Following the depiction of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the Indian English newsweekly, "Outlook" where he was shown carrying arms in his beard, Outlook has stated that "We regret any hurt caused unintentionally." This comes as an editor's note following a protest letter written by Kanwarpal Singh, of Khalsa action committee.
The protest letter and regret are as follows:
"We protest the offensive caricature of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in Outlook. It is regrettable that Sikhs continue to be a subject of ridicule in the media. To portray a Sikh, even if he is Sant Bhindranwale, carrying arms in his beard, is shameful and disgusting. Every Indian and more so the staff of a journal of your stature and repute should know the importance Sikhs attach to their hair and beard. For all practising Sikhs, they are two of the five sacred symbols of their religion as mandated by Guru Gobind Singh. While we totally disagree with your portrayal of Sant Bhindrawale as a villain, we respect your right to have your opinion" :Kanwarpal Singh, Spokesperson, Khalsa Action Committee
Editor’s note: We regret any hurt caused unintentionally.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Green party supports Sikh turban in Ireland
Here is press statement by
Green Party Equality spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD
http://www.ciarancuffe.com/PR/2007/PR070821J.Cuffe.Calls.Reverse.Turban.Ruling.htm
Green Party Equality spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD today called on An Garda Síochána to reverse its recent ruling which prohibits a Sikh recruit to the Garda Reserve from wearing a turban as part of his uniform.
Deputy Cuffe said: "I am calling on the Garda authorities to review this ruling, and have written today to Commissioner Noel Conroy requesting him to do so. I informed him that in my opinion it does not meet with international best practice. This decision is in complete contrast to the positions of other reserve forces, such as the London Metropolitan Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who allow Sikh members to wear their turbans. Police forces in the UK , USA, Singapore , Malaysia, Pakistan and India have no problem in allowing the wearing of turbans.
"The turban is a vital part of the rules of the Sikh religion. Sikh men are prohibited from cutting their hair or appearing in public without the turban. In my opinion, the wearing of a turban would in no way impinge upon the operational effectiveness of a member of the force."
The London-based Metropolitan Police Sikh Association has accused the Garda Síochána of 'racial discrimination' in their decision, saying it "did not support community cohesion, diversity and tolerance of other faiths."
Green Party Equality spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD
http://www.ciarancuffe.com/PR/2007/PR070821J.Cuffe.Calls.Reverse.Turban.Ruling.htm
Green Party Equality spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD today called on An Garda Síochána to reverse its recent ruling which prohibits a Sikh recruit to the Garda Reserve from wearing a turban as part of his uniform.
Deputy Cuffe said: "I am calling on the Garda authorities to review this ruling, and have written today to Commissioner Noel Conroy requesting him to do so. I informed him that in my opinion it does not meet with international best practice. This decision is in complete contrast to the positions of other reserve forces, such as the London Metropolitan Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who allow Sikh members to wear their turbans. Police forces in the UK , USA, Singapore , Malaysia, Pakistan and India have no problem in allowing the wearing of turbans.
"The turban is a vital part of the rules of the Sikh religion. Sikh men are prohibited from cutting their hair or appearing in public without the turban. In my opinion, the wearing of a turban would in no way impinge upon the operational effectiveness of a member of the force."
The London-based Metropolitan Police Sikh Association has accused the Garda Síochána of 'racial discrimination' in their decision, saying it "did not support community cohesion, diversity and tolerance of other faiths."
Monday, August 20, 2007
Muslim hooligans take over Sikh shrine
The Malaysia sun reports that Muslim hooligans have taken over a Sikh shrine.
http://story.malaysiasun.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/303b19022816233b/id/275103/cs/1/
Muslim hooligans take over Sikh's Lahore's Bhai Taro Singh Jee temple in Lahore
Malaysia Sun
Monday 20th August, 2007
(ANI)
Lahore, Aug 20 : The ownership of Bhai Taro Singh Jee temple in Lahore's Naulakha Bazaar has become the centre of a confrontation between the Sikhs and a Muslim hooligan group, which has allegedly taken over the temple's ownership.
The Sikh community has alleged that local Muslim hooligans, who are getting support of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), have taken control over the temple and have debarred them from entering inside it.
Representatives of the Sikh community said that the hooligans had stopped them from entering the premises for the past two months.
Muslims first prayed for saint, Pir Shah Kaku, and then started offering Asr and Maghrib prayers and started holding Quranic mehfils at the temple, the Sikh groups said.
According to Daily Times, Sikhs' religious symbols has been removed from the temple and Islamic slogans of 'Ya Allah' and 'Ya Rehmatul Alimeen' had replaced them. A plaque giving details of the pir's identity had also been put up on one of the walls.
The daily also spoke to the leader of the occupants of the temple, Sohail Butt, who said that they have taken the step (to occupy the temple) in their personal capacity "for the welfare of the Muslims community."
He admitted that the former guard of the temple had seen a dream where Pir Shah Kaku "had urged him to keep the Sikhs away from the temple".
He added that they are trying to ascertain the pir's date of death, and "once done we will hold a yearly urs in celebration."
Meanwhile, Sikh groups said that they were protesting against hooligans' activities and have urged the ETPB, but to no avail.
"After the temple's dome was painted green, the committee wrote to the then ETPB additional secretary Izharul Hassan against the violation of the temple's sanctity, said Dr. Mampal Singh.
He alleged that hooligans had claimed the shrine for themselves and that the ETPB had told the committee it would resolve the issue within a month.
"They haven't done anything yet and the hooligans are tightening their grip on our worship place,' he added.
However, EPTB refutes allegations levelled by Sikh groups.
ETPB chairman Lt Gen (r) Zulfiqar Ali Khan told the daily that the trustee is in charge of the temple and Muslims go there to pray for the saint, while Sikhs go there for their worship.
"There is no plaque of the saint or other plaques inscribed with Islamic slogans inside the temple. Vested quarters are trying to put a negative touch to the issue, but ETPB won't allow them to do so," he said, adding that they are trying to maintain a status quo.
The locals in the area have disputed the claims of the hooligans stating it is not authentic.
"They want to make money from the devotees and in this process have violated the sanctity of Sikhs worship place," a local said.
http://story.malaysiasun.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/303b19022816233b/id/275103/cs/1/
Muslim hooligans take over Sikh's Lahore's Bhai Taro Singh Jee temple in Lahore
Malaysia Sun
Monday 20th August, 2007
(ANI)
Lahore, Aug 20 : The ownership of Bhai Taro Singh Jee temple in Lahore's Naulakha Bazaar has become the centre of a confrontation between the Sikhs and a Muslim hooligan group, which has allegedly taken over the temple's ownership.
The Sikh community has alleged that local Muslim hooligans, who are getting support of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), have taken control over the temple and have debarred them from entering inside it.
Representatives of the Sikh community said that the hooligans had stopped them from entering the premises for the past two months.
Muslims first prayed for saint, Pir Shah Kaku, and then started offering Asr and Maghrib prayers and started holding Quranic mehfils at the temple, the Sikh groups said.
According to Daily Times, Sikhs' religious symbols has been removed from the temple and Islamic slogans of 'Ya Allah' and 'Ya Rehmatul Alimeen' had replaced them. A plaque giving details of the pir's identity had also been put up on one of the walls.
The daily also spoke to the leader of the occupants of the temple, Sohail Butt, who said that they have taken the step (to occupy the temple) in their personal capacity "for the welfare of the Muslims community."
He admitted that the former guard of the temple had seen a dream where Pir Shah Kaku "had urged him to keep the Sikhs away from the temple".
He added that they are trying to ascertain the pir's date of death, and "once done we will hold a yearly urs in celebration."
Meanwhile, Sikh groups said that they were protesting against hooligans' activities and have urged the ETPB, but to no avail.
"After the temple's dome was painted green, the committee wrote to the then ETPB additional secretary Izharul Hassan against the violation of the temple's sanctity, said Dr. Mampal Singh.
He alleged that hooligans had claimed the shrine for themselves and that the ETPB had told the committee it would resolve the issue within a month.
"They haven't done anything yet and the hooligans are tightening their grip on our worship place,' he added.
However, EPTB refutes allegations levelled by Sikh groups.
ETPB chairman Lt Gen (r) Zulfiqar Ali Khan told the daily that the trustee is in charge of the temple and Muslims go there to pray for the saint, while Sikhs go there for their worship.
"There is no plaque of the saint or other plaques inscribed with Islamic slogans inside the temple. Vested quarters are trying to put a negative touch to the issue, but ETPB won't allow them to do so," he said, adding that they are trying to maintain a status quo.
The locals in the area have disputed the claims of the hooligans stating it is not authentic.
"They want to make money from the devotees and in this process have violated the sanctity of Sikhs worship place," a local said.
4 year old Sikh to convert to Roman Catholic for school admission
The Daily Mail is writing about Sikh parents willing to convert their four year old girl into Roman Catholic.
Sikh girl will convert for a place at Catholic school
By PAUL SIMS - More by this author » Last updated at 23:18pm on 19th August 2007
Comments Comments (15)
The parents of a Sikh girl want to convert her to Roman Catholicism to win a place at the school of their choice.
Baljit and Bal Singh say they will change their four-year-old daughter's religion if it means she can attend their favoured school next month.
READ ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=476449&in_page_id=1770
Sikh girl will convert for a place at Catholic school
By PAUL SIMS - More by this author » Last updated at 23:18pm on 19th August 2007
Comments Comments (15)
The parents of a Sikh girl want to convert her to Roman Catholicism to win a place at the school of their choice.
Baljit and Bal Singh say they will change their four-year-old daughter's religion if it means she can attend their favoured school next month.
READ ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=476449&in_page_id=1770
Gurdwara in Cyprus (Nicosia) - world capitals
Another amazing achievement of Sikh diaspora. Sikhs in Cyrprus have built a gurdwara Sahib in the capital city of Nicosia. Setting up gurdwara was not easy since the place tends to have orthodox tendencies.
More details and pictures can be found in this blog.http://cyprus-sikhs.blogspot.com/
and here
http://cyprus-sikhs.blogspot.com/2007/08/gurudwara-sangatsar-sahib.html
More details and pictures can be found in this blog.http://cyprus-sikhs.blogspot.com/
and here
http://cyprus-sikhs.blogspot.com/2007/08/gurudwara-sangatsar-sahib.html
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Sikh faces turban ban in Irish reserve force
Independent reports that
A SIKH member of the Garda Reserve is banned from wearing his ceremonial headdress, the turban.
Integration Minister Conor Lenihan last night backed up the Garda Siochana ruling, saying immigrants to this country must accept our culture.
read full article here. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/sikh-member-of-the-reserve-is-banned-from-wearing-turban-1057548.html
A SIKH member of the Garda Reserve is banned from wearing his ceremonial headdress, the turban.
Integration Minister Conor Lenihan last night backed up the Garda Siochana ruling, saying immigrants to this country must accept our culture.
read full article here. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/sikh-member-of-the-reserve-is-banned-from-wearing-turban-1057548.html
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Sikh spirit in a multicultural army
Sikh spirit in a multicultural army
writes Daniel Hannan in response to the move to have a Sikh regiment in the British army
You couldn’t ask for more loyal, more patriotic or more soldierly immigrants than the Sikhs. How encouraging, then, that a number of community leaders should have floated the idea of recruiting a British Sikh regiment.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/politics/danielhannan/june07/sikhspirit.htm
writes Daniel Hannan in response to the move to have a Sikh regiment in the British army
You couldn’t ask for more loyal, more patriotic or more soldierly immigrants than the Sikhs. How encouraging, then, that a number of community leaders should have floated the idea of recruiting a British Sikh regiment.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/politics/danielhannan/june07/sikhspirit.htm
No to Sikh regiment in British army
Sikh regiment dumped over 'racism' fears
By Sean Rayment, Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 12:35am BST 24/06/2007
Defence chiefs have abandoned plans to raise a regiment of British Sikhs amid fears that the move would be branded racist.
The Indian Army's Sikh Regiment: Sikh regiment dumped over 'racism' fears
The Indian Army's Sikh Regiment, which was formed in 1846
The proposal to create the regiment, reminiscent of those that fought for Britain in the two world wars, was dropped by the Ministry of Defence after discussions with the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE).
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/06/24/nsikh124.xml
By Sean Rayment, Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 12:35am BST 24/06/2007
Defence chiefs have abandoned plans to raise a regiment of British Sikhs amid fears that the move would be branded racist.
The Indian Army's Sikh Regiment: Sikh regiment dumped over 'racism' fears
The Indian Army's Sikh Regiment, which was formed in 1846
The proposal to create the regiment, reminiscent of those that fought for Britain in the two world wars, was dropped by the Ministry of Defence after discussions with the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE).
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/06/24/nsikh124.xml
Sikh elected as mayor in US
This ‘Harry’ Stands Out From the Crowd
LAUREL HOLLOW, N.Y., July 28 — Harvinder Anand, the new mayor of this Long Island village of multimillion-dollar homes, private beaches and yachtsmen, is, like many other residents, a successful business executive, a boater and a connoisseur of world travel. His Sikh turban and beard drew double takes when he moved to the community about 10 years ago, but it does not get many anymore. At least not among the locals.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/01/nyregion/01mayor.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
LAUREL HOLLOW, N.Y., July 28 — Harvinder Anand, the new mayor of this Long Island village of multimillion-dollar homes, private beaches and yachtsmen, is, like many other residents, a successful business executive, a boater and a connoisseur of world travel. His Sikh turban and beard drew double takes when he moved to the community about 10 years ago, but it does not get many anymore. At least not among the locals.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/01/nyregion/01mayor.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
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