Pritty Kaur raised Turban issue in European Flemish Parliament in Belgium

     "WE COVER OUR HAIR NOT OUR BRAINS" PRITTY KAUR GO FOR IT !

ਬੈਲਜੀਅਮ 29 ਮਾਰਚ (ਹਰਚਰਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਢਿਲ੍ਹੋ) ਯੂਰਪ ਦੀ ਧਰਤੀ ਤੇ ਸਿ¤ਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਧਾਰਮਿਕ ਚਿੰਨਾ ਦਾ ਮਸਲਾ ਭਾਵੇ ਹਲ ਨਹੀ ਹੋ ਰਿਹਾ, ਪਰ ਸਿ¤ਖ ਜਦੋਜਹਿਦ ਕਰਦੇ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਹਨ ,ਅਜ ਬੈਲਜੀਅਮ ਦੀ ਰਾਜਧਾਨੀ ਬਰੁਸਲ ਵਿਚ ਫਲਾਮਿਸ਼ ਪਾਰਲੀਮੈਟ ਵਿਚ ਸਭ ਧਰਮਾ ਦੇ ਲੋਕਾ ਵਲੋ ਆਪੋ ਆਪਣਾ ਹ¤ਕ ਦਰਸਾਉਣ ਜਾ ਧਰਮ ਉਤੇ ਹੋ ਰਹੇ ਜੁਲਮ ਦੀ ਦਾਸਤਾ ਦ¤ਸਣ ਲਈ ਅਹਿਮ ਇਕਠ ਹੋਇਆ ਇਸ ਮੀਟਿੰਗ ਵਿਚ 55 ਕੁ ਦੇਸ਼ਾ ਦੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੇ ਹਿਸਾ ਲਿਆ ਟੋਟਲ ਲੋਕਾ ਦੀ ਗਿਣਤੀ 400 ਦੇ ਕਰੀਬ ਸੀ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਿ¤ਖਾ ਵਲੋ ਦਾਸ ਅਤੇ ਪ੍ਰੀਤੀ ਕੌਰ ਸਨ , ਪ੍ਰੀਤੀ ਨੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਕੁਝ ਮਿੰਟਾ ਦੇ ਭਾਸ਼ਣ ਵਿਚ ਸਿ¤ਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਧਾਰਮਿਕ ਚਿੰਨਾ ਅਤੇ ਸਕੂਲਾ ਵਿਚ ਦਸਤਾਰ ਤੇ ਆ ਰਹੀਆਂ ਦਰਪੇਸ਼ ਮੁਸ਼ਕਲਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਬੜੈ ਜੋਸ਼ ਨਾਲ ਅਵਾਜ ਉਠਾਈ ਕਿ ਜਦ ਅਸੀ ਸਿਖ ਇਸ ਦੇਸ਼ ਲਈ ਕੁਰਬਾਨੀਆਂ ਦਿੰਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਕਾਰੋਬਾਰਾ ਦਾ ਟੈਕਸ ਬਲਾਸਟਿੰਗ ਤਾਰਦੇ ਹਾ ਬੈਲਜ ਕਮਿਉਨਿਟੀ ਦੀ ਹਰ ਸੰਭਵ ਮਦਦ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਾ ਤਾ ਸਾਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੇ ਧਾਰਮਿਕ ਚਿੰਨ ਦਸਤਾਰ ਤੇ ਪਾਬੰਦੀ ਕਿਉ ? ਤਾ ਸਾਰੇ ਲੋਕਾ ਨੇ ਭਰਵੇ ਹੰਗਾਰੇ ਵਿਚ ਤਾੜੀਆਂ ਮਾਰਕੇ ਸੁਆਗਤ ਕੀਤਾ, ਪ੍ਰੀਤੀ ਕੌਰ ਜੋ ਆਉਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਸਮੇ ਦੀਆਂ ਬੈਲਜੀਅਮ ਚੋਣਾ ਵਿਚ ਹਿਸਾ ਲੈ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ , ਸਾਨੂੰ ਮਾਣ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸਿਖ ਬਚੇ ਇਥੌ ਦੀ ਪੜਾਈ ਕਰਕੇ ਗੌਰਮਿੰਟ ਦੇ ਸਰਗਰਮ ਕੰਮਾ ਵਿਚ ਹਿਸਾ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਕਾਨੂੰਨ ਮੁਤਾਬਕ ਆਪਣੇ ਹਕਾਂ ਦੀ ਅਵਾਜ ਉਠਾ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ, ਭਾਵੇ ਇੰਡੀਆਂ ਵਿਚ ਸਾਡੀ ਅਵਾਜ ਦਬਾਈ ਜਾ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ, ਸਾਡਾ ਸਿ¤ਖ ਧਰਮ ਰਜਿਸਟਰ ਨਹੀ ਸਿ¤ਖ ਮੈਰਿਜ ਐਕਟ ਨਹੀ , ਇਥੋ ਤ¤ਕ ਕਿ ਦਸਤਾਰ ਵੀ ਸੁਰ¤ਖਿਅਤ ਨਹੀ ਹੈ, ਕਾਨੂੰਨੀ ਹ¤ਕਾਂ ਦੀ ਮੰਗ ਲਈ ਮੁਜਾਹਰਾ ਜਾਂ ਇਕ¤ਠ ਕਰ ਵੀ ਲਈਏ ਤਾ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਪੁਲੀਸ ਦੀਆਂ ਡਾਂਗਾ ਨਾਲ ਪੂੜੈ ਸੇਕ ਦਿ¤ਤੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਨੰਨੀਆਂ ਛਾਵਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਗੁ¤ਤਾ ਤੋ ਫੜ ਕੇ ਭਵਾਟਲੀਆਂ ਦਿ¤ਤੀਆਂ ਜਾਂਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ,ਪਰ ਇਥੈ ਯੁਰਪ ਵਿਚ ਅਸੀ ਸ਼ਾਤ ਮਈ ਤਰੀਕੇ ਨਾਲ ਅਵਾਜ ਉਠਾ ਸਕਦੇ ਹਾ ਅਤੇ ਸੁਣਵਾਈ ਵੀ ਹੂੰਦੀ ਹੈ, ਕਾਂਸ਼ ਮਹਾਨ ਭਾਰਤ ਵੀ ਐਸਾ ਹੂੰਦਾ !

Link:http://www.europesamachar.com/?p=59231

Pritty Kaur (Female Sikh candidate) contesting Federal Election,2014(Belgium)

Pritty Kaur go for it!

The European Parliament Election of 2014 in Belgium scheduled to be held on 25 May 2014.

One of the candidates for the federal parliament in the province of Limburg is a Young Female Sikh candidate: Miss Pritty Kaur. She is a candidate for the Socialist Party (Sp.a ) and is of Sikh heritage. In the year 2000 she moved to Sint -Truiden  in Limburg ,Belgium  with her family at the age of eleven.

Pritty Kaur was also a candidate for the Socialist Party in Municipal Elections in Sint - Truiden held on October 14, 2012 and received 988 preference votes. During this legislative period (1st January 2013 - December 31, 2018),  Pritty has a seat in the municipal council of Sint-Truiden and will be the the first Sikh Counselor  in Belgium.With 39.726 inhabitants (on 1 January 2012),Sint-Truiden, in terms of the number of inhabitants, is the 4th largest city in the province of Limburg and in the terms of surface even the largest city.

 

 

 

 

Ludwig Vandenhoven who is currently a representative of the province of Limburg and is honorary representative-of-the-people and was mayor of Sint-Truiden for 18 years (from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 2012); says,"My faith in Pritty is enormous"

“She is the personification of someone who has integrated well in Belgium .Pritty has succeeded in maintaining her native culture and in embracing the culture of Belgium. She knows how to reconcile both cultures perfectly while maintaining a balance between her eastern and western values.. In short, she is an example to the current integration policy and it is entirely at her own merit".

"I motivated Pritty Kaur to come forward and contest in the local municipal elections of 2012 and now in the federal elections of May 25, 2014, because a list of candidates should reflect the population. Pritty is an ideal person to represent the migrant population in general and the Sikh community in particular in the Belgian Parliament (Chamber of Deputies). Pritty can convince voters because of her dynamic charismatic personality, input and her persistence”.

Pritty’s slogan which was used in the local elections, ‘No integration without communication’, will be even more relevant in the coming parliamentary elections.”

Those who want to help Pritty’s campaign can do so by word of mouth, by hanging posters, placing signs, distributing flyers and convincing family members,  friends, neighbours and acquaintances to vote for her and canvassing through their face book profile also. They can send an e-mail to her email address: palwinder.prittykaur@gmail.com

Help and support Pritty in her campaign to become a member of the Belgian Parliament!

Uganda releases stamps on Sikhism

The Uganda postal service Posta Uganda has commemorated 100 years of Sikh presence in the country by issuing four postage stamps releasing a book titled 'The Human Rights of Women in Sikhism', by Justice AS Choudry, in a function held at Resort Beach Hotel, Entebbe, recently.

The four stamps depicted the gurdwara on Sikh Road, Kampala; the Khanda, the Nishan Sahib and the Golden Temple in Amritsar. 

This is the first time that a country has issued four triangular stamps in recognition of the contribution of the Sikh community.

The stamps were released jointly by Posta Uganda and invited members of the Sikh community, with high court judge Lady Justice Catherine Bagumeriere as the chief guest.

Chief of Posta Uganda Emmanuel Okurt said the triangular stamps would market Uganda to Asians.

Justice Choudry said, "I am thrilled and humbled to see these stamps, as they mark our existence in Uganda over the last 100 years, and recognise the contribution of our forefathers, who were the pillars of the economic and social development of Uganda, which we enjoy today." He has also edited the Sikh Centenary Magazine.

Pastor Bosco Odiro said the Sikh history and contribution should be reflected in the curriculum of school history books. 

In reply, Lady Justice Catherine described the Sikhs as a "meek, humble and peaceful" community, which has existed alongside Ugandans without any conflict, adding that their character should be emulated by all foreigners in Uganda. She assured the audience that she would present the concern raised by Pastor Bosco to the ministry of education.

The names of nearly 40 people were announced as winners of the Sikh Centenary Gold medals, which would be awarded at a function at the end of this year.

Participants included Gurmel Singh, secretary general of the UK Sikh Council, and Baldev Singh Bains, a member of the Sikh Council.

The Sikhs came to East Africa in the 1880s as soldiers who offered skilled and semi-skilled labour at a time when the region had no infrastructure, and curbed Kabaka's mutiny in 1899.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK

Jersey City Sikhs protest at City Hall against recent bias violence

Members of the Sikh community held a vigil and protest against an attack they believe was a hate crime.

JERSEY CITY - Members of the Sikh community held a vigil and protest against attacks they believe were hate crimes.

Sikhs are from South Asia, wear turbans and have beards, but they want others to know they are not Muslim. They are often prime targets for bias crimes.

     

The demonstration comes after two severe attacks in the past two months in Jersey City, where bias was an element.

In January, Sikhs were attacked near Liberty Avenue and Spruce Street. "It wasn't the attack on me that shook me," says Prabhujeet Singh, one of the victims. "It's the thinking that some elderly gentleman might be attacked."

Then, in February, a man named Inderjit Singh was allegedly beaten with a shovel in a dispute over snow that he says escalated into bias when he was called "Osama" and told to "go home." Parts of his beard were ripped from his face during the attack, he says.

Sikhs say they've lived in peace in Jersey City, and have seen their population grow, but they say residents still don't know enough about them. Thursday's rally was also an outreach.

"Whether it's against Sikhs or other religions, bias attacks or bullying are unacceptable," Inderjit Singh says.

Despite their efforts, Sikhs say they feel more hate crimes could come their way.

with thanks : newjerseynews : LINK for news story & Video

Sikh youth case: Police arrest 8 persons

Amritsar, Mar 16 (PTI) Police have arrested eight accused in connection with an incident in which a Sikh youth was allegedly beaten up by people of a community protesting over a religious issue near Hall Bazaar here, police said today.

Police Commissioner Jatinder Singh Aulakh told reporters here that a case under various sections of IPC, including an attempt to murder, was registered against the accused.

with thanks : PTI : LINK

Uniform Rule May Keep Religious Americans From Military Service

Monday, 105 lawmakers from both parties sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, urging him to change a relatively obscure uniform requirement for the U.S. armed forces that some argue infringes on religious beliefs.

People who observe religions that require specific hair or dress traditions have to seek an accommodation from a superior to break the Defense Department's uniform requirements.

Dr. Kamal Kalsi was the first observant Sikh to apply for the accommodation since the rule took effect in the 1980s. As a devout Sikh, Kalsi doesn't cut his hair. He wraps his hair up in a turban and doesn't shave his beard. Keeping his hair long is an obligatory article of his Sikh faith.

with thanks : KERANEWS : LINK : for detailed news.

HAPPY HOLI !!

No foul play suspected in fire that ripped through Sikh temple off Sutherland Avenue

KNOXVILLE — Authorities said there is nothing suspicious about a Friday morning fire that burst through the roof of East Tennessee’s only public Sikh gurdwara.

“This is the only public gurdwara (temple) in East Tennessee and it was the first public gurdwara in East Tennessee,” said Brandon Singh, music coordinator for the Sikh Sangat of East Tennessee.

Singh said the temple served several hundred Sikhs in East Tennessee, from Bristol to Chattanooga. He said 40-45 people regularly attended Sunday services.

Knoxville firefighters learned of the blaze shortly after midnight, according to Knoxville Fire Department spokesman Capt. D.J. Corcoran. A neighbor reported flames at the temple at 704 Washburn Road off Sutherland Avenue.

with thanks : KNOXNEWS : LINK : for detailed news.

Sikh killed in Khyber Pakhtunwa by unidentified assailants

A Sikh herbal merchant was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the Khyber Pakhtunwa province of Pakistan.

The victim, Paramjit Singh, 35, was murdered in broad day light on Thursday when he was sitting at his shop. Another person, who came to his aid and tried to nab one of the assailants, was also killed.

The incident has sent shock waves amongst the minority Sikh community in the area.

This is the second murder of a member of the minority community in less than two months, and many victims has fallen prey to the bullets in the recent pasts.

Earlier, two Sikhs were abducted at gun point from Dera Ismail Khan and there is no news about their whereabouts.

Sikhs traders are living in fear because they are being asked to pay jaziya (a tax paid by minority religious group), and those who refuse, are killed.

The area is infested with the gun-toting fundamentalists, including Taliban who roam around in the area freely. There are more than 25000 Sikhs living in the area, and recently had been facing violence, abduction and ransom from the terrorists groups.

Swaran Singh, a member of the provincial assembly and former President of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, informed that he himself went to the place and brought the body back at Peshawar.

He said North West Frontier Province chief Minister Parvez Khattak has taken a personal interest in the killing of the Sikh gentleman and has assured security to the minority community and safety of their properties.

with thanks : Business Standard : LINK

Punjab: SAD caught in poll code breach row

The Congress in Punjab has lodged a complaint to the state Election Commission about its decision to allow the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal organise a "political conference" in Anandpur Sahib on March 16.

PCC president Pratap Singh Bajwa, in his complaint to Chief Electoral Officer V. K. Singh on March 10, had asked the CEO to ban the conference as it violates the model code of conduct. Bajwa said the conference venue is close to the famous gurdwara where lakhs of Sikh devotees pay a visit during Hola Mohalla.

A week-long fair, Hola Mohalla usually takes place mid-March beginning on the first day of Sikh New Year. Bajwa contended that the venue, where the Akali Dal is organising the conference on March 16, is the property of the Akali-dominated Shiromani gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC).

Acting on the Congress' complaint, Singh had asked the Deputy Commissioner, Roopnagar, to submit a report on the issue. Sources said the Deputy Commissioner, in his report, has informed Singh that the rally venue is not part of the gurdwara complex, but a part of the SGPC. The report also said that political rallies were also held previously during Hola Mohalla and elections.

"The rally ground is not part of gurdwara complex, but is owned by the SGPC. Rallies were organised at the same venue during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. Hence, the permission to organise a rally can be given," the Deputy Commissioner said in its report.

Meanwhile, former chief minister Amarinder Singh accused the CEO of favouring the ruling Akali Dal and not taking any action on the complaints filed by the Congress and other parties. "He should quit his job if he has no moral courage to respond to the ever-increasing pile of complaints," Amarinder has said.

with thanks : India Today : LINK

Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh Ji : SikhsIndia