26 years on, Akal Takht declares 1984 anti-Sikh riots as ‘genocide’

After an extraordinary, marathon meeting of Jathedars at the Akal Takht — the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs —the community’s five high priests on Wednesday declared the anti-Sikh riots 26 years ago as ‘genocide’ and demanded justice for the victims.

The decision seems to have been motivated by the recent resolution introduced by Indian-origin Sikh MP Sukh Dhaliwal in the Canadian Parliament, where he sought to get the bloodshed declared as a ‘genocide’. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, who headed the meeting of the Sikh priests, admitted the move by Dhaliwal had “awakened” them to correct history. He said: “The decision regarding this should have been taken long ago. But we feel justice has not been meted out to victims.” Apart from in Delhi, over 3,000 Sikhs were killed in various parts of the country after the then prime minister Indira Gandhi was shot dead by her Sikh bodyguard on October 31, 1984.

With thanks : source : Indian Express : with link in headline above for detailed news.

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School spent at least £170,000 on failed bid to ban Sikh bangle

A SCHOOL that fought a legal battle to force a Sikh pupil to remove a religious bracelet spent at least £170,000 on the lost case, it emerged last night.

Sarika Watkins-Singh, then 14, was suspended from Aberdare Girls’ School in 2007 after insisting she should be allowed to wear a silver Kara bangle, one of the five symbols of Sikh identity.

The school argued she could not wear the bracelet because it contravened a ban on jewellery, but the High Court ruled in the pupil’s favour.

Yesterday Cynon Valley MP Ann Clwyd detailed her two-year battle to force the school to reveal the true costs, and the reason behind the decision to fight the case in the courts.

Speaking in Westminster Hall, she said she feared the total costs were much higher than the £170,000 revealed so far, and accused the school of using technicalities to avoid releasing more information.

“My patience has now run out. The school has run rings around the law to avoid explaining how much money has been wasted on this stupid ill-considered action in defending the indefensible.”

with thanks : source : WalesOnline : link in headline above for detailed story.

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Sikh Association gets 10000-dollar grant from Victoria govt in Oz

A Victoria-based Sikh association on Tuesday received a grant of 10,000 dollars from the Australian state's Labour government as part of a programme to strengthen multi-cultural communities through inter-faith dialogue and collaboration.

James Merlino, Minister assisting Premier John Brumby on Multicultural Affairs, and Member for Burwood, Bob Stensholt, presented the Victorian Sikh Association with the grant.

"Victoria is the most multi-cultural, harmonious state in Australia and rivals any of the multicultural centres of the world," Merlino said.

"Our Government is working with dedicated community organisations like the Victorian Sikh Association to promote interfaith dialogue and collaboration and religious harmony," he said.

This funding will provide a multitude of benefits to the Victorian Sikh community and to the broader Victorian community as they strengthen multi-cultural communities, Merlino said.

with thanks : source : INDIAN EXPRESS : Link in headline above for detailed news.

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Sikh temple shooting trial starts in Austria

VIENNA – Six men went on trial Monday in connection with last year's bloody shooting at a temple in the Austrian capital.

A Sikh sect leader was killed and more than a dozen others were wounded — including a second Sikh cleric — during the incident May 24 in which worshippers used a frying pan and microphone stands to fend off assailants wielding knives and a handgun. The rampage triggered riots in several cities in northern India.

The main suspect is charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder. The other five are accused of accessory to murder and attempted intentional aggravated assault. None have been officially identified but the Vienna public prosecutor's office said five are Indian citizens and that the nationality of a sixth suspect is unknown.

With thanks : source : News Yahoo : Link in headline above for detailed story.

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Delhi HC gives compensation to anti-Sikh riot victim

PTI

New Delhi: The Delhi high court has awarded a compensation of Rs7 lakh to a 90 year-old man who lost his young son in 1984 anti-Sikh riots here.

Directing the government to pay the amount within 8 weeks, justice S Muralidhar said "if the payment is not made within time, the government has to pay further 6% rate of interest per annum".

"It appears to be a genuine case where a 90 year-old father has been fighting for justice for the death of his son in the unfortunate incident that took place in Delhi in the aftermath of the assassination of the former prime minister Indira Gandhi," the court said and allowed a petition filed by S Hardayal Singh seeking a direction to government to grant compensation.

With thanks : source : DNA : Link in headline above for detailed news

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Policemen were among anti-Sikh rioters in 1984: Witness

NEW DELHI: A woman, who lost five of her family members in 1984 anti-Sikh riots, today claimed before a Delhi court trying Congress leader Sajjan Kumar and others that she did not go to the police station after the incident as policemen were among the rioters.

"I did not want to go the police station because the police officials were among the rioters," Jagdish Kaur told Additional Sessions Judge Sunita Gupta.

Recording her statement before the court, she said "I had lost faith in everybody and therefore I did not approach the Chief Minister, Home Minister or any other Minister in Punjab or any other authority."

To a question posed by counsel S A Hashmi, appearing for accused Balwan Khokhar, nephew of Sajjan Kumar, the 69-year-old witness said she came to know about CBI only when they approached her for recording her statement.

with thanks : source : Times of India : Link in headline above for detailed story

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Witness Identifies Sajjan Kumar In 1984 Massacre Of Sikhs Case

NEW DELHI – Jagdish Kaur, a witness of November 1984 Sikh massacre, during her cross examination in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Sunita Gupta identified Sajjan Kumar as a person instigating the mob during the massacre.

Along with Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Kaur identified Sajjan Kumar’s nephew Balwant Khokkar, Girdhari Lal and Captain Bhagmal as accomplices. Further, she told the court that she had made the same statements before all authorities, be it Nanavati Commission, CBI or the magistrate in Punjab.

She further stated in the court that on November 2 and 3, she went to the police post in the area but the report was not lodged and the officer told her that ‘abhi aur log marne hain, ikkathe report likhenge’”.

with thanks source : the link paper : plz view link from headline for detailed news.

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Canadian Sikh Wins Discrimination Lawsuit Against Home Depot

TORONTO – A Canadian Sikh security guard in Toronto, who moved the Ontario provincial human rights commission for being forced to wear a hard helmet by Home Depot, has won his case against the world’s largest home-improvement retailer.

In its ruling, Ontario’s Human Rights Tribunal said Home Depot (Canada) discriminated against Deepinder Loomba by “enforcing” a hard hat on him and threatening him with dismissal if he didn’t comply.

Headquartered near Atlanta in the US, Home Depot has about 180 stores across Canada.

In its ruling, tribunal vice chair Ena Chadha has named Home Depot assistant manager Brian Busch for “discriminatory treatment” of Loomba and using “rude and offensive comments” against him because of his religion.

“I am satisfied that the complainant was treated differently because of his turban and that this was negative differential treatment,” Chadha said.

With thanks : Source : thelinkpaper : with original link in headline for the detailed news.

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B S Vohra in Hindustan Times - HT Live East

with thanks : source : Hindustan Times

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Sikh centre given an award by the Queen

The Queen has recently given the Sikh Nishkam Centre in Birmingham an award for its exemplary voluntary services to society. The group running the centre is headed by “Bhai Sahib” Mohinder Singh, whom I previously discussed in the “Music of Unity/Politics of Division” article.

Bhai Sahib is also the chairman of the British Sikh Consulative Forum (BSCF), and has been heavily involved in numerous charitable and humanitarian activities along with interfaith bridge-building efforts for many years. As mentioned in the previous article, Bhai Sahib was responsible for escorting the Queen around the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar, India during her visit there in the late 1990s; he has also been involved in co-ordinating multifaith efforts to counteract the growing bigotry and hostility towards ordinary British Muslims in recent years. Bhai Sahib’s other activities have included visiting Jewish leaders in Israel, and participating in the global conference of religious leaders last December which was attended by numerous dignitaries including the Dalai Lama. Furthermore, BSCF’s director, Dr Jasdev Rai, has publicly condemned the EDL’s “Sikh” spokesman Guramit Singh (sometimes known as “Amit” Singh) for his anti-Muslim propaganda and his virulent efforts to whip up hatred against ordinary Muslims.

The Nishkam Centre, which is staffed by volunteers, is based on the Sikh principle of selflessly performing humanitarian work for the assistance of others and for the uplift of society as a whole, in the spirit of “Sarbat da Bhalla”, ie. “Goodwill to the whole of Mankind”. It focuses on providing educational services, training, medical services (specifically health screening), counselling, employment assistance, art and heritage, along with promoting interfaith, intercultural, intercommunity dialogue, and championing social justice and inclusion.

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

with thanks : source : Pickled Politics

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1984 anti-Sikh riots case: Charges framed against Sajjan Kumar

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday framed charges of murder and rioting against senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar and others in connection with a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which six persons were killed in Sultanpuri in New Delhi.

Additional Sessions Judge Sunita Gupta, after finding prima facie evidence against the Congress leader and others, decided to record statements of witnesses from August 23.

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

with thanks : source PTI & NDTV

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Anti-sikh riots witness again fails to record statement due to ill-health

NEW DELHI: After seeking exemption from deposing before the court on Monday citing ill-health, a key witness in the 1984 anti-sikh riots case allegedly involving senior congress leader Sajjan Kumar once again failed to get her statement recorded after she developed uneasiness during the proceedings on Tuesday.

Additional sessions judge Sunita Gupta posted the matter for Wednesday as Jagdish Kaur, a key witness in the Delhi Cantonment case, developed high blood pressure while in court. She was taken to a hospital due to the same problem on Monday. Her counsel had yesterday informed the court that her blood pressure was very high and she was being treated in Ganga Ram Hospital.

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

with thanks : source : Times of India

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Pics of 21 Akhand paths held earlier at Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Krishna nagar

Pics of 21 Akhand paths held earlier at Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Krishna nagar

Pics of 21 Akhand paths held earlier at Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Krishna Nagar

Guru Har Gobind sahib ji de parkash purab diyaan lakh lakh vadhaiyaan

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210 years on, Golden Temple gates removed for repairs

Amritsar Sikh bodies protest move; SGPC says the doors will be back in a year

Amid controversies related to their origin, the centuries old and huge gates at Darshani Deori, which serve as entrance to the sanctum sanctorum of Golden Temple, were removed on Sunday for “preservation”. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) decided to remove the gates as they were in need of immediate repairs. The sandalwood base had started crumbling and the ivory carving and golden screws on the doors had suffered damage after withstanding the vagaries of time.

Since their installation in 1800 AD by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, this was for the first time that the gates were unhooked. While these traditionally-decorated doors have been at the Golden Temple for the last 210 years, a section of historians believes the gates were originally from Gujarat’s Somnath Temple, which were looted by Afghan invaders in the 12th century, and which were later brought back by the Sikhs from Afghan hands.

A few Sikh bodies have raised suspicion that the doors are being removed to be sent back to Somnath under pressure from the BJP, which shares power with the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab. They say the Sikh warriors, after possessing the precious gates from the Afghans, had offered them to Hindus but the Somnath management had refused to accept the doors, terming them “impure” as these had been looked at by the Afghans.

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

with thanks : source : Express India

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VS links Rajiv to Sikh riots, Anderson escape

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Inviting sharp reactions from Congress, Kerala CM V S Achuthanandan has alleged that former PM Rajiv Gandhi led the massacre of Sikhs in Delhi in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi's assassination.

The CM made the controversial remarks while inaugurating a CPM office in Alappuzha on Saturday. On July 2, the CM had faced protests by Congress MLAs after he invoked Rajiv Gandhi in place of his brother Sanjay during a debate in the Kerala assembly on the high court order banning wayside public meetings in the state.

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

with thanks : source : Times of India

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1984 anti-Sikh riots: Witness identifies Sajjan Kumar, others

NEW DELHI: A key witness, who lost her five family members in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots here, on Saturday identified in a court senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar as a person who had instigated the mob during the carnage.

Jagdish Kaur, the witness who was cross-examined on Saturday by the defence counsel before the court of additional sessions Judge Sunita Gupta, also identified Sajjan's nephew Balwant Khokkar, Girdhari Lal and Captain Bhagmal as accomplices.

The defence counsel, who started cross-examining Kaur after recording of her statements was completed, pointed out several inconsistencies in the riot victim's testimonies before various authorities from time to time.

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

with thanks : source : Times of India

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Quota for ’84 riots victims too

MOHALI: After setting aside quota for physically-challenged persons, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has now decided to give 5% reservation to 1984 anti-Sikh riots and terrorism-affected victims in the Aerocity project. A decision has already been taken to this effect on Friday and dates for inviting application from those falling under this category are expected to be announced soon.

In a statement issued by GMADA, the development authority has made it clear that people falling under the category of anti-Sikh riots and terrorism-affected victims need not apply at present as separate dates will be announced for such applicants.

Additional chief administrator, Balwinder Singh Multani, said, “Details regarding the reservation quota for the new category will be announced on Saturday.” Sources said that the decision was taken after GMADA found out that people from this category were already making enquiries with various banks.

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

with thanks : source : Times of India, Chandigarh

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