http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHh1EBWtDXg&feature=youtu.be
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Badal wades into gurdwara management feud
NEW DELHI: Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and the Sheila
Dikshit-led Delhi government are set for a face-off over management of
gurdwara affairs, seen as a route to control the Sikh vote bank in the
capital. The Dikshit government's plans to amend the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara
Act 1971 to allow direct election to the post of president is emerging
as a bone of contention between the two states.
Meanwhile, a furious Badal on Friday called up and shot off missives to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
and Delhi Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna, seeking a "leash on Dikshit-led
Delhi government" and action against those who had attacked the SAD(B)
leaders and workers at Gurdwara Rakabganj Sahib on Thursday. He spoke to
the PM and Khanna after he failed to get any response from his Delhi
counterpart, his media advisors said in the evening
The Delhi
government is now preparing to approach the Supreme Court early next
week to seek approval for moving ahead with the amendment which was
approved by the state cabinet in October. The Supreme Court in September
directed the state to hold elections to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara
Management Committee (DSGMC, whose tenure ended in December 2011) before
December 31. If the amendment is brought, it will have to be tabled in
the Delhi assembly during the winter session for approval. Thus the
elections would need to be scheduled for sometime early next year.
In a letter to Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde,
Badal has blamed the Delhi government for interference in management of
gurdwaras. The city government is also accused of delaying elections to
DSGMC currently led by Akali Dal (Delhi), which enjoys the support of
the ruling Congress in Delhi. He has sought the Centre's intervention to
prevent the Delhi government from tabling before the assembly the Delhi
Sikh Gurdwara (Amendment) Bill which proposes to make way for direct
election of the DSGMC president. TOI has a copy of the letter sent by
the home ministry to the state government last week. The ministry has
sought a reply from the state of Delhi on Badal's concerns.
In
his letter, Badal points out to Shinde that this amendment Bill violates
the letter and spirit of the agreement reached between former Prime
Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
and Master Tara Singh, known as the Nehru-Tara Singh Pact, "which
specifically stated the commitment of the government of India not to
take any steps with regard to the affairs of the Sikh community without
consultation with and consent of the representatives of the Sikh
community through the apex
body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) at Amritsar...
Also, there is no provision for a direct election of a president in any
of the elected constitutional bodies in the country right from the
office of the president of India, prime minister and municipalities,"
the letter states.
"It appears to be a calculated conspiracy of
the government to delay the overdue gurdwara elections in the guise of
this amendment," the letter adds, and alleges that the amendment is
aimed at giving undue benefits to the ruling office-bearers of the
"committee" to cling to their offices and to enjoy their extended term.
Delhi's minister in charge of gurdwara management, Arvinder Singh Lovely,
vehemently rejected the concerns raised by Badal, saying the government
was right in bringing amendments as gurdwara management is a state
subject and DSGMC is governed by the state Act and not the parliament
Act, which governs SGPC.
"This is not the first time that an
amendment is being proposed to the Gurdwara Act. Even BJP government in
1993-98 proposed amendments. The proposal for direct election will only
bring in transparency in election process and end the mudslinging
between various factions that keep alleging the big role of money power
in election. We have no intention to delay the elections," the minister
said. That the mudslinging is set to get worse came through in Lovely's
remarks when, taking a dig at Badal, he told TOI, "He (Badal) must
instead focus on more pressing issues like drug abuse among youth in
Punjab."
with thanks : TIMES OF INDIA : LINK
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Special trains for Sikh Yatrees
MORE than 3000 Sikh Yatrees are expected to reach Pakistan through Wahga Border on November 25 to celebrate Baba Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary.
Pakistan Railways arranged Special trains for this. These trains will be guarded by the PR police. For this, a high level meeting was held on Tuesday in Home Department Punjab.
PSP to IGP Railways, SSP Railways Lahore participated in the meeting where security of Sikh Yatrees was discussed. IGP Railways issued strict instructions to make security arrangements for the special trains by deploying ATS Commandos and that bomb disposal staff should check every train.
with thanks : The News : LINK
US Sikhs welcome Obama message on Diwali
Washington: The Sikh
community in America has welcomed President Barack Obama's message of
Diwali greetings praising their resilience in the wake of the August
shooting at Oak Creek gurdwara in Wisconsin.
.
"This inspirational
message reflects President Obama's compassionate heart and his
commitment to create a harmonious society in America where all are
respected and each faith is honoured," said Rajwant Singh, chairman of
the Washington based Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE).
"Recognizing Diwali, which
is sacred to almost all faiths originating from Indian subcontinent,
sends a message that America provides an opportunity for each faith to
flourish and all faiths can truly enjoy the religious freedom," he said.
"We are confident America
will continue towards 'perfect union' as envisaged by the US
constitution under the able leadership of President Obama for another
four years," Rajwant Singh said.
The community leader said the Sikh community prayed for Obama "and his family as he leads a difficult road of bringing political leadership together to face the challenge of financial solvency of this country".
The community leader said the Sikh community prayed for Obama "and his family as he leads a difficult road of bringing political leadership together to face the challenge of financial solvency of this country".
with thanks : Zee News : LINK : for detailed news.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
A show of culture
MODEL TOWN: The cultural mA©lange, presented by organizers of Sarb Hind Sikh Educational Conference at Shri Guru Harkrishan Public School,
Dugri Road, mesmerized the audience. This was the first such initiative
by Chief Khalsa Diwan, the body which organized the programme after a
couple of years. The participants showcased their talent by depicting
the folkloric traditions of Punjab enthusiastically.
Convener of the cultural program Dharamveer Singh said such events provide a platform to the students to connect to the cultural roots of the state.
Convener of the cultural program Dharamveer Singh said such events provide a platform to the students to connect to the cultural roots of the state.
with thanks : Times of India : LINK : for detailed news.
Can Hindu law cover Sikhs, Jains, asks SC
NEW DELHI: If Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism
are separate and distinct religions, can followers of these faiths be
bracketed as Hindus under the Constitution and be governed by Hindu
personal law, the Supreme Court asked before issuing notice to the
Centre and attorney general G E Vahanvati.
Sikh scholar Birendra Kaur in her petition questioned the constitutional and past legislative attempts to obliterate identities of separate faiths by recognizing them under the broad religious connotation of Hindus. She said this negated the constitutional guarantee to each individual to practise and propagate the religion of his/her choice.
'Kaur's petition an expression of frustration'
The Punjab and Haryana high court had dismissed with caustic observations a petition by Sikh scholar Birendra Kaur questioning the constitutional and past legislative attempts to obliterate identities of separate faiths by recognizing them under the broad religious connotation of Hindus, but an SC bench of Chief Justice Altamas Kabir and Justices S S Nijjar and J Chelameswar not only entertained her appeal but also framed the question for adjudication.
"This petition is seeking to express and make clear the frustration and disappointment of a large part of the Sikh community which feels its identity as Sikh is undermined by certain clauses and titles of certain statutes which club Sikhs under the definition of Hindu," senior advocate Colin Gonsalves argued.
Sikh scholar Birendra Kaur in her petition questioned the constitutional and past legislative attempts to obliterate identities of separate faiths by recognizing them under the broad religious connotation of Hindus. She said this negated the constitutional guarantee to each individual to practise and propagate the religion of his/her choice.
'Kaur's petition an expression of frustration'
The Punjab and Haryana high court had dismissed with caustic observations a petition by Sikh scholar Birendra Kaur questioning the constitutional and past legislative attempts to obliterate identities of separate faiths by recognizing them under the broad religious connotation of Hindus, but an SC bench of Chief Justice Altamas Kabir and Justices S S Nijjar and J Chelameswar not only entertained her appeal but also framed the question for adjudication.
"This petition is seeking to express and make clear the frustration and disappointment of a large part of the Sikh community which feels its identity as Sikh is undermined by certain clauses and titles of certain statutes which club Sikhs under the definition of Hindu," senior advocate Colin Gonsalves argued.
with thanks : Times of India : LINK : for detailed news.
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