‘We Have To Choose Between Beard or Emergency Shifts During COVID-19’: Australian Sikh Doctors

Dr Amandeep Singh Bamra, a Sikh doctor at work in an operating theatre using PAPR. 

A group of Sikh doctors has petitioned the federal and New South Wales governments to make powered air-purifying respirators or PAPR freely available for bearded healthcare workers who work in hospital emergency departments. They believe their campaign will help healthcare workers from other faiths too, who can't shave off full beards.

N95 masks don't provide a safe seal for faces with beards.

COVID-19 has thrown a unique challenge before bearded healthcare professionals across the world. Owing to their facial hair, they are unable to wear N95 masks (also called P2 masks) properly while performing emergency duties in hospitals.

Dr Gurdial Singh says the solution to this lies in a specialised personal protective equipment (PPE) called powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR), which is what you’d see welders wear, complete with a transparent helmet and an air tube affixed to the nose with a mask.

Dr Amandeep Singh Bamra, an anaesthetist in regional New South Wales’ Bowral and District Hospital says that thanks to the PAPR kit provided by his hospital, he is ready to treat COVID-19 patients if the need arises.

Dr Bamra working with PAPR.

“It will be helpful for the community if bearded healthcare workers can be provided PAPR. However, those who don’t get it, may feel left out when they see others using it, and that can be a challenge for any hospital administration. I feel supported by my hospital in that regard,” says Dr Bamra.

The false choice presented to Sikh Doctors serving Covid patients

Some healthcare workers with beards have been unable to perform emergency duties for this reason or have opted to buy their own PAPR so as to continue getting shifts in the emergency department.

Dr Pavitar Sunner, a Sydney-based orthopaedic Sikh surgeon

“It is a peculiar situation. Sikhs can't shave off their beards for religious reasons. Being put off the emergency roster can mean a significant drop in income for healthcare professionals,” says Dr Pavitar Sunner, a Sydney-based orthopaedic Sikh surgeon.

https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/audio/we-have-to-choose-between-beard-or-emergency-shifts-during-covid-19-australian-sikh-doctors

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

SGPC Chief Holds Protest Over Missing ‘Saroop’

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Gobind Singh Longowal on Saturday held a protest in front of the office of Patiala SSP and accused Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh and Patiala MP Preneet Kaur of remaining mute spectators and even refusing to comfort the Sikh Sangat, which is in turmoil after a ‘saroop’ of Sri Guru Granth Sahib was stolen from Ardaspura Sahib Gurdwara near CM’s Moti Mohal residence in Patiala.

The SGPC president said 17 days have passed since the historic ‘saroop’ was stolen from the gurdwara, but shockingly the CM and his wife Preneet Kaur have not spoken a single word to condemn this dastardly act. He warned the district police to recover the ‘saroop’ immediately and arrest those responsible for this heinous crime, failing which the SGPC would be forced to agitate more forcefully to ensure justice in the case.

Longowal said the theft of the ‘saroop’ is another effort in the long line of steps being taken by anti-Sikh forces to weaken the Sikh panth as well as its representative bodies, including the SGPC and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). He said some ‘jathebandis’ are also playing into the hands of the Congress party. He said the same organisations were used by the Congress to divide the Sikh community following sacrilege cases and that they are again playing into the hands of the Congress by remaining silent about the theft of the ‘saroop’ from Kalyan village.

He also led a delegation, comprising senior SGPC members Rajinder Singh Mehta, Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa, Harinder Singh Dhami and Kuldeep Kaur Tohra, to the SSP office and submitted a memorandum demanding recovery of the ‘saroop’ and arrest of the culprits.

In a brief media interaction, Bhai Longowal said the SGPC has been forced to protest because the district police has taken the heinous crime casually and not made the required efforts to nab the perpetrators.

Earlier, at the dharna site, the sangat recited ‘Satnam waheguru’ and expressed its angst against the district police and administration as well as Congress ministers and legislators of the area for neither condemning the incident nor visiting Ardaspura Sahib Gurdwara to express solidarity with the sangat. Senior leader Gurcharan Singh Grewal announced that in case the administration does not deliver results, the SGPC would announce its next line of action on August 18.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/sgpc-chief-holds-protest-over-missing-saroop/articleshowprint/77439769.cms

DSGMC: "Langar On Wheels"

Pics Courtsey,
Mr.Manjinder Singh Sirsa
President
DSGMC

मनजिंदर सिंह सिरसा ने सिख ग्रंथी व अन्यों के साथ मारपीट करने वाले पुलिस मुलाज़िमों को निलंबित करने पर शिवराज सिंह चैहान व हरसिमरत कौर बादल का किया धन्यवाद

हरसिमरत कौर बादल द्वारा मामला को उठाने पर हुई कार्रवाईःस. मनजिंदर सिंह सिरसा

नई दिल्ली, 7 अगस्तः दिल्ली सिख गुरुद्वारा प्रबंधक कमेटी के अध्यक्ष स. मनजिंदर सिंह सिरसा ने मध्यप्रदेश में ज्ञानी प्रेम सिंह ग्रंथी व अन्य सिखों पर बेरिहमी से अपमानजनक हमला करने के दोषी दो पुलिस वालों को निलंबित करने पर मध्यप्रदेश के मुख्यमंत्री श्री शिवराज सिंह चैहान व केन्द्रीय मंत्री हरसिमरत कौर बादल का धन्यवाद किया है।
यहां जारी किए एक बयान में श्री सिरसा ने कहा कि यह मामला केन्द्रीय मंत्री श्रीमति हरसिमरत कौर बादल ने मध्यप्रदेश के मुख्यमंत्री के समक्ष उठाया था और बताया था कि कैसे इन दो पुलिस मुलाज़िमों ए.एस.आई सीताराम भटनागर व हैडकांस्टेबल मोहन जामरे द्वारा ज्ञानी प्रेम सिंह ग्रंथी एवं अन्य सिखों पर बेरहमी से हमला किया गया जो अमानवीय व्यवहार है और किसी तरह से स्वीकार्य नहीं है। उन्होंने बताया कि देश के लिए कुरबानी देने वाले सिखों के साथ ऐसा नफरत भरा व्यवहार करने वाले लोगों के खिलाफ ऐसी सख्त कार्रवाई होनी चाहिए तांकि अन्यों के लिए सबक बन सके क्योंकि ऐसे गुनाह के लिए कोई माफी नहीं है।
स. सिरसा ने बताया कि हरसिमरत कौर बादल द्वारा मामले को उठाने के बाद दोनों पुलिस मुलाज़िम निलंबित कर दिए गए हैं। उन्होंने बताया कि जब भी सिख भाईचारे की बात आती है तो श्रीमति हरसिमरत कौर बादल हर मुद्दा उठाती हैं। उनके द्वारा मुद्दे को उठाए जाने के कारण ही मध्यप्रदेश सरकार कार्रवाई के लिए मजबूर हुई व मुख्यमंत्री श्री शिवराज सिंह चैहान ने स्वंय इस कार्रवाई की जानकारी श्रीमति हरसिमरत बादल को दी। उन्होंने कहा कि दिल्ली गुरुद्वारा कमेटी इस कार्रवाई के लिए श्री चैहान और श्रीमति बादल का धन्यवाद करती है।
उन्होंने मध्यप्रदेश के मुख्यमंत्री को यह भी अपील करते हुए कहा कि केवल निलंबन ही काफी नहीं है बल्कि इन दोनों के खिलाफ केस दर्ज कर इन्हें सलाखों के पीछे पहुंचाना चाहिए। उन्होंने कहा कि सिख कौम दुनिया की सब से बहादुर व दिलेर कौम है और दुनिया भर में कहीं भी किसी को भी सिखों के साथ दुव्र्यवहार करने की इजाज़त नहीं दी जा सकती।

News Courtsey,
Mr.Sudeep Singh
Honorary Media Advisor
DSGMC

गुरुद्वारा नानक प्याउ साहिब के वाईस चेयरमैन नियुक्ति

 

नई दिल्ली 9 अगस्त : दिल्ली सिख गुरुद्वारा प्रबन्धक कमेटी सदस्य एवं शिरोमणी अकाली दल दिल्ली इकाई के महासचिव विक्रम सिंह रोहिणी द्वारा रोहिणी क्षेत्र के गणमान्य लोगों को शिरोमणी अकाली दल से जोड़ा जा रहा है और लोग सेवा करने के इच्छुक हैं उन्हें गुरुद्वारा साहिबान एवं कमेटी अधीन आते संस्थानों में सेवा करने का मौका दिया जा रहा है। इसी कड़ी में आज रोहिणी के सूरज पार्क से अवतार सिंह, दलेर सिंह एवं जसबीर सिंह बीएसटी को गुरुद्वारा नानक प्याउ साहिब में बतौर वाईस चेयरमैन नियुक्ति किया गया। इस मौके पर कमेटी के संयुक्त सचिव एवं गुरुद्वारा नानक प्याउ साहिब के चेयरमैन हरविन्दर सिंह केपी, कमेटी सदस्य सरवजीत सिंह विरक सहित रोहिणी की अनेक गणमान्य शख्सीयतें मौजूद रहीं।

सः विक्रम सिंह ने कहा कि कमेटी के मौजूदा प्रबन्धकों द्वारा की जा रही सेवा से प्रभावित होकर दिल्ली के अलग अलग इलाकों से लोग स्वयं आकर अकाली दल का हिस्सा बनते जा रहे हैं और लोग चाहते हैं कि उन्हें भी सेवाओं में शामिल किया जाये इसी के चलते कमेटी अध्यक्ष मनजिन्दर सिंह सिरसा एंव महासचिव हरमीत सिंह कालका द्वारा सेवा का जजबा रखने वाले लोगों को गुरुद्वारा साहिब एवं कमेटी के संस्थानों में सेवा सौंप रहे हैं।

News Courtsey,
Mr.Sudeep Singh
Honorary Media Advisor
DSGMC

संतगढ़ में शिरोमणी अकाली दल पदाधिकारियों का सम्मान

 

नई दिल्ली, 9 अगस्तः  शिरोमणी अकाली दल दिल्ली इकाई के संरक्षक एवं तख्त पटना साहिब के अध्यक्ष जत्थेदार अवतार सिंह हित, दिल्ली इकाई के अध्यक्ष एवं दिल्ली कमेटी महासचिव हरमीत सिंह कालका, स्त्री अकाली दल दिल्ली इकाई की अध्यक्ष एवं कमेटी की वरिष्ठ उपाध्यक्ष बीबी रणजीत कौर का पश्चिमी दिल्ली के संतगढ़ में भव्य स्वागत किया गया। इस मौके पर अकाली दल की अनेक गणमान्य शख्सीयतों के इलावा संतगढ़ के सम्मानिन्त लोग उपस्थित रहे।

संतगढ़ के गुरुद्वारा साहिब की कमेटी द्वारा शिरोमणी अकाली दल के संरक्षक और अध्यक्ष के साथ साथ बीबी रणजीत कौर के पुनः स्त्री अकाली दल दिल्ली इकाई में अध्यक्ष बनने की खुशी में कार्यक्रम रखा गया था जिसमें कमेटी पदाधिकारियों ने सभी सदस्यों को सिरोपा पहनाकर स्वागत किया।
संतगढ की समुह संगत बीबी रणजीत कौर और दिल्ली कमेटी के कार्यों से खासी प्रभावित है और उन्होंने इस बार पहले से ही मन बना लिया है कि बीबी रणजीत कौर को इस बार संतगढ़ से चुनाव लड़वाकर कमेटी में भेजेंगे। बीबी रणजीत कौर को पिछले चुनावों में अकाली दल ने कोआपट कर सदस्य बनाया था इस बार संगत चाहती है कि वह चुनाव लड़ें संगत का भरपूर समर्थन और प्यार उनके साथ है। इस मौके पर बड़ी संख्या में महिलाएं, पुरूष व युवा वर्ग अकाली दल में शामिल हुए।

News Courtsey,
Mr.Sudeep Singh
Honorary Media Advisor
DSGMC

Shiromani Akali Dal Badal Delhi State under the leadership of Mr.Harmeet Singh Kalka : Joining of Sangat From Uttam Nagar and Vikas Puri.

Pics Courtsey,
Mr.Harmeet Singh Kalka
General Secretary 
DSGMC

Shiromani Akali Dal Welcomes New Members :Meeting Held At Gurdwara in Chokhandi

 

Pics. Courtsey,
Mr.Manjinder Singh Sirsa
President,DSGMC

Dr.Navjot Kaur Sidhu Demands Demolished Gurdwaras Be Restored

Dr.Najot Kaur Sidhu

Mrs. Sidhu, who is the wife of former Punjab Minister and incumbent MLA of Amritsar (East) Navjot Singh Sidhu, tagged this tweet to Modi and Rahul Gandhi to raise the long-pending concern of the Sikh community.

A day after SGPC-appointed acting jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Harpreet Singh asked Indian government to restore gurdwaras demolished out of Punjab, former MLA of Amritsar (East) constituency Navjot Kaur Sidhu has urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to save these gurdwaras which are linked to Guru Nanak.

She made this appeal through her Twitter handle on which she remains active. “We welcomed Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Please Sir, with same devotion save our Gurdwaras—Gian Godri in Haridwar, Dangmar Sahib, Sikkim, and Mangu Mutt, Puri, Odisha since these holy shrines are directly linked to our Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev Ji @PMOIndia @RahulGandhi“, she stated in a tweet on Saturday (August 8, 2020).

In another tweet shared earlier, She says, “Just like we Sikhs are emotional about our Gurdwaras, we should respect the feelings of Hindus and many others who believe in Bhagwan Ram and celebrate the inauguration of Ram Mandir….”

https://www.sikh24.com/2020/08/09/after-giani-harpreet-singh-navjot-kaur-sidhu-demands-demolished-gurdwaras-be-restored/#.Xy-vuogzbIU

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

Martyr Naik Nirmal Singh's Mother :A video, Which Went Viral on Social Media, Has Brought this Dramatic Change in The Life of Martyr Mother

80-year-old Jageer Kaur ,Mother of Naik Nirmal Singh.

Recently, her video went viral in which she was upset over financial crisis."I have no money and hence I work as a NREGA worker,” 

On August 6, the Government Senior Secondary School of Kusla village was named after School named after her son Martyer Naik Nirmal Singh.

Help pour in for mother of soldier killed in J&K in 1999 after A video, which went viral on social media, has brought this dramatic change in the life of this mother of eight.

Her son, , was killed in Operation Rakshak in J&K in 1999 at the age of 21. The other sons did not take care of her. So, 80-year-old Jageer Kaur from Kusla village in Mansa district has been working as a MGNREGA worker for more than five years.

Care has finally come her way — from good Samaritans. NGO Nirvair Khalsa Aid of Yamunagar came forward to repair her house — the repair is still going on.

Another NGO, Sarbat Da Bhala Trust, has started giving her a pension of Rs 5,000 per month from August onwards. Not only this, Rs 1.35 lakh has been donated in her bank account.

Recently, her video went viral in which she was upset over financial crisis and even said I have no money and hence I work as a NREGA worker,” the sarpanch said.

However, now Jageer lives in the pucca house of her son Hardev Singh along with her grandchildren as her portion of the house is being renovated. “After the video went viral, her children might have felt embarrassed. Otherwise, earlier the woman was living alone in the damaged house,” the sarpanch said.

On 6^th August 2020, the Government Senior Secondary School of Kusla village was named after Shaheed Naik Nirmal Singh. In addition, financial help of Rs 51,000 was provided by Bikram Moffar, chairman, Mansa Zila Parishad, to the old woman.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/help-pour-in-for-mother-of-soldier-killed-in-jk-in-1991-6546726/

Dr.Gurdeep Kaur

Associate Professor

Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa Collge

University of Delhi

Built By Sikhs, This Hindu Temple In Poonch Is Looked After By Muslims: A Symbol of Communal Harmony

India is a very diverse nation and people from all religion or community has been living here since centuries with peace and unity. A live example was seen in a Temple located in the Poonch district of Jammu & Kashmir where people of all religion gathered to celebrate an annual commemoration.

A temple of Lohar Devta situated in Poonch stands as a symbol of communal harmony. A grand celebration takes place in the temple twice a year and irrespective of religion and community, a large number devotees gather here. Thousands of believers from Poonch, Rajouri, Sunderbani, Nowshera, and Jammu come here during the festivities.

Though the temple is a religious place for the Hindu community, it welcomes all religions with open arms. Even the construction of the main shrine of the temple was initiated by a Sikh devotee S. Rajendra Singh. Furthermore, the temple is situated in a Muslim majority area and the localities have been taking care of it for years.

One of the officials says that Hindus visit the temple in large numbers only twice a year, the rest of the year Muslim Locals  take care of it. He adds that his Hindu brothers also take care of their religious places like Ajmer Shareef. The official prays that all the religions of India live with peace and harmony in the country.

The temple also has a langar hall where everyone,be it Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian, sits together and enjoys the meal. Security of the temple is raised during the annual celebration to keep any kind of nuisance away.

https://www.rvcj.com/built-by-sikhs-this-hindu-temple-in-poonch-is-looked-after-by-muslims/

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