Fremont Gurdwara awards scholarships of $24,000 to Sikh Students

FREMONT (CALIFORNIA): Fremont Gurdwara Sahib is the first Sikh institute to give $24000 Scholarships to Sikh students in North America. As the applications were requested in January of this year the scholarships were awarded this Sunday. Applications were invited from high school seniors who plan to attend colleges and universities to pursue higher education.

Harpreeet K. Sangha developed software at Stanford University to compile information electronically. Two more volunteers, Dr. Harbans Singh Sraon and Shivtej K. Sandhu also volunteered for this project. Dr. Jagtar Singh and Shivtej Kaur Sandhu contributed $10,000 for this project and Surinder Singh; VP of Gaming Enterprise donated $ 1000 for this noble cause.

After receiving applications, four judges were appointed from Stanford University, Santa Clara University and University of California. Applications were judged for completeness, grade point average, recommendations letters. The judges worked independently and then they tallied the scores and came up with final list of winners.

Twenty top scorers were selected to award $1,000 each. Next 19 students were given complimentary award of $200 each as they had put some effort to complete the applications.

Awards and certificates of appreciation were given away on May 2, 2010 at Gurdwara Sahib, Fremont.

Dr. Harbans Singh Sraon announced the names of the winners and congratulated the students and advised them to work hard. He also thanked donors and management who initiated this noble act to encourage our next generation to excel in education. Sandhu handed over the certificates to the winners and appealed to the students to carry out our traditions to respect for parents and seniors.

Learning Punjabi will be effective in communication with parents. She also appealed the parents to understand from student’s point of view. She appreciated efforts of previous and current management, particularly Harjot Singh Khalsa for coordinating the project.

This is the list of students who got the scholarships is as Amandeep Kaur of Union City,Gurbhupinder Sahota of Selma,Japnam Singh of Mountain House, Jaskirat Singh of San jose,Hasneet Hora of San Ramon,Jasreen Kaur Gupta of Fremont,Lovedeep Singh of Hayward,Nayanjot Kaur of Fremont, Sandeep Gill of Union City,Sarvinder Kaur of Union City,Akta of Hayward,Annapreet Athwal of Fair Oaks, Harpreet Kaur of Turlock,Jaijeet Toor of Castro Valley,Jaspreet Nakai of Fresno,Manpreet Bassi of Turlock,Navneet Singh of Livingston, Ramanpreet of Union City, Sargunjot Kaur of Fremont, Sumeet Singh of Bakersfield..

Bhai Devinder Singh President of Gurdwara Sahib and management congratulated the students. Bhai Harjot Singh Khalsa, supreme Council member promised that next year the scholarships worth $ 50,000 will be awarded to Sikh students with the help of fundraising by sangat members.

with thanks : source : PUNJABNEWSLINE

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CBI seeks trial against Sajjan Kumar in 1984 riots cases

New Delhi, May 4 (PTI) CBI today sought initiation of trial of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar and others in a Delhi court in 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases, alleging the members of a particular community were targeted by them during the carnage.

"This (riots) was not a work of a few persons. The manner in which the incidents took place showed that it was getting support from a prominent person wielding greater control over the area. It was not a handiwork of a few ruffians," Special CBI prosecutor Y K Saxena told Additional Sessions Judge Sunita Gupta.

With thanks : source : PTI : with link in headline above for detailed news.

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New gurdwara coming up in Manchester

LONDON: A new gurdwara is coming up in Manchester at a cost of two million pounds to cater to the religious needs of the growing numbers of Sikh worshippers living in the area.

The Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Gurdwara Temple is being built on the premises of a former car parts warehouse demolished earlier this month.

The site is close to the current place of worship which will be retained for community activities.

The original temple was established in 1961, when seven families joined to worship together, reports from Manchester said. Since 1961, more Sikhs have moved to Manchester, mainly from the Punjab region of India.

Parkash Singh, secretary for the temple's building development team, said, "We are really pleased that work has got under way as it's been a long time coming. It will be great benefit to the members here and to the wider Sikh community and local residents."

With thanks : source : Economic Times : Link in headline above for detailed news.

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Debt-ridden Punjabi farmer jumps before train, dies

Moga, Punjab: A debt-ridden septuagenarian farmer allegedly committed suicide by jumping before a goods train near railway station at Moga late last night. His body was recovered by the railway police this morning.

Jagjit Singh, son of the deceased farmer identified as Saggar Singh, resident of Raunta village of Nihal Singh Wala subdivision, in a statement recorded before the railway police, alleged that his father had committed suicide after an arhtiya Jagat Singh tried to take possession of their agricultural land last morning.

The upset old man left the house this morning, went to Moga, 40-km from his village, and committed suicide by jumping before a goods train, the son said. The body was later taken to the district hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Jagjit further said his father had taken a loan of Rs 1.5 lakh from the arhtiya a few years back by signing on blank “pronote” paper.

The arhtiya compounded the interest at a heavy rate, making the total to Rs 7 lakh, which his father could not repay, he said.

Adding that his father had repaid some of the total amount but he did not know the exact figures, the son added in his statement.

Reacting to his statement, head constable Karamjit Singh, in charge of the railway police post, conducted a preliminary inquiry into it and recommended the registration of a criminal case against the arhtiya to the railway police station at Faridkot.

Later, in the evening, the railway police had registered a criminal case under Sections 306, 148 and 59 of the IPC at Faridkot against the arhtiya on charges of forcing the old farmer to suicide.

However, no arrest has been made when the news report was filed.

Every year before the harvest, small farmers of Punjab, who make up nearly 85 per cent of the state’s farming community, borrow money at exorbitant interest rates to meet the production costs and family needs. During the time of harvest, these money lenders exert pressure on the debt-ridden farmers to either sell their produce to them or pay back the money with interest.

The basic reason of this problem is the lack of access to credit, a facility practically denied by banks to farmers having no or less property.

Therefore, farmers had to approach rural money lenders who charge exorbitant rates of interest ranging from 2.5 per cent to even 5 per cent per month.

The situation has become so worse in the remote areas of Punjab that about 15 per cent of marginal and small farmers had left farming over the past few years.

Jagjit said his father was not educated, so he could not calculate the amount of loan and once it reached Rs 7 lakh, he was publicly threatened by the money lender, forcing him to commit suicide.

With thanks : source : SikhSangat

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Police nab suspected Sikh militant in Raipur

Raipur, May 3 (ANI): Police have arrested a suspected Sikh militant of the Khalistan Commando Force from Raipur district on Sunday.

Acting on intelligence inputs, the police laid a siege and nabbed Nirmal Singh alias Nimma and handed over the 44-year-old to the Punjab Police.

The suspected militant is based in greece and has nexus with banned Sikh rebel groups.The Punjab Police has the detailed information on the militant... According to our information he (suspected militant) is currently based in Greece and came to India in February,... he went to Punjab and has been absconding from the state since February 28," Om Prakash Pal, Superintendent of Police, Raipur told reporters.

"Earlier he was associated with the Khalistan Commando Force and right now he has links with Khalistan Zindabad Force," he added.

Khalistan Commando Force is a Sikh separatist outfit that has been spearheading a campaign for the formation of an independent Sikh state and its activities were at a peak in the 1970s and 1980s when terrorism in Punjab was at its zenith.(ANI)

With thanks : source : OneIndia : Link in headline above.

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Sikh religion is not a separate community

AMRITSAR: Sikhs religion is not a separate community as it was a part of Hinduism says president of SAD (Master Tara Singh) Rashpal Singh.

Addressing the press conference here on Friday, octogenarian Rashpal Singh who is president of his party for the last three decades said, “It would be wrong to say that Sikh community was not the part of Hindu religion; since our ancestors were basically Hindu and after being inspired from Sikh religion they adopted Sikh religion with letter and sprit.

Launching scathing attack on Sikh religious leader who were describing the Sikh religion as separate community, he said that this act would stop large number of people from Hindu community to remain in Sikh fold.

Negating the stand of Akal Takht which number of times had described the Sikh religion as separate community, he said that number of times jatehdar Akal Takht had took wrong decisions which costs heavy to community and discourage the people of other community to come in Sikh fold.

Decrying the stand of SGPC which demanding to snatch the right of non Sikhs to voting right in SGPC election, he said that it was a communal thought.

Rashpal Singh said that non Sikhs should be extended full right to caste their vote in SGPC election so that maximum people from other community could join and follow the Sikh religion.

Singh said that SGPC vehemently discouraging the non Sikhs to adopt Sikh religion and this act of SGPC was not good enough.

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED IN THE LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With thanks : source : PUNJABNEWSLINE

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Sir Mota Singh grabs 'Pride of Sikh Community' award

London, May 2 (PTI) Sir Mota Singh QC, first Indian-origin Sikh to be knighted this year by the Queen for his services to the administration of justice in the UK, has been chosen for the Pride of Sikh Community Award.

Rami Ranger, MBE, President of the British Sikh Association presented the award to Sir Mota Singh at a function organised to celebrate Vaisakhi at South Ruislip here.

Recipient of a number of lifetime achievement awards, Sir Mota Singh went into Chambers here to practise at the Bar in 1965. Within just 11 years, Singh was appointed a Deputy Judge, Queen's Counsel, a Recorder of the Crown Courts and then a Circuit Judge.

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With thanks : Source : PTINEWS

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300 Saala Fateh March

The 300 saala Fateh march of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur passed today from Krishna nagar, Delhi - 110051. Thousands of persons were visible on the road, in tens & hundreds of cars following the march. It was a grand show with hundreds of stalls by various sikh jathebandis. The sigh of relief was that the heavy rains lashed the area just after the passing of the march. But the surprising factor was that all the Sikh leaders moved quite ahead of the march. Infact the march passed from the area almost after two hours of the passing of the prominent sikh leaders from the area in luxury cars, whereas we expected them to be alongwith the historical march.

Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely were among the numerous public figures present to receive the procession, when it entered Delhi. " I am very happy that the Fateh March will pass through Delhi and stay here for three days giving an opportunity to the people of the city to be a part of the procession," said Sheila Dikshit.

This fateh marc has been organised to salute the great Sikh General Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, ( Madho Das) who was blessed by Guru Gobind Singh ji who converted him into the Sikh fold. After that, he taught a lesson to the Mughals in Punjab by killing the then Governor of Sirhind, Wazir Khan, in a war at Chhapadchiri. He abolished the Zamindari system (employed by Mughals to collect taxes from peasants) and granted the proprietary rights to the actual tillers of the land.

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Rajya Sabha adjourns amid uproar over anti-Sikh riots

PTI

New Delhi: A united opposition today cornered the government in the Rajya Sabha accusing it of cosmetic action into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and forced adjournment of the House 30 minutes ahead of lunch break.

Raising the issue during zero hour, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa (Akali Dal) said so many commissions and committees were set up to go into the riots but none gave justice to the victims. He said more than 7,000 Sikhs including 3,000 in Delhi were killed.

He alleged that two of the three Congress leaders named by Nanavati Commission - Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler – are gradually being let off from the case and wondered "why it is being done".

A Delhi court two days back accepted CBI's clean chit to Tytler in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. The court said no further investigations are required and there is no need to send the accused for trial.

BJP members including SS Ahluwalia said there is only cosmetic action by the government into the issue and alleged that witnesses were threatened.

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With thanks : Source : DNAINDIA

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Despite Nitin Gadkari's denial, Sikh body threatens protest over remark

PTI

New Delhi: Despite BJP chief Nitin Gadkari's denial of having given a clean chit to Congress on its role in 1984 riots, a Sikh organisation today warned of nationwide protests against him from tomorrow over his comments.

"Gadkari's statement that there was no role of Congress in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots has hurt the entire Sikh community in India and abroad and it is a dangerous comment," All India Sikh Conference president Gurcharan Singh Babbar said.

"He must answer who was responsible for the deadly carnage if Congress was not behind this or else the Sikh community will also hold the RSS and BJP responsible for it," he told reporters here.

Singh said if Gadkari's statement was accepted then it would imply that the continuous efforts by Sikhs to get justice for the last 26 years was a "sheer waste".

He also warned of nationwide protests against Gadkari starting tomorrow, saying, "There would be widespread protests wherever Sikh communities exist and it will only get more stronger."

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM THE LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With thanks : source : DNAINDIA

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Canadian parliament condemns Sikh extremism

Toronto, April 29 – In yet another warning to pro-Khalistan elements, the Canadian parliament Wednesday passed a resolution condemning threats by radicals to top Indo-Canadian leader and former health minister Ujjal Dosanjh.

A moderate Sikh who became premier of Canada’s British Columbia province in 2000,Dosanjh has been a staunch opponent of radical Sikhs in Canada since the 1980s when the pro-Khalistan movement was at its peak in India and Canada.

Two weeks ago, Sikh hardliners warned Dosanjh against attending a Vaisakhi parade in the Vancouver suburb of Surrey. The threat led to outrage among Indo-Canadians and condemnation by Canadian leaders and the media.

After that incident, death threats against him appeared on Facebook.

The Canadian parliament passed a motion in support of the Indo-Canadian leader Wednesday. Passing the motion unanimously, the House said all its members ’stand united in condemning any form of extremism that incites violence in Canadian society, and re-affirm the rights of elected officials to freely express their views without fear of personal intimidation.”

Thanking the House, Dosanjh said, ‘I want to express my sincerest appreciation for the unanimous support of all my colleagues in the House of Commons in what is a very difficult situation for my family and I.

‘This expression of support from parliamentarians of all political parties reaffirms individual rights, including those of the public officials to freely express themselves without fear of threats, intimidation, or violence.”

The House resolution condemning Sikh hardliners comes two days after the Canadian government said that Sikh violence will not tolerated.

Making the statement in the House Monday, Indian-origin parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs Deepak Obhrai had said that his government ’strongly condemns the recent threats of violence made by extremists within the Canadian Sikh community.

This is unacceptable.”

Canada is home more about half a million Sikhs, with a very minute section of the community still supporting demand for a independent Sikh nation called Khalistan.

IANS

With thanks : Source : INDIATALKIES

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