Raise headgear issue with Obama, Sukhbir Badal urges PM

Chandigarh, Nov 7 (IANS) Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal Sunday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take up with visiting President Barack Obama the frisking of headgear of all turban-wearing individuals, including Sikhs, during airport checks in the US.

The US federal transportation agency recently issued directions for the mandatory searching of the headgear during airport security checks.

'Sukhbir Singh Badal has urged the prime minister to take up this matter with the US president Barack Obama. The prime minister is himself a Sikh and understands the sensitivity of this whole issue,' the state government spokesperson said.

'Wearing a turban is an integral part of the Sikh religion. Such guidelines making the frisking of turbans necessary, will interfere with Sikh principles and hurt the psyche of Sikhs. Such orders should be immediately withdrawn,' the spokesman added.

with thanks : SIFY : link in headline above for detailed news.

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Sikhs disappointed, Obama told

CHANDIGARH: The cancellation of US president Barack Obama's visit to Amritsar came as a disappointment to the Sikh community, especially in the wake of speculations that he had been advised against wearing a headgear, which could give an impression of his being a Muslim. The community, which was hoping that his visit may help dispel that very confusion about Sikhs being mistaken for Muslims, and thus being made victims of racial profiling, had expressed its disappointment through various forums. On Sunday, a Punjab MP did manage to convey the sentiments directly to the US president..........................................................................................

The Akali MP, who, during the dinner, happened to be sharing the table with US ambassador to India, Timothy J Roemer, along with Montek Singh Ahluwalia, also managed to convey Sikhs' sentiments on the "humiliation and embarrassment at being asked to remove turbans at US airports for security checks".

With thanks : Times of India : link in headline above for detailed news.

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City of Golden Temple celebrates Diwali

AMRITSAR: Diwali was celebrated with great religious fervor in the holy city of Amritsar. Thousands of devotees thronged at Golden Temple for a holy dip in the sarovar. The holiest of holy shrine of Sikhs was tasefully decorated with colorful lights.

On the occasion , Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Gurbachan Singh , in a message to Sikh panth, cautioned to keep an eye on elements that were bent upon brining disgrace to rich Sikh values and creating unwarranted controversies implicating not only the Sikh religious institutions but also Sikh guru's. He said Sikhs had been successful in establishing their distinct identity in the world in small span of time .

With thanks : timesofindia : link in headline above for detailed news.

SikhsIndia

Sikh devotees hold Prayer at Indo-Pak border

DERA BABA NANAK: To get the free corridor from border town of Dera Baba Nanak to Gurdwara Kartar Pur Sahib in Pakistan, hundreds of devotees under the banner of Kartarpur sahib Ravi Darshan abhilashi Santha, organized its 117th monthly prayer at International border Indo Pak border here Saturday.

Earlier, Sikh devoteesled by Jathedar Kuldip Singh Wadala gathered at Gurudwara Darbar Sahib where from they reached at Indo Pak International border and offered their prayer urging the governments of both countries to provide corridor.

It is worth mentioning Guru Nanak Dev stayed at Dera Baba Nanak nearly 18 years and departed for his heavenly adobe at Katrarpur in Pakistan where a gurudwara was constructed and it went to Pakistan during the partition in 1947.

The prominent among Jasvir Singh Zafarwal , Gurinder Singh Bajwa, Avtar Singh USA and Kulbir Singh Sandhu.

with thanks : Punjabnewsline : link in headline.

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Diwali with a difference : Sd. B S Kohli ji, Navi Mumbai

Sd. B S Kohli, Navi Mumbai, Celebrating Diwali with Orphan / Disowned / Handicap childrens on 31st October at Chembur, Navi Mumbai.

J&K: Uniformed Men Swoop on 2 Sikh Villages

Coinciding with President Barack Obama's visit to India, two incidents of uniformed gunmen descending on Sikh hamlets have taken place in the Kashmir Valley, sending jitters among some members of the community.

The Sikhs are apprehensive, fearing a repeat of massacre of 35 Sikhs at Chattisinghpora village in March 2000, when then US President Bill Clinton was on a visit to India.

Uniformed personnel, travelling in a civilian vehicle, last night knocked on the doors of residents of predominantly Sikh-inhabited Hutmura village, 65 kms from here, in Anantnag district, raising concerns among the minority community.

A police spokesman said there was a "misunderstanding" created by a patrol of security forces in Hutmura village which was later sorted out by the intervention of senior civil administration and police officials.

with thanks : outlook : link in headline above for detailed news.

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COMMUNITY ALERT: Turbans to Always be Searched at Nation’s Airports

November 5, 2010 19th Katik (Samvat 542 Nanakshahi) Donate now Volunteer Tell a friend Subscribe Press Release

COMMUNITY ALERT: Turbans to Always be Searched at Nation’s Airports

Sikh Organizations Coordinating Joint Action

WASHINGTON, DC: Early last month, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials told representatives of UNITED SIKHS, the Sikh Coalition, and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) that Sikhs should now expect turbans to always be searched at American airports. While procedures which allow Sikhs to pat down their own turbans and have their hands swabbed by a TSA screener shall remain in place, what has changed is that Sikhs must go through an additional hand wand scan of the turban as an extra screening procedure 100% of the time. This is true for Sikh travelers who voluntarily choose to be screened by going through the new Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) machines. The AIT machines (otherwise known as whole body imaging machines) are being placed in airports nationwide over the coming years. UNITED SIKHS, Sikh Coalition, and SALDEF oppose this policy and question its necessity. Targeting turbans for additional scrutiny sends a message to other passengers that Sikhs and their articles of faith are to be viewed with suspicion by fellow travelers. The policy is a serious infringement on our civil rights and liberties. What to Expect at the Airport Air travel checkpoints in the United States employ different screening technologies. While most checkpoints only have metal detectors, many airports are now installing AIT machines. The AIT machines are new whole body imaging devices that will be installed in every airport in the United States over the coming years. According to the TSA, regardless of whether a Sikh clears the metal detector or the new AIT machines, they will still have to go through an additional procedure in which their turban will be checked for non-metallic items. During this second screening procedure, a Sikh will have a choice of either: a pat-down of their turban by a TSA screener; patting down their own turban and having their hand swabbed for traces of chemical explosives; or requesting a private screening (in a room outside of public view) of their turban. In addition, after this extra screening of the turban, a third screening procedure (under AIT screening policies) will subject Sikhs to a metal detecting wand that will be scanned over the turban. Please remember, that under current procedures, a Sikh can always ask that they pat down their own turban rather than have a screener pat it down. If a Sikh traveler opts out of the AIT screening, they will immediately be subjected to a full body (rigorous) pat-down by a TSA official plus a hand wand screening. If you are asked to undergo a full-body pat down, you have the right to ask for this screening to occur in a private room or other setting away from the rest of the traveling public. The TSA’s Rationale The TSA says that because a turban is “non form-fitting,” it is more capable of concealing dangerous items than other forms of clothing. The TSA also says that its new AIT machines cannot see through the folds of a turban to determine if it is concealing a dangerous item. Our organizations vigorously question these rationales. First, the Department of Homeland Security’s own website states that the AIT machines are capable of screening threat items “concealed under layers of clothing.” Second, on Christmas Day 2009, a person was able to smuggle explosives onto a plane headed to the United States in his undergarments. If explosives can be concealed in undergarments, all garments should be targeted for extra scrutiny, not just turbans. Going Forward Each one of our organizations will continue to oppose this unjust policy. We will call upon Sikhs in the coming weeks to communicate directly with the TSA and their members of Congress. Each one of our organizations are also aware that the Sikh American community is as invested in the national security of the United States as any other community. Nevertheless, the TSA cannot target turbans for extra scrutiny without cause. We will continue to vigorously question the necessity of this policy given the weak rationales presented for it. Coordination Amongst Sikh Organizations Our three organizations would like the community and government to know that it is our intention to work together to combat unlawful profiling of Sikhs by the TSA. We will jointly strategize and communicate with both the government and the Sikh community about our work on this issue.

Wishing you a very Happy Diwali

Why I don't like firecrackers :

1) They create unnecessary air and noise pollution. They can prove fatal for people with Asthma or heart patients. Can we turn so unconcerned for such people? For others too, why do we have to go through all this pollution, just because someone wants to ‘celebrate’ !

2) For today's youth, Diwali is no more than a source of showing their might; they are least concerned about its history. If you don't agree, just ask any kid lighting firecrackers, as to why is he is doing so, or what happened on this day. It's just a rat race, as to who can light the most magnificent or most colourful crackers. No wonder we have people competing for the loudest crackers till 12am- 1am on Diwali night.

3) Lighting crackers depicts one's inner destructive self. When a festival can be celebrated quietly and by thanking God, why do we need to be so loud with our celebration, creating inconvenience to others? If one may consider it this way, crackers resemble the inner turbulence created by Vikaars. On the contrary, Gurmukhs do Simran/read Bani to tackle this inner turbulence and attain a 'Sehaj awastha'.

4) And not to forget the thousand of rupees spent on crackers could have been spent in a much more productive manner, like feeding the poor, helping the underprivileged or taking the responsibility of teaching a poor child !

Bhulan Chukan Di Khima,

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa,

Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh !

SHABADVICHAR

Cabinet nod for renaming Amritsar airport after 4th Sikh guru

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Thursday decided to rename Amritsar's Rajasansi International Airport to Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport.

Guru Ram Dass Jee was the fourth of the 10 Gurus of Sikhs and was the founder of Amritsar. The Airport Authority of India ( AAI ) operates and manages the airport, which is suitable for operations of large aircraft like Boeing 767 and jumbo B747 in all-weather conditions.

The Cabinet decided to provide greater impetus to its commercial ties with Indonesia, by opening a Consulate in Bali. It approved to create four India-based posts, including that of Consul General at the level of a joint secretary, besides six local openings.

With thanks : Times of India : link in headline above for detailed news.

SikhsIndia

Happy Diwali

Wishing you a Very Happy Diwali.

With Best Regards

SikhsIndia
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