March 2015 Archive

Court case filed against team of Nanak Shah Fakir

Members of Sikh Students Federation (Mehta) have reportedly filed a court case against the makers and actors of Nanak Shah Fakir movie. Mehta Federation had also staged statewide protest against Nanak Shah Fakir film on March 25.

Congress Should Hear From You About Vaisakhi, the Sikh Coalitions tells supporters

A community update by the Sikh Coalition says: [f]or the third year in a row, members of the U.S. Congress plan to introduce a resolution honouring the Sikh community’s celebration of Vaisakhi.

Sikh man brutally attacked in Birmingham in a suspected racially motivated attack

A Sikh man was beaten up in a suspected racial attack in the British city of Birmingham and police have launched an investigation after the sickening video of the assault emerged on the internet, reports Times of India (TOI).

UK Sikhs to play significant role in determining overall outcome of general elections as formal campaigning starts

The Sikh Manifesto has already achieved so much, not least increased awareness by Sikhs, non-Sikhs and politicians across the political spectrum of Sikh demands. The Conservative-led government and opposition politicians have already taken certain positive actions and made specific pledges with the Sikh vote in mind.

UK’s new employment law enables Sikhs to wear turbans in all workplaces

Earlier employment laws had exempted turban wearers from the requirement to wear a safety helmet on construction sites. But the exemption did not apply to less hazardous environments, such as factories and warehouses.

Infight begins in Nanak Shah Fakir’s production team; Director moves to Delhi HC against Harinder Sikka

The movie, Nanak Shah Fakir, has courted yet another controversy after write-director Sartaj Singh Pannu moved the Delhi High Court against producers Harinder Singh Sikka and Oscar winning sound artiste Resul Pookutty. It is notable that Harinder Sikka had been maintaining that he had directed the movie with "eternal grace", and maintaining that it was result of that “eternal grace” that a person like him, who know nothing about photography or the filmmaking had made this movie.

Jaspal Singh Gurdaspur case: No justice for Sikh youth killed in police firing even after 3 years

"Three years have past … our son was shot dead by the police … but there is no justice. It seems as if they do not wan to impart justice in this case…”, said S. Gurcharanjit Singh, father of Shaheed Jaspal Singh Gurdaspur who was killed in police firing at Gurdaspur on 29 March, 2015.

Placing of Sikh Minority in Majoritarian Indian State

The Sikhs are a tiny minority constituting 2 per cent of India’s 1200 million people. But they have a spectacular and distinct historical contribution to the social, economic and political fields. Since the beginning of 18th century the Sikhs played a pivotal role in moulding the Indian subcontinent that reached to its present shape.

FBI Takes Steps to Include Sikhs in Hate Crimes Tracking Program

The FBI’s new training manual contains a section to distinguish between anti-Arab, Anti-Hindu, Anti-Muslim, and Anti-Sikh hate crimes. This includes special considerations to be taken by the law enforcement when working with victims from these communities.

Rise of Fascism in Aam Aadmi Party: Sikh author S. Ajmer Singh on ouster of Yogendra Yadav & ors

Sikh intellectual and author S. Ajmer Singh has expressed shock, grief and concern over the things that unfolded in the March 28 National Council (NC) meeting of the Aam Aadmi Party. It is notable that Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan, Anand Kumar and Ajit Jha were ousted from NC of Aam Aadmi Party during this meeting, that was also marred by thrashing of some members.

A Deeper Look At Vedic History Suggests A Tribal Melting Pot That May Surprise The Hindu Nationalist

The modern Hindi speaker uses the words Manava and Purusha somewhat interchangeably- both mean ‘man’ or ‘human’ to us. Yet this was not always so. The Rig Veda and other Hindu scriptures talk of two distinct tribes- the tribe of Manu and the tribe of Puru (or Pururava, who was Puru’s ancestor).

The Hindutva Algebra Of Nation-Making [by Braj Ranjan Mani]

They first came to avenge the Love Jihad.
I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Muslim.
Then they came for the Ghar Wapasi.
I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t Christian.
Then they came for the saffronization of Sikhs.
And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Sikh. [...]

Bikram Dhanaula, who threw shoe on Punjab CM, gets ‘shoe’ as elections symbol

Its interesting to note that Bikram Singh Dhanaula who had thrown a shoe towards Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal during a state level function at Issru (near Khanna), Ludhiana on August 15, 2014 is allotted 'shoe' as his elections symbol for Dhuri bypolls.

Medha Patkar resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP); Backs Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan

"Terming the contribution of Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan to the party and its ideology as vast, Ms. Patkar defended the two leaders, recalling their participation in people’s movement and the campaign against corruption", The Hindu reports.

Punjab AAP leader Bhai Baldeep Singh expresses dissent over ouster of Yogendra, Bhushan and others

Party principles were compromised in the selection process and I do not see any logic in blaming people who legitimately called foul, a foul. I do not see any logic in shunting out people who are asking for the implementation of the very principles that the AAP was founded upon.

20 years old Girl gangraped in Telangana, boyfriend beaten up

A 20-year-old girl was allegedly gangraped in the outskirts of Telengana by four men in front of her boyfriend, police said on today.

Garg Commission on Hondh Chillar Sikh massacre turned out to be dump squib

The Dal Khalsa on Saturday said that the one-man commission constituted by his government on March 5 four years ago to probe into the killings of 32 Sikhs in village Hondh-Chillar has turned out to be a damp squib.

Hondh Chillar Massacre: Garg commission submits reports; Recommends compensation for Sikh killings and Gurdwara destruction

The Justice T.P. Garg Commission, which was appointed to probe the massacre of 32 Sikhs at Hondh Chillar village in Rewari district of Haryana on November 2, 1984 submitted its report to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on March 27.

Demanding apology for Komagata Maru, What about attack on Darbar Sahib? Dal Khalsa asks Badal govt

While the Punjab Assembly has unanimously adopted a resolution recommending to the centre to seek apology from the Canadian government for the tragic incident that is known in history as the Komagata Maru tragedy in which 19 Punjabi's were killed at Budge Budge ghat of Calcutta, the Dal Khalsa has questioned the Akali government as to why it was silent on infamous army assault against Darbar Sahib in June 1984.

Sikh bodies slam indifferent & discriminative approach of the Central and state govt’s towards political prisoners

Representatives of Sikh bodies today staged a protest march against indifferent and discriminative approach of the Centre as well as state governments towards the political prisoners who have completed their maximum term in prison.

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