Bhagat Singh’s kin, 300 others join in

Had Bhagat Singh been alive, he’d have been proud of the mass upsurge against tyranny of a different kind — of the system and by the system — faced by the citizens of India. As if on cue, the latest to join Anna Hazare's anti-corruption crusade is a team of 300 Sikhs from Punjab, led by freedom fighter Bhagat Singh’s nephew, Abhay Singh Sandhu.

On Tuesday afternoon, a rally was held from India Gate to Ramlila Ground in support of the Jan Lokpal Bill by members of the Sikh squad donning yellow turbans.

“We have come here from Chandigarh to support Anna’s fight for a strong Jan Lokpal Bill. My uncle laid down his life for the nation and if need be, we will also do the same,” said Sandhu, son of Bhagat Singh’s youngest brother Sardar Kulbir Singh, who landed in the Capital on Tuesday morning, along with 300 supporters.

Carrying portraits of Bhagat Singh, Anna supporters from Punjab joined the crowd at Ramlila Ground and shouted slogans in favour of an effective Jan Lokpal Bill.

“People are out on the streets across the nation and the message is clear. The government should bring in the Jan Lokpal bill to curb corruption or it should go to the people and seek a fresh mandate,” said stand-up comedian Bhagwant Mann (of Laughter Challenge fame), who also arrived in Delhi from Chandigarh to support Anna Hazare’s movement.

“Lakhs of people have come out to support Hazare. It certainly shows they have unflinching faith in the activist,” Mann added.

with thanks : Hindustan times : link above for detailed news

Sikh Arts, statues, prints, watercolours & other documents on sale

Plz log on to the link in headline above & in the upcoming page, type SIKH in search to view two pages of detailed items related to Sikh Arts, statues, prints, watercolours & other documents on sale. Why don't the SGPC or DSGMC try to hold this sale & get back these valuable items related to Sikhism or Punjab.

with thanks : Sd. Kartar Singh ji.

Korean ambassador offers tremendous investment opportunities in Punjab

CHANDIGARH:Korean Ambassador Joong Keun today called on Punjab Chief Minister  Parkash Singh Badal and evinced keen interest to set up automobile & electronics industry in Punjab.

Taking part in the deliberations during a meeting with  Badal at Chief Minister’s residence this evening,  Joong Keun apprised him that Korean Government had already signed an comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement with India which has resulted in huge volumes of trade to the tune of 17 Billion US dollars thereby registering an increase of 42% recently.  

He said that the bilateral relations between India and Korea were very cordial and there was further huge potential of trade and economic activity.  He also urged the Chief Minister to establish joint ventures in food processing industry in view of Punjab’s agrarian background.  

The visiting envoy also impressed upon  Badal to tie up with world acclaimed Korean companies like  Hyundai Motors, LG Electronics,  Samsung besides Steel Giant Posco to set up their units in Punjab as these companies had already put up their several manufacturing units in different parts of the country.  He said that the investment scenario in Punjab were very much conducive and extended all support and cooperation on behalf of Korean government.   

Appreciating the congenial investment climate in the state,  Keun asked the Chief Minister to immediately initiate efforts to bring Korean industry to the state as both Korea and Punjab would be mutually benefited. 

Responding to the offer made by the visiting Korean envoy,  Badal informed that a special team of senior officers led by his Principal Secretary DS Guru would immediately tie up with these companies so that these proposals could be formalized.  The Chief Minister also sought technical know-how and expertise from the Korean food processing industry so that the income of the farmers could be increased manifold through value addition. 

with thanks : punjabnewsline : link above for detailed news.

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Clerk convicted for taking bribe from anti-Sikh riot victim

New Delhi, Aug 19 (PTI) A Delhi government employee has been held guilty of demanding and accepting bribe from a 1984 anti-Sikh riot victim five years ago for releasing compensation to the family.

Special CBI Judge Dharmesh Sharma convicted Naib Tehsildar I K Takkar, a revenue clerk posted at Nazafgarh Sub Divisional Magistrate in West Delhi, under various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

"I conclude that the State (CBI) has been able to prove beyond reasonable doubt a case of corruption against accused I K Takkar for demand and accepting an illegal gratification of Rs 10,000 by abusing his position as a public servant from complainant Gurmeet Singh Kapoor," said the judge convicting Takkar.

According to CBI, Takkar, who was dealing with disbursement of compensation to the 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims, had demanded a bribe of Rs 10,000 from Kapoor in August 2006 for releasing a compensation of over Rs two lakh to him after his grand father Inder Singh Kapoor and uncle Paramjeet Singh Kapoor were killed in riots here in the aftermath of assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

with thanks : msn : link above for detailed news

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BBC NEWS Sikhs against rioters at southall gurudwara

London Sikhs lead fightback against riots

LONDON - The fires which have raged in London's worst rioting for decades have forged a sense of community rarely seen in the British capital, with Sikhs in the western borough of Southall leading the way.

Hundreds of turbaned men gathered outside their gurdwara, or temple, to defend the west London borough on Tuesday after rumours circulated on social networking website Twitter that it was next on the looters' hitlist.

Men sporting traditional garb including the kirpan, a ceremonial Sikh dagger, led chants as others patrolled the area by car and motorcycle looking out for the looters who have terrorised the city since Saturday.

The Sikh religion obliges every devotee to carry a small stylized dagger sewn in a closed scabbard under their clothes but most were steadfast in their of rejection of violence.

Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded in 15th century Punjab, India, on the teachings of Guru Nanak and 10 successive Sikh gurus. Its principal beliefs are faith and justice.

Amarjit Singh Dhillon, an adviser to the hastily-convened committee, explained to AFP that the operation was "not about vigilantes, just self-defence".

"Being a Sikh means that you can never attack anyone, but if somebody attacks you... enough is enough!" he added.

"My house can be rebuilt...but this is a place of worship, it is for everybody," he said, adding that he would be ashamed of himself if he didn't protect it.

Committee President Himat Singh Sohi, sporting a lustrous white beard and black turban, stressed that "the message of our guru is peace, live in harmony and work hard".

Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara, the biggest Sikh temple in Europe, serves as the focal point for local worshipers, who make up 23 percent of the area's population, according to the 2001 census.

Sunny Bangea, 23, said he was prepared "to fight fire with fire" to protect the temple and surrounding community.

"A lot of stupid things happened here," he said. "On Monday night, gangs tried to set the temple on fire, but there was no damage. Since then, we look after the temple 24 hours a day."

"It's just a bunch of idiots creating trouble."

The community mobilised after a tweet from rioters was intercepted Monday reading: "All my...niggas that linked up today Roll thru tomoro at 6pm sharp in Southall broadway hit up the jewellers!"

Although centred around the temple, the operation extended to all members of the community, one of Bangea's friends explained.

with thanks : link above for detailed news.

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100 Sikhs guard Seven Kings and Ilford Gurdwaras overnight

Hundreds of Sikhs stood outside Ilford and Seven Kings temples this week in defiance of the ongoing civil unrest.

The group formed a solid presence in Ilford and Seven Kings High Road where they patrolled into the early hours of the morning, determined to protect the Gurdwara Karamsar and the Singh Sabha London East from opportunistic violence.

The orders had not come from any Sikh council, but elders within the community had decided it was necessary to keep a vigil outside the temple on what marked the second and third nights of civil unrest in London and some suburbs.
Members of the Sikh community in Redbridge are planning to stand guard at temples again tonight.

Spokesman for the British Sikh Council, and Chairman of the Singh Sabha in Seven Kings, Upkar Singh Rai, said the community was doing all it could to help police.

“We have had a meeting with the police and asked how can we help, without aggravating the situation. We told them we will look after our temples and protect ourselves,” he added.

“Police stopped and waved, and some even came in to have tea during the course of the night,” said Mr Singh Rai.

“I’ve had two hours sleep last night as we finished at 4.30am and I’m exhausted, but we are keeping ourselves going and planning a strategy for tonight,” he added.

Chairwoman of the Sikh Women’s Alliance, and Seven Kings ward councillor Balvinder Saund, said the solidarity was a testament to the community minded faith.

“I think there is a vigilante streak in many Sikh people, they have been used to looking after themselves for centuries.

“It’s that support in them that comes out when there’s any danger,” she added.

with thanks : london24 : link above for detailed news.

It was scary, says Sikh leader in Britain

NEW DELHI: Recalling a terrifying night of plunder, a Sikh community leader in a British town says, "It was scary". 

"The rioting started yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon and shops were looted and cars were set on fire. It continued through the night," Dya Singh, president of Guru Har Rai Gurdwara Sahib, said on phone from West Bromwich town in the West Midlands, England. 

Violence erupted in London over the fatal shooting of a man by police and quickly spread to other cities in Britain. London, which is to stage the Olympic Games, next year saw shops being looted and buildings set afire for four consecutive days. While the British capital became comparatively peaceful Wednesday, unrest gripped other cities. 

West Bromwich, with about 200,000 people, was also affected. A number of Sikhs and Hindus call it home. 

There was no control on the situation, said Dya Singh who quickly added that as day broke, it became "relatively peaceful". 

Dya Singh said people were put on security duty to protect their gurdwara. 

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

London riots: residents cautioned over 'vigilantism'

The Metropolitan Police has warned Londoners against forming "vigilante patrol groups".

The caution comes after hundreds of residents in Southall, Enfield, Hackney and Eltham patrolled their areas.

On Tuesday night Sikh men in Southall, many with hockey sticks, stood guard outside a Sikh and a Hindu temple and a mosque following Monday's disorder.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stephen Kavanagh said "vigilantism" could lead to violence and drain Met's resources.

The Met described Monday's disorder as "the worst" in its recent history as violence began in Hackney and spread to Croydon, Clapham, Camden, Lewisham, Peckham, Newham, East Ham, Enfield, Woolwich, Ealing and Colliers Wood.

About 16,000 officers were on duty on Tuesday night - up from 6,000 - and the increased police presence will remain, the government said.

About 300 Sikh men gathered in Southall to protect religious buildings and businesses while about 100 men stood in Church Street, Enfield, vowing to "defend the streets".

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

Sikh TV presenter is riot hero

A SIKH TV presenter became an unlikely hero of the Birmingham riots last night - after giving police a lift to arrest four thugs while he filmed them live on his satellite telly channel.

Upinder Randhawa became a worldwide trending topic on Twitter as word spread about his coverage of the riots on Sangat TV, which appears near the bottom of Sky's electronic programme guide

While the major news channels didn't have any live pictures of the Birmingham riots when they flared up last night, they also cut to Upinder's Gonzo-style coverage as he drove around the city in his own satellite van filming the disturbances as they kicked off.

As the riots intensified, Upinder gave a cop a lift in his van to one flashpoint - and filmed as four thugs were arrested in front of him.  

with thanks : link above. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3744364/Sikh-TV-presenter-is-riot-hero.html

HC declines to stay SGPC polls

Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday declined to stay the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee elections slated for September 18. 

The court issed notices to the Union of India and the Gurdwara Election Commission returnable by August 16 while declining to stay the SGPC elections. A Full Bench of the High Court comprising Justice M M Kumar, Justice Alok Singh and Justice Gurdev Singh passed the order on a writ petition filed by Harbans Singh Khandola and the Sehajdhari Sikh Federation.

It said the election process, beginning tomorrow, would continue subject to the decision of the writ petition. 

The petitioners contended a large number of Sehajdhari Sikhs were debarred from voting in the SGPC polls by the then NDA government. A notification to this effect was issued by the Home Ministry on October eight, 2003, they said. 

with thanks : link above for detailed news.

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