up three men and a woman - all in their 20s - around 5 a.m. at the corner of Eighth Ave. and 30th St., a few blocks south of Madison Square Garden.

The quartet said they wanted to go to E. 165th St. and Jerome Ave. in the Bronx. When the yellow taxi reached that intersection, the passengers complained that Singh took them to the wrong destination — but the drunks couldn’t give the cabbie a straight answer about where to go next, he said.

with thanks : nydailynews : LINK : for detailed news, Video & pics

Happy Gurupurab

Thousands crowd into Times Square April 15 for Turban Day

Close to 10,000 people crowded into Times Square on April 15, to celebrate Turban Day, a colorful event hosted by Sikhs Of New York, an organization founded by Sikh youth. It combined a celebration of Vaisakhi, the harvest festival, with raising awareness about Indian-Americans of the Sikh faith who have felt particularly vulnerable post-9/11. The National Sikh Campaign also launched its “We are Sikhs” media blitz at the same event, and the U.S. Congress released a “proclamation” declaring April 15, 2017 as “Turban Day” and “Sikhs of New York Day”, an initiative led by Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-NY.

Entertainers at the event included Top Naach, a Bhangra group from Virginia; American Sikhs, an instrumental band from the 3HO Foundation in Los Angeles; The Lost Strings of New York, and mandolin player Gagandeep. A Bhangra workshop was also held.

Volunteers stretch colorful meters of cloth to help tie turbans at Times Square April 15, for Turban Day, organized by Sikhs of New York (Photo: H.P. Singh)

This was the second time that  Turban Day was held at Times Square. It attracted people from as far as Los Angeles and Alberta, Canada, many of whom volunteered to tie the turbans. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s head of Immigration Affairs Jenifer Rajkumar, attended the event.

Close to 500 volunteers helped wrap turbans on those wanting them. Though the event was to start at 12 noon,  people of various ethnicities and cultures lined up from 9:30 am to wear their turban, Chanpreet Singh, 24, founder of Sikhs of New York, told Desi Talk. Turban Day was an opportunity for those that do not wear a turban to experience it and learn about its significance first hand, organizers said.

The four hour Times Square event was live streamed. “Some 400,000 people saw it live. And over 24 hours since the event took place, half a million people have seen the video on our Facebook site,” said Chanpreet Singh, founder of Sikhs of New York.

with thanks : newsindiatimes : LINK : for detailed report & pics.

Happy Gurupurab. Sahib Sri Guru Teg Bahadur ji de Parkash Purab diyaan Lakh Lakh Vadhaaiyaan hovan ji

Happy Baisakhi !

300 saal guru de naal : SikhsIndia - 27.5.2008

Can't forget those days. This Jagriti yatra was passing from various locations of Delhi. My father was very much willing to go to any such place to have the darshan. But we were unable to do that, as he was suffering from the last stage of Cancer. He had got paralysis of the lower limb. He waited for the yatra till his last minutes and expired on 18th May 2008 at around 4 pm. And the yatra came to our door steps on 27th may, 2008, i.e. just after 9 days of his death. RIP.

HEAVYWEIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOR MANJINDER SIRSA IN FINAL PHASE

HEAVYWEIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOR MANJINDER SIRSA IN FINAL PHASE : SMRITI IRANI, PARESH RAWAL, SUKHBIR BADAL AND OTHERS PITCH IN ON LAST DAY

New Delhi, April 7 :  Final day of the election campaign for Rajouri Garden assembly constituency saw heavyweight leaders of the BJP-SAD alliance campaign for the combine candidate Mr. Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

          Union Textile Minister Mrs. Smriti Irani led the campaign battle by holding a road show and a public rally for Sirsa in the constituency.  Addressing the rally  Ms Smriti Irani said Mr Sirsa is struggling for the issues of the sikh community since long time and when he met her first time after assuming charge as Union Minister, he had brought several issues before her. She said that it was perhaps hard work of Mr Sirsa which resulted in solving those issues which was hanging on since last 30 years.

          Lashing out at Delhi CM and AAP convener Mr. Arvind Kejriwal Ms Irani said that he was man who has betrayed the trust of the people and miserably failed to deliver on promises he made during the last assembly elections. He said that AAP will meet the same fate here which it had met in Goa and Punjab.

          Ms Irani said similar will be fate of the Congress party  which was facing successive defeats in elections due to it wrong policies adopted during the UPA tenure and running government in Delhi. She said that on the other hand Prime Minister Mr Narinder Modi is guiding the BJP to successive wins only because of its pro poor and welfare oriented policies of the government.

          Addressing a hugely attended rally in favour of Mr Manjinder Singh Sirsa Senior Member Parliament and Bollywood celebrity Mr. Paresh Rawal said that Mr Narinder Modi is leading BJP who is the known for his commitments and selfless service for the nation. On the other hand Mr Kejriwal has taken oath of his children that he will not enter politics but forgot the commitment when the time came for becoming Chief Minister. He said that after becoming he started dreaming of becoming Prime Minister and went to Goa where he was duck out in the recently concluded assembly elections. He said that what happened to AAP in Punjab is known to everybody and these liars are now avoiding meeting public for their lies.

          He urged the people to vote for Mr Sirsa to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Mr Narinder Modi and said that after the victory the BJP-SAD alliance will ensure completion of works which have been stalled because of AAP government since last over years.

          Meanwhile the SAD President and former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal also addressed a rally in favour of Mr Sirsa last evening. He said that more than 37 candidates of AAP lost their security deposits in recently concluded elections AAP was only able to get 21 percent share. He exuded confidence that AAP and Congress will face similar fate in this election in Delhi.

PR : MS Sirsa