Shiromani Akali Dal at a meeting held in Sant Nagar Ext. Ward No 25 . DSGMC member S. Daljeet Singh Sarna and Community from Geeta Colony area were also present to garce the ocasion.
DSGMC extend a warm welcome to all the New members in Shiromani Akali Dal family.
Lahore, Jul 29 (PTI) A
Pakistani court has allowed the parents of a Sikh girl to meet her at a shelter
house in Lahore but rejected the same request of a Muslim man who allegedly
married the teenager after abducting her.
The Lahore High Court
on Tuesday held the hearing of separate petitions filed by parents of Jagjit
Kaur of Nankana Sahib and her alleged husband Muhammad Hassan, seeking
permission to meet her in Darul Amaan (shelter house).
Kaur’s family has
accused Hassan of marrying her after abducting and converting her to Islam in
September last. She has been living in the shelter house in Lahore on the
court''s order since then.
"After arguments
by the counsel for Jagjit Kaur’s parents, the court admitted their petition and
allowed them to meet her in Darul Amaan. However, the court dismissed the
petition of Hassan,” a court official told PTI on Wednesday.
This issue snowballed
into a controversy after the family of Kaur, in a video message that had gone
viral, claimed that she was abducted and forcibly converted to Islam by Hassan
in September, 2019.
Subsequently, in
January Hassan''s elder brother Imran Chishti allegedly incited a mob in the
name of religion and threatened to destroy the minorities worship place
(Gurdwara Janamasthan).
Gurdwara Nankana Sahib,
also known as the Gurdwara Janam Asthan, is the site where the first Guru of
the Sikhs, Guru Nanak Dev, was born. It is regarded as one of the holiest Sikh
sites.
Police arrested
Chishti, a government employee, and booked him under anti-terrorism act.
Chishti had claimed that Hassan had been beaten up by police for “lawfully” marrying the daughter of the gurdwara''s granthi. He alleged that Hassan has been pressured by police and authorities to divorce her so that she returns to her parents’ house.
https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/pak-court-allows-parents-of-sikh-girl-to-meet-her/1905382
“The Story of Us”
teaches children about the human migration story in a way that’s sure to make
them smile, while educating about this important piece of history.
Inni Kaur is Creative Director at the Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI). She has served SikhRI in several capacities since 2010, including Chair of the Board, and most recently as CEO. As an accomplished representative of the Sikh community, she is a dedicated advocate for raising awareness of key interfaith and women’s issues. Her list of achievements includes addressing the U.S. Office of the Pentagon Chaplin several times, speaking at Yale, Fairfield, Columbia, and other Universities, as well as presenting to the Connecticut Board of Education and local police departments to further the dialogue regarding the Sikh identity.
Inni Kaur is a passionate author, prolific spiritual writer, poet, story teller, educator, painter, and advocate both inside and outside the Sikh community. Kaur recently celebrated releasing her seventh, the timely, informative, and inspirational “The Story of Us”, illustrated by the incredibly talented Schandra Singh. “The Story of Us” educates children about the human migration story from Africa to the rest of the world in a fun, engaging, and smart way. The excitement surrounding her new book is high.
“The message of this book is so relevant to what is happening currently,” commented the clearly passionate Kaur. “If all of grew up with the knowledge that we come from one place, maybe we would be kinder and gentler with each other.”
“The Story of Us” builds off of the success she has seen in publishing a children’s book series, Journey with the Gurus, that is inspired by the life and teachings of Guru Nanak Sahib. Her other children’s books are Sakhi-Time with Nani ji, Thank-You, Vahiguru, and Daddy’s Turban. Her prolific work as a spiritual writer is often featured on Sikhchic.com and SikhRI.org
https://www.sikhnet.com/news/inni-kaur-releases-exciting-new-children
Washington D.C. - SALDEF is excited to announce the launch of the first ever National Sikh American Survey. The survey will capture details on demographics, political affiliation, opinions on social issues, personal experiences and behaviors of the Sikh American community. Upon completion of the survey, SALDEF will create a report that will be made available to the Sikh community, researchers, educational institutions, government, private and the non-profit sector. The survey will also be used to guide SALDEF in tailoring decision making on advocacy, programing and outreach for the community.
Survey information:https://saldef.org/national-sikh-survey/
The Ministry of External Aairs (MEA) on Thursday said the request of members of Sikh and Hindu communities, who arrived here from Afghanistan earlier this week, for permanent settlement in India would be examined and facilitated as per existing rules and policies.
MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava also said that apart from those who returned, the ministry was in touch with others who would like to return from Afghanistan and would facilitate their return.
"Our mission in Kabul, despite the COVID situation, facilitated the visas for the return of the first group which arrived here," Their cause for permanent settlement will be examined and facilitated as per existing rules and policies.
In a letter sent to
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday 30th July, the acting president of
the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) Didar Singh Nalvi has
asked for compliance of Supreme Court orders of 2014 in which it had asked the
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for opening separate bank
accounts of gurdwaras that the committee manages in Haryana.
These gurdwaras include: Nada Sahib in Panchkula;
Panjokhra Sahib and Manji Sahib in Ambala; Dhamtan Sahib and Gurdwara Guru Teg
Bahadur Sahib in Jind; a Gurdwara Sahib in Thanesar and another in Yamunanagar.
Nalvi claimed that the apex court order six years ago, SGPC had transferred at
least Rs 70 crore from gurdwaras in Haryana to Punjab, exhibiting
non-compliance of the order.
Referring to the annual budget for this fiscal, Nalvi
said that for seven gurdwaras in Haryana, it is Rs 12 crore.
“Why is the donation
reaching in cash and kind in gurdwaras of Haryana not being spend on the causes
of the community within the state. If this is being spent elsewhere, the SGPC
should justify it,” adding that Haryana government must make compliance of SC
orders binding on the SGPC.
After the Haryana government passed an act for a
separate Gurdwara body for the state, the SGPC had moved the SC, which ordered
status quo on a separate Gurdwara body, however, asking for accounting of
donations received in Haryana Gurdwaras, separately.
LONDON, UK—Voting for People’s Choice MP of the Year award is now open. The public is being invited to cast their votes for the MP of the Year 2020 award, which includes Preet Kaur Gill and Tan Dhesi in the nominations.
Each year MPs across the country work closely with disadvantaged and underrepresented communities, ensuring they are supported.
The Awards are determined in two ways. The first are Judge’s Awards, chosen by an independent panel of judges. The second looks to the public to determine the winners of the People’s Choice Awards.
Voting for the People’s Choice Award will be open until midnight on 30th August 2020.
The awards will take place in December at the Speaker’s House in the House of Commons and are organised by the Patchwork Foundation.
To find out more and place your vote go online to:
DSGMC President Manjinder Singh Sirsa
and General Secretary Harmeet Singh Kalka has appointed Mr. Balbir Singh Billu as General Manager in the Committee.
It is noteworthy that Mr. Balbir Singh Billu has more than 30 years of
experience in the committee, during which he has been working in different
departments of the committee with all his sincerity and responsibility.He also
took full care of the staff during the lockdown period.
He took commendable steps during his service in the committee; whether
it is to promote the old staff or to pay the salary of staff in time.
He took up many commendable steps with much appreciation either it was promotion of old staff member or to pay their salary in time.The entire DSGMC Staff believe that he will fulfill this new responsibility as General Manager with sincerity and dedication.
On this occasion,Deputy General Manager S. Iqbal Singh, Balbir Singh
Jammu, Sohan Singh Vadach, Gopi Singh and Avtar Singh Verka were present along with other
staff members.Mr. Balbir Singh Billu was honored with Siropa.
For the first time ever, a Sikh man has been elected as the president of Rotary Club Papatoetoe Central in Auckland, New Zealand.
देश की सभी राष्ट्रीय पार्टियाँ अपने साथ अल्पसंख्यक समुदाय के लोगों को जोडना चाहती है। इस दौड़ में चाहे कांग्रेस, भाजपा, राष्ट्रीय जनता दल, आम आदमी पार्टी या फिर कोई और क्षेत्रीय पार्टी ही क्यों ना हो। सभी की इच्छा होती है कि अगर धर्म निरपक्षता का मुखौटा पहनना है तो अपने साथ अल्पसंख्यक समुदाय के लोगों को जोड़ना होगा। इससे पूरी दुनिया में उस पार्टी की छवि साफ-सुथरी बनी रहती है दूसरा यह संदेश जाता है कि कि वह भारत में हर वर्ग को अपने साथ जोड़े हुए है। उनकी पार्टी में धर्म और भाषा के नाम पर कोई भेद-भाव नहीं किया जाता।
केन्द्र में ज्यादातर समय कांग्रेस की सरकारें रही। कांग्रेस ने जहाँ राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर अपने साथ सिक्खों को जोड़े रखा वहीं उसने स्थानीय स्तर पर सिक्खों को प्रतिनिधित्वता प्रदान की। लेकिन कांग्रेस के माथे पर 1984 का कलंक ऐसा लगा कि आज कांग्रेस पार्टी के साथ सिक्खों ने एक तरह से किनारा ही कर लिया है। ऐसे समय में भाजपा को लगा कि अब सिक्ख समुदाय के पास कोई दूसरा विकल्प नहीं बचा है तो उन्होंने सिक्खों को अपने साथ जोडने की कवायद आरंभ कर दी।
भाजपा सिखों का दिल क्यांे नहीं जीत पाई
आजादी के बाद से ही सिख जनसंघ (मौजूदा भाजपा) के साथ क्यों नहीं
जुड़े क्योंकि भाजपा सिखों को उनका बनता मान सम्मान नहीं दे पाई हालांकि कांग्रेस
पार्टी ने भी आजादी से पहले सिखों के साथ किए गए वायदे पूरे नहीं किये, पंजाब के कई टुकेड़े केवल सिखों को कमजोर करने के लिए किये गये पर
बावजूद इसके देश के प्रधानमंत्री, गृहमंत्री, रक्षा मंत्री जैसे अनेक महत्पवूर्ण पद कांग्रेस पार्टी ने देकर सिखों
के दिल जीतने में कामयाबी हासिल की पर भाजपा ने पंजाब मे भी एक बार दया सिंह सोढी
को प्रदेश अध्यक्ष बनाने के बाद हमेशा गैर सिखों को ही तवज्जो दी। केन्द्र यां
राज्यों की सरकारों में भी सिखों को कोई खास महत्व नहीं दिया गया, खानापूर्ति के लिए अगर किसी सिख चेहरे को स्थान दिया भी तो उसे जिसकी
सिख समुदाय में कोई खास पकड़ नहीं रही।
आपरेशन ब्लयू स्टार की आड़ में सिखों के पवित्र धार्मिक स्थल श्री दरबार साहिब पर हमले के लिए भी सिख समुदाय कांग्रेस के साथ भाजपा को भी दोषी मानता है क्योंकि सूत्र बताते हैं कि भाजपा नेताओं ने कांग्रेस सरकार पर ऐसा करने के लिए दबाव बनाया था। सिखों के अनेक मसले आज भी लटकते आ रहे हैं पर भाजपा की सरकारें आने पर भी वह हल नहीं हो पाए। सिखों की भाजपा से ना जुड़ पाने का यही कारण रहा है।
दिल्ली में स्थानीय स्तर पर सिक्खों की गिनती शुन्य
दिल्ली प्रदेश भाजपा में अनेकों अध्यक्ष आये और गये। लेकिन किसी
ने भी सही अर्थों में या फिर अगर यह कहा जाये कि जमीनी स्तर पर सिक्खों को पार्टी
के साथ जोडने का कार्य नहीं किया तो इस बात में कोई आश्चर्य नहीं होता। कहने को तो
भाजपा के केन्द्रीय नेतृत्व ने अपने मंत्री मंडल में श्री हरदीप पुरी को मंत्री पद
भी दिया हुआ है। लेकिन हरदीप पुरी सिक्ख समुदाय के प्रमाणित नेता नहीं है। खास तौर
पर दिल्ली के आम सिक्खों में उनकी कोई ज्यादा पैठ भी नहीं है। आम सिक्ख तो उनको
हवाई नेता ही मानता है। जिसको केन्द्रीय नेतृत्व ने जबरदस्ती सिक्खों पर लाद दिया
है। इसी तरह राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर भाजपा ने सिक्खों को कोई पूरी तरह से प्रतिनिधता
नहीं दी है। दिखावे के लिए नई दिल्ली से स. आर.पी.सिंह कोहली को महासचिव का पद
दिया हुआ है। इसी तरह से दिल्ली प्रदेश में स. कुलवंत सिंह बाठ को उपाध्यक्ष पद पर
बिठाया हुआ है। केन्द्रीय नेतृत्व ने बस इसी से समझ लिया कि अब दिल्ली में सिक्ख
भाजपा के साथ पूरी तरह से जुड़ जायेंगे।
पार्टी के ऊपरी स्तर के नेता तो शायद यह नहीं चाहते कि दिल्ली के सिक्खों की मंडल स्तर पर सम्मानित ओहदे देकर उनको जोड़ा जाये। भाजपा दिल्ली प्रदेश के अध्यक्ष को जब भी बदला जाता है तो सिर्फ अखबारों में सुर्खियाँ बटोरने के लिए यह कहा जाता है कि भाजपा सिक्खों को भी मोर्चो, मंडलो व जिला स्तर पर ओहदे देगी। लेकिन बातें सिर्फ हवाई किला ही साबित होती है।
प्रदेश में पद पाने की हौड़ में सिख नेता
दिल्ली भाजपा के नए अध्यक्ष बनने के बाद अब भाजपा से जड़े सिख
नेताओं में प्रदेश मंे पद पाने की हौड़ लगी हुई है। इनके द्वारा सिखों को पार्टी से
जोड़ने की कवायद भी शुरु की गई है। सभी अपने अपने दम पर ज्यादा से ज्यादा सिखों को
पार्टी की विचारधारा से जोड़ने के प्रयास कर रहे हैं। इसमें भाजपा के राष्ट्रीय
मंत्री आर पी सिंह द्वारा सिख मसलों को पूरे जोर शोर से उठाते हुए सिखों में
विश्वास बनाने के प्रयास किये जा रहे हैं। सिख प्रकोष्ठ भी आर पी का साथ देता
दिखाई दे रहा है। आर पी सिंह जो कि एजूकेटेड और तर्जुबेदार के साथ धर्म का भी खासा
ज्ञान रखते हैं और राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर भी उनकी नेताओं में पकड़ हैं। दूसरा नाम सः
कुलवंत सिंह बाठ का है जो कि प्रदेष में उपाध्यक्ष के पद पर हैं और दिल्ली सिख
गुरुद्वारा प्रबन्धक कमेटी में भी बतौर उपाध्यक्ष सेवा निभा रहे हैं इसके साथ ही
गुरु हरिकृष्ण पब्लिक स्कूल लोनी रोड के चेयरमैन होने के कारण यमुनापार में उनकी
सिख समुदाय में अच्छी पकड़ है। उनकी धर्म पत्नी निगम पार्षद भी हैं। सः बाठ समय समय
पर सिख मसलों पर आवाज उठाते आए हैं और मौजूदा समय में भी पंजाबी भाषा को बनता
सम्मान दिलाने के लिए मुहिम चला रहे हैं। इसके अतिरिक्त उतरी दिल्ली के पूर्व मेयर
अवतार सिंह हैं जो कि पिछले लम्बे समय से पार्टी से जुड़े हैं। पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री
अटल बिहारी वाजपाई के साथ राम मन्दिर मुहिम में जेल काटने के बाद से पूरी तरह से
पार्टी को समर्पित हैं। सिख समुदाय में पकड़ बनाने के प्रयास निरन्तर उनके द्वारा
किये जा रहे हैं। लाकडाउन पीरीयड की शुरुआत से ही मानवता सेवा में पूरा परिवार
उनका लगा रहा जिसके चलते पूरे परिवार को कोरोना भी हुआ पर बावजूद इसके कोरोना को
मात देकर फिर से सेवा में जुट गये। पुरानी दिल्ली के अनेक गुरुद्वारा साहिबान में
निरन्तर सेवा उनके द्वारा निभाई जाती है। मेयर रहते पहली बार मेयर हाउस में गुरु
नानक देव जी का प्रकाश पर्व मनाया गया था। इसके इलावा इस बार युवा चेहरे भी प्रदेष
में जगह बनाने के लिए प्रयत्नशील हैं।
अब भाजपा हाईकमान और प्रदेष अध्यक्ष आदेष गुप्ता को देखना होगा कि किस सिख नेता को वह इस पद के लिए योग्य समझते हैं।
Article Written By, Mr.Sudeep Singh, Honorary Media Advisor,DSGMC
http://sikhsindia.blogspot.com/2020/07/mrsudeep-singhs-article.html
Twenty-five Canadian MPs from three federal parties have written to Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino calling for a direct sponsorship program to Save Afghan Sikhs and Hindu refugees so that they can be brought to safety in Canada .
The letter, signed by 16 CPC, 6 NDP and 3 Green MPs, asks the Canadian Minister of Immigration to use his powers under section 25.2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to create a special program.There are less than 800 Sikhs and Hindus who remain in Afghanistan and direct sponsorship programs have been created by this government in the past.
The letter expresses “concern about the existential threat to religious minorities in Afghanistan, specifically, Sikhs and Hindus.”
Afghan Sikhs and Hindus have been subject to increasing persecution in recent years, including the murder of 25 Sikhs on March 25, 2020 in an attack on Gurdwara Guru Har Rai Sahib in Kabul by ISIS-K terrorists. The community has also been targeted for kidnapping and extortion.
The WSO along with the Manmeet Singh Bhullar Foundation and the Canadian Sikh community have consistently called on the Canadian Government to assist Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan, as Afghan authorities have been unable to offer meaningful protection of their basic human rights.
https://www.sikhnet.com/news/25-canadian-mps-call-special-refugee-program-afghan-sikhs-hindus?
Amid this Coronavirus Lockdown Sikh are seen working day and night for the welfare of the society. They are serving the needy and poor. They are donating various essentials to the deprived people of the society.
Recently a Sikh Woman was seen donating a Golden Sheet to the Gurdwara Shaheedan,Amritsar.The donated golden sheet has the Moolmantar engraved on it.
https://www.facebook.com/BaruSahibHP
Now, 19 years after donning the blue uniform of the Indian armed forces, Group Captain Harkirat Sing scripted history as the first Commanding Officer of the 17 Squadron of the Rafale fighter jet when the first batch of the French machine landed in Ambala on Wednesday 29th July.
It is not only a matter of pride for India, but also a sense of achievement that the IAF officer is leading the group of fighter pilots to India with the mean machines after over a decade-long wait.
The others in the the 17 Golden Arrows accompanying Singh are Wing Commanders MK Singh, R Kataria, Sidhu and Arun. Group Captain Singh is also the first pilot who touched down at the Ambala airbase when the jets landed.
Coming from a family of servicemen, Group Captain Singh was back in 2009 honoured with the Shaurya Chakra, the third-most peacetime gallantry award after Ashok Chakra and Kirti Chakra.
The incident took place
in morning was resolved by the evening. Both hospital authorities claim the kin
of the patient was at fault.
Dr Preetinder Chahal,
who is assigned the duty of disposing of bodies, at the Rajindra Hospital,
said, “The son of the 62-year-old man had identified the body of his father in
the presence of a representative of the civil surgeon’s officer and another
doctor. Despite that he took the wrong body. Later in the evening, he told us
in written that he was not in the condition to identify the body as he was in
shock, due to death of his father.” “We have resolved the matter,” said Dr
Paras Pandove, medical superintendent.
Ludhiana civil surgeon
Dr Rajesh Bagga said, “The son told us that he got panicked and could not
identify the body when it was shown to him in Patiala. The person has committed
a blunder. Fortunately, it was during the re-verification process at civil
hospital the body turned out to be of someone else.”
On the other hand, the
victim’s son said that the body shown to him at Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, was
that of his father while the body that was ferried to Ludhiana was someone
elses. He said even the name and details on the bodysuit were also different.
