Senior lawyer Phoolka withdraws from anti-Sikh riot cases

A senior advocate, appearing for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims in different courts, on Tuesday decided to withdraw from all the cases following allegations of “personal benefits” levelled against him.

“I’m constrained to take a hard decision to withdraw from all the cases of 1984 riots in view of a statement made by Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee.

“I have not charged a single penny for the (riot) cases but now even near clerical expenses incurred by the Gurudwara Committee are termed as wastage,” senior counsel H.S. Phoolka said.

“I’m forced to take this drastic step because these allegations immensely disturbed me,” he said.

with thanks : source : The Hindu : for detailed news, plz click the link in headline above.

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HC dismisses Sajjan Kumar’s plea in anti-Sikh riots case

The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar’s petition challenging a trial court’s order to frame charges against him in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

Former Outer Delhi MP Sajjan Kumar is facing prosecution in two cases in which he has been accused of inciting a mob against Sikh community in the aftermath of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination on October 31, 1984, leading to killings of several persons.

In the order, Justice Vipin Sanghi questioned the motive of Delhi Police for cancelling the FIR against the politician when the matter was still being probed by the CBI.

A trial court had termed the case as “untraced” in July 2008 after the Delhi Police filed a cancellation report stating that the complainant was not traceable.

Rejecting the plea of Kumar, Justice Sanghi directed the trial court to hold the proceedings against him expeditiously in the anti-Sikh riots cases.

The trial court had in May this year framed charges under Sections 302 (murder), 395 (dacoity), 427 (mischief to property), 153A (promoting enmity between different communities) and other provisions of the IPC paving the way for trial of Kumar and five others.

CBI had accused Kumar of provoking people against members of a particular community during the carnage that led to the killing of five persons in Delhi Cantonment area.

with thanks : source : THE HINDU : detailed story can be viewed from original link in headline above.

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US-based NRIs raise funds for imparting education to Punjab's needy students

ANI

The contribution of NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) belonging to Punjab is immense as far as providing help in the sectors of health, sports and education.

NRIs residing in the United Sates have been making efforts to encourage and mobilise education in Punjab.

Members of the Washington-based Sikh Human Development Foundation (SHDF) has raised over 100,000 dollars for providing scholarships for Punjab's needy students. The aim is sound and clear - to persuade students to go for higher studies.

According to an estimate, over five million, almost one third of the total Indians overseas, belong to Punjab. They have invested huge amounts of money in setting up mansions, schools, hospitals and sports complexes in the state.

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

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BJP favours granting citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs from Pak

JALANDHAR: The BJP has demanded that the government grant citizenship to Hindus and Sikhs from Pakistan who have fled to India after facing harassment there.

"Every person who wishes to return to our country, should be granted citizenship, irrespective of the community he or she belongs to," BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu said here. He was asked about the demand of Hindu and Sikh families from Pakistan, who have been residing here for over a decade, that they be given Indian citizenship.

with thanks : source : Times of India : Link in headline above for detailed news.

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Court orders destruction of Sikh temple in Texas, USA

Sikhs are shocked and outraged at a ruling by a Texas Court of Appeals ordering that the only Sikh Temple (Gurudwara) in Austin, Texas be torn down.

Austin Gurdwara Sahib (AGS), a non-profit, Sikh organization purchased land in West side of the Greater Austin area in 2003 to start the first permanent Gurudwara in the Capital City. For years, religious services were hosted weekly in a manufactured home located on the property. In 2005, to improve the facilities, AGS, with the congregation’s support, decided to build a more contemporary building. In this regard, AGS applied for, and was granted, all the necessary permits from the city. The approval process from the city included meetings with Planning & Zoning committees as well as the City Council at large. AGS also met with and provided full disclosure to the neighborhood association.

With thanks : source : Punjab NewsLine : Link in headline above for detailed story.

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26 years on, Akal Takht declares 1984 anti-Sikh riots as ‘genocide’

After an extraordinary, marathon meeting of Jathedars at the Akal Takht — the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs —the community’s five high priests on Wednesday declared the anti-Sikh riots 26 years ago as ‘genocide’ and demanded justice for the victims.

The decision seems to have been motivated by the recent resolution introduced by Indian-origin Sikh MP Sukh Dhaliwal in the Canadian Parliament, where he sought to get the bloodshed declared as a ‘genocide’. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, who headed the meeting of the Sikh priests, admitted the move by Dhaliwal had “awakened” them to correct history. He said: “The decision regarding this should have been taken long ago. But we feel justice has not been meted out to victims.” Apart from in Delhi, over 3,000 Sikhs were killed in various parts of the country after the then prime minister Indira Gandhi was shot dead by her Sikh bodyguard on October 31, 1984.

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

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School spent at least £170,000 on failed bid to ban Sikh bangle

A SCHOOL that fought a legal battle to force a Sikh pupil to remove a religious bracelet spent at least £170,000 on the lost case, it emerged last night.

Sarika Watkins-Singh, then 14, was suspended from Aberdare Girls’ School in 2007 after insisting she should be allowed to wear a silver Kara bangle, one of the five symbols of Sikh identity.

The school argued she could not wear the bracelet because it contravened a ban on jewellery, but the High Court ruled in the pupil’s favour.

Yesterday Cynon Valley MP Ann Clwyd detailed her two-year battle to force the school to reveal the true costs, and the reason behind the decision to fight the case in the courts.

Speaking in Westminster Hall, she said she feared the total costs were much higher than the £170,000 revealed so far, and accused the school of using technicalities to avoid releasing more information.

“My patience has now run out. The school has run rings around the law to avoid explaining how much money has been wasted on this stupid ill-considered action in defending the indefensible.”

with thanks : source : WalesOnline : link in headline above for detailed story.

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Sikh Association gets 10000-dollar grant from Victoria govt in Oz

A Victoria-based Sikh association on Tuesday received a grant of 10,000 dollars from the Australian state's Labour government as part of a programme to strengthen multi-cultural communities through inter-faith dialogue and collaboration.

James Merlino, Minister assisting Premier John Brumby on Multicultural Affairs, and Member for Burwood, Bob Stensholt, presented the Victorian Sikh Association with the grant.

"Victoria is the most multi-cultural, harmonious state in Australia and rivals any of the multicultural centres of the world," Merlino said.

"Our Government is working with dedicated community organisations like the Victorian Sikh Association to promote interfaith dialogue and collaboration and religious harmony," he said.

This funding will provide a multitude of benefits to the Victorian Sikh community and to the broader Victorian community as they strengthen multi-cultural communities, Merlino said.

with thanks : source : INDIAN EXPRESS : Link in headline above for detailed news.

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Sikh temple shooting trial starts in Austria

VIENNA – Six men went on trial Monday in connection with last year's bloody shooting at a temple in the Austrian capital.

A Sikh sect leader was killed and more than a dozen others were wounded — including a second Sikh cleric — during the incident May 24 in which worshippers used a frying pan and microphone stands to fend off assailants wielding knives and a handgun. The rampage triggered riots in several cities in northern India.

The main suspect is charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder. The other five are accused of accessory to murder and attempted intentional aggravated assault. None have been officially identified but the Vienna public prosecutor's office said five are Indian citizens and that the nationality of a sixth suspect is unknown.

With thanks : source : News Yahoo : Link in headline above for detailed story.

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