Sikh youth attacked in Texas

WASHINGTON: A Sikh graduate student, working as a part-time pizza delivery person, was thrown into a swimming pool and brutally assaulted in West Texas, according to the Sikh Coalition, a community advocacy group.

When the young man, whose identity has been withheld for his protection, brought pizzas for delivery into a home, four men took the pizzas and started eating without paying, while hurling racial epithets and threatening him.

"I'm going to **** you up in Iraq, I'm going to **** you up in Afghanistan, I'm going to **** you up over here," they were quoted as saying by the Coalition in a media release. But it did not say when the incident took place.

The four men then grabbed the Sikh student and threw him into a swimming pool. The four attackers surrounded the pool, kicking him in the head and body. Every time he tried to escape, they would stomp or hit at him.

For 20 minutes, he swam for his life trying to escape. He eventually seized an opportunity to flee and barely made it to his car with two men in pursuit, the community group said.

Though the local police were called shortly after the attack, they failed to respond adequately, the community group alleged. The police classified the incident as a misdemeanor, which means that the attackers may not have to serve any jail time, it said.

The local police also did not file the incident as a hate crime, the group said. "It is clear from the attackers' references to 'bin Laden' and 'Go back to Afghanistan' and the fact that they kicked off his turban that this assault targeted not only him as an individual, but his Sikh identity."

However the Department of Justice (DOJ) is currently investigating the matter as a possible federal hate crime after being contacted when the local police department refused to prosecute the attackers for hate crime, the Sikh Coalition said.

with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/indians-abroad/Sikh-youth-attacked-in-Texas/articleshow/5355014.cms

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Show details of compensation to 1984 Sikh riot victims: HC

LUCKNOW: The high court on Friday summoned the secretary concerned, dealing with the payment of compensation to victims of Sikh riots of 1984, on December 22 with records, inquiry reports and list of persons to whom compensation has been paid. The court also appointed a local government lawyer as amicus curiae to extend assistance to it in the matter.

The order was passed by a division bench of Justice D P Singh and Justice S C Chaurasia on a petition of victim, Amar Singh Virk. The petitioner was aggrieved by the meagre payment of compensation to the member of the family, who had died in riots that had occurred in 1984. It was pointed out before the court that some petitions were filed in supreme court, which had been remanded to the court. A bunch of writ petitions came up for hearing before the court on Friday.

On inquiry, the government counsel failed to submit any reply with regard to amount paid to bereaved family.

Hence, the bench summoned the concerned authority with entire records over the matter.

with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Show-details-of-compensation-to-1984-Sikh-riot-victims-HC-/articleshow/5353821.cms

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Pakistan’s Minority Minister orders inquiry into Gurdwara land deal

Ravinder Singh Robin

New Delhi, Dec. 18 (ANI): Taking note of the deal of a land belonging to the Sikh Gurdwara in Pakistan, the Pakistan federal minister of minority has ordered an inquiry and directed authorities to submit the report at the earliest.

Saying he has ordered an inquiry in this (Gurudwara land deal) case and whosoever be the guilty would brought to justice, the federal minister Shahbaz Bhatti told ANI over phone that the Government of Pakistan is committed to safeguard the life of all belonging to the monitories living in Pakistan.

Bhatti even said that after the investigation, action would be taken against the culprits and went on to add: “Even if it was found that any high official was involved and proved guilty, he would not be allowed to escape from law.

It is pertinent to mention that reports says that the Pakistan Evacuee Trust Property Board (PETPB) has reportedly sold around 850 canals worth multi-million rupees on a nominal price, which includes a piece of land of nearly 311 canals belonging to Mota Singh near the posh locality of Defense Colony in Lahore and second piece of land of nearly 500 canals belonging to Samadh Bhai Mann Singh and Gurdwar Deh in Lahore.

Sikhs Diaspora has strongly registered their protest against the sale of Sikh land by PETPB.

Sikh bodies like, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), American Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (AGPC) and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) already registered their protest to their respective governments and urged them to intervene in to the matter to make sure the safety of the life and belongings of the minority living in Pakistan.

Notably earlier also the PETPB had to withdraw the two deals related to the Sikh Gurdwara after the intervention of the Pakistan court and due to international pressure from Sikh diaspora.

According to the information, there is about 64,000 acres of land in Pakistan, which belongs to various Gurdwaras in Pakistan out of which 16,000 acres belongs to Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak.

Sources informed that most of the lands of the Gurdwaras were leased out and still under the possession of miscreants.

Sources say that the deal is violation of the Nehru-Layqat pact that says that both the government would not be allowed to sale any religious land belongs to the Hindu, Sikh or Muslims in their respective countries. (ANI)

with thanks : source : http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/pakistans-minority-minister-orders-inquiry-into-gurdwara-land-deal_100291516.html

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Pak sells Gurudwara land to Army

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Dodra Sangat Samagam Details

Details of Gurudwara Braham Bunga Trust, Dodra, Mansa, Punjab.
Submitted by : Sd. Surinder singh ji, Planning, Philips Electronics India Limited, Gurgaon.

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SGPC seeks to meet Pakistan High Commissioner over attack on Pakistani Sikh advocate

Karachi News.Net
Thursday 17th December, 2009 (ANI)

Amritsar Dec.17 : Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) has sought an appointment from the Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi to take up the case of a Sikh advocate, who was brutally beaten and forced to convert to Islam in Pakistan recently.

A 17-member delegation led by SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar would meet the Pakistan High Commissioner in the national capital.

SGPC, in a letter to Pakistan High Commission, expressed deep concern over the issue stating that Sikh community around the world felt pained and resentful over the incident.

On November 21, Anoop Singh, an advocate, was attacked by a group of about eight to ten people in broad daylight and was brutally beaten up and left seriously injured. Fearing for his life, Anoop Singh and his family took shelter in Gurdwara Panja Sahib near Islamabad.

Dalmegh Singh, Secretary of the SGPC, said that the Pakistan police is trying to implicate Ravinder Singh, the brother of Anoop Singh in some false case. He said that according to media reports, Anoop Singh was threatened by attackers that if he did not convert to Islam, he would be killed by them.

SGPC has also requested Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to approach Pakistan Government to take a serious cognizance of the incident. By Ravinder Singh Robin

Source : www.http://www.karachinews.net/story/578708

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Indian sect members vow to marry sex workers

More than 1,000 followers of a multi-religious sect in northern India have pledged to marry female sex workers who want to escape exploitation.

Young Hindu, Muslim and Sikh men have been queuing up at the Dera Sacha Sauda (Abode of the Real Deal) in the town of Sirsa as "wedding volunteers".

They say they are doing so to stop the women from being exploited in brothels.

They also claim that their move is part of a campaign to stop the spread of the HIV/Aids virus.

The Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) is one of many religious sects operating in northern India.

Most take root by offering community services, social welfare and spiritual leadership but over time, as their followings grow, they often seek political influence.

Correspondents say that in religious terms, the DSS is hard to classify. Many experts argue that it is not, as some have said, an offshoot of Sikhism.

More than 1,200 DSS members have signed pledges to marry the sex workers following a call from DSS chief Ram Rahim Singh a little over a month ago.

Mr Singh commands a huge following of predominantly lower caste Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs across the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Two years ago his growing influence brought the DSS chief into confrontation with the mainstream Sikh clergy who claimed he had tried to imitate their beliefs.

The sectarian violence that ensued across Punjab - as well as subsequent rape and murder charges brought against Ram Rahim Singh - have cast a shadow on the affairs and functioning of the DSS ever since, observers say.

But the group's supporters believe the new campaign is to halt the spread of HIV by offering respectable options to sex workers and is part of a long list of related initiatives against drug abuse and female foeticide.

"By helping drug users and sex workers we are trying to help remove people from the highest risk situations," said Dr Aditya Insan, a senior DSS functionary.

'Delicately handled'

He estimates that 40%-50% of women working in red light districts in cities like Mumbai (Bombay) and Delhi are HIV carriers.

Mr Singh (known as Guru-ji to his supporters) proclaimed at a congregation last month that "all women forced to live as prostitutes are my daughters".

His remarks brought forth a virtual flood of eager young volunteers from his flock.

Business graduate Ashish Sachdeva, 22, is in the garments trade in the town of Sirsa. He believes that marrying a sex worker could be his chance to repay his debt to humanity and society.

"I am very well settled and it will be the greatest honour for me to respond to Guru-ji's call."

Nearly 100 young sex workers have contacted the DSS - from Calcutta's Shonagachi red light district to brothels in Delhi and Mumbai.

"This will have to be a slow and delicately handled process," Dr Insan said.

"Many women are HIV-positive. Some have young children and are understandably concerned about their future. We need to ensure these women are protected legally once they are married."

with thanks : source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8416739.stm

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Govt To Consider Adding Vasakhi To Calendar Of Annual Festivals

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 (Bernama) -- The government is to consider including the Sikh new year of Vasakhi celebrated on April 14 in its calendar of annual festivals, the Dewan Negara was told on Wednesday.

Deputy Information Communication and Culture Minister Senator Heng Seai Kie said the ministry could help promote the festival to enhance awareness among the people.

She was replying to a question from Senator Datuk Daljit Singh Dalliwal who had asked for Vasakhi to be included in the calendar.

Heng said a festival had to be dominant to be included in the calendar of festivals, and it was also dependent on the ministry's budget.

"It is the desire of the ministry to give recognition to the festivals of all ethnic groups in the country, but the country has 47 ethnic groups and if every festival is celebrated at the national level, it will involve a huge financial allocation," she said.

The ministry now focused on six festivals at the national level, which were Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Christmas, Kaamatan and Gawai Dayak, she added.

woth thanks : source : BERNAMA -- http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=462615

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Granth Sahib University to commence session March 2011

Over a year after its creation was announced, the management of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University Wednesday said the institution would start functioning from the March 2011 session.

The Sikh religious university is being set up at Fatehgarh Sahib, 60 km from here.

The decision to start the academic session of the university was taken Wednesday at a meeting of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Memorial Trust, held here under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

University vice-chancellor Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia said the construction work of the buildings of the university, which was being funded by the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), was in full swing and about 80 percent of the work has been completed. He added that the rest of the work would be completed by the end of March 2010.

The fee structure of the new university has been proposed to be nominal and lower than in the private sector institutions imparting education, Ahluwalia said.

The new university would focus on imparting education in most modern technologies such as nano-technology, bio-technology, information technology and business management besides comparative study of different religions.

The university would also house faculties of schools of emerging technologies, basic sciences, management, social sciences, arts, languages, engineering, architecture, law and social justice.

with thanks : source : http://sify.com/news/granth-sahib-university-to-commence-session-march-2011-news-education-jmqrucbjicf.html

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Sikhs removed from US Airways flight reach settlement

PTI 16 December 2009, 03:45pm IST

WASHINGTON: Three Sikh musicians, removed from a flight at the Sacramento airport in California about a year ago, have received an apology and an undisclosed amount from the US Airways under a settlement with the airlines.

Sikh organisations had termed the incident as a case of racial profiling and discrimination.

The three eminent Sikh musicians are, Davinder Singh, Gulbag Singh and Iqbal Singh - known as classical religious performers.

The incident is reported to have occurred on November 15, 2008 when they were ordered to leave the plane they had boarded at the Sacramento airport for Salt Lake City for a performance.

"However, airline employees did not provide any explanation as to why they were being removed, but they were told, through a Punjabi interpreter, that the pilot would not fly with them on board," a media release said.

"After suffering humiliation in front of other passengers, the musicians were each handed a USD 5 meal voucher and forced to delay their travel until the next day. They experienced no problems boarding the Delta flight on which they were rebooked," it said.

"To date, the airline has failed to provide any legitimate security concerns justifying the removal. The removal was apparently sparked by passengers' and crew- members' fears of the musicians' based on their ethnic and religious appearance," the United Sikh said in a statement.

with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Sikhs-removed-from-US-Airways-flight-reach-settlement/articleshow/5343701.cms

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