Despite Nitin Gadkari's denial, Sikh body threatens protest over remark

PTI

New Delhi: Despite BJP chief Nitin Gadkari's denial of having given a clean chit to Congress on its role in 1984 riots, a Sikh organisation today warned of nationwide protests against him from tomorrow over his comments.

"Gadkari's statement that there was no role of Congress in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots has hurt the entire Sikh community in India and abroad and it is a dangerous comment," All India Sikh Conference president Gurcharan Singh Babbar said.

"He must answer who was responsible for the deadly carnage if Congress was not behind this or else the Sikh community will also hold the RSS and BJP responsible for it," he told reporters here.

Singh said if Gadkari's statement was accepted then it would imply that the continuous efforts by Sikhs to get justice for the last 26 years was a "sheer waste".

He also warned of nationwide protests against Gadkari starting tomorrow, saying, "There would be widespread protests wherever Sikh communities exist and it will only get more stronger."

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With thanks : source : DNAINDIA

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Canadian parliament condemns Sikh extremism

Toronto, April 29 – In yet another warning to pro-Khalistan elements, the Canadian parliament Wednesday passed a resolution condemning threats by radicals to top Indo-Canadian leader and former health minister Ujjal Dosanjh.

A moderate Sikh who became premier of Canada’s British Columbia province in 2000,Dosanjh has been a staunch opponent of radical Sikhs in Canada since the 1980s when the pro-Khalistan movement was at its peak in India and Canada.

Two weeks ago, Sikh hardliners warned Dosanjh against attending a Vaisakhi parade in the Vancouver suburb of Surrey. The threat led to outrage among Indo-Canadians and condemnation by Canadian leaders and the media.

After that incident, death threats against him appeared on Facebook.

The Canadian parliament passed a motion in support of the Indo-Canadian leader Wednesday. Passing the motion unanimously, the House said all its members ’stand united in condemning any form of extremism that incites violence in Canadian society, and re-affirm the rights of elected officials to freely express their views without fear of personal intimidation.”

Thanking the House, Dosanjh said, ‘I want to express my sincerest appreciation for the unanimous support of all my colleagues in the House of Commons in what is a very difficult situation for my family and I.

‘This expression of support from parliamentarians of all political parties reaffirms individual rights, including those of the public officials to freely express themselves without fear of threats, intimidation, or violence.”

The House resolution condemning Sikh hardliners comes two days after the Canadian government said that Sikh violence will not tolerated.

Making the statement in the House Monday, Indian-origin parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs Deepak Obhrai had said that his government ’strongly condemns the recent threats of violence made by extremists within the Canadian Sikh community.

This is unacceptable.”

Canada is home more about half a million Sikhs, with a very minute section of the community still supporting demand for a independent Sikh nation called Khalistan.

IANS

With thanks : Source : INDIATALKIES

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Sikh group to challenge clean chit to Tytler

NEW YORK: Angry over a clean chit to Jagdish Tytler in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, a community group here has alleged that the CBI did not investigate material witnesses in the case when its team came to the United States.

The Sikh group based in New York and India, Sikhs for Justice, says there are several witnesses living in the US who had seen the Congress leader inciting mobs in the killings.

Sikhs for Justice, which had originally challenged CBI's closure report in 2007 are now preparing to challenge the Delhi court's decision to acquit Tytler, citing the new witnesses that have still not been heard.

"The CBI did not investigate material witnesses when they came to the United States and they came with the premeditated notion of giving Tytler a clean chit," Gurpatwant Pannun, the lawyer for the Sikhs for Justice, told PTI.

"The CBI should come back and speak to these witnesses who saw what happened," he added, noting that the Sikh group would ask the court to direct the CBI to hear these witnesses.

Resham Singh, who claims he saw Tytler at the Pulbangash Gurudwara standing in front of the mob as black smoke emerged from the shrine, said the CBI officials refused to speak to him when they came to interview the two key witnesses Jasbir Singh and Surinder Singh in San Francisco and New York.

In its decision, the court pointed out that the statement of Jasbir had "no relevance" and that the statements of Surinder Singh were "self-contradictory".

"I'm running after them to be heard... this is absolutely ridiculous," Resham told PTI.

Pannun said the discredited witness Jasbir "is outraged by the court's decision and blames the CBI for yielding to political pressure".

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With thanks : source : Times of India

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300 Saala Sirhind Fateh March

SikhsIndia welcomes the 300 Saala Sirhind Fateh March in Delhi. The three days programme of this yatra in Delhi is as below :

28.4.2010

At 4 pm Gurdwara Baba Banda Singh Bahadur to Kutub road, Africa avenue, Ring road, Gurdwara Moti bagh to Delhi cant, Jail road and rest at Gurdwara Chote Sahibjade in Fateh nagar.

29.4.2010

At 7 am from Jail road, Tilak nagar to Najafgarh road, Main road vishnu garden, Subhash nagar, Raja garden left turn for Punjabi bagh, right turn for Moti nagar, Shadiput depot,Patel nagar, Shanker road, Gurdwara rakab ganj sahib, Ashok road, India gate, Dr Zakir hussain road, right turn Sujan singh marg, Lodhi road, Sai mandir, South ex, left turn Moolchand, to Gurdwara Singh sabha Greater Kailash, Pahadi wala Gurdwara.

30.4.2010

At 7 am from Pahadi wala gurdwara to Ashram, Bhogal, Sunder nagar, Pragati maidan, Nizammudin bridge, Pandav nagar, Mother dairy, Ganesh nagar fly over, Lalita park, Vikas marg, Dera Baba Karam singh, Jheel chowk, Krishna nagar, Lalquarter, Tej band, Swarn cinema to ISBT to Gurdwara Majnu ka Tila.

1.5.2010
At 9am from Gurdwara Majnu ka tila via ring road, Teekri border to Haryana.

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SikhsIndia SMS Channel

We have observed that many of the visitors are not able to get connected to our blog as they are not able to use the computers regularly. But a cell phone is a most common thing nowadays. Therefore, we are pleased to announce that we have added SikhsIndia SMS Channel to our SikhsIndia blog. Please subscribe the blog and than you will get Automated updates of the postings on the SikhsIndia blog by way of an SMS to your cell number.

Please use your cell phone & send a SMS to 9870807070 with the message ON sikhsindia as below : 9870807070: ON sikhsindia

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Tytler given clean chit in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case

ANI

A Karkardooma court on Tuesday let off former minister and Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case after accepting the closure report submitted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that gave a clean chit to him.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Rakesh Pandit said: "There is no sufficient material to send Tytler to trial."

Giving a clean cheat to Tytler, the court further said there was no ground to order further investigation in the case.

The CBI had submitted that there was nothing to proceed against 66-year-old Tytler as two witnesses, Jasbir Singh and Surinder Singh, were not reliable and their statements were 'false and concocted'.

Earlier on April 2, the CBI had given a clean chit to Tytler .

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM THE LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE i.e. THE SOURCE FOR THE NEWS.

With thanks : Source : LittleAbout

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Extremist groups trying to revive militancy in Punjab: Govt

PTI

New Delhi: Government today said that Sikh militant groups especially those based abroad are trying to revive militancy in Punjab and a close watch is being maintained on their activities.

"Available reports suggest that Sikh militant groups especially those based abroad continue to persist with their efforts to revive militancy in Punjab," Minister of state for home Ajay Maken said a written reply to a query in Lok Sabha.

As part of steps taken by the government to counter such attempts, he said a close watch is being maintained on the activities of many groups known to have been engaged in trying to foment terrorist activities in Punjab.

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With thanks : DNAINDIA

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Gunmen in raid at Sikh temple

Three armed raiders held up a Sikh Temple in Glasgow and stole thousands of pounds. The men, one armed with a gun, struck as worshippers were preparing the Temple for the day’s services.

The raid happened at the St Andrew’s Drive temple in Pollokshields and the men escaped with a four-figure cash sum. After the raid, which happened at 11.15am yesterday, the robbers ran off towards Shields Road and Maxwell Drive.

Detective Sergeant Jim Leckie, of Gorbals CID, said: “Worshippers were left shaken by events.”

Police issued descriptions of the three men.

The first was black, in his 20s, about 6ft, of slim build and with short dark hair. He was wearing dark trousers, a dark thigh length jacket, and black baseball cap.

The second was also black, and in his 20s, about 6ft and of slim build. He was wearing a black-and-white bandana and dark waist-length jacket.

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With thanks : source : EVENINGTIMES

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90,000 Sikhs celebrate festival in Birmingham

Around 90,000 Sikhs packed Handsworth Park as part of an annual celebration to remember the birth of their faith.

The Birmingham event was one of the largest Vaisakhi parties in the world and kicked off at 10am with two huge processions from the temples in Hockley and Smethwick.

Each parade was led by five Sikhs in traditional dress who represented the original Panj Pyare (Beloved Ones) who were the first to join the Sikh order over 300 years ago.

The processions arrived to a fantastic festive atmosphere in the park, where families enjoyed live music, dancing and craft stalls. Later, hungry visitors enjoyed the best Punjabi food thanks to a delicious Langar – a free vegetarian feast.

The 90,000 visitors beat last year’s attendance figures of more than 80,000.

Coun Martin Mullaney said: “Birmingham’s vibrant Vaisakhi festival shows how people come together in the city to celebrate their cultural identity.

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With thanks : source : Birmingham post

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Pak based Hindu, Sikh families want a visa-free zone

Amritsar, Apr 26 (PTI) Hindu and Sikh families settled across the border want a visa-free zone between India and Pakistan that would facilitate frequent visits to their near and dear ones here.

"Hundreds of Hindu and Sikh families, living in Pakistan for more than seven decades, approached me and expressed the desire to visit their relatives frequently in India. But visa problem restrain them all the time," Ramesh Singh, founder chairman of Pakistan Sikh Council, said.

Singh, who is presently leading a delegation of 150 Hindus and Sikhs, is staying at the guest house of the Golden Temple.

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED AT LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With thanks : source : PTI

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Congress did not initiate anti-Sikh riots in 1984: Gadkari

NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari says it's not entirely correct to blame the then Congress government for initiating the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.

In an interview to BBC Hindi Service, Gadkari said: "Some people might be involved in those riots but it would not be entirely correct to say that the riots were initiated by the government.

"Nobody can manipulate or organise such incidents; these are unfortunate reactions of the people at large."

Gadkari was replying to questions on the alleged involvement of the BJP and its government in the demolition of the Babri mosque and the 1992 Gujarat riots.

"Gujarat riots were unfortunate. But when riots take place in other states, why aren't governments and chief ministers blamed for that?" the newly-elected BJP president asked.

"Why don't you corner Congress governments and their chief ministers for riots which took place in Congress-governed states, the way you are cornering Modi and the BJP? Riots took place in Mumbai in 1992 and the way Sikhs were killed in Delhi..."

He also said the BJP was not anti-Muslim, and shot back, "If our party were against the Muslims, why would we nominate Dr. Abdul Kalam as the president of the country?"

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM THE LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With Thanks : Source : Times of India

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Turban a mark of Sikh identity

Amritsar: The Sikh leadership on Tuesday described the turban as a mark of identity and advised the members of the community living abroad against the practice of abandoning the religious headgear.

Akal Takht Jatehdar Gurbachan Singh said: “Families living abroad are adopting Western culture and not wearing turban since they are adopting Western style hair-cut.” He was speaking on the occasion of ‘World Turban Day' organised by an NGO to create awareness about the importance of the turban in Sikhism.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Avtar Singh Makkar said: “The Sikh community is a minority in the world and turban on the head of Sikh shows their distinguished identity.” The world knows Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as a turbaned man, he said, adding: “The new generation of Sikhs needs to know the importance of the turban, since they get their hair cut which is against the norms of the religion”. - PTI

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM THE LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With Thanks : Source : The Hindu

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Peace corridor between India, Pak sought

A delegation of United Sikh Mission met Rahul Gandhi, General Secretary, AICC, and demanded the creation of a peace corridor linking Dera Baba Nanak post in Gurdaspur to Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan. Amarjit Singh Tikka, former working President of the Punjab Youth Congress met Gandhi along with other members of the mission. Tikka said that Kartarpur gurdwara was visible from the Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak near the border. The distance from the Indian border in Dera Baba Nanak is 1.25 km only. So a corridor should be created so that people can go in the morning and can comeback by evening with visa formalities, he added. He said that Ambassador UNO John McDonald Chairman and CEO institute of multi track diplomacy had also agreed to this demand.

Detailed news can be viewed from the link in the headline above.

With thanks : source : IndianExpress

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Consider vehicle free zone in Amritsar

Amritsar, Punjab: Justice Rajive Bhalla of the High Court has asked the Amritsar Municipal Corporation to consider the possibility of declaring the area around Harmandar Sahib and Jallianwala Bagh as a vehicle free zone.

The directions were issued when during the proceedings of a contempt petition, petitioner and advocate Ajay Singh stated that vehicles should not be allowed to ply in the walled city, particularly in the area surrounding these significant landmarks, which were situated in crowded localities.

Justice Bhalla issued directions for impleading the Amritsar MC Commissioner as a party and directed to explore the feasibility of allowing only rickshaws and residents of the area could be granted vehicle permits.

Ajay Singh also pointed out that accidents on the Kurali Kharar S.A.S. Nagar road had caused four deaths during the past week but the police were conspicuous by their absence on these roads.

IG R.P. Singh submitted an affidavit that 65 patrol vehicles, 26 cranes and recovery vans and 18 ambulances had been deployed on state and national highways in the state.

Justice Bhalla has directed Punjab Police to file a detailed affidavit giving details about location of these vehicles and whether ambulances were manned by doctors or paramedics.

With thanks : source : SikhSangat ; Pic by : Leuven

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Dosanjh vows not to let threats change his resolve

VANCOUVER — It’s been a tumultuous and perhaps trying week for Vancouver Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh, who saw his life threatened twice.

“As long as I stand for what I stand for, I will be a target,” Dosanjh told the Vancouver Province Friday after RCMP launched an investigation into a posting on a Facebook page calling for the former premier to be shot.

Dosanjh has drawn the ire of a minority of Sikhs since the ’80s, after speaking out against the violence sparked by Canadian members of the Khalistan movement who seek to create a Sikh homeland in India’s Punjab region.

“I don’t stand for dividing people on religion, I don’t stand for supporting hate or violence,” Dosanjh said.

“I have a very secular approach to life and that’s my right. I’m a Canadian by citizenship, I’m an Indian by heritage and I’m a Punjabi by mother tongue. I’m proud of all of that.

“For these guys, religion is everything. For me, religion is a small part of my life.”

Dosanjh was in a standing committee on national defence Thursday when one of his staffers interrupted to show him a posting from the Facebook group called “Ujjal Dosanjh is a Sikh traitor.”

“Someone shoot him — ASAP,” wrote one of the Facebook group’s members before the entry was deleted. Another wrote it “would be more appropriate to pierce him with bullets, not compassion.”

Members of the group accuse the former federal cabinet minister of “betraying his own people” and being “an insult to the Sikh religion” for his viewpoints on the Khalistan movement.

RCMP Insp. Paul Richards, who heads the force’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team, said police are investigating the threats.

“It is unusual to have a threat like this directed at an elected official,” he said. “I think part of our job right now, in addition to looking at the nuts and bolts of if there is a threat, is also to look at the context.”

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With thanks : source : Vancouversun

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Police probe threat against Sikh MP

OTTAWA — Federal police are investigating an online posting calling for the murder of Canada's top Sikh politician, Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh, after he warned of rising Sikh extremism in this country.

"We've opened an investigation into threats against Mr. Dosanjh made in Facebook entries," Royal Canadian Mounted Police Inspector Paul Richards told AFP.

"Someone shoot him ASAP," one commenter posted on the Facebook site titled "Ujjal Dosanjh is a Sikh Traitor," the National Post reported.

Another posting branded Dosanjh, a former premier of British Columbia and federal justice minister from 2004 to 2006, as a "rat in our midst," a "scumbag traitor and an insult to the Sikh religion."

Dosanjh's caucus colleagues responded in an open letter, saying "Canada is a free country where citizens must be able to express their views without being subjected to threats.

"We unequivocally condemn the threats of violence against our colleague Ujjal Dosanjh, and condemn all forms of extremism coming from any Canadian community," said Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff.

Dosanjh, who was savagely beaten in 1985 after speaking out against religious violence, warned in an interview on Wednesday that Sikh extremism in Canada -- blamed for the 1985 Air India bombing -- is "getting worse."

"It's more entrenched, it's more sophisticated and sometimes it's double-faced," he told AFP.

His comments echoed concerns expressed by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper over growing support by Canadian Sikhs for militants in Punjab.

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No entry with kirpan: Canadian court to Sikh

Toronto, Apr 23: In what could draw the ire of Sikh groups, a Sikh religious leader was denied entry into the courtroom with kirpan, a Sikh religous symbol, by a Canadian Court on the grounds that it "could be used as a weapon".

"Although Kooner's charter right to freedom of religion may be breached, he will not be allowed to bring his kirpan into the courthouse," Superior Court Justice Steven Rogin said as he disallowed Sukdev Singh Kooner entry into courtroom with kirpan.

"This is especially so because of the excitement and passion this dispute has engendered in the Gurdwara and the fact that the kirpan, although ceremonial, could be used as a weapon," he said.

Windsor police posted extra security in the courtroom as around 100 members of the local Sikh community flocked inside the courtroom to attend the proceeding. Those present did not were thier kirpan inside the court.

Justice Rogin adjourned the case to make way for Kooner to testify outside the court, which is permissible under the law and can be held in places like his lawyer's offices.

However, Koooner, chose to stay outside the courtroom after he was not allowed to enter with his kirpan by the judge.

Kooner, an allergist and honoured leader at a Gurdwara was set to testitfy on Thursday, Apr 22, in connection with a lawsuit filed against him by a rival faction at the Sikh Cultural Society of Metropolitan Windsor.

While Kirpans are allowed in the House of Commons, the Supreme Court building and on trains, they are not allowed on flights.

With thanks : source : News.OneIndia : Link in the headline above.

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Sikh turbans banned from armed police operations

Sikh police officers who wear turbans cannot join firearms teams, following a ruling from the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo).

Officers can choose instead to wear a smaller head covering known as a patka, which will fit under a helmet.

The Acpo guidance follows consultations with the Home Office and a range of police associations representing Sikhs.

In 2009, a tribunal awarded £10,000 to a Sikh officer who was ordered to remove his turban during riot training.

The British Sikh Police Association asked for a clarification from Acpo following the award, and proposed a "ballistic turban" that would provide head protection.

Acpo opted against the ballistic turban approach but said the idea was worth "future exploration".

'No discrimination'

"The police service has a legal duty to consider the health and safety of staff at work and provide appropriate personal protective equipment to staff who are placed in high risk situations," said Chief Constable Meredydd Hughes, Acpo's head of uniformed operations.

As a result, Sikh officers will only be permitted to engage in armed operations if they remove their turbans or wear the smaller patka head covering to permit the use of a helmet for protection.

Chief Constable Hughes said that wearing a patka was "a matter of choice for the police officer", adding that "Sikh officers who wear a turban will not be discriminated against if they choose not to perform firearms or higher-level public order duties".

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With thanks : BBS News

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Sikh bride featured in new series of Living TV’s hit show Four Weddings

Living TV’s hit show Four Weddings has returned for a new series. This week sees a traditional Sikh wedding take centre stage as four brides battle it out to win a dream honeymoon.

Four Weddings is billed as a “wedding eavesdrop show” and allows viewers complete access to four very different weddings each week. Every episode features 4 brides who are all competing against each other to have the best weddings. All of the brides must attend, and score, each other’s big days. The bride with the winning mark will be whisked away on a luxury 5 star honeymoon.

With such a fantastic prize at stake, feathers often fly between the competing brides. This week Sikh bride Raman has her big day and she treats her guests to a traditional, lavish Sikh wedding celebration. The 700 guests are served an eclectic mix of Asian cuisines, plied with free alcohol, and kept entertained with a range of performers, but there’s on major drawback; the whole wedding is finished by 6pm. Will the Sikh extravaganza be to the other bride’s tastes?

Competing against Raman to win the fabulous honeymoon are Becky, who is opting for a butterfly themed weddings, another Becky who will have small celebration held at a magnificent stately home, and nursery worker Sophie who is planning a child-friendly wedding with lots of little ones running around, plus she’s even baking her own wedding cake.

Will the other brides be bowled over by the opulent Sikh wedding, or will the butterfly-themed big day win out? Make sure you catch this week’s Four Weddings to find out.

With thanks : source : wedding-news.co.uk

Original news can be viewed from the link in the headline above.

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Canadian police hunt for Sikh trouble-makers

Toronto, April 22

Canadian police has launched a big hunt for people behind the recent violence at two Sikh temples in Brampton on the outskirts of Toronto that has outraged the Sikh community as well as common people here.

In the first incident, former Akal Takht jathedar Darshan Singh Ragi was targeted at the Sikh Lehar Centre gurdwara here. Though Ragi survived, one of his close associate who is a known lawyer was stabbed with kirpan. The attackers were opposed to inviting Ragi who has been excommunicated by the Sikh clergy in Amritsar for his views on the Dasam Granth which was supposedly written by the last Sikh guru Gobind Singh.

With that incident just behind them after the arrest of the guilty, the Canadian Sikh community was rocked by the Sunday brawl at another gurdwara - the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple - where axes, swords, hammers and machetes were used by two factions locked in a battle for control of the shrine.

Police, who arrested three people at the time of the brawl, issued arrest warrants for two more radicals - Amarjit Singh Mann, 58, and Surjit Singh Atwal, 54 - for their role in the violence.

The community has reacted with outrage to the two incidents, with calls for deportation of the guilty. Since the kirpan has been used in these incidents to inflict violence, there have also been calls for limiting the size of the kirpan that baptized Sikhs wear.

Canada is home to more than half a million Sikhs, with most of them concentrated in the Toronto suburbs of Mississauga and Brampton and the Vancouver suburbs of Surrey and Delta.

At the time of terrorism in Punjab, many top pro-Khalistani leaders, including Talwinder Singh Parmar, took shelter in Canada, turning it into a hotbed of militancy in North America. It was Parmar who plotted the Air India Kanishka bombing. Parmer, who later entered India via Pakistan, was killed in an encounter by police in Punjab.

Canada banned radical Sikh organizations, including the Babbar Khalsa and the International Sikh Youth Federation, only recently, though their members continue to be active.

With thanks : source : PROKERALA

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