After Hindus, divorce could get hassle-free for Sikhs too

NEW DELHI: With amendments on the anvil to make divorce easier for Hindus, a similar move may be underway for Sikhs.

The Cabinet on Thursday cleared amendments to the Hindu Marriage Act and the Special Marriage Act, allowing the provision of ‘‘irretrievable breakdown of marriage’’ to be included as ground for divorce.

Sources said a similar provision could be added to the draft Sikh Marriage Act that is currently under consideration with the law ministry.

At present, Sikhs are governed by the Anand Marriage Act of 1909 which the draft bill seeks to replace. The demand for a separate marriage Act stems from the need to register marriages solemnised under their religious ceremony Anand Karaj.

It is learnt that sports minister M S Gill intervened in the discussion on Hindu Marriage Act to say that similar provision for “irretrievable breakdown of marriage” should be made for Sikhs, adding that Anand Marriage Act was 50 years older. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said it would require a separate proposal.

Gill said the community had pursued former law minister H R Bharadwaj with the demand but to no result. Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee Paramjit Singh Sarna said the committee was in favour of a separate law to govern Sikh marriages.

‘‘We have separate set of Sikh rituals and we would like to be registered under the Sikh Marriage Act rather than the Hindu Marriage Act as we have to do now. It is a matter of our identity and a legal recognition to Anand Karaj,” Sarna said.

Detailed news can be viewed from the link in headline above.

With thanks : source : Economic Times

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Sd. Bhupinder Singh Kohli - Navi Mumbai

SAMAJ SHAKTI AWARD 2010 FOR SOCIAL SERVICE Pics of the Award Ceremony of Sd. Bhupinder singh Kohli from Navi Mumbai. Earlier the vid was also uploaded.

Our heartiest congratulations to Dear Mr Kohli on this achievement.

B S Vohra
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Tohra's wife gets cabinet rank

Chandigarh, June 9 (PTI) Punjab government today decided to grant cabinet rank to iconic Sikh leader and former SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra's wife Joginder Kaur Tohra.

Detailed news can be viewed from the link in headline above.

With thanks : source : PTI News

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400 Sikhs pilgrims arrive for Jor Mela

LAHORE: Over 400 Sikh yatris arrived at 3:45 pm yesterday to attend the 404th death anniversary of Guru Arjun Dev Jee at Gurdwara Dera Sahib to be held on June 15.

The yatris left for a three-day visit to Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasanabdal after they were warmly welcomed by officials of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Perbandhak Committee (PSGPC).

Talking to The Express Tribune, the ETPB spokesperson Aamir Hashmi assured that the Sikh pilgrims would be provided with the best facilities during their 10-day stay in the country.

Meanwhile, other members of Gurdwara Parbhanhak committee emphasised the need to take confidence building measures.

Talking to The Express Tribune, PSGPC member Sardar Ragbeer, welcoming the yatris, said, “India and Pakistan should resume talk on bilateral relations.” This would ease the visa obtaining process for so many Sikhs interested in annual pilgrims to Pakistan, he added.

The yatris are scheduled to leave Hassanabdal for another religious visit to Gurdwara Jana Asthan in Nankana Sahib on June 11. They will return to Lahore on June 14 to attend the festivities at Gurdwara Dera Sahib scheduled for June 16.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2010.

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‘Khanda’ On Underwear – US Firm Calls back Design

LU­D­HI­A­NA­: A leadi­ng clot­hi­ng r­et­ai­ler­ oper­at­i­ng f­r­om­­ t­he US has deci­ded t­o wi­t­hdr­aw i­t­s desi­gns car­r­yi­ng t­he ob­j­ect­i­onab­le use of­ t­he Kbanda reli­gi­o­­us i­nsi­gni­a and an i­mage o­­f­ t­he Si­kh guru o­­n i­t­s p­ro­­duc­t­s, i­nc­ludi­ng underw­ear and t­ho­­ng c­o­­llec­t­i­o­­n.

F­o­­llo­­w­i­ng an o­­ut­rage i­n t­he Sik­h­ co­mmu­n­ity settl­ed i­n the US, C­afe­Pr­e­ss, a­n­ o­n­lin­e­ re­ta­il cha­in­ tha­t imp­o­rts­ fro­m P­un­ja­b­ a­n­d K­e­ra­la­-ba­s­e­d g­a­rme­n­t ma­n­ufa­cture­rs­, s­a­id its­ p­ro­ducts­ did n­o­t ca­rry­ “a­n­y­ ma­licio­us­ in­te­n­t” a­n­d o­ffe­re­d a­n­ a­p­o­lo­g­y­ “fo­r a­n­y­ o­ffe­n­ce­ its­ p­ro­ducts­ ha­d ca­us­e­d” to­ the­ co­mmun­ity­.

A­ Ludhia­n­a­-ba­s­e­d re­p­re­s­e­n­ta­tive­ o­f the­ re­ta­il cha­in­ s­a­id tha­t be­in­g­ o­n­lin­e­ clo­thin­g­ re­ta­ile­r, the­ cha­in­ a­llo­ws­ third p­a­rtie­s­ fro­m a­ro­un­d the­ wo­rld to­ cre­a­te­ the­ir o­wn­ de­s­ig­n­s­ a­n­d ho­s­t the­m o­n­ the­ir we­bs­ite­. “The­ is­s­ue­ ha­s­ be­e­n­ bro­ug­ht in­to­ o­ur n­o­tice­ a­n­d the­ de­s­ig­n­s­ withdra­wn­. It ha­s­ be­e­n­ cla­rifie­d tha­t the­ cha­in­ wo­uld us­e­ g­re­a­te­r ca­utio­n­ a­n­d s­tricte­r me­a­s­ure­s­ in­ mo­n­ito­rin­g­ co­n­­ te­n­t o­n­ its­ we­bs­ite­,” the­ re­p­re­s­e­n­ta­tive­ s­a­id.

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM THE LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With thanks : source : HT

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Lessons Not Learnt

The facts speak for themselves. Twenty-six years after the country's worst industrial disaster in the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, which killed around 4,000 people immediately and several thousands over the years, a trial court sentenced seven of the accused to two years in jail. The accused, all former employees of Union Carbide, were out on bail immediately. This is an all-too-familiar story of the Indian state and its law-enforcement agencies failing to deliver justice. Be it the 1984 anti-Sikh riots or the 1992 Ayodhya demolition, the state has been unable to either punish the perpetrators or adequately compensate victims.

The tortuous legal history of the Union Carbide disaster is replete with missteps, collusion and plain inefficiency on the part of different state agencies. A few months after the tragedy, the Indian government had filed a claim of $3.3 billion in US courts against Union Carbide. After a US district court transferred all litigation to India, the government in 1989 settled for a measly $470 million compensation in an out-of-court deal which worked out to under Rs 75,000 each for death victims and about Rs 25,000 for the injured. Moreover, more than 15 years later the government hadn't disbursed the entire compensation. The courts were equally lax in trying the perpetrators. The main accused, former Union Carbide chairman Warren Anderson, was declared a fugitive in 1992 and has never appeared in an Indian court. Furthermore, in 1996, the Supreme Court reduced the charges against the accused from culpable homicide not amounting to murder, punishable by a maximum 10-year jail term, to causing death by negligence, which invites a sentence of only two years.

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM THE LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With thanks : source : Times of India

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Indian Sikh delegation in Pakistan calls for Kartarpur Sahib Corridor

Amritsar, June 8 (ANI): A Sikh delegation visiting Pakistan on Tuesday called on the Governments of India and Pakistan to resolve their demand for the "Kartarpur Corridor".

Several organizations have been coordinating programs to create a corridor (passport/visa-free passage) between Dera Baba Nanak (on the Indian side) and Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib (about three kilometers from the India-akistan international border in Pakistan’s Narowal District).

About 300 Sikh devotees entered Pakistan on Tuesday to observe the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth spiritual leader of the Sikh community.

Guru Nanak Dev, the first spiritual leader of the community spent 17 years at a place where Gurdwara Kartarpur is situated. A few years ago, Pakistan allowed Sikhs devotees from India to visit to Gurdwara Kartarpur.

In 1999, Pakistan dictator General Pervez Musharraf committed to providing safe passage to the Sikh pilgrims from India to visit Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has also shown his interest for building the corridor.

While addressing a gathering in September 2004, the Prime Minister announced that he would take up with Pakistan the issue of the Kartarpur corridor and provision of access to those visiting Nankhana Sahib.

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM THE LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With thanks : source : ANI

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Akal Takht calls upon excommunicated persons to return to Sikh fold

Amritsar, June 7 (ANI): Akal Takht, the highest Sikh temporal seat, on Sunday offered another chance to excommunicated community persons to return to Sikh fold.

The five Sikh Jathedars, or high priests, said that all those persons who have been excommunicated from the Sikh community should present themselves before the Akal Takth here to submit an apology.

"The Sikh community has taken an important decision that till today the people who have been excommunicated from the Akal Takht, they are getting another golden chance. They need to produce themselves in front of the Akal Takht sahib within the next one month and do an apology prayer. If they fail to come out within one month then the devotees should act against them strictly," said Gyani Gurbachan Singh, Jathedar, Akal Takht.

In January this year Gyani Darshan Singh Ragi, a former high priest of the Akal Takth, was expelled from the religion for making objectionable remarks against the tenth spiritual guru, Guru Gobind Singh, during a congregation in the United States in November 2009.

Reportedly, he failed to clarify his position before the five Jathedars for his objectionable remarks.

Incidents of excommunicating in Sikh religion are not uncommon; followers are liable for being declared Tankhiya for flouting Sikhism practices like cutting hair or trying to bring disrepute to the Guru Granth Sahib. (ANI)

With thanks : source : ONEINDIA with link in headline above.

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26th anniversary of Operation Blue Star observed

Amritsar, Jun 6 (PTI) Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, today observed the 26th anniversary of Operation Blue Star at the Golden Temple here as genocide day, saying the wounds inflicted on the community's psyche by the offensive were yet to heal.

"The Sikh community all over the world still feels the unhealed wounds of Operation Blue Star, Akal Takht Jathedar Gyani Gurbachan Singh said addressing a function held by the SGPC to mark the occasion at the Temple where the operation was carried out by the Indian army in 1984 to flush out pro-Khalistan militants.

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM THE LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With thanks : source : PTI

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High security at Golden Temple for Bluestar anniv

Security has been tightened at the Golden temple here in view of the 26th anniversary of Operation Bluestar on Sunday.

Policemen in plainclothes are also deputed outside the premises as a precautionary measure in view of expected presence of radical Sikh activists in the temple.

The Sikh bodies, including SGPC and Akal Takht, observe the anniversary of Operation Bluestar every year.

Detailed news can be viewed from the link in headline above.

With thanks : source : Hindustan Times

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How the Sikhs went bananas in Woolgoolga

As you enter Coff’s Harbour, tucked between Sydney and Brisbane, it is not hard to guess why the big banana stands as a landmark. The area grows one of the best varieties of bananas in Australia. And the fruit has a dominant Indian connection.

In the early part of the 19th century when the British still ruled India, a few adventurous men from Punjab decided to cash in on the shortage of farm labourers in Australia. Their journey led them first to Queensland, then south to Coff’s Harbour, and finally in nearby Woolgoolga, New South Wales.

Familiar to farming these men slowly acquired small parcels of land and began working hard to make their fortunes. By the 1940s, they had laid the foundation of the first Australian Sikh Community in Australia here at Woolgoolga, 20 km north of Coff’s Harbour. Today, some of the wealthiest Indians reside in Woolgoolga.

Undeterred by the spells of Autumn rain, which otherwise made for a good excuse for a sleep-in at the beach resort we had booked ourselves in, we decided to explore the town known for its great beaches, pristine scenery, nature walks and great fishing.

After a drive around Coff’s Harbour, we headed off to Woolgoolga or Woopi as locals call it. A winding road took us to a majestic gurudwara perched on top of the hill. It is, in fact, the second Sikh shrine built in Australia, in 1970. The first gurudwara, constructed in 1968, still stands nearby, a mere shadow to the new one.

Over hot chai and tikkas, head priest Gurmandip Singh said the gurudwara was a meeting place not only for the 1,200 Sikh residents of Woolgoolga but also of the local community.

It was easy to locate Satpal Singh Gill, 38, whose great grandfather travelled to Australia around 1910. “He worked in the Wollombi area and earned enough money to invest in small farms for banana cultivation,” Gill proudly says. “We were the second family to have moved to Australia,” he adds.

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM THE LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With thanks : source : Hindustan Times

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