French Bank Apologises For Refusing Entry To Turbaned Sikh

“I’m sorry... Also, please kindly accept my apology on behalf of the bank for the unpleasant feelings which could have been felt on that occasion.....the manifestly excessive and improper application of security instructions led to a situation I strongly regret.”: Valerie Manscour, BNP Head of Customer Relations. Paris, France - A major French bank in Paris, which last month refused entry to a young Sikh customer because he wore a turban, has apologised for its “manifestly excessive and improper security instructions.” Ranjit Singh, 22, a business entrepreneur and a Sikh customer of the BNP Paribas Bank, arrived on 8th October 2009 at the BNP branch at 168, rue de Belleville, 75019 Paris to carry out a routine inquiry of his bank account. However, he was stopped at the security door by an employee of the bank who gestured to him to remove his turban to enter the bank. Ranjit Singh explained to the employee that the turban is worn as an act of faith and that he wears it all the time. Despite his explanations, the employee called another colleague who repeated the same demand. Still blocked at the security door, Ranjit Singh repeated that he is a client and that he simply wishes to verify his account. After about twenty minutes, without success, Ranjit Singh left feeling humiliated and threatened by the bank’s discriminatory attitude.

Ranjit Singh, 22, Refused entry into BNP bank

“Ranjit Singh contacted the UNITED SIKHS and we wrote to BNP Paribas to ask for an explanation for their discriminatory conduct of refusing entry to a turbaned Sikh,” said Shingara Singh, UNITED SIKHS Director in France. We pointed out to them that, in 2005, HALDE, the Independent High Commission for Equality and Against Discrimination, had held, in a case involving Raghbir Singh, that the Banque de France had unlawfully discriminated against him when they refused him entry for wearing a turban. The HALDE had held: “In this case refusing the benefit of a legally-granted right on the grounds of physical appearance or affiliation or non affiliation, actual or assumed with a ethnic group, nation, “race” or specific religion, is a discrimination.” The HALDE had also recognized that the refusal of entry was disproportionate because the Sikh turban does not hinder identification. Valerie Manscour, BNP Head of Customer Relations, wrote to UNITED SIKHS on 22nd October 2009 and said, “I’m sorry about the events that you describe. Also, please kindly accept my apology on behalf of the bank for the unpleasant feelings which could have been felt on that occasion.” She also indicated that “the manifestly excessive and improper application of security instructions led to a situation I strongly regret.” The letter may be read here. You can also read the letter in French here. UNITED SIKHS will be writing to the BNP bank to ensure that it changes its policy, procedure and practice so that it expressly requires its security staff to allow entry to a turbaned Sikh. We will also offer to provide sensitivity training to the bank’s staff so that they are more aware of the Sikh community and its identity. Ranjit Singh commented on the experience: "Being born and raised in France I did not understand why they treated me in this way. I never thought I would be discriminated because of my religion. This incident will always be on my mind every time I enter a public building. I continue to feel both angry and sad that I was humiliated in public.” The dastaar (Sikh turban) is the most recognizable feature of a Sikh. It is an inextricable part of the Sikh identity and is worn by a Sikh at all times, to cover the kesh (unshorn hair), one of the five articles of faith that initiated Sikhs are required to maintain. The requirement of unshorn hair and a dastaar tied over it has been codified in the Sikh Code of Conduct (Sikh Rehat Maryada). To read a previous press release on UNITED SIKHS advocacy efforts for the right to wear a turban, please visithttp://www.unitedsikhs.org/PressReleases/PRSRLS-15-12-2008-00.htm

Sikhnet Sevadar - Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa

By Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa :

I was born on March 24th, 1975 in Los Angeles, California. from the most wonderful mother S.S. Sat Kirin Kaur Khalsa & father Govinda Singh Khalsa. My mother was raised Jewish and my father was raised in the Christian religion. They both came into contact with Sikhism after studying Kundalini Yoga & Meditation with Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogi Ji. As they spent more time with Yogi Bhajan they became more and more interested in wearing a turban and living as Sikhs. A few years later they adopted the Sikh religion and were arranged to be married. Two years later I was born.From early on, my parents instilled in me the values and practices of living as a Sikh. We would get up early in the morning, take a cold shower (which I dreaded at the time), and then get together with many of the other Sikhs in our area to recite Japji and practice Kundalini Yoga (to stretch and exercise our bodies). After the yoga we would do about an hour of meditation to various mantras from the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, followed then by Gurdwara. This started our day by giving 2-1/2 hours to the Guru......10% of our day. I studied in India for about 11 years (1983 - 1994) during which I developed many different interests and passions, including photography, computers, wood carving, electronics, basket ball, fixing and making every thinkable gadget, Kundalini yoga and meditation, singing, and understanding the mind, body and spirit.

Plz read more about Sikhnet Sevadar : Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa at :
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Sikh leaders seek UN intervention in 1984 riots cases

New Delhi, Nov 11 (PTI) Leaders from a group of Sikh organisations today appealed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to intervene immediately to bring justice to the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Leaders from Khalsa Action Committee, Dal Khalsa, Punjab Human Rights Organisation, Shiromani Panthic Council, and Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pardani) met UN officials at its Information Centre here to submit a memorandum, saying unless it intervened, human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration would be seriously jeopardised.

Noting that official figures put the number of Sikhs killed in 1984 in Delhi alone at 2,733, the leaders said in the memorandum that the victims' families were still waiting for justice, 25 years after the carnage.

with thanks : source : http://www.ptinews.com/news/372740_Sikh-leaders-seek-UN-intervention-in-1984-riots-cases

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SAD to raise anti-Sikh riots issue in Parliament

Ferozepur, Nov 11 (PTI) The ruling SAD in Punjab will raise the 1984 anti-Sikh riots issue during the winter session of Parliament to combat what it called Congress's attempts to scuttle trial of its leaders including Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar in connection with the carnage.

Announcing this while addressing a series of 'sangat darshan' programmes in Jalalabad constituency here, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal said his party will make all effort to ensure that the ongoing trials in cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots were expedited and brought to their logical conclusion.

Asserting that the party is all set to raise the issue during the forthcomiong winter session of Parliament along with like-minded parties, he said the alleged perpetrators of the Sikh massacre would be definitely brought to book.

with thanks : source : http://www.ptinews.com/news/372649_SAD-to-raise-anti-Sikh-riots-issue-in-Parliament

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NEW SikhNet Radio iPhone Application

Finally, the long awaited SikhNet Radio iPhone App is available. It allows fast, easy streaming of all 15 existing SikhNet radio channels directly to your iPhone and will accommodate new music channels as they are added.

Now you can easily listen to SikhNet Radio anytime and anywhere you go. This includes the five main SikhNet Gurbani channels plus ten live Gurdwara audio broadcasts from all around the world. Music can be streamed in high bitrate for the best sound quality, or in low bitrate for when your data connection is slow.

You can go to the iTunes store and open the app to download it in iTunes on your computer or you can download it directly on your iPhone (or in the iTunes store) by simply searching for "sikhnet".

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Sd. Bhupinder singh Kohli - few pics

These are the pics from the routine but busy life of Sd. Bhupinder singh ji Kohli, who has become a well known face in Mumbai areas. We must support him in his humanitarian efforts.

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Sd. Bhupinder singh ji Kohli - in the service of mankind : view press articles

Please view Press Articles related to Sd. Bhupinder singh Kohli ji, in the service of mankind. A detailed report on him alongwith pics can be viewed at :

http://www.sohnijodi.com/Sikh%20Personalities.htm

Sd. Bhupinder singh Kohli - in the service of mankind

Please view Press Articles related to Sd. Bhupinder singh Kohli ji, in the service of mankind. A detailed report on him alongwith pics can be viewed at : http://www.sohnijodi.com/Sikh%20Personalities.htm

A fast upcoming Sikh web portal

www.sohnijodi.com is a fast upcoming Sikh web portal with almost 10,000 monthly visitors & with over 1,00,000 monthly hits. The team of sohnijodi thanks all of it's most valued visitors with a promise that you will get a lot new and a lot more on this web portal in the coming days.

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CM advisor leads Mohali in prayers at Amb Sahib

TNN 9 November 2009, 01:16am IST

MOHALI: The Congress government at the Centre deliberately ignored the recommendations of the Nanavati Commission on action against those
Congress leaders who were directly involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. This was alleged by Daljit Singh Cheema, an advisor to Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Addressing a religious gathering at Gurdwara Amb Sahib in Mohali on Sunday held to collectively pray for seeking justice for the families of the victims of the anti-Sikh riots and for peace of souls of the victims, he said that Nanavati Commission had indicted several Congress leaders for their direct involvement in the anti-Sikh riots which was most heinous crime of the world directed towards the Sikh community.

He alleged that the Centre government led by Congress not only ignored the report of the commission but the Congress also tried to reward these leaders by fielding them in elections. He said that it was most unfortunate that today when entire world was observing ‘ardas divas,’ no Congress leader had come forward for participating in this human cause which indicated that Congress leaders were in agreement for riots against the Sikh community at that time.

Cheema said that SAD has now committed itself to take this long legal battle of last 25 years to its logical conclusion and would ensure punishment for the culprits of this anti-Sikh riots. He said that party would provide all help to the members of the victims of the anti-Sikh riots to ensure that justice is done to these families.

Among others who spoke on the occasion included Kuldeep Kaur Kang, president of women wing SAD (Mohali), Amrik Singh Mohali, Kashmir Kaur besides other leaders of SAD, BJP and other communities.

with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/CM-advisor-leads-Mohali-in-prayers-at-Amb-Sahib/articleshow/5210036.cms

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