Demolished Gurdwaras As Important For Sikhs As Ram Temple For Hindus: Giani Harpreet Singh

                              Gurdwara Gian Godri (Haridwar)

Finally, Giani Harpreet Singh, the SGPC-appointed acting jathedar of Akal Takht, broke silence on the issue of Ram Temple being constructed in Ayodhya on Friday, stating, “The place where Ram Temple is being built up is important for Hindus. Equally important are the Gurdwaras for Sikhs, which were demolished in India.”

                       Gurdwara Dangmar Sahib (Sikkim) 

                        Gurdwara Mangu Mutt (Puri)

In a message shared with Sikh24, he said, “I congratulate Hindu society for construction of Ram Temple, but I would like to say that Gurdwara Gian Godri (Haridwar), Gurdwara Dangmar Sahib (Sikkim) and Gurdwara Mangu Mutt (Puri) are as important and sacred places for Sikhs as Ram Temple for Hindus.”

 He urged the union government of India to pay heed toward these Gurdwaras and demanded them be restored so that Sikh could restart age-old Maryada there. He said these are sacred places for the Sikhs as these were visited by Guru Nanak Sahib, founder of the Sikh religion.

https://www.sikh24.com/2020/08/08/demolished-gurdwaras-as-important-for-sikhs-as-ram-temple-for-hindus-giani-harpreet-singh/#.Xy6FNIgzbIU

Dr.Gurdeep Kaur
Associate Professor
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College
University of Delhi

DSGMC: Welcomes New members in Shiromani Akali Dal Family at Mansarowar Garden House

Pics Courtsey,

Mr.Manjinder Singh Sirsa

President

DSGMC

 

Two Madhya Pradesh Policemen Suspended After Video of Cops Attacking Two Sikhs Goes Viral

Barwani district SP Nimish Agrawal said a probe by a sub-divisional officer police has been ordered into the incident

Barwani: Two Sikhs were allegedly assaulted by policemen in Madhya Pradesh, prompting the BJP-led state government to suspend two cops in this connection.

Those assaulted include a granthi (caretaker of a gurdwara and reader of Guru Granth Sahib, the central religious scripture of Sikhism), an official said.

The government said assistant sub-inspector Sitaram Bhatnagar and head constable Mohan Jamre have been suspended for not following due procedure while detaining the Sikhs.

Barwani district Superintendent of Police Nimish Agrawal said a probe by a sub-divisional officer police has been ordered into the incident, which took place on Thursday.

The incident took place in Rajpur tehsil of Barwani district after an argument between the family of Giani Prem Singh Granthi - who was among those assaulted - and the police over setting up a stall in the area.

A viral video of the incident shows Prem Singh being dragged by policemen in full public view and a cop pulling him by his hair. It also shows another policeman push a turbaned man, who comes to save Singh.

State Congress spokesperson Narendra Saluja tweeted the video and criticised the police.

"The granthi has long been running a lock-keys shop near the Pulsood police outpost. He was beaten, his turban desecrated and then he was pulled through hair on the road in full public view by cops. This amounts to insulting religious sentiments of the Sikh community," Saluja tweeted.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal took to Twitter to condemn the incident.

"Too shocking for words! The barbaric and humiliating attack on Giani Prem Singh Granthi and other Sikhs in Madhya Pradesh is utterly inhuman and unacceptable. I urge CM @ChouhanShivraj to set an example of punitive action against those who treat the sword of the nation with such contempt," Badal tweeted.

"Beastly attack on Giani Prem Singh Granthi & other Sikhs in MP is an outrage against humanity. Utterly reprehensible & unacceptable! #Sikhs all over the world are deeply shocked. I urge CM @ChouhanShivraj to take imm & examplary action against all those guilty of this brutality," Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal tweeted.

Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath tweeted, "This atrocity and anti-social act is disrespect to the holy Sikh religion. Such incidents cannot be tolerated. I demand from the government to immediately take strong action against those responsible for it and justice for the victims."

https://www.firstpost.com/india/two-madhya-pradesh-policemen-suspended-after-video-of-cops-attacking-two-sikhs-goes-viral-8685921.html

https://www.latestly.com/india/news/sikh-man-assaulted-by-policemen-in-madhya-pradeshs-barwani-2-cops-suspended-after-video-goes-viral-1948005.html

“There is No Bigger Sacrifice Than to Lay Down One’s Life For Saving Others,”:Indian-Origin Sikh Man Dies While Rescuing 3 Children From Drowning in California River

Manjeet Singh, 29, from Chhina village in Gurdaspur district of Punjab, had his first training session to become a truck driver at Fresno in California on the day of the tragedy.

                                                        Manjeet Singh

A29-year-old Indian-origin Sikh man lost his life after he jumped into Kings river, California to rescue three children who were swept away in the water.

Accoding to a CNN report, two eight-year-old girls and a 10-year-old boy were playing in the Kings River on Wednesday when they were pulled under a bridge by the current.

Manjeet Singh, who was standing on the bank, decided to jump in when he saw the kids struggling in water.

"He didn't know them, but just saw them needing help so he jumped in," Reedley Police Department commander Mark Ediger was quoted as saying by CNN.

While two children were pulled out safely, one of the eight-year-old girls has pulled out after remaining underwater for about 15 minutes. She was rushed to the hospital were her condition is said to be critical. The other two children are safe and unharmed.

Unfortunately, Singh drowned while trying to save the children. His body was found underwater after about 40 minutes of search.’

The sacrifice of the Sikh youngster is widely being hailed in the US and India with religious, social and political leaders paying tribute on their social media handles.

According to US media reports, two children were brought to shore unharmed, but one of the girls was underwater for nearly 15 minutes. She was taken to Valley Children’s Hospital in Fresno and as of Friday remained in a critical condition and on life support.

SON OF A FARMER, HE WENT TO US TWO YEARS AGO

Manjeet was the youngest son of Gurbax Singh, a farmer and former block samiti member at Chhina village in Gurdaspur district. The family struggled to send him abroad two years ago.

“There is no bigger sacrifice than to lay down one’s life for saving others,” said Panthdeep Singh, the sarpanch of the village.

“Manjeet went to the US two years ago. He was at Fresno to learn truck driving. He had his first training session to become a truck driver on the day of the tragedy. Our entire village salutes him for his sacrifice,” the sarpanch said.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/punjab-origin-youngster-dies-rescuing-three-children-swept-away-in-kings-river-in-california/story-56AW4MTNITe09345asCTuJ.html

https://www.news18.com/news/world/indian-origin-sikh-man-dies-while-trying-to-save-3-children-from-drowning-in-california-river-2768431.html

DSGMC: "Langar on Wheels"

Sikh Activists Call For Exemplary Punishment For Former Jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh:Urged Khalsa Panth to boycott Him.

Reacting to the former Takht Sri Patna Sahib Jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh’s presence at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, demand to excommunicate him have come forward.

Many prominent Sikh activists have requested SGPCappointed AkalTakht Sahib Jathedar as well as the Sarbat Khalsa Jathedars to take a strong stand against Giani Iqbal Singh.

Bhai Gajinder Singh, the exiled pro-freedom Sikh leader, in a statement, said that Giani Iqbal Singh had has strong allegiance with the RSS for long. “He has had an allegiance with Nagpur (a stronghold of the RSS) from the beginning. Such a person cannot be called Anandpuri (ie. holding allegiance with the Khalsa Panth). However, he is not alone. There are many others like him who appear as Sikhs but are working for the RSS,” he said. “such people never expressed any interest in the propagation of Sikhi, so he feels no pain at their departure from the Panth.”“While the Panth decided to boycott the ceremonies in Ayodhya, Giani Iqbal Singh chose to stand against the Panth,” he added.

Amrik Singh Ballowal also sought exemplary punishment for Giani Iqbal Singh.He said that Giani Iqbal Singh has hurt Sikh sentiments by attending the inauguration ceremonies in Ayodhya. “For this unforgivable act, he should be awarded exemplary punishment so that no one could dare in future to make such mistake again,” he added.

“While the entire Sikh Panth kept a distance from Ram Mandir’s inauguration ceremony, Giani Iqbal Singh paid a visit to Ayodhya to prove his loyalty towards RSS,”.

Bhai Baldev Singh Wadala said that Giani Iqbal Singh has always stirred controversies. “I want to appeal to the entire Sikh Nation that Guru Nanak Dev Ji destroyed family linages and Guru Gobind Singh Ji started his own linage with the initiation of Khalsa Panth.”

https://www.sikh24.com/2020/08/07/giani-iqbal-singhs-visit-to-ayodhya-sikh-activists-call-for-exemplary-punishment-for-former-jathedar/#.Xyz6ZYgzbIU

DSGMC: स्त्री अकाली दल द्वारा ज्ञानी इकबाल सिंह के खिलाफ श्री अकाल तख्त साहिब पर की गई शिकायत

 बीबी रणजीत कौर, अध्यक्षा स्त्री अकाली दल दिल्ली इकाई

नई दिल्ली 6 अगस्त: स्त्री अकाली दल दिल्ली इकाई की अध्यक्षा एवं दिल्ली सिख गुरुद्वारा प्रबन्धक कमेटी वरिष्ठ उपाध्यक्ष बीबी रणजीत कौर द्वारा दल की अन्य महिलाओं के साथ मिलकर श्री अकाल तख्त साहिब के जत्थेदार ज्ञानी हरप्रीत सिंह को पत्र लिखकर ज्ञानी इकबाल सिंह द्वारा सिख इतिहास से की गई छेड़छाड़ की शिकायत की है।

बीबी रणजीत कौर ने कहा तख्त पटना साहिब का स्वयं को जत्थेदार बताकर श्री राम जन्म भूमि स्थल पर पहुंचना और वहां पर ऐसे विवादित ब्यान देना दर्शाता है कि इनकी मानसिकता क्या है, इन्होेंने ऐसा क्यों किया और किसके इशारे पर किया, यह भी सोचने का विषय है कहीं ज्ञानी इकबाल सिंह सिख विरोधी ताकतों की कठपुतली बनकर तो ऐसा नहीं कर रहे क्योंकि सिख विरोधी ताकतें सिखों को हिन्दु साबित करना चाहती हैं पर आज तक कामयाब नहीं हो पाई हैं शायद इसलिए उन्होंने अब ज्ञानी इकबाल सिंह जैसे लोगों का सहारा लेकर अपने मंसूबे पूरे करने की कोशिश की है पर सिख पंथ इनके मंसूबे कभी पूरे नहीं होने देगा।

उन्होंने कहा स्त्री अकाली दल इस शख्स के खिलाफ पहले भी श्री अकाल तख्त साहिब को शिकायत कर चुका है और अब जो बेहद घिनौनी हरकत ज्ञानी इकबाल सिंह ने की है उस सम्बन्ध में भी एक पत्र श्री अकाल तख्त साहिब के जत्थेदार साहिब को लिखा गया है जिसमें इसके खिलाफ कड़ी कार्यवाई करने की अपील की गई है।

बीबी रणजीत कौर के साथ बलजीत कौर, दलबीर कौर, सुरबीर कौर, दविन्दर कौर, चरनजीत कौर, मंजीत कौर आदि महिलाओं ने भी ज्ञानी इकबाल सिंह के खिलाफ कार्यवाई करने के लिए जत्थेदार श्री अकाल तख्त साहिब से अपील की है।

News Courtsey,
Mr.Sudeep Singh
Honorary Media Advisor
DSGMC

Avtar Singh Hit:Tampering With Sikh history Will Not Be Tolerated

 

        Avtar Singh Hit, chairman of Takht Shri Patna Sahib

Tampering with Sikh history by Giani Iqbal Singh,cannot and will not be tolerated under any circumstances. 

Jathedar Avtar Singh Hit said that the matter will be taken up soon by calling a meeting of the Board members and the current Jathedar of Takht Sahib, Giani Ranjit Singh Gauhar-e-Maskin will take action on it. 

He said that Giani Iqbal Singh also misled the Prime Minister by calling himself Jathedar Patna Sahib.Sikh Community will never forgive Giani Iqbal Singh for the heinous crime of making Sikh Guru Sahib a Hindu Sahib.

Jathedar Hit has also congratulated the people of the Hindu community on laying the Foundation Stone of Ram Janma Bhoomi.

News Courtsey,
Mr.Sudeep Singh
Honorary Media Advisor
DSGMC

Disappearance of Rare miniature saroop of Guru Granth Sahib Given political hue

In 1920,two miniature saroops Shri Guru Granth Sahib,measuring 1 inch by 1.5 inch, which can only be read using a lens had been instated at Takht Sri Hazur Sahib and at Shri Ardaspur Sahib Gurudwara in Kalyan village.

Even as the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is yet to sort out the issue of missing 267 saroops of Guru Granth Sahib from the publishing house at Gurdwara Ramsar Sahib in Amritsar, the matter of disappearance of a rare miniature saroop of Guru Granth Sahib from Ardaspur Gurdwara in Kalyan village of Patiala has now taken a political turn.

The holy scripture was covered with gold. Devotees from across the globe visited this gurdwara to pay their obeisance. It has been learnt that the rare miniature Shri Guru Granth Sahib had been kept in a showcase away from public view and for the last two months no one had been allowed ‘darshan’ of the same. It was only recently that gurdwara committee opened the showcase to find the gold covered rare miniature Shri Guru Granth Sahib missing.

Initially, an attempt was made to trace the rare scripture within the gurdwara premises, but after it became clear that was no longer there, the matter was reported the SGPC, which constituted a five-member committee to investigate the matter. However, till date, there has been no headway in the case.

Now, SGPC chief Govind Singh Longowal has demanded a police investigation into the matter. While the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has planned a protest outside the office of Patiala senior superintendent of police on Friday 7th August, leader of the Akali splinter group, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, on Thursday visited the gurdwara and raised several questions against SAD and the SGPC.

Dhindsa said the disappearance of 267 saroops of Guru Granth Sahib from Amritsar was in itself a huge issue but the SAD and the SGPC were trying to cover up the matter. He said instead of looking within, the SAD was demanding a probe from the administration into the disappearance of the miniature Shri Guru Granth Sahib at Kalyan village.

Meanwhile, Congress MLA from Samana Kaka Rajinder Singh also visited the gurdwara on Thursday 6^th July. He said it was unfortunate that one of the rare scriptures had gone missing from a Gurdwara but what was more shocking to know is that, for more than two months no one from the Gurdwara committee came to know about the missing Shri Guru Granth Sahib.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/disappearance-of-rare-miniature-saroop-of-guru-granth-sahib-given-political-hue/articleshow/77402292.cms

Dr.Gurdeep Kaur
Associate Prfessor
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College
University of Delhi

Vikramjit Singh Sahney International President WPO :Ties Up With Centre, Afghan Consulate to Bring 400 Sikhs, Hindus Back to India

Vikramjit S Sahney, a recipient of the Padma Shri and International President of the World Punjabi Organisation (WPO).

WPO is joining hands with the Centre and the Afghanistan consulate to evacuate over 400 Afghani Sikhs and Hindus staying in various camps in the war-torn country by chartered flights and rehabilitate them here.

Since March 25, Vikramjit S Sahney,has been restless. The deadly terrorist attack on a Gurdwara in Kabul, in which 26 people lost their lives, had left him shaken.He had been in touch with the Afghan community in Kabul, to devise a plan to help all Sikhs and Hindus there who wanted to come back to India.

With the support of WPO, Sahney is all set to organise chartered flights to evacuate over 400 Sikhs and Hindus in the next few days. All arrangements for chartered flights have been made in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs and Indian Embassy in Kabul, with long-term visas having been issued by the Indian Embassy, with a permanent residency and Indian citizenship granted to them in due course.

The endeavour to evacuate 400 Afghani Sikhs and Hindus has been a collective effort, as the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee will provide temporary accommodation to these migrants in Delhi at three gurdwaras for 2-3 months.

A special skill development centre set up by his foundation at Jail Road in Delhi, he says, will provide young Afghani Sikhs and Hindu boys and girls free skill training in various fields, which will help them secure jobs and earn a dignified livelihood. 

“We will feel we have been able to extend a helping hand once they all are rehabilitated and after a year, we will evaluate the progress,” Vikramjit Singh Sahney says, now waiting for ministry approval to put the plan into action.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/ngo-ties-up-with-centre-afghan-consulate-to-bring-400-sikhs-hindus-back-to-india-6543576/

Dr.Gurdeep Kaur
Associate Professor
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College
University of Delhi

Row Over Golden Temple Replica:Prevalence of the Structure Hurts Sikh Sentiments

Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Sangrur is designed as a replica of the Golden Temple

Sikh activists urge Akal Takht to summon Dhindsa.Parshotam Singh Phaguwala led the activists who stated in a written appeal to jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh that Dhindsa, who is heading the management of the gurdwara, was responsible for the non-compliance with an edict that the highest Sikh temporal seat had issued in 2009.

Sikh activists from Sangrur on Thursday approached the Akal Takht demanding that Rajya Sabha member and Shiromani Akali Dal (Democratic) president Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa be summoned in the row over the replica of Golden Temple constructed in Mastuana village of Sangrur district.

Parshotam Singh Phaguwala led the activists who stated in a written appeal to jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh that Dhindsa, who is heading the management of the gurdwara, was responsible for the non-compliance with an edict that the highest Sikh temporal seat had issued in 2009.

This edict directed the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to get the design of this controversial structure modified. However, its management never made mandatory alteration except for closing the ‘Har ki Paudi’.

Seeking intervention of Akal Takht, the activists also alleged that Dhindsa was controlling the whole property attached with this gurdwara and using it for his political ends. They said the prevalence of the structure hurts Sikh sentiments, so Dhindsa should be removed from all his positions and the gurdwara should be handed over to the SGPC.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/row-over-golden-temple-replica-sikh-activists-urge-akal-takht-to-summon-dhindsa/story-eHGj6sQjQoeNl8shOz6ipO.html

Dr.Gurdeep Kaur
Associate Professor
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College
University of Delhi