Manmohan Singh apologizes 'on behalf of government" for 1984 anti-Sikh disturbances

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Monday apologized 'on behalf of the Government of India' for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, saying that it should have never happened.

Addressing a function organized by Punjabi Canadian lawmakers in Toronto, Dr. Singh said: "I promise you that after going back home I will set up some mechanism to deliberate on all these issues that have been raised here or that have been raised elsewhere in the Indo-Canadian communities."

"With regard to the events of 1984, these are horrible crimes. They should have never happened. I have on behalf of the Government of India apologized on behalf of the nation for what had happened in 1984," he added.

The Prime Minister further said that there are "visible weakness" in the country's judicial system.

"There are concerns that those who perpetrated these crimes must be brought to book, there are visible weakness in Indian judicial system, just as weakness in the Canadian legal system. We are trying to address those issues," Dr. Singh said.

"One cannot offer any compensation to those who have lost there near and dear one in these tragic circumstances, but our government in the first UPA opened up all cases of so-called compensation," he added.

He also said that the government is looking for more options to provide relief to the victims and their relatives.

"I don't see there can be adequate compensation at all, but we have opened up what more can be done to provide relief to the victims and their relatives, so that they can once again lead a life of dignity and self respect," Dr. Singh said.

"Communities and nation, it is futile on my part to say to forget past. The past is there, we cannot get away our past, but the challenge is how to move ahead in the world, which is increasingly globalised, which is increasingly becoming an integrated one world," he added.

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with thanks : source : ONEINDIA

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People listen when Indian PM speaks: Obama

US President Barack Obama rated Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh as an extraordinary world leader. He praised his knowledge of economic activities which could be service to the G-20 Summit. Obama’s statement assumes significance since the G-20 Summit was focused on finding a way out of the economic crisis.

President Obama and Dr Manmohan Singh held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit.

“I want to express my pleasure having the opportunity to meet once again with my good friend, Prime Minister Singh. I said before and I continue to believe that the extraordinary leadership that Prime Minister Singh has provided not just to India, but to the world, has helped us navigate through some very difficult times” said the US President in his speech to mark the G-20 Summit.

“And I can tell you that here at the G-20, when the Prime Minister speaks, people listen, particularly because of his deep knowledge of economic issues, as well as the fact that he understands that as India rises as a world power, not just a regional power, that it also has enormous responsibilities to work with the rest of the world community around issues of peace and prosperity,” he added.

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With thanks : source : Tribune

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India reviewing blacklist of Sikhs abroad

India is reviewing the lists of Sikhs abroad who were blacklisted for their anti-Indian activities, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said Sunday.

Interacting with the media after the G-20 summit here, she said: 'The matter is under consideration of the government. We are aware of the issues raised by some people.'

'The ministry of external affairs has taken up the issue with the ministry of home affairs and the whole case is under review.'

Rao added that the government has also begun a series of meetings 'to look at the whole issue in depth'.

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with thanks : source : SIFY

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Manmohan Singh says 1984 should never have happened

PTI

Toronto: The 1984 anti-Sikh riots should never have happened, a concerned prime minister Manmohan Singh said today but at the same time appealed to the Sikh community to "move on" to let the wounds of the tragedy heal.

Speaking to the community members here after paying homage to the victims of the 1985 Kanishka bombing at the Air India Memorial here, Singh reminded them that he had apologised to the nation for the carnage that ensued the assassination of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

"The 1984 anti-Skih riots should never have happened. I have apologised to the nation... all possible steps will be taken to provide succour and comfort," he said.

Singh, the first Sikh to ascend to the post of the prime minister of India, said "by constantly reminding of the 1984 riots, sometimes you unwittingly vitiate the creative thinking of the Sikh community".

"We need to move on," he said.

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with thanks : source : DNA INDIA

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Canada toughens immigration laws

Amritsar, Punjab: Within hours of the G-20 Summit in Huntsville in Ontario, Canada virtually slammed its doors on prospective immigrants from India limiting their annual intake to 20,000 besides reducing the number of trades in the demand list.

Incidentally, announcement of the new immigration rules has coincided with the visit of Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to Canada.

Some of the new occupations included by Canada in its demand list are primary production managers (except agriculture), adjusters and claims examiners, biologists and related scientists, architects, dentists, pharmacists, social workers. Many of the existing trades have been omitted. The new rules that have become effective immediately require all federal skilled worker applicants to have experience in one of 29 in demand occupations or have a job offer to be eligible to apply for permanent residency (PR).

Moreover, Canada will now accept only 20,000 applications with a maximum of 1,000 applications per occupation for processing for those applying under the occupation list. The cap of 1,000 applications in each occupation has been introduced to manage the intake. For these applications, once the cap is reached, will be sent back and their processing fees will be refunded. But the applications with a job offer are not restricted to this 20,000 cap.

In addition, all Federal skilled worker and Canadian experience class applicants will now be required to send a complete and comprehensive file, including IELTS result to the Central Intake Unit (CIU) at the time of filing the application to promptly get into the processing queue.

After introduction of the new rules that limit annual global intake to 80,000, they push India from its second top immigrant source to seventh slot.

BS Sandhu, Chairman and Managing Director, WorldWide Immigration Consultancy Services Ltd. (WWICS), told The Tribune that “all cases filed on or before June 25 will not be affected by the changes. Pendency of cases filed in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 will now be cleared on top priority. Once the backlog is cleared, I anticipate the Canadian immigration intake will increase again making 1 per cent of the Canadian population. But clearing of this backlog of 3,80,000 applications may take another two-three years. People keen to immigrate to Canada will have some other options as well.”

“The federal investor immigrant programme has been suspended awaiting new changes in the eligibility criteria. Until the changes in network and investment are finalised, the Government will stop accepting new investor applications,” said BS Sandhu.

“In the past, 30,000 families used to immigrate to Canada under Skilled Worker Programme from India and India has been the second highest immigrant source country. But with the changed scenario, Australia will soon become the number one destination for Indians seeking immigration abroad,” he added.

With thanks : source : SIKHSANGAT

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Punjab teeters on edge of crisis as 70% fall into drug addiction

Excerpts :

The threat of drugs, he adds, is worse than two decades of Sikh terrorism that ravaged the province until the early 1990s, during which more than 60,000 people died, as it is far more insidious and cannot be rectified by policing. The ANTF says all of Punjab’s 20 districts, particularly border regions, are infested with drug peddlers selling opium and heroin smuggled from Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Money from drug smuggling had, for decades, financed the civil war in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s adjoining tribal regions.

ANTF officials say a large proportion of the 500kg of heroin seized in the state last year was for local consumption, and the rest was destined for western markets. They stress that the seizures represent just a small proportion of the drugs making it through and being sold profitably.

“In rural Punjab, families often try to pass off a drug overdose death either as suicide or an overdose of prescriptive medicines for chronic ailments,” Meena says. The entire state seems to be in denial over its drug addiction and is unwilling to accept its severity, he declares.

Punjab’s grievous drug problem was revealed recently in a report by Guru Nanak University in Punjab’s largest city, Amritsar, which declared that some 73.5 per cent of the state’s youth between 16 and 35 years were confirmed drug addicts.

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Perks of a Sikh

Sikhs have been known for their jovial, “ulta – pulta” (topsy-turvy) approach to life. They joke and can be joked. You can trust a Sikh behind a wheel. For good food, what better than a “Sardar Da Dhaba”. On a serious note, most medals of bravery are pinned to the Sikh. They are making their mark in literature, sports, politics, science, finance and most other walks of life. The Sikh begs to be different and gets noticed.

These are the major perks of a lovable minority. The prime minister of a billion is giving a new dimension to the Sikh. The world’s largest democracy hinges on the perks of a Sikh. The turbaned Sikhs are a distinguished face in the crowd. Those friends, who chose to chop their hair in 1984, are now raising their hands to get counted. I am afraid; they have lost their perks, long ago.

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with thanks : source : AllVoices : PIC At the Burj Khalifa 124rth floor Observatory

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BJP's Punjab unit seeks relief for Indians driven out of Pakistan

The Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken up the issue of Hindu and Sikh families which have been forced to settle in the State after being driven out of Pakistan.

According to a party release, the State unit set up a three-member committee under the chairmanship of Rajya Sabha member Avinash Rai Khanna to look into all aspects of the issue, including relief for such families who have taken shelter in the Punjab.

It would seek adequate security for the life and property of Hindus and Sikhs settled abroad.

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with thanks : source : The Hindu

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PM asks Canada to curb Sikh militancy from its soil

Toronto, June 26 (PTI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said there are some elements "wedded to terrorism" outside India, including in Canada, who try to keep the issue of Sikh militancy alive and asked Ottawa to curb such anti-India activities from its soil.

"Sikh extremism, separatism and militancy were a problem in India more than two decades ago. Today, Punjab is at peace and there is growth and prosperity.

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with thanks : source : PTI News

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Won’t review Sikh blacklist: Govt

Toronto, June 26

Tremendous pressure from the Sikh community notwithstanding, India today said it won’t review the ‘blacklist’ of radicals, who had taken political asylum in foreign countries, including Canada.

This assumes significance on the eve of two-day G-20 Summit, scheduled to begin here from tomorrow.

Immediately after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh — accompanied by his wife, Gursharn Kaur landed at Toronto, the spokesperson of the Foreign Affairs Ministry stated that there was no room for reviewing the blacklist of those who had indulged in anti-India activities, at least in the near future.

The Prime Minister Office (PMO) was under pressure from the Sikh community worldwide to allow the blacklisted persons to join the mainstream. President of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), Parmjit Singh Sarna had submitted a written request to the PMO that the representatives of the Sikhs should be invited by the PM in Toronto during his visit to find some solution to the longstanding demand of the community. The NRI Sikhs had also promised to suspend their proposed protest during Manmohan Singh’s visit if they were given time to discuss the matter. Around 100 blacklisted hardliners had taken political asylum in Canada, Germany, USA, UK and other countries. Some efforts were made to review the blacklist during the NDA government also.

The PM is unlikely to meet any representative of the hardliners due to his firm stand against international terrorism. Also, meeting radicals would send a wrong signal at this crucial juncture. Only two months ago, Manmohan Singh had conveyed his firm stand on the activities of separatist forces to his Canadian counterpart when they met in USA for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, the PM would be paying a visit to the memorial for Kaniskha victims on June 28.

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with thanks : source : Tribune

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Pakistan offers to set up corridor for Sikh pilgrims

Islamabad, June 26 (PTI) Pakistan has offered to set up a special corridor for Sikh pilgrims to visit the sacred Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, which lies only three kms from the international border, a senior official has said.

Pakistan is ready for talks with India to create such a special corridor for a safe passage for pilgrims, Syed Asif Hashmi, chief of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) that is responsible for maintaining the shrines of minority communities in Pakistan, told reporter at Hasanabdal yesterday.

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With thanks : source : PTINEWS

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