Thousands crowd into Times Square April 15 for Turban Day

Close to 10,000 people crowded into Times Square on April 15, to celebrate Turban Day, a colorful event hosted by Sikhs Of New York, an organization founded by Sikh youth. It combined a celebration of Vaisakhi, the harvest festival, with raising awareness about Indian-Americans of the Sikh faith who have felt particularly vulnerable post-9/11. The National Sikh Campaign also launched its “We are Sikhs” media blitz at the same event, and the U.S. Congress released a “proclamation” declaring April 15, 2017 as “Turban Day” and “Sikhs of New York Day”, an initiative led by Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-NY.

Entertainers at the event included Top Naach, a Bhangra group from Virginia; American Sikhs, an instrumental band from the 3HO Foundation in Los Angeles; The Lost Strings of New York, and mandolin player Gagandeep. A Bhangra workshop was also held.

Volunteers stretch colorful meters of cloth to help tie turbans at Times Square April 15, for Turban Day, organized by Sikhs of New York (Photo: H.P. Singh)

This was the second time that  Turban Day was held at Times Square. It attracted people from as far as Los Angeles and Alberta, Canada, many of whom volunteered to tie the turbans. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s head of Immigration Affairs Jenifer Rajkumar, attended the event.

Close to 500 volunteers helped wrap turbans on those wanting them. Though the event was to start at 12 noon,  people of various ethnicities and cultures lined up from 9:30 am to wear their turban, Chanpreet Singh, 24, founder of Sikhs of New York, told Desi Talk. Turban Day was an opportunity for those that do not wear a turban to experience it and learn about its significance first hand, organizers said.

The four hour Times Square event was live streamed. “Some 400,000 people saw it live. And over 24 hours since the event took place, half a million people have seen the video on our Facebook site,” said Chanpreet Singh, founder of Sikhs of New York.

with thanks : newsindiatimes : LINK : for detailed report & pics.

Happy Gurupurab. Sahib Sri Guru Teg Bahadur ji de Parkash Purab diyaan Lakh Lakh Vadhaaiyaan hovan ji

Happy Baisakhi !

300 saal guru de naal : SikhsIndia - 27.5.2008

Can't forget those days. This Jagriti yatra was passing from various locations of Delhi. My father was very much willing to go to any such place to have the darshan. But we were unable to do that, as he was suffering from the last stage of Cancer. He had got paralysis of the lower limb. He waited for the yatra till his last minutes and expired on 18th May 2008 at around 4 pm. And the yatra came to our door steps on 27th may, 2008, i.e. just after 9 days of his death. RIP.

HEAVYWEIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOR MANJINDER SIRSA IN FINAL PHASE

HEAVYWEIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOR MANJINDER SIRSA IN FINAL PHASE : SMRITI IRANI, PARESH RAWAL, SUKHBIR BADAL AND OTHERS PITCH IN ON LAST DAY

New Delhi, April 7 :  Final day of the election campaign for Rajouri Garden assembly constituency saw heavyweight leaders of the BJP-SAD alliance campaign for the combine candidate Mr. Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

          Union Textile Minister Mrs. Smriti Irani led the campaign battle by holding a road show and a public rally for Sirsa in the constituency.  Addressing the rally  Ms Smriti Irani said Mr Sirsa is struggling for the issues of the sikh community since long time and when he met her first time after assuming charge as Union Minister, he had brought several issues before her. She said that it was perhaps hard work of Mr Sirsa which resulted in solving those issues which was hanging on since last 30 years.

          Lashing out at Delhi CM and AAP convener Mr. Arvind Kejriwal Ms Irani said that he was man who has betrayed the trust of the people and miserably failed to deliver on promises he made during the last assembly elections. He said that AAP will meet the same fate here which it had met in Goa and Punjab.

          Ms Irani said similar will be fate of the Congress party  which was facing successive defeats in elections due to it wrong policies adopted during the UPA tenure and running government in Delhi. She said that on the other hand Prime Minister Mr Narinder Modi is guiding the BJP to successive wins only because of its pro poor and welfare oriented policies of the government.

          Addressing a hugely attended rally in favour of Mr Manjinder Singh Sirsa Senior Member Parliament and Bollywood celebrity Mr. Paresh Rawal said that Mr Narinder Modi is leading BJP who is the known for his commitments and selfless service for the nation. On the other hand Mr Kejriwal has taken oath of his children that he will not enter politics but forgot the commitment when the time came for becoming Chief Minister. He said that after becoming he started dreaming of becoming Prime Minister and went to Goa where he was duck out in the recently concluded assembly elections. He said that what happened to AAP in Punjab is known to everybody and these liars are now avoiding meeting public for their lies.

          He urged the people to vote for Mr Sirsa to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Mr Narinder Modi and said that after the victory the BJP-SAD alliance will ensure completion of works which have been stalled because of AAP government since last over years.

          Meanwhile the SAD President and former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal also addressed a rally in favour of Mr Sirsa last evening. He said that more than 37 candidates of AAP lost their security deposits in recently concluded elections AAP was only able to get 21 percent share. He exuded confidence that AAP and Congress will face similar fate in this election in Delhi.

PR : MS Sirsa

Sikh community shaken after AM-PM fatal shooting

YAKIMA, Wash. - Kamaljit Singh has lived in Yakima for 11-years and said he had never heard of such an incident against a Sikh member in this community.

"I was pretty shocked, the guy just came from India he was new, got shot its terrifying," said Sikh temple member, Kamaljit Singh.  

The 25-year-old male clerk who was killed during an armed robbery Thursday morning has been identified as Yikram Jaryal from Punjab, India.

Sikh community members said he had just arrived about a month ago, just looking to work his way up.

His family members looking for a way to take his body back to India.

Sikh community members ready to help.

"We are going to get together and hopefully support the family of the victim," said Singh.

But what shocks the community the most is that the suspects shot Jaryal even though he handed the suspects the money.

with thanks : YakTriNews : LINK : for detailed news

1984 anti-Sikh riots case: SC tags petitions seeking probe

The Supreme Court today said that a plea seeking a CBI probe into a 1984 anti-Sikh riots incident in Kanpur in which 127 persons had died, will be heard along with a petition in which an SIT inquiry has been ordered.

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and A M Khanwilkar tagged the plea with another similar petition related to the 1984 riots which will come up for hearing on April 24.

"Since an SIT inquiry is already going on, we are tagging this petition with the earlier one," it said.

The plea filed by Manjit Singh GK, president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, said that even after 33 years, no constructive action has been taken by the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government to provide justice and rehabilitate and compensate the victims of the 1984 riots in Kanpur.

The petition has claimed that the Centre and the U P government have not taken any action to punish the accused persons despite having "clear and cogent data".

"Looking at the gravity of the situation and apathetic attitude of the respondent (governments), it is expedient and in the interest of justice that likewise Delhi, in the inquiry and investigation with regard to deaths, disabilities, destruction of property and compensation, the investigation may be referred to either the CBI or the SIT, so that the truth could be unearthed and victims could be compensated.

with thanks : DNA : LINK : for detailed news

India rejects Ontario Assembly's move to call 1984 anti-Sikh riots as 'genocide'

New Delhi: The Indian government on Thursday strongly rejected the motion passed by the legislative assembly of Ontorio in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. 

Earlier today, the Ontario government termed the 1984 Sikh massacre in India as 'genocide'. 

However, the Indian government strongly rejected the move and termed it as misguided. 

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay confirmed the report and said that Indian government has taken up the matter with the Canadian leadership.

"We have noted the passage of a Private Members' Motion in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on April 6. We reject this misguided Motion which is based on a limited understanding of India, its constitution, society, ethos, rule of law and the judicial process."

"Our views have been conveyed to the government and political leadership in Canada," he said. However, the spokesperson did not give further details.

He was replying to a question regarding passage of a private members' motion in the legislative assembly of Ontario.

The motion by Harinder Malhi, a Liberal member of provincial parliament, read "That, in the opinion of this House... Should reaffirm our commitment to the values we cherish - justice, human rights and fairness - and condemn all forms of communal violence, hatred, hostility, prejudice, racism and intolerance in India and anywhere else in the world, including the 1984 Genocide perpetrated against the Sikhs throughout India, and call on all sides to embrace truth, justice and reconciliation."

with thanks : Zee News : LINK : for detailed news

Canada’s provincial assembly recognizes 1984 Sikh massacre as genocide

JALANDHAR: The legislative assembly of Ontario province of Canada on Thursday passed a motion recognizing the anti-Sikh violence of November 1984, as genocide. The motion was moved by Liberal member of provincial parliament (MPP) Harinder Malhi (Brampton-Springdale) and it received support from all three provincial parties.

Malhi also quoted Indian home minster Rajnath Singh's use of expression "genocide", at a public event in December 2014, for the massacre as she argued for the motion.

The motion read, "That, in the opinion of this House, the legislative assembly of Ontario, should reaffirm our commitment to the values we cherish - justice, human rights and fairness - and condemn all forms of communal violence, hatred, hostility, prejudice, racism and intolerance in India and anywhere else in the world, including the 1984 genocide perpetrated against the Sikhs throughout India, and call on all sides to embrace truth and reconciliation."

with thanks : Times of India : LINK : for detailed news

’84 riots: Kanpur victims file fresh petition in SC

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 7

Victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots from Kanpur today moved the Supreme Court demanding setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the murders of over 125 people.

In a petition filed in the apex court, petitioners Manjit Singh GK and others demanded re-investigation of at least seven cases registered at Bazaria and Nazirabad police stations that had been closed by the police for want of evidence.

Complaining that no significant action had been taken by the authorities, the petitioners said: “There is mockery of criminal justice system as far as the case of riots victims is concerned.”

The petitioners alleged that even after 33 years there was no constructive action on part of the Uttar Pradesh Government and the police to provide them justice or to rehabilitate and compensate them.

“It’s an irony...that in the city of Kanpur, in the knowledge of the petitioners, 127 persons belonging to the Sikh community were brutally murdered/burnt to death in different police station areas. However, none of the police stations is even ready to acknowledge their deaths,” the petitioners submitted.

Petitioners’ counsel Prasoon Kumar told a Bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra that no action had been taken to prosecute perpetrators of the crime.

The Bench posted the matter for hearing on April 24 along with another PIL on anti-Sikh riots in Delhi where almost 3,000 Sikhs were killed in the riots that broke out following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

with thanks : Tribune : LINK : for detailed news

UNION MINISTER VENKAIAH NAIDU, MANOJ TIWARI AND PARVESH VERMA LEAD IMPRESSIVE ROAD SHOW FOR SIRSA

New Delhi, April 6 : Union Minister Mr. Venkaiah Naidu, Delhi BJP President Mr. Manoj Tiwari and Member Parliament Mr. Parvesh Sahib Verma today led the impressive road show in favour of the Bhartiya Janta Party and the Shiromani Akali Dal combine candidate Mr. Manjinder Singh Sirsa from Rajouri Garden.

        This road show started from Khayala and passed through different areas of the constituency.

        Addressing enthusiastic supporters and workers of the BJP-SAD combine Mr. Naidu said that the huge response to the road show has made it ample clear that like the people of the country, residents of this constituency too have made up their mind to vote for the good work being done by the NDA government led by Prime Minister Mr. Narinder Modi. He said that pro BJP-SAD combine wave in the constituency is clearly visible and this victory in this bye poll will begin an era of victory of the BJP-SAD in the ensuing MCD elections and later in the assembly elections.

        Union Minister said that ruling AAP and Congress are out of race in this bye election which is visible from poor response to their election programs. He said that the one point agenda of the Delhi CM and AAP convener Mr. Arvind Kejriwal is to use the public exchequer for his personal gains and the party has nothing to do with the welfare of the public or development of Delhi. He said that similar is the case of the Congress which is facing series of defeats due to its non performance while running the UPA government for 10 years and ruling Delhi for 15 years.        Mr Naidu said that on other hand agenda of governance of the BJP led NDA government at the centre and in other states was a guiding principle for the government to work for welfare of people and development of nation.

        Speaking on the occasion Mr. Manoj Tiwari Delhi BJP President said that people of the Delhi had voted for AAP to get rid of the corruption of the Congress party but Mr. Arvind Kejriwal has created a new definition of corruption by legalizing the loot of the public exchequer and finding ways to use the public money for promotion of his party. He said that this party had increased salary of MLAs manifold after assuming power  and spent huge amount of money of people of Delhi in Punjab campaign by giving advertisements worth crores of rupees with which Delhities had nothing to do. He said that now people here have realized their blunder and they want to make a new beginning and this new beginning will be in the form of victory of Mr. Manjinder Singh Sirsa from Rajouri Garden.

        On the occasion Mr. Manjinder Singh Sirsa thanked entire leadership for canvassing for him and assured them that with the blessings of people and after emerging victorious he will immediately start working on the development of constituency and welfare of public as per the guidelines of Prime Minister Mr. Narinder Modi.

                Other prominent who were present on the occasion included senior BJP leaders Sham Jaju, Vijay Goel, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, OP Babbar, Subhash Arya,  Rajiv Babbar, Ramesh Khanna and Satya Narayan Dang besides others.