JAGMOHAN SINGH
Thursday, 05 November 2009
ATTARI(AMRITSAR): The body of Sikh pilgrim Gurmukh Singh (68) has been handed over to Indian authorities by Pakistan Government through the land transit route of international Indo-Pak Attari border here on Wednesday.
According to the official at Attari, Gurmukh Singh last evening suffered severe heart attack at Lahore in Pakistan and soon after he was declared dead by the Pakistani doctors.
Gurmukh had gone to Pakistan with his nephew Davinder Singh who along with body of Gurmukh arrived India today after the beating Retreat Ceremony during sunset.
It is pertinent to mention here that Gurmukh was one of the pilgrims in the group of 1500 Sikh devotees who went to Pakistan on October 31 through Samjhauta Express train from the international Attari Railway Station to observe the Birth Anniversary of founder of Sikh religion Guru Nanak Dev at Nankana Sahib in Pakistan on November 2.
Gurmukh was the resident of village Hardo Rattan of Amritsar district.
with thanks : source : http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/20467/38/
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Thursday, November 5, 2009
Demonstration over 'conversion' of Sikh girl in J-K
Jammu, Nov 4 (PTI) Activists of various political outfits today held a demonstration here protesting against the alleged kidnapping and conversion of a Sikh girl to Islam in Srinagar.
The activists of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), BJP, National Sikh Youth Front, Shiv Sena, Dogra Liberation Front and RSS demonstrated in front of Press Club here, official sources said.
Alleging that the Sikh girl was kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam, the protesters raised slogans against the government and police, and demanded that she should be returned to her parents.
The 20-year-old Sikh girl, a physiotherapist, allegedly married a Muslim youth who is a driver in Srinagar, on October 9, and reportedly changed her religion.
President of SAD-Badal S Mohinder Singh denied the reports that the girl had eloped with the Muslim youth.
with thanks : source : http://www.ptinews.com/news/361628_Demonstration-over--conversion--of-Sikh-girl-in-J-K
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The activists of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), BJP, National Sikh Youth Front, Shiv Sena, Dogra Liberation Front and RSS demonstrated in front of Press Club here, official sources said.
Alleging that the Sikh girl was kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam, the protesters raised slogans against the government and police, and demanded that she should be returned to her parents.
The 20-year-old Sikh girl, a physiotherapist, allegedly married a Muslim youth who is a driver in Srinagar, on October 9, and reportedly changed her religion.
President of SAD-Badal S Mohinder Singh denied the reports that the girl had eloped with the Muslim youth.
with thanks : source : http://www.ptinews.com/news/361628_Demonstration-over--conversion--of-Sikh-girl-in-J-K
SikhsIndia
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25 injured in clashes between Sikh and Jat community
Bijnor, Nov 5 (PTI) At least 25 people were injured when members of two communities clashed with each other over the issue of taking out a religious procession at Khaspura village in the district, police said.
The violence broke out yesterday when a group of Sikhs were obstructed from carrying out a procession by members of Jat community, who placing a bullock cart in the way.
The Jats were protesting against non-paving of the dilapidated roads in their areas by Sikhs, they said.
Enraged at this the Sikh community members allegedly took out their weapons and rushed at the members of the Jat community who hurled stones at the procession, police said.
The Sikhs set on fire about a dozen houses, some vehicles the village, they said adding, about 25 people from both the sides were injured and hospitalised.
with thanks : source : http://www.ptinews.com/news/362825_25-injured-in-clashes-between-Sikh-and-Jat-community
SikhsIndia
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The violence broke out yesterday when a group of Sikhs were obstructed from carrying out a procession by members of Jat community, who placing a bullock cart in the way.
The Jats were protesting against non-paving of the dilapidated roads in their areas by Sikhs, they said.
Enraged at this the Sikh community members allegedly took out their weapons and rushed at the members of the Jat community who hurled stones at the procession, police said.
The Sikhs set on fire about a dozen houses, some vehicles the village, they said adding, about 25 people from both the sides were injured and hospitalised.
with thanks : source : http://www.ptinews.com/news/362825_25-injured-in-clashes-between-Sikh-and-Jat-community
SikhsIndia
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Punish those involved in 1984 Sikh riots: Human Rights Watch to Indian govt
Punish those involved in 1984 Sikh riots: Human Rights Watch to Indian govt
PTI 3 November 2009, 09:23am IST
NEW YORK: An international human rights group has asked the Indian government to prosecute those involved in 1984 Sikh riots, following the
assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
"The victims of the 1984 massacres have waited for the law to take its course and, sadly, they are still waiting. The Government should prosecute those involved in the riots," Meenakshi Ganguly, senior researcher on South Asia at Human Rights Watch (HRW), said.
"Both the militants and the security forces committed horrific crimes, justifying them by pointing to the abuses of the other, and yet those who suffered most were ordinary civilians," she added.
Two decades after the incident, victims and their families seeking justice "have been confronted by government opposition and obfuscation, including prolonged trials, biased prosecutors, an unresponsive judiciary, police intimidation, and harassment of witnesses," a HRW statement noted.
It further alleged that no senior government officials or politicians have been prosecuted despite evidences of their role in the atrocities.
Numerous commissions of inquiry, each with the promise of justice, have produced no tangible results, it added.
Widespread killing of Sikhs by violent mobs were triggered after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by two of her Sikh bodyguards.
with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Punish-those-involved-in-1984-Sikh-riots-Human-Rights-Watch-to-Indian-govt/articleshow/5191436.cms
SikhsIndia
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PTI 3 November 2009, 09:23am IST
NEW YORK: An international human rights group has asked the Indian government to prosecute those involved in 1984 Sikh riots, following the
assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
"The victims of the 1984 massacres have waited for the law to take its course and, sadly, they are still waiting. The Government should prosecute those involved in the riots," Meenakshi Ganguly, senior researcher on South Asia at Human Rights Watch (HRW), said.
"Both the militants and the security forces committed horrific crimes, justifying them by pointing to the abuses of the other, and yet those who suffered most were ordinary civilians," she added.
Two decades after the incident, victims and their families seeking justice "have been confronted by government opposition and obfuscation, including prolonged trials, biased prosecutors, an unresponsive judiciary, police intimidation, and harassment of witnesses," a HRW statement noted.
It further alleged that no senior government officials or politicians have been prosecuted despite evidences of their role in the atrocities.
Numerous commissions of inquiry, each with the promise of justice, have produced no tangible results, it added.
Widespread killing of Sikhs by violent mobs were triggered after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by two of her Sikh bodyguards.
with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Punish-those-involved-in-1984-Sikh-riots-Human-Rights-Watch-to-Indian-govt/articleshow/5191436.cms
SikhsIndia
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Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Tens of thousands of Sikhs attend community parade in Yuba City
By Ravinder Singh Robin
Yuba City (United States), Nov. 2(ANI): Tens of thousands of people from different parts of the United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, and India attended the 30th Annual Sikh Parade here on Sunday.
The nearly five mile religious procession was taken out to mark the tercentenary celebrations of Guruship of Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhs, in Yuba City, about 125 miles from San Francisco Bay Area.
Over the last three decades, this parade has grown from a local community event to an international one. Initially, it commenced with a few hundreds of people and the parade today aims to aware people about Sikhism, their culture and customs.
Each year Sikhs travel to Yuba City from different parts of the world to partake in one of the largest devotional celebrations in the Western Hemisphere. It is estimated to generate 20 to 30 million dollars for the local economy.
Amid chants of ‘Satnam Waheguru’ and religious sloganeering of ‘Jo Bole so Nihal’ the Punj Pyaras or, the five Sikh clergies led the parade, carrying the Sri Nishan Sahib, the religious flag of Sikhism.
Also, there were flags of California State in the parade.
As the procession started off from the Sikh Temple of Yuba City, a helicopter hovering above the ceremonial parade showered a rain of flowers from high above the procession.
Thousands of Sikhs walked alongside hundreds of floats. Along the parade route, Sikh families who set up temporary stalls distributed free drinks, snacks and cooked meal for the visitors along the parade route.
Sikhs have been a part of the American landscape for over 130 years. And, the Yuba City area, which has some of the best agricultural land, is known for the largest Sikh population of farm owners.
Tajinder Singh Dosanjh, a senior member of the local committee, said that the annual parade helps people to meet each other and witness a large religious gathering and offers a platform to the Sikhs to discuss their issues.
Besides it being a religious function, the local people here opine that the procession also demonstrates their political and economic strength along with the unity among the Sikhs.
John Gill, a senior Sikh leader of Yuba city, said that by doing such events the community would move ahead to create awareness in the USA about Sikhs so there would no more hate crime against Sikhs due to mistaken identity.
Many U.S Congressmen and representatives of the Governor’s office attended the parade besides the Sikh devotees.
Wally Herger, member, Congress, on this occasion said that after 9/11 we have been facing a lot of challenges and it is important that we should not mix up out friends (Sikhs) with the radical groups of Islam.
We need continued efforts to make sure that American public is made aware about the Sikh community.
Nearly 40 floats decorated as per traditional themes, which reflected the vibrant nature of the Sikh Culture, Sikhism and of the Sikh way of life, were also one of the major attractions during the parade. (ANI)
with thanks : source : http://www.sindhtoday.net/news/1/67010.htm
SikhsIndia
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Yuba City (United States), Nov. 2(ANI): Tens of thousands of people from different parts of the United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, and India attended the 30th Annual Sikh Parade here on Sunday.
The nearly five mile religious procession was taken out to mark the tercentenary celebrations of Guruship of Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhs, in Yuba City, about 125 miles from San Francisco Bay Area.
Over the last three decades, this parade has grown from a local community event to an international one. Initially, it commenced with a few hundreds of people and the parade today aims to aware people about Sikhism, their culture and customs.
Each year Sikhs travel to Yuba City from different parts of the world to partake in one of the largest devotional celebrations in the Western Hemisphere. It is estimated to generate 20 to 30 million dollars for the local economy.
Amid chants of ‘Satnam Waheguru’ and religious sloganeering of ‘Jo Bole so Nihal’ the Punj Pyaras or, the five Sikh clergies led the parade, carrying the Sri Nishan Sahib, the religious flag of Sikhism.
Also, there were flags of California State in the parade.
As the procession started off from the Sikh Temple of Yuba City, a helicopter hovering above the ceremonial parade showered a rain of flowers from high above the procession.
Thousands of Sikhs walked alongside hundreds of floats. Along the parade route, Sikh families who set up temporary stalls distributed free drinks, snacks and cooked meal for the visitors along the parade route.
Sikhs have been a part of the American landscape for over 130 years. And, the Yuba City area, which has some of the best agricultural land, is known for the largest Sikh population of farm owners.
Tajinder Singh Dosanjh, a senior member of the local committee, said that the annual parade helps people to meet each other and witness a large religious gathering and offers a platform to the Sikhs to discuss their issues.
Besides it being a religious function, the local people here opine that the procession also demonstrates their political and economic strength along with the unity among the Sikhs.
John Gill, a senior Sikh leader of Yuba city, said that by doing such events the community would move ahead to create awareness in the USA about Sikhs so there would no more hate crime against Sikhs due to mistaken identity.
Many U.S Congressmen and representatives of the Governor’s office attended the parade besides the Sikh devotees.
Wally Herger, member, Congress, on this occasion said that after 9/11 we have been facing a lot of challenges and it is important that we should not mix up out friends (Sikhs) with the radical groups of Islam.
We need continued efforts to make sure that American public is made aware about the Sikh community.
Nearly 40 floats decorated as per traditional themes, which reflected the vibrant nature of the Sikh Culture, Sikhism and of the Sikh way of life, were also one of the major attractions during the parade. (ANI)
with thanks : source : http://www.sindhtoday.net/news/1/67010.htm
SikhsIndia
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www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com
They eat, love and pray on Guru Nanak's birthday
BANGALORE: Guru Nanak's birth anniversary marks the biggest celebrations of Gurupurab for Sikhs across the world. For devotees in Bangalore, Shri
Guru Singh Sabha (gurudwara) on Kensingston Road came alive on Monday with Sikhs offering prayers and meeting community members on this occasion.
The scores of devotees who thronged the gurdwara also included people from other communities. Guru Sabha is one of the biggest shrines in the state. For the last 15 days, early morning prayers were being offered with bhajans and free food -- langar khana -- apart from regular prayers on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Men in bright-coloured pagdis and women decked up like brides poured in throughout the day. For children and students from North India, this was a fun day and a welcome break from books, while the elderly listened to the chantings from the holy Guru Granth Sahib and bhajans sung by musicians from Amritsar. There were several such chanting sessions during the day in addition to lectures on moral behaviour, interspersed with kirtans.
Some devotees also offered shawls for the holy grave and engaged in community service. Holy books, posters of Guru Nanak, kara (swords) and kangra (bangles) were also sold outside the gurudwara.
Langar khana is a tradition where devotees are offered free food. The special delights this year were maa chole ka daal, kheer and halwa, which drew crowds from people across communities. The gurudwara offers this food for free to a good number of poor people.
The evenings were spent at community gatherings, and members had delicious meals at Punjabi restaurants across the city.
with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/They-eat-love-and-pray-on-Guru-Nanaks-birthday/articleshow/5190706.cms
SikhsIndia
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Guru Singh Sabha (gurudwara) on Kensingston Road came alive on Monday with Sikhs offering prayers and meeting community members on this occasion.
The scores of devotees who thronged the gurdwara also included people from other communities. Guru Sabha is one of the biggest shrines in the state. For the last 15 days, early morning prayers were being offered with bhajans and free food -- langar khana -- apart from regular prayers on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Men in bright-coloured pagdis and women decked up like brides poured in throughout the day. For children and students from North India, this was a fun day and a welcome break from books, while the elderly listened to the chantings from the holy Guru Granth Sahib and bhajans sung by musicians from Amritsar. There were several such chanting sessions during the day in addition to lectures on moral behaviour, interspersed with kirtans.
Some devotees also offered shawls for the holy grave and engaged in community service. Holy books, posters of Guru Nanak, kara (swords) and kangra (bangles) were also sold outside the gurudwara.
Langar khana is a tradition where devotees are offered free food. The special delights this year were maa chole ka daal, kheer and halwa, which drew crowds from people across communities. The gurudwara offers this food for free to a good number of poor people.
The evenings were spent at community gatherings, and members had delicious meals at Punjabi restaurants across the city.
with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/They-eat-love-and-pray-on-Guru-Nanaks-birthday/articleshow/5190706.cms
SikhsIndia
www.sohnijodi.com
www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com
www.groups.yahoo.com/group/sikhsindia
Sikhs pay obeisance at Golden Temple
Several Sikhs on Monday paid obeisance in the sanctum sanctorum of Harmandhar Sahib, popularly known as Golden Temple, in Amritsar on the occasion of birth anniversary of founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev.
Devotees queued up to pay obeisance in the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple since morning and at Akal Takht (Highest Sikh Temporal Seat).
Before paying obeisance in the Golden Temple, the devotees took holy dip in the sacred tank of Temple at the marbled periphery with the belief that that holy dip would wash away their all-bad deeds of previous births.
According to the management of Golden Temple, a sum of Rs 1.5 crore has been counted in Amritsar on Monday, which was offered by the Sikh devotees while paying obeisance.
Special arrangements to facilitate the devotees were made by the management of the Golden Temple. Langar Community Kitchen) was cooked for nearly four lakhs devotees.
Heavy task force of Shiromani Gurdwara Pharbandhak Committee (SGPC) was deployed in the periphery of the Golden Temple to provide sense of security in the minds of the visiting devotees.
with thanks : source : http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/punjab/Sikhs-pay-obeisance-at-Golden-Temple/Article1-471941.aspx
SikhsIndia
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Devotees queued up to pay obeisance in the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple since morning and at Akal Takht (Highest Sikh Temporal Seat).
Before paying obeisance in the Golden Temple, the devotees took holy dip in the sacred tank of Temple at the marbled periphery with the belief that that holy dip would wash away their all-bad deeds of previous births.
According to the management of Golden Temple, a sum of Rs 1.5 crore has been counted in Amritsar on Monday, which was offered by the Sikh devotees while paying obeisance.
Special arrangements to facilitate the devotees were made by the management of the Golden Temple. Langar Community Kitchen) was cooked for nearly four lakhs devotees.
Heavy task force of Shiromani Gurdwara Pharbandhak Committee (SGPC) was deployed in the periphery of the Golden Temple to provide sense of security in the minds of the visiting devotees.
with thanks : source : http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/punjab/Sikhs-pay-obeisance-at-Golden-Temple/Article1-471941.aspx
SikhsIndia
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www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Nanak naam jahaz hai, charhe so utre paar
Nanak naam jahaz hai, charhe so utre paar,
Jo sharda kar sevde,gur paar utaran haar.
Aap ji nu, te aap de parivar nu Gurupurab
diyan, lakh lakh vadhaiyan hon ji.
Aap ji da
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Manmohan a balm, but anger still lingers in Sikhs
Anita Joshua
Twenty five years ago today, the streets of the capital were ablaze as well-armed mobs, with the evident backing of the police and ruling Congress party, exacted a bloody revenge on Delhi’s Sikh community for the assassination of Indira Gandhi by two of her bodyguards.
By the time the powers-that-be decided to restore order, some 4,000 innocent men, women and children had been hunted down and killed.
Two-and-a-half decades later, the system has been relatively generous in handing out cash as compensation for the victims’ families. But of the redemptive currency closest to the hearts of the country’s proud Sikh community -- justice -- there has been precious little.
While the rest of the country has moved on to newer tribulations and tragedies, the absence of justice for the victims of November 1984 has been like a raw wound for most Sikhs.
Unable to have closure the proper way, many in the community have grudgingly seen in the Congress party’s decision to pick Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister a symbolic making of amends. “As a signalling device, it was a useful one for the Congress to have Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister; whatever be the circumstances of his elevation to that office,” said editor of Seminar, Tejbir Singh.
“Somewhere, the fact that a Sikh has become Prime Minister a far-fetched possibility given that the community accounts for only 1.9 per cent of the country’s population -- indicates that there is no underlying community discrimination.”
More so now than in 2004. That the Congress decided to project Dr. Singh as its prime ministerial candidate for the 2009 Lok Sabha elections is seen as an affirmation of confidence in his leadership.
“It has been like a balm on the community,” admits H.S. Phoolka, the lawyer who has been pursuing the carnage cases in court. At the same time, he points to the selective amnesia in the Congress on the issue of the party’s complicity in the Sikh carnage.
“The Congress wants us to forget it; view it as an aberration. When they made Manmohan Singh Prime Minister, they stepped up this rhetoric; saying, ‘forget it now at least we have apologised and now made your man the Prime Minister. Our answer has been that the apology came 21 years late and under the Indian legal system an apology is not a substitute for punishment for murder. We want justice.”
Ever in denial mode, the Congress insists the Sikhs have moved on since 1984 and made peace with the party; having elected it to power in Punjab in between. “We are sensitive to the sentiments of Sikhs which is why we dropped Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler when there were protests from within the community against their candidature for the Lok Sabha elections,” is the Congress refrain.
However, for Tejbir Singh, these protests particularly, the incident involving journalist Jarnail Singh throwing a shoe at Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram are evidence that the issue is easy to rekindle.
with thanks : source : http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article41569.ece
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