The Lion of Nairobi

Akash Soni, Zee Media Correspondent from Nairobi

The man who saved 40 lives talks to Zee Media in Nairobi 

He saved 40 lives in the Nairobi mall. When you give him the credit he cutely smiles and points his finger upwards saying it is Him who did it, not him. He tries to give credit to others but the survivors, 40 of them, say – if he had not been there, perhaps Al Shabaab militants would have butchered them as well. 

37 year old Satpal Singh is a Sikh - a Kenyan of Indian origin. He shared his experience with Zee Media. No amount of words can describe his humility, bravery beyond ordinary, a shining example of unflinching faith in the face of cowardly butchery by the terrorists.

As booby traps, bombs and blood are cleaned from the Westgate Mall here in Nairobi, Satpal Singh narrates to Zee Media the ordeal of more than 1000 people who were trapped inside the mall on the fateful four days. 

Normal human reaction would have been to escape as grenades exploded and men, women and children fell to sprays of bullets. But Satpal tells Zee Media he never thought about running because Sikh religion does not teach you to run. I hold an incredulous expression; I cannot believe my ears as he says even his first reaction was not to run. So, Sikh teachings overcame the primeval survivor instinct to flee even in the face of danger? Intellectualise if you will, is his reply in a few words, but for him it is like this. “He will take care of me. He does his work, I do mine. It is His job to save me, then why should I be worried.”He was face to face with a terrorist who shot twice at him but Satpal cheated death, the bullets barely missed him.

I met many survivors - many refused to talk on camera; we understood it was a trauma they would rather avoid. What does Satpal feel when he looks back at the terrorist attack that claimed 67 lives? "I feel I could have done more," he says. So, is there no feeling of accomplishment? "No, we could have saved so many more lives and anyways there was an ex-British officer who was there. He said - you are a Sikh, a warrior, let`s join forces and get people out. We did what we could but still many lives were lost!" 

No hatred for terrorists. No big words. No ego. 

There is so much to learn from Satpal Singh. I have interviewed many people as we journalists do, but I have never felt so small, so inferior as a man as I did standing and clicking a photo with Satpal. And Satpal thanks - you have given many of us journalists and Indians and Kenyans a reason to believe that faith can indeed move mountains. 

A man who lives the teachings of his Guru "Chidiyon se mein Baaz Ladaoon, Gidran to mein Sher Banoon, Sava Lakh se ek Ladaun, Tabhi Gobind Singh Naam Kahaoon."

with thanks : Zee News : LINK

Rare pics of Sd Bhagat Singh

"I’m feeling gratitude":Harlem hate crime victim Prabhjot Singh

"People keep asking me what it feels like to have been assaulted in a hate crime. Honestly, I can't come up with a better response than simply "gratitude."I'm thankful for a few reasons. If they had attacked me any more violently, I may not be awake right now to tell my story. If they had attacked me even half an hour earlier, they would have harmed my wife and one-year-old son. And if they had attacked me anywhere else, I may not have had bystanders there to save me. I recall my assailants shouting slurs like "Osama" and "terrorist" before grabbing my beard. My most vivid and unexpected memory actually occurred after I was punched and thrown to the ground. I remember lying on the ground,waiting for  their kicks and punches to stop”.

“Even more important to me than my attackers being caught is that they are taught. My tradition teaches me to value justice and accountability, and it also teaches me love, compassion and understanding. It's a tough situation. I care about the people in my local community. I want the streets to be safe for my young son, but at the same time, I am not comfortable with the idea of putting more young teenagers from my neighborhood on the fast track to incarceration. This incident, while unfortunate, can help initiate a local conversation to create greater understanding within the community”.

“My wife and I plan to raise our son in this same Harlem neighborhood  and I can't help but see the kids who assaulted me as somehow linked to him. In a hostile world, could he too be driven to such action? Could he too feel such hate? My hope is no. My hope is that our family continues to be a part of this neighborhood  from visiting parks and playgrounds to building relationships through our work. I believe this will bring about positive change that strengthens us through our diversity. One day my son may choose to continue practicing the Sikh faith as an adult. My hope is that our neighborhood and all neighborhoods across America will support him, no matter his path”.

“So today, my response is gratitude. Tomorrow my response will be gratitude, as well. To the nurse, to the elderly man and to the other good Samaritans who came to my aid; to my Harlem community, my Columbia community and my Sikh community; and for my role as husband, father, doctor, American, teacher, advocate and neighbor. This gratitude enables my wife and I to remain optimistic that our son will never have to go through what I just experienced”

 Prabhjot Singh is an Assistant Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and a resident in internal medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/hate-victim-prabhjot-singh-feeling-gratitude-article

Sikhs Want Guru’s Portraits Removed from Hollywood Bar

United Sikhs has initiated a petition drive and plans to initiate a boycott with the aim of getting the owners of a Hollywood, Calif., restaurant – Pikey Café and Bar – to remove portraits of Sikh Guru Gobind Singh from the establishment’s walls.

“Our religion is very against drinking. Hanging pictures of our guru where people are drinking is very disrespectful,” Karam Grewal, who alerted this publication to the issue, told India-West. “Images of Guru Gobind Singh are only found in gurdwaras or in private homes,” the Indian American said, adding that Pikey has tried to create an Indo-British feel to its Maharaja room, where portraits of maharajahs hang alongside pictures of Sikh saints. 

Grewal said that in the past week, she has contacted the bar multiple times. On the first occasion, she spoke to Noam – he only gave Grewal his first name – who said the portraits would be taken down. On subsequent occasions, Grewal was told to contact the Pikey parent company, Committed, Inc., founded by New York hotelier Sean MacPherson.

“They’re being passive aggressive. They have said they will take them down, but have not told us when. They realize that they have hurt a lot of people, but they’re not doing anything about it,” she said, adding that Pikey’s managers should close that part of the restaurant or at least cover the portraits until the matter is settled.

Committed, Inc. owns eight restaurants in Southern California, including two branches of the Swingers’ Diner, Bar Lubitsch, Jones Hollywood, El Carmen, and the Roger Room. MacPherson is also owner of the Bowery Hotel and the Jane Hotel, and recently opened the Marlton, all in New York. His estimated net worth is $800 million.

MacPherson was unreachable for comment at the Committed, Inc.’s West Hollywood headquarters. Abraham Beltran, controller at Committed, Inc., had not returned several calls or an e-mail for comment by press time.

Manmeet Singh, legal director for United Sikhs, told India-West that his organization would initiate a boycott of MacPherson’s vast empire if the portraits are not removed within the week.

“In the teachings of Sikh religion, all intoxicants are banned,” he said. “To put up pictures of Guru Gobind Singh, and other Sikh gurus, in an environment that promotes alcohol is utterly disrespectful,” Singh stated.

with thanks : IndiaWest : LINK : for detailed news.

Man jailed for cracking offensive Sikh jokes

A Jalandhar resident, who texted offensive jokes on Sikhs to a member of the community, found himself in a legal tangle.

CHANDIGARH: Next time you crack a joke on Sikhs, think twice. A Jalandhar resident, who texted offensive jokes on Sikhs to a member of the community, found himself in a legal tangle and had to spend two weeks in jail.

Complainant Narinder Singh, who heads a Sikh organisation in Jalandhar, accused Atul Kumar of hurting his religious sentiments “by sending jokes that downgraded Sikhs”. “ Kumar had texted offensive jokes to Narinder several times. Though Narinder remained silent initially, he decided to meet Kumar when the latter texted him 15 jokes together. 

He even told Kumar that the messages were hurting him. But an unfazed Kumar didn’t stop sending such jokes to him. A disappointed Narinder filed a police complaint when Kumar sent him an objectionable picture of Asaram Bapu with girls,” Ravinderpal S. Sandhu, assistant commissioner of police, Jalandhar ( west), told M AIL TODAY . The police arrested Kumar on September 5 under section 295 ( A) and IT Act. He was released on bail two days ago.

“ I was forced to complain against Kumar. He continued to text offensive jokes to me though I requested him not to do so. One day I received 15 jokes that were in bad taste and hurt my religious sentiments,” Narinder said.

Sikh organisations have termed the incident “ an eye opener” to others and warned that cases will be registered against those crack jokes on Sikhs.

with thanks : Yahoo News : LINK

Sikhs caught in crossfire of France's battle to stay secular

France's Sikh community is ramping up a campaign for the turban to be allowed in state-funded schools amid moves to reinforce a 2004 law banning pupils from wearing religious symbols.

The contentious issue pits the cherished French principle of secularity in public life and institutions against the essence of the Sikh religion, which requires followers to keep long hair as a mark of their faith and piety and a turban to cover the tresses, worn as a bun on the top of the head.

France's Education Minister Vincent Peillon has unveiled a new charter on secularity which must be displayed in government-funded schools explaining in child-friendly language why the Jewish skullcap and the Star of David, the Sikh turban, crucifixes and the Islamic veil are taboo.

But the 30,000-strong Sikh community in France argue that they are the victims of ignorance.

They see the recent official emphasis on secularism as being primarily the result of opposition to the Islamic veil and broader tensions with the largest Muslim community in Europe, and say they have been caught in the crossfire.

"We are currently in talks with (Interior Minister) Manuel Valls to explain our unique situation and to be exempted from this law," said Kashmir Singh, a member of the management committee of the largest gurdwara or Sikh temple in France, located in the Paris suburb of Bobigny.

"We have also met Manmohan Singh asking him to put pressure on France for justice to be done," he said, referring to the Indian prime minister who is also Sikh.

Singh added: "Our children are dropping out from school or being expelled for keeping the faith. The cross, the veil and the kippa are not mandatory and are symbols. But the kesh (long hair) and the pagri (turban) are non-negotiable. They are not symbols but a sacred, inherent and intrinsic part of our religion."

with thanks : expatica : LINK : for detailed news.

Attacked US Sikh professor to dispel notions about community

IANS

New York, Sep 24: A Sikh professor who was attacked over the weekend by a large group of teenagers shouting "get Osama" and "terrorist" wants to show core American and Sikh values are the same. 

"It's clear that the associations between beards and turbans and terrorism are devastating for an entire community," said Prabhjot Singh, assistant professor at Columbia University, who was attacked Saturday evening in Harlem, New York City.

The teenagers surrounded him on bicycles, pulling his beard and punching him. Shortly after the incident a Muslim woman was attacked a few blocks away.

"So I want to continue working to show that core American values are core Sikh values as well," said Singh. "Most importantly, I want it so that my one-year-old has nothing to fear in this neighbourhood."

State and federal law enforcement authorities in New York City are investigating the attack as an alleged hate crime, according to two community organisations, the Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund (SALDEF) and the Sikh Coalition.

An ambulance rushed Singh to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he also works as a resident physician, SALDEF said.

Singh was hospitalised with displaced teeth, severe bruising and swelling, a small puncture in his elbow, and a possible fracture in his lower jaw. By Sunday evening, Singh was resting after surgery.

with thanks : IANS : LINK : for detailed news.

Columbia University Sikh professor attacked in US, called 'Osama'

Sikh professor of Columbia University attacked

NEW YORK —  A Sikh professor who wrote a New York Times op-ed last year about hate crimes against American Sikhs was attacked by a group of teens over the weekend, media reported citing police.

Prabhjot Singh, an assistant professor at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs, was attacked at around 8 p.m. Saturday while walking along 110th Street near Lennox Avenue in upper Manhattan, NBC 4 New York reported.

Singh, who wears a turban and a beard, said he was confronted by more than a dozen teens on bicycles who shouted slurs before attacking him.

"I heard 'Get Osama' and then 'terrorists', and then the next thing I felt was someone moving past me, ripping at my beard and then hitting me in the chin," Singh told the channel.

Singh said he started running and was punched in the face and on his sides. His attackers continued to kick and punch him after he fell to the ground, he said.

Singh was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital Saturday and had surgery on his jaw, which was fractured, according to NBC 4 New York.

Singh, the channel said, believed he could have died if passers-by hadn't helped get the teens off him.

"There's no doubt in my mind it was a bias-related event," he was quoted as saying.

The attack, he said, made him worry that his one-year-old son, "who will certainly resemble a Sikh man", will face similar hatred as he gets older.

"My fear is that they'll disappear into the neighbourhood," he said of the assailants, adding that he hoped the community mobilises to prevent similar attacks.

Condemning the attack, North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) urged the US government to begin tracking and counting anti-Sikh hate crimes, just as it must continue to vigorously combat bias and discrimination against all Americans, including Muslims.

The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) also called on state political and religious leaders to speak out against bias-motivated crimes after the attack on Prabhjot Singh.

with thanks : AM : LINK

Punjab & Drugs : Shocking Story : Must view :

Ki Karengi Aashiqui : Money V