Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Two jailed for life for killing Indian-origin Sikh shopkeeper in London
Two persons have been jailed for life for the "sickeningly violent" murder of an Indian-origin Sikh shopkeeper in Britain, who refused to meekly abandon his property during a robbery eight months ago.
The Bradford Crown court sentenced Muawaz Khalid, 20, and his accomplice Nabeel Shafi, 18, to life in prison for killing Gurmail Singh, 63, for a few pounds, some sweets, alcohol and cigarettes during a raid at his shop in West Yorkshire in February, the Daily Mail reported.
Singh came to England from India in 1963 and raised his family in Huddersfield. He bought the Cowcliffe shop about five years ago.
"This was a most violent and sickening attack by at least two of you on a lone shopkeeper late at night. It is to be regretted that no defendant at any time during the eight-week trial showed the slightest remorse," Justice Henriques was quoted as saying in the court.
The judge said the victim's skull had been shattered into little pieces' by the force of the blows. "One blow would have disabled him, seven blows took his life away. If Gurmail Singh had abandoned his property and money and said 'take what you want boys', he would not have lost his life.
with thanks : DNAINDIA : link in headline above for detailed news.SikhsIndia
Avtar Singh Makkar re-elected SGPC chief
The Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex governing body of Sikh shrines across India on Tuesday re-elected Avtar Singh Makkar as its President.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the ruling party of Punjab had backed Makkar for this coveted post.
The elections were held at the Teja Singh Samundari Hall in SGPC Headquarter premises and under the presence of five head priests, who are non-voting members of the SGPC.
Total of 156 votes were cast in the SGPC election out of which Avtar Singh Makkar bagged 133 votes and was duly elected for the sixth time defeating Bhajan Singh who bagged 23 votes.
with thanks : ANI : SIFY : link in headline above for detailed news.
SikhsIndia
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
SGPC members demand Makkar’s resignation
A day ahead of the general house meeting of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Hardeep Singh, a member of the committee on Monday demanded the resignation of the Avtar Singh Makkar. He slammed the SGPC for publication of a book allegedly containing defamatory comments about Sikh gurus.
Addressing press conference today, Hardeep Singh, a SGPC member from Mohali said, “Makkar should bring an apology resolution in tomorrow’s general house of the SGPC.”
He said “baseless and intentionally incorporated” defamatory comments about Sikh gurus in the SGPC publication must be rejected, condemned and termed as anti-Sikh”.
with thanks : IndianExpress : link in headline above for detailed news.
SikhsIndia
with thanks : IndianExpress : link in headline above for detailed news.
SikhsIndia
Monday, November 15, 2010
Pics - Keertan Darbar : Sri Guru Nanak Sewak Jatha
Pics of the Keertan Darbar on 15th November, 2010, arranged by Sri Guru Nanak Sewak Jatha, Chand mohalla, Gandhi Nagar, Delhi - 110031.
Sikh students allowed to wear ceremonial dagger to school
Teachers have been advised that up to 2,000 Sikh students in schools across a county should be allowed to wear a ceremonial DAGGER – to SCHOOL.
New guidance issued to head teachers and governing bodies in Bedford states that baptised Sikhs can wear a dagger – or Kirpan – with a blade of up to SIX INCHES.
The dagger, usually worn discreetly beneath clothing, is one of the five ”articles” of faith worn by Sikhs who have gone through the Amrit baptism ceremony.
Members of Bedford’s Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) agreed the guidance developed by members of the Sikh community on Wednesday.
The advice was issued after parents asked for clarification on the issue and states that there should be no objection to the practice of wearing the five Ks.
These include the Kirpan, a steel bangle (Kara), unshorn hair (Kesh) a comb, (Kanga) and special underwear (Kacha).
with thanks : swns : link in headline for detailed news.
sikhsindia
Give one percent of earnings for education: Badal to Sikhs
Chandigarh, Nov 14 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Sunday urged established Sikhs all across the world to contribute one per cent of their earnings to provide free quality education to poor children in the state.
'We have called upon the Sikh intellectuals, representatives of social and religious organisations to jointly chalk out an action plan to impart quality education based on Sikh values to our children, throughout the country, and to establish a fund for this purpose,' he said.
'I also appeal the Sikhs who have established themselves all over the world to contribute only one per cent of their earnings for the cause to provide free quality education to the children of the poor class in Punjab,' Badal added.
A huge number of NRIs from different parts of Punjab are based in the US, Britain, Canada, Australia, the Gulf countries and in various European countries.
with thanks : SIFY : link in headline for detailed news.
SikhsIndia
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Sikhs Hold Annual Parade In Queens
with thanks :
http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/128896/sikhs-hold-annual-parade-in-queens
Link also in headline above.
SikhsIndia
Commemoration of Sikh Soldiers in Tyne Cot (Iper,Belgium) on 11th November
In the Belgian town of Ieper (south-west of Belgium),where during four long years of world war, terrible trench wars were fought;there is an arch with the names of fallen soldiers and one can read many times over the name 'Singh'. Every evening the 'Last Post' is played by the bugles but on the 11th November, every year, hundreds of Sikhs from all over Europe; especially from the United Kingdom, come and gather to take part in a special remembrance ceremony on the Tyne Cot Memorial War Cemetery to honour and commemorate the sacrifices of Sikh soldiers who died in both the First and the Second World War.
Lili van Heers(a Belgian citizen & teacher) was very pleased to watch a programme on BBC1 about Sikh heroes during the First War. Since last ten years or so she herself has been trying to inform Belgians about the Sikh religion and the Sikh people. She is of the opinion that there is a lot of ignorance amongst Belgium people on Sikhism. It may be because Sikhism is not mentioned in schools and local people are not familiar with turbaned Sikhs and unknown of the fact that quite a number of Sikhs fought and died for them; in those wars for their freedom. Therefore, if Belgian pupils could learn about the Sikh contribution to the freedom of their country at school, they would have more respect for these strange Indians with turbans and maybe the current turban problem in European schools might not be an issue.Lili has beautifully said "After all, the Sikh soldiers fought valiantly with a turban, not a helmet, for a cause that was not even theirs, so why can they not get an education with a turban on their head?"
Lili van Heers(a Belgian citizen & teacher) was very pleased to watch a programme on BBC1 about Sikh heroes during the First War. Since last ten years or so she herself has been trying to inform Belgians about the Sikh religion and the Sikh people. She is of the opinion that there is a lot of ignorance amongst Belgium people on Sikhism. It may be because Sikhism is not mentioned in schools and local people are not familiar with turbaned Sikhs and unknown of the fact that quite a number of Sikhs fought and died for them; in those wars for their freedom. Therefore, if Belgian pupils could learn about the Sikh contribution to the freedom of their country at school, they would have more respect for these strange Indians with turbans and maybe the current turban problem in European schools might not be an issue.Lili has beautifully said "After all, the Sikh soldiers fought valiantly with a turban, not a helmet, for a cause that was not even theirs, so why can they not get an education with a turban on their head?"
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