Sikhs India - Online Sikh News Channel

www.RWABhagidari.com

Monday, June 6, 2011

bhallaforassembly.com/

Welcome to the official website of the Bhalla for Assembly 2011 campaign. My name is Ravi S.Bhalla and I am running as an “independent” Democrat to provide voters in the 33rd Legislative District an alternative to establishment candidates that represent entrenched interests of political machines, but not the voices of average citizens.

For too long, our leaders in Trenton have been chosen by party bosses in backroom deals with no input from the voters they claim to represent. Decisions affecting your future are made behind closed doors and no one has the guts to challenge them. As a Councilman in Hoboken and Chairman of the local Democratic Party in Hoboken, I have seen firsthand the corrupting influence machine politics has on the democratic process. I am running because it is time to give residents a real choice, an alternative to candidates that are pre-selected to represent you by the Hudson County party machine.

So, if you want someone who is truly independent, who will uphold and support core Democratic values in the General Assembly, and who will not be beholden to Hudson County’s party bosses, please consider voting for me on June 7th to represent you in Trenton as your next Assemblyman.

There are many ways to get involved. Please enjoy this this website and learn about ways to sign up to volunteer, make a contribution, pick up a window sign, get news updates, or contact me personally. I may be reached via email at bhalla@bhallaforassembly.com or at the office at 201-706-8080.

I look forward to your support in bringing real change to our communities on June 7th!

Sincerely,

Ravi S. Bhalla

Candidate

General Assembly

33rd Legislative District

Sikh airport staff may be allowed to wear symbolic Kirpan

AMRITSAR: Sikh employees of international airports in India may not get the concession to wear kirpan while working airside. Sikh's single largest representative body, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), is all set to lay seize to Sri Guru Ramdas International airport on June 8th , demanding revoking of kirpan ban.

However, sources informed TOI on Monday that the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security could suggest some measures including wearing of miniature kirpan at airside by baptized Sikh airport employees to sooth the hurt religious feelings of Sikhs and to diffuse the situation.

SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar told TOI that they would stage a dharna at Sri Guru Ramdas International airport as per their scheduled programme. He also appealed to Sikhs to reach at airport to join the movement.

with thanks : Times of India : link above for detaioled news.

SikhsIndia

Saturday, June 4, 2011

KAURS CONTINUE TO EXCEL

Harsimran KAUR Bhatia ,daughter of doctor couple( Harinder and A.Bhatia )scored 2nd rank in CET-medical 2011. She said “I knew getting a top rank in an entrance exam is difficult but not an impossible task. ...The level of coaching being given in Chandigarh is extremely good and I had all facilities that helped me do well.”For Harsimran Kaur,her mother is the biggest source of inspiration and motivation.

Harsimran Kaur is an alumnus of St Anne’s Convent School,Sector 32,Chandigarh. She does not restrict herself to academics only but also participates in extracurricular activities.

With thanks: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110604/cth1.htm#17

Sikhs will no longer have to remove turbans in Italy

NEW DELHI: Sikhs travelling to Italy will no longer have to remove their turbans at the airport during security screening. This was officially announced by the Italian interior ministry after bilateral discussions between foreign minister SM Krishna and his Italian counterpart, Franco Frattini, in Rome on Friday.

The turban will be accepted as a symbol of religion when Sikhs are photographed for identification cards at local police stations in Italy. Official sources said this was a "big achievement" for Indian diplomacy.

Krishna, who is in Rome to participate in the 150-year celebrations of Italian unification, made a strong case for Sikhs to be treated more respectfully. He told Frattini that even theEuropean Union accepts Sikh turbans as a religious symbol, so Italy should not discriminate against them either. He pointed out better practices in the UK which had started a more equitable system -- let a man touch his own turban and run it through an explosives check.

A decree by the Italian interior ministry later said there would be no more checks of Sikh turbans at airports, except if they set off any "alarms". The decree said there would be "respect of privacy protection and fundamental freedoms including those related to the expression of religious beliefs''. The new instructions have been issued after the talks with Krishna.

with thanks : Times of India : Link above for detailed news. MUST READ

SikhsIndia

Friday, June 3, 2011

Blood Donation Camp by Sri Guru Nanak Sewak Jatha

Rare Indian artefacts are sold in UK auction

Key historical documents from India, including an illustrated history of Kashmir, have been sold in the UK.

The Kashmir manuscript contains nine paintings, including that of the famous Maharajah Ranjit Singh, and sold for £11,700 ($19,000) at auction.

Other items included original paintings, miniatures on ivory, historical documents and statues.

A portrait of Maharajah Rajinder Singh of Patalia - an honorary general in the British army - was also for sale.

with thanks : BBC News : link above for detailed news.SikhsIndia

Many respond to Facebook invite for 'chhabeel' & help

LUDHIANA: In an attempt to motivate people to join him in serving commuters sweet flavoured milk to mark the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh guru, Harjinder Singh, a resident of Gurdev Nagar announced on Facebook that he would be organizing a 'chhabeel,' while urging others to join in the effort.

His message evoked a good response and 200 local residents including some affluent people also joined hands to serve commuters on Thursday. Harjinder Singh organized the camp to help commuters beat the heat.

People who had promised to join him came forward to help him in serving people.

While talking to TOI, Singh said that he had been organizing such 'chhabeels' for the past many years on the occasion of martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev on June 5 but this time he decided to hold it a few days before the event to make it more purposeful, as on the 5th commuters get cold sweet milk at many places. He added that most of the devotees organize such 'chhabeels' on the occasion to serve commuters so he wanted to be different. 'I would be performing sewa at a gurdwara on the occasion on June 5,' he added.

with thanks : Times of India : link above for detailed news.

SikhsIndia

Operation Blue Star, 27 years on

It was on this day 27 years ago that Operation Blue Star flushed out Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his separatist followers from the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Bhindranwale was using the shrine as a refuge and had piled up weapons for use in hate crimes against non-Sikhs.

But to this day the scars of 1984 are visible. The siege on the temple lasted three days and claimed many innocent lives. Though the operation was the brainchild of prime minister Indira Gandhi, she later regretted it. The military action led to her assignation two months after Operation Blue Star.

Yahoo! India News brings you pages from a violent chapter.

What was Operation Blue Star?

It was a military raid ordered by Indira Gandhi to eliminate separatists who had taken cover in the holiest of Sikh shrines. The operation spanned four days, between June 3 and 6, and was carried out by the Indian Army which laid siege to the temple complex with tanks and armoured vehicles.

The then Vice-Chief of Indian Army SK Sinha was first asked to lead the operation, but he advised against it saying it this would hurt Sikh sentiments. Indira Gandhi replaced him with Lt Gen A S Vaidya, who along with Lt Gen K Sundarji then planned the operation.

The operation kicked-off with a 36-hour curfew on June 3. All communication was suspended in Punjab, cutting off the state from the rest of the world.

The assault on the temple and the timing of it came in for heavy criticism as heavy artillery was used in the congested by lanes of Amritsar which lead to the death of many innocent bystanders. There was a huge uproar in the Sikh community worldwide, which was followed by hate crimes on Sikhs in parts of India.

with thanks : Yahoo News : link above for detailed news.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Sarna ji's meeting with UPA President Mrs.Sonia Gandhi

ਦੁਨਿਆਂ ਭਰ ਦੇ ਸਿਖਾਂ ਦੀ ਮੰਗ ਦੇ ਮਦਦੇਨਜਰ ਹਜਾਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਤਾਦਾਦ ਵਿਚ ਸੰਗਤਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਦਿੱਲੀ ਸਿੱਖ ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਬੰਧਕ ਕਮੇਟੀ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਪਰਮਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਸਰਨਾ ਜੀ ਨੇ ਯੂ.ਪੀ.ਏ. ਦੀ ਚੀਫ ਸ਼ੀਮਤੀ ਸੋਨਿਯਾ ਗਾਂਧੀ ਨਾਲ ਮੁਲਾਕਾਤ ਕਰ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਦਵਿੰਦਰਪਾਲ... ਸਿੰਘ ਭੁੱਲਰ ਨਾਲ ਹੋ ਰਹੀ ਬੇਇਨਸਾਫੀ ਤੇ ਸਿਖਾਂ ਦੀ ਭਾਵਨਾਵਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਅਵਗਤ ਕਰਾਯਾ। ਇਸ ਮੀਟਿਂਗ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਰਨਾ ਜੀ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਰੂਪ ਤੇ ਦਿੱਲੀ ਦੀ ਚੀਫ ਮਿਨਿਸਟਰ ਸ੍ਰੀਮਤੀ ਸ਼ੀਲਾ ਦੀਖਸ਼ਿਤ ਤੇ ਸ੍ਰ. ਅਰਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਲਵਲੀ ਜੀ ਨੇ ਵੀ ਸ਼ਿਰਕਤ ਕੀਤੀ।

ਸਰਨਾ ਜੀ ਨੇ ਆਸ ਪ੍ਰਗਟ ਕੀਤੀ ਕਿ ਜਿਵੇਂ ਸਿਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਬਾਕੀ ਮਸਲਿਆਂ ਤੇ ਨੇਕਨਿਯਤੀ ਨਾਲ ਫੈਸਲੇ ਲਿਤੇ ਗਏ ਹਨ । ਉਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਵਿੰਦਰਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਭੁੱਲਰ ਨੂੰ ਵੀ ਇਨਸਾਫ ਦਿੰਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਫਾਸੀ ਦੀ ਸਜਾ ਤੇ ਫੈਸਲਾ ਲਿਆ ਜਾਵੇਗਾ।

ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਸਿਖਾਂ ਦਾ ਕਾਲੀ ਸੂਚੀ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਨਾਮ ਹਟਵਾਉਣ ਲਈ ਸੋਨਿਯਾ ਜੀ ਦੇ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਸਹਿਯੋਗ ਲਈ ਧੰਨਵਾਦ ਕੀਤਾ ਤੇ ਆਸ ਪ੍ਰਗਟ ਕੀਤੀ ਕਿ ਆਨੰਦ ਮੈਰਿਜ ੲੈਕਟ ਤੇ ਅਫਗਾਨ ਤੋਂ ਆਏ ਸਿਖਾਂ ਦੀ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਨਾਗਰਿਕਤਾ ਲਈ ਫੈਸਲੇ ਜਲਦ ਹੀ ਲਿਤੇ ਜਾਣਗੇ।

Message from Sd. Paramjit Singh Sarna, President, DSGMC :

ਦਾਸ ਵਲੋਂ ਸਾਰੀਆਂ ਸੰਗਤਾਂ ਦਾ, ਸ਼ਾਮਿਲ ਹੋਈਆਂ ਜੱਥੇਬੰਦੀਆਂ ਦਾ, ਸਾਰੇ ਮੈਂਬਰ ਸਾਹਿਬਾਨ ਦਾ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਸਹਿਯੋਗ ਲਈ ਬਹੁਤ ਬਹੁਤ ਧੰਨਵਾਦ।

ਆਸ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਕਿ ਅਸੀਂ ਸਾਰੇ ਸਿਖਾਂ ਤੇ ਮਜਲੂਮਾਂ ਦੇ ਹੱਕ ਲਈ ਇੱਕ ਹੋਕੇ ਆਵਾਜ ਬੁਲੰਦ ਕਰਦੇ ਰਹਾਂਗੇ ।
...
ਦਵਿੰਦਰਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਭੁੱਲਰ ਨੂੰ ਇਨਸਾਫ ਮਿਲੇ, ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਅੱਗੇ ਇਹੀ ਅਰਦਾਸ ਹੈ ।

''Antim ardass'' of Badal''s wife held

Malout (Punjab), Jun 2 (PTI) Cutting across partylines, several leaders of political parties and religious organisations paid tributes to the deceased wife of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today. Surinder Kaur had died at PGIMER in Chandigarh on May 24 after a prolonged battle with cancer and was cremated at the CM's native Badal village the next day. An 'antim ardass' (ritual as per Sikh tradition) was held at the new grain market here. Prominent among those who attended were former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, former BJP chief Rajnath Singh, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and CPI national council member Joginder Dayal. All India Congress committee member Jagmeet Singh Brar, Former Haryana chief minister Om Parkash Chautala, former union minister Maneka Gandhi, former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Shanta Kumar were present on the occasion alongwith other cabinet and party colleagues of Badal.

with thanks : IBNLive : link above for detailed news.

SikhsIndia