Baba Banda Singh Bahadur

With thanks : DAINIK JAGRAN - CITY PLUS

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SGPC polls: Voter registration to begin from June 1

The registration of voters for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee elections will begin from June 1 till July 15, said a spokesman of the Gurdwara Election Commission here on Wednesday. The blank declaration Form 1, to be filled by keshdhari Sikhs, will be available with the patwaris in rural areas, secretaries of local authorities or persons appointed by deputy commissioners for the urban areas and at notified gurdwaras. Eligible voters can obtain these forms free of cost for getting themselves registered.

To be a registered voter a person should be more than 21 years old and be a keshdhari Sikh, as specified under Section 49 of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925. Persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes are required to fill an additional declaration, also given in Form 1, said the spokesperson.

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With thanks : source : Indian Express

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A sikh web portal with over one lakh hits per month

We are pleased to introduce our Sikh web portal www.sohnijodi.com with over one lakh hits per month. The portal contains details on Sikhism, Ragee jathaas, Sarai booking, Gurdwara pics, Gurdwara vids, SGPC, DSGMC as well latest Sikh News. You Tube channel of the portal can also be viewed for various uploads of Gurdwaras.

It has a Matrimonial section where you can add your matrimonial profiles with pics. Till now the profile uploading was absolutely free but now it is being decided that to cover the costs of running this portal, a charge of Rs. One thousand only is necessary though the profile listing will be for unlimited period. The portal also asks for a hard copy of the profile duly signed.

You can also visit the Sikh Blog www.sikhsindia.blogspot.com. This blog contains the latest Sikh news from all over the world. You can subscribe the blog free of cost to get daily uploads in your mail box. You can also contribute Sikh news, pics, vids from any part of the world for uploading on the blog. You can also mail details of Gurmat Samagams in Your Gurdwara for uploading on the blog.

With best regards

B S Vohra
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They risk their lives for just Rs 200

Banur, Punjab: For just Rs 200 as risk allowance per month, the zookeepers at Mahendra Choudhary Zoological Park, famous as Chattbir zoo, have been risking their lives everyday while feeding animals and cleaning their cages. “Handling wild animals is not an easy job. While minor injuries are part of the day, many of us have even suffered major accidents as well”, said a zookeeper.

There are around 150 zookeepers assigned with tasks of looking after animals or birds on regular basis in different shifts.

The Government gives these keepers Rs 200 per month as risk allowance, which does not even cover medical expenses of minor injuries.

Besides physical danger, employees also suffer from different infections that the wild animals pass on to them. Incidences of germ infestation and bacterial infections are common amongst zookeepers.

Sharing their experiences, zookeepers said one of them lost three front teeth when an elephant swayed his tail too swiftly and hit the zookeeper’s teeth. In yet another incidence, a zookeeper lost his life while cleaning the tiger’s enclosure.

“Handling a pregnant animal or that which has laid eggs is very difficult. It is necessary that these animals’ enclosures be cleaned daily. Presently, crocodile is busy hatching her eggs and does not budge to allow us to clean her enclosure. Such irritated animals tend to attack and inflict injuries,” added another zookeeper.

Field Director, Tushar Kanti Bahera said medical reimbursement was also been given to the injured zookeepers but it depended upon the nature of injuries inflicted.

There are carnivorous animals in the zoo, including 11 tigers, 9 leopards, herbivorous animals like niel gai, sambhar and hundreds of birds and other wild animals.

“Our basic salary starts from Rs 5,200 and with stipends it reaches up to Rs 10,000 a month” said the zookeepers.

Zoo officials said though keepers are perfect in their work but at times they fail to judge mood of animal and receive injuries.

The Central Zoo Authority, Government of India, has been conducting trainings for keepers. However, there is always a risk of life while working with these animals.

Three of the zookeepers were sent for animal-handling training in Lucknow last year and four others would undergo training to handle poisonous snakes this year.

With thanks : source : Sikh Sangat

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Judge rules Sikhs must understand charges made against them

A Sharjah court in the United Arab Emirates has adjourned the trial for seventeen men from the Sikh community who have been sentenced to death, as the appeal to save their lives commenced today. On the 16th June another hearing will be made; Judge Yunis Al-Reda will now hear the appeal once all court proceedings and reports of the case against the accused have been formally translated into Punjabi.

In police custody, the men have been subjected to torture methods and other human rights violations. According to the LFHRI (Lawyers for Human Rights International) ‘The Sikh religion has been mocked and slandered. The lawyers who spoke to the tortured men heard how the officials in Sharjah jail made the prisoners stamp on religious bracelets and necklaces until they broke into pieces, then torment the men about ‘what their God is doing for them.’

The Indian embassy has assured that they will supply a translation of the documents within a week. Up until now, none of the young boys held in custody have been given information about the case against them in the language they understand. The Emirati lawyer who originally represented the seventeen, did not mention to the court anything about the torture they boys were subjected to. In the original court case where the death penalty was given to all men, the trial proceedings were translated from Arabic into Hindi, which the men did not understand.

Sikhs around the world have been pushing for a fair trial, to implement basic human rights. Over 10,000 Sikhs gathered opposite Downing Street on the 16th May to support these Sikhs and to urge the British Government to ensure that these boys have a fair trial, and all evidence against the accused is made available.

The young men aged between 21 and 25 are migrant workers from India. They moved to Dubai in search of work to send money back to their loved ones in Punjab. Dubai, a luxury paradise has been built by the hands of men such as these. The families of the seventeen men contest their innocence and have appealed to the Indian Government to step in and repatriate the men back to India.

Judge Yunis Al-Reda has ruled the appeal proceedings in Court will continue on the 16th June, once the seventeen young men have been given access to hear the evidence and understand the case against them in a language they understand, Punjabi. This gives the Sikh community and human rights activists time to put pressure on the judicial, to ensure these young boys are freed and sent back to their loving families in India.

With thanks : source : SikhiWiki - Released this news on 16th may, 2010.

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Names of the 17 imprisoned Indians in UAE

• 1. SATNAM SINGH S/O HARBANS SINGH, AGED 24 YEARS V.P.O KUHLI KALAN , DISTRICT LUDHIANA. PANJAB, INDIA.

• 2. KULWINDER SINGH S/O BALDEV SINGH, AGED……… YEARS V.P.O BANGSIPURA , TEHSIL JAGRAON, DISTRICT LUDHIANA,PANJAB,INDIA.

• 3. NAVJOT SINGH S/O AMRIK SINGH, AGED……………YEARS. V.P.O RAIPUR, DISTRICT LUDHIANA, PANJAB, INDIA.

• 4. TARANJIT SINGH S/O BALBIR SINGH, AGED……………YEARS. VILLAGE JAGDISHPURA , P.O KULTARAN, DISTRICT KAITHAL. HARYANA,INDIA

• 5. BALJEET SINGH S/O BALWINDER SINGH, AGED………YEARS. VILLAGE SANGWAL, DISTRICT JALANDHAR. PANJAB, INDIA.

• 6. SUBHAN S/O PYARE LAL, AGED………….YEARS. VILLAGE LOHIAN KHAS, DISTRICT JALANDHAR, PANJAB, INDIA.

• 7. DALJIT SINGH S/O MALKIAT SINGH, AGED………..YEARS. V.P.O AITIANA TEHSIL RIAKOT, DISTRICT LUDHIANA, PANJAB, INDIA.

• 8. KULDIP SINGH S/O SUBA SINGH, AGED……….YEARS. VILLAGE ……………………..DISTRICT MOGA, PANJAB, INDIA

• 9. HARJINDER SINGH S/O SITAL SINGH, AGED………YEARS. NEW VISHKARMA COLONY , PHAGWARA, DISTRICT JALANDHAR, PANJAB,INDIA.

• 10. ARVINDER SINGH S/O BALRAJ SINGH, AGED………YEARS. VILLAGE GOKHWAL, P.O BATALA, DISTRICT GURDASPUR. PANJAB,INDIA.

• 11. SATGUR SINGH S/O GURMAIL SINGH, AGED ……….YEARS. VILLAGE GHANUA JATTAN , DISTRICT SANGRUR, PANJAB,INDIA.

• 12. SUKHJINDER SINGH S/O GURMAIL SINGH, AGED…………YEARS. NEAR GURU CHAND GURUDWARA, PATTI, DISTRICT AMRITSAR, PANJAB,INDIA.

• 13. KASHMIR SINGH S/O MOHINDER SINGH, AGED……..YEARS. RATTO KE GURUDWARA, P.O KHEMKARAN, TEHSIL PATTI DISTRICT AMRITSAR, PANJAB, INDIA.

• 14. RAM SINGH S/O MALKIAT SINGH, AGED ……..YEARS. VILLAGE KAWEVA, P.O PAREET NAGAR TEHSIL AJNALA, DISTRICT AMRITSAR, PANJAB, INDIA.

• 15. SUKHJINDER SINGH S/O MUKHTIAR SINGH, AGED..……YEARS. V.P.O MIANI BAGHU PURIA, TEHSIL BHULATH, DISTRICT KAPURTHALA,PANJAB, INDIA.

• 16. DHARAMPAL SINGH S/O PARAMJIT SINGH, AGED………YEARS. V.P.O JHOKE TEHAL SINGH, DISTRICT FEROZEPUR, PANJAB, INDIA.

• 17. SUKHJOT SINGH S/O JAGDEV SINGH, AGED 23 YEARS. VILLAGE SANGHERA, BARNALA , PANJAB, INDIA.

With thanks : source : SikhiWiki

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Amnesty International says UAE abused Indian prisoners

Rights group Amnesty International has condemned authorities in the United Arab Emirates over the alleged torture and forced confession of 17 Indians.

They were sentenced to death last month for killing a Pakistani man.

Amnesty says the men were taken to the scene of the killing in the emirate of Sharjah and forced to re-enact it.

It says they were made to beat a police officer posing as the dead man a month after their arrest - an act filmed and presented as genuine evidence.

There has so far been no comment so far on the allegations from the UAE authorities.

'Faked video'

Citing evidence produced by Indian rights group Lawyers For Human Rights International (LFHRI), Amnesty said that the 17 men were beaten with clubs, given electric shocks, deprived of sleep and forced to stand on one leg for prolonged periods.

"This is a mockery of justice. These 17 men have been tortured, forced to confess and sentenced to death based on a faked video," Amnesty's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, Hassiba Hadj Sharaoui said.

"Amnesty International is calling on the UAE authorities to investigate the allegations of torture and abuse and to ensure the 17 men receive a fair trial on appeal," the group said in a statement.

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With thanks : source : BBC News

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Sikh councillor takes over as the new mayor of Slough

London, May 25 (PTI) An NRI Sikh councillor Jagjit Singh Grewal has become the new mayor of the London Borough of Slough.

73-year-old Grewal who was honoured with the Glory of India award last year by the India International Friendship Society, succeeded Joginder Singh Bal.

Mayor Grewal, Virendra Sharma the newly elected Labour MP from Ealing Southall and several newly elected councillors of various boroughs were felicitated here by the Indian Overseas Congress (London) during a gala ceremony at the Indian Gymkhana Club.

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With thanks : source : PTI

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Sikhs thrash ‘preachers’ at gurdwara

The historical Sukh Singh Mehtab Singh Gurdwara of Hanumangarh town turned into a battleground when a group of preachers allegedly made derogatory statement against Guru Govind Singh, the 10th guru of Sikhs. The incident took place during the morning prayer on Monday when five visiting speakers used foul language against the Sikh guru following which the sangat, a congregation of Sikh community, beat up four preachers, while one slipped into the crowd.They were then handed over to the police.

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With thanks : source : todaynews

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Kaal - A short story

A man dies and goes to heaven....he says to Lord Almighty.....you never gave any notice that i was going to die so i didnt prepare or pray .

God said so I did....first I weakened your eyesight...you got specks...now operation to get your eyesight corrected.

Then I made your hair go white to remind you...you dyed your hair.

Then I made your legs shaky....you ate multivitamins.

Then I made your teeth fall...you got a denture made forgetting that all these were reminders...

The man was speechless.

A true Sikh who helped everyone, says neighbour

The bodies of H.S. Ahluwalia, co-pilot of the Air India flight which crashed in Mangalore, and crew member Tejal Anil Kamulkar were flown in here on Sunday.

Tearful scenes were witnessed as the bodies, covered with wreaths, were transferred from an aircraft to ambulances. Distraught relatives gathered at the airport consoled one another.

“May his soul rest in peace. He was a true Sikh who helped and served everyone,” Inder Singh Kohli, a neighbour of the Ahluwalias, told journalists.

Ahluwalia's body was taken to a neighbourhood gurdwara for prayers, and then cremated at 9 p.m. He is survived by his mother, two brothers and a sister.

Tejal's body was taken to her house at Dombivili in Thane. Words failed Anil Kamulkar, who received the remains of his daughter. “I don't feel like saying anything. She was very nice. It's all in God's hands. She always wanted to be an air hostess and I made her one. I will always remember everything [about her],” said Mr. Kamulkar, who came to the airport along with his son.

Tejal, 25, joined Air India Charters Limited as airline attendant on training on July 7, 2009. After training, she was “engaged” with the airline “on a fixed-term contract for five years from January 22, 2010 and on the date of her death [May 22], completed exactly four months of service.”

The airline was not certain when the body of another crew member from Mumbai, Sujata Siddharth Survase, would arrive here.

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With thanks : source : Hindu

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