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proactive

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Everything posted by proactive

  1. Dalsingh101 Populations increase with time, the programme was right, the Sikhs were about 6 million then and the rest of the population of british india was 390 million. It's now about 1400 million (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh combined)
  2. The researcher for the programme who the credits listed as Suky Johal should hang his head in shame. There was no such thing as Sikhs preparing in their villages prior to the Muslim attack on Sikhs in Rawalpindi area in March 1947. The narrator claimed that Muslims attacking Sikhs were prempting the Sikh attacks! Bit like saying Muslims bombed the twin towers to preempt the American invasion of Afghanistan! It was the unprovoked Muslim attacks that prompted Sikhs to start arming themselves. To those guys who claim that people like Shingara Singh committed atrocities. It is to people like these guys that we owe East Punjab's existence because the likelihood was that the Muslims in west Punjab would force out the Sikhs and Hindus and yet Muslims would still remain in East Punjab because of the so-called Indian secular leaders like Nehru and Gandhi and other ahinsawadis. West Punjab would have become a purely Muslim province and yet East Punjab would have had a 25% Muslim minority and given the problems that every country with a Muslim population of over 5% has at the moment we can only guess what problems these Muslims would have created for East Punjab.
  3. Our area is Jagraon tehsil in Ludhiana district which along with Moga and Tarn Taran were Sikh majority tehsils. Most of the Muslims in this tehsil lived in to the north of the tehsil in the 'bet' area which was on the south bank of the Satluj river. A fair number lived in Jagraon town. On my father's side although their background was Jagraon Tehsil they had lived for some years in the canal colony of Khanewal in Multan district in west Punjab. Thankfully they had decided to return many years before partition and let the land in Khanewal to tenants to farm. Mother's side of the family lived some miles away in Ludhiana tehsil. At partition my father was a enrolled at the military school in Jhelum in west Punjab and was evacuated by the military to East Punjab. The atmosphere had been tense since March-April 1947 as at that time Muslims had wiped out Sikh and Hindu villages in Rawalpindi. Before that the only violence had been between Hindus and Muslims in Calcutta, Bihar and Bengal. This was the first time that Muslims had attacked Sikhs. Some of the survivors of these killings had moved to Patiala state at the invitation of the Maharaja and some had travelled via Jagraon and Ludhiana so the local Sikhs had become aware of their suffering. Most of the village Muslims left on their own accord although some were provided with escorts from the village but the men from the village joined in attacks on Muslims in neighbouring villages and some in the 'bet' area. The Muslims in the 'bet' villages started to attack Sikhs going through their villages first and it was then that large scale attacks by Sikhs took place. As the village was a big recruiting ground for the army most of those that took part in attacking Muslims were returned soldiers just back from world war 2. Some trains carrying Muslims were attacked west of Jagraon just as they were about to cross the Satluj. The village had the foresight to destroy the mosque and plough over the land so unlike in villages closer to Ludhiana where Bhaiya Muslims have started to re-open Mosques backed by the Punjab Waqf board there are is no mosque to reopen in our village.
  4. The poll was of just canadian Muslims hence 12% is 84,000 people. So if you have 8 Muslim friends chances are one of them think it's a good idea to behead the PM of canada on TV. I would be surprised if 25 Sikhs could be found in Canada who would say that Babbar Khalsa killing Mulrooney would have been justified. Which Khalistani leader says kill Hindus? I hope your not going on about that speech in NY by one of the Singhs accused of Air India bombing. Show me one video where a Khalistani leader says kill Hindus, go on youtube and you'll see countless Muslims saying that killing Kafirs is a good thing.
  5. The fault for the cut and run policy as well as the betrayal of the Sikhs was due to the ruling Labour party. I remember reading somewhere that whenever the Sikhs tried to present their case based on their greater landownership against the Muslim case, which they downgraded as one of tenents rather than the owners of the land before the British, they were always told that the socialist labour govt would never consider landownership to count for more than population. Sometimes I wonder whether the Sikhs would have got a better deal under the conservatives had they been in power in Britain. Based on landholdings the Sikhs could have got Lahore as well as the Nankana Sahib region and parts of Sialkot and Gujranwala. Partition based on population majority was not a done deal and land ownership as well as economic considerations could well have bolstered the Sikh case for more land in West Punjab. Radcliffe awarded the Chittagong Hill Tracts to East Pakistan even though the Muslim population was less that 5% there based purely on its economic linkage to the rest port of Chittagong. A year after partition the UN awarded a much larger share of Palestine to the Jews base on landholding rather than population majority.
  6. Namstang This was the relevant quote from the newspaper link Look at the evidence against the Muslims who were planning a live beheading and the evidence against the Babbar Khalsa..lol. An anonymous letter.. didn't one of the American lawyers working for the immigration department also send herself threatening letters when she was fighting the case against two Singhs trying to get political asylum! Btw did you know that 12% of Canadian Muslims polled stated that the plot to behead the Canadian PM was Justified. That's about 84000 Muslims. How many Sikhs would have supported Mulrooney being killed even if Babbar Khalsa had even wanted to attack him.
  7. Namstang, I've been to Kaneda thanks and no I didn't think it was that beautiful. I thought Sweden was much more beautiful than Kaneda and the Swedish Goray much more friendlier. The situation you're seeing in Canada is the same as it was in Birmingham in the 60s and Southall in the 80s. Sikhs and Muslims getting along because Sikhs were in the majority in their areas and Muslims were minorities. Where Sikhs are in a Majority the Muslims get treated well but when the roles are reversed like in places like Bradford, Muslims are not so tolerant and same will be the case in Canada. You've already had a start with some Muslims getting arrested trying to organise the televised beheading of the Canadian PM. In many ways the Muslims in Canada have been bolder than the ones in UK as they tried to bring Sharia Law into Canada whereas the Uk Muslims haven't tried that yet. Wait a few years when they get more and more Muslims into your areas and then come back in a few years and let us know how much tolerance and love there is still. Canada has been lucky that they have had a large influx of families from Punjab but once that dries up and Muslim numbers increase then what is happening in UK will start in Canada as well.
  8. The word is there for those who know where to look. Try googling it. You wrong when you say I don't like Nihangs. My criticism has been about certain Nihangs, Santa Singh and the UK Nihang who runs the dodgy websites. I'm sure there are many Nihangs who have done a lot for the Panth. You seem to be bursting a blood vassel over my use of the Snatan word although I haven't used it before on this thread. So what's your problem with my use of the word, are you reneging on its use now? So I'm Islamophobic, yeah rite, perhaps you need to read the definition of the word before accusing other people of being one. Care to counter what I have written on Islam, feel free to try. Javanmard/Lalleshwari/Bahadur as you well know is a product of the Snatan system, in many ways he was its chief ideologue more than the people behind the websites. You need to consider why the UK Nihangs attract people like him, Birds of a feather stick together do they not? I'm sure Snatans now disown him because of his recent paagalpan as evidenced by his posts on SA but the facts remain that snatans allowed him full rein to spread his views for many years. It's all very well trying to rewrite history and trying to airbrush his links to UK Nihangs. The reason for my question of whether he was a Nihang at the time of starting SP in Southall was because you appeared to be portraying his as a Nihang who had done a lot of positive things on this issue. If anything it should have been of how a Mona did so much for the Panth as he became a Nihang later after the SP days. Unlike some people on here who are quick to criticise ALL the views of some members just because they disagree with one view of theirs. I support Sarpanch and Militant on some issues because their views tally with mine but on others such as their undue hatred of Hindus, their bahmanophobia if you like, and their lack of criticism of Muslims I have countered their views.
  9. You're slow, check some of namstang's posts Btw r u Steel Bangle from SA?
  10. I understand what you are saying but you are making a mistake equating the great leaders of the Khalsa with the hard drinking and drug culture of Punjab. The leaders such as Banda Singh Bahadur, Nawab Kapur Singh, Baba Deep Singh, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia didn't drink and they certainly didn't take drugs. Don't take the 'evidence' of some dodgy hippy websites as fact. In fact these people following that website are more likely to be taking part in Shia siapas than doing anything positive for Sikhi. You should be brave enough to say what you mean and the fact you also instigator of promoting false propaganda yourself . The Nihung digs are getting somewhat repetitive. For your information A mona turned Nihung himself and a handful of his mates started the S.P movement in Southall he spent the 90’s asking for the likes of the Gurdwara committees, Akjs, Taksalees for help against the ever growing strength of fundamental Islam, grooming, bullying, racist attacks etc etc only to ba laughed at and shown the door. These guys used to knock down doors to crack houses where upnia were being sexed out by Pakistani freshies, to name a few incidents, these braves were the ones who stood in the streets of chalvey, Slough, and told the fanatics to “bring it” this particular guy a Nihung now, a university graduate sacrificed his education, career and freedom he spent time in jail for saving the isath of a banji. These guys stopped it then, no ones got the guts to do jack now, that’s reality pal now its just bakwas. Please get your facts straight. Was he a Nihang when he started the SP movement in southall or did he become a Nihang after? I am surprised at your comments since SP actions are the most criticised amongst UK Nihangs. Are you saying that the Islamophiliac UK Nihangs support what the SP did in the 90s and can I take it that UK Nihangs are the biggest supporters of the SAS and Bhai Mohan Singh? Who’s Islamaphobic? go back and read your own posts pal! Then tell be who’s Islamaphobic? Let me sum it up for you in the context of what’s being discussed. This is their own accounts not my words, I spoke with one of them last night I wanted to get his feel on it. # we used to go the Gurdwaras and have talks, meeting with youngsters the pardan (sohi) and his sons started grassing us up to the old bill we kept getting picked up and our cars got marked by the police. So we then started having meeting in pubs, more people would turn up mostly mona’. In fact Mona’ mostly were the ones who ever did anything, there were more mona’ there were a few sardars and a couple of Singhs. The Jathe didn’t want to know us the AKJ guys called us trouble makers and said we were not even Sikhs! A few mind you ,probably two or three did support us morally but that was it .The ISYF guys were too political they were willing to help but then wanted people muscle power to help them when it came to Gurudwara politics, like taking over Park avenue or Havelock road we didn’t want that so we were alone. # we were sick and tired of these p**** beating up on kids were upnai were few in number, they would target Sikh girls who had younger brothers just for kicks, they often groomed girls first the clubbing and drinks and then it went two ways, first they converted usually because they had no other choice often the drinking drug taking would get out of hand and the girl may not come home for a few days being plastered from it all, they would have been sexual contact also during this grooming period, everyone knew that. Once it became common knowledge in the community due to gossiping aunties *To tell you the truth most parents didn’t even want them back*one even said “we’ll save a few quid on her wedding” the movement was massive everybody wanted on board, every were it was S.P this and S.P that, we took the fight everywhere Hounslow against the Apachies, Slough against the Chalvey boys etc etc east London , were they openly practice jadhu toona to convert girls even married women, **one such case of an amritdari woman moved in next door with a moosla!! She didn’t even recognise her two year old and four year olds calling her from the garden as she done the mooslas washing nor her parents nor husband * * they took the matter to the Gurdwara and spoke to the Gianis, they were told only a Bramgiani could help them* This is what I have seen with my own eyes this and so much more and led me to find out more about Sikhi, I tried to find out stuff here (U.K) but it was difficult politics was more important then spirituality which is the same bloody thing today. So Proactive you can spin it how you like, your dislike of Nihungs is well noted “ Nihungs with their yellow kashera’ and plastic ak47” is what you say and that’s your view don’t mix it in here adding to the false propaganda. You can be Proactive like your namesake and do something about it instead of judging people you don’t even know and wouldn’t want to just because they belive in something a bit different then you. I see that you again jump in without even reading my post. I wrote ISLAMOPHILIAC not ISLAMOPHOBIC, get yourself a dictionary before putting your foot in. UK Nihangs are Islamophiliacs mostly for the Shia Islam variety. A couple of them even attend the Shia Muslim siapas and self abuse crying over some dead Imam. Where have I said anything about yellow kashera? Yes, I have criticised Nihangs with their plastic AK47s but I haven't said anything about the Bana so once again more bukwas on your part. Once again can you answer the following questions Was he a Nihang when he started the SP movement in southall or did he become a Nihang after? I am surprised at your comments since SP actions are the most criticised amongst UK Nihangs. Are you saying that the Islamophiliac UK Nihangs support what the SP did in the 90s and can I take it that UK Nihangs are the biggest supporters of the SAS and Bhai Mohan Singh?
  11. I understand what you are saying but you are making a mistake equating the great leaders of the Khalsa with the hard drinking and drug culture of Punjab. The leaders such as Banda Singh Bahadur, Nawab Kapur Singh, Baba Deep Singh, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia didn't drink and they certainly didn't take drugs. Don't take the 'evidence' of some dodgy hippy websites as fact. In fact these people following that website are more likely to be taking part in Shia siapas than doing anything positive for Sikhi. You should be brave enough to say what you mean and the fact you also instigator of promoting false propaganda yourself . The Nihung digs are getting somewhat repetitive. For your information A mona turned Nihung himself and a handful of his mates started the S.P movement in Southall he spent the 90’s asking for the likes of the Gurdwara committees, Akjs, Taksalees for help against the ever growing strength of fundamental Islam, grooming, bullying, racist attacks etc etc only to ba laughed at and shown the door. These guys used to knock down doors to crack houses where upnia were being sexed out by Pakistani freshies, to name a few incidents, these braves were the ones who stood in the streets of chalvey, Slough, and told the fanatics to “bring it” this particular guy a Nihung now, a university graduate sacrificed his education, career and freedom he spent time in jail for saving the isath of a banji. These guys stopped it then, no ones got the guts to do jack now, that’s reality pal now its just bakwas. Please get your facts straight. Was he a Nihang when he started the SP movement in southall or did he become a Nihang after? I am surprised at your comments since SP actions are the most criticised amongst UK Nihangs. Are you saying that the Islamophiliac UK Nihangs support what the SP did in the 90s and can I take it that UK Nihangs are the biggest supporters of the SAS and Bhai Mohan Singh?
  12. I understand what you are saying but you are making a mistake equating the great leaders of the Khalsa with the hard drinking and drug culture of Punjab. The leaders such as Banda Singh Bahadur, Nawab Kapur Singh, Baba Deep Singh, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia didn't drink and they certainly didn't take drugs. Don't take the 'evidence' of some dodgy hippy websites as fact. In fact these people following that website are more likely to be taking part in Shia siapas than doing anything positive for Sikhi. I'm talking about established fact not from any hippy website. Bhangi sardars got there name from Bhang taking by their leader. There are a good few European accounts explaining how common Sikh soldiers in the late 1700s took drink and drugs. Maharajah Ranjit Singh did too. Nihungs still do. I'm not saying everyone did, but plenty did and it was excepted. Like dancing warrior said, many of these types of guys recently did a lot for helping hapless kuriaan more than any religious people in the 90s. Most religious people wouldn't know because they ignored it, like many seem to be doing now. My point is that it doesn't really matter if you are overtly religious or not - this is true today as well as in our past or how else do you explain the misals and Ranjit Singh etc? In fact the people giving it large with their religiousity are involved in more and worse shia siapas than anyone else today. In teh end - someone do something now please. If the religious people want to take the lead please do so - you will be supported - otherwise shut up and let the ones who want to do something do it, without bitchy personal remarks about their rehat. The Bhangi Misl took its name because one of its main leaders was addicted to Bhang, not all of the Misl were takers of Bhang. I think we have to use common sense when discussing these issues, if Bhang was the staple for Sikhs at that time then why the need to call someone Bhangi when most Sikhs would have been Bhangis. You only give people such names if their actions ie taking Bhang were out of the ordinary. The dodgy websites take the writings from 1840 period when Sikhs had had over 50 years of power and a section had degenerated into hard drinkers and bhang takers and take that to have been the norm in the 1699-1799 period. The hard drinking reputation of present Sikh soldiers is due to the Indian government loosening the emphasis on Rehat amongst Sikh soldiers after 1947. Pre-1947 Sikhs in the army had observed a century of rehat and there was no hard drinking or bhang taking in the army then. These soldiers fought in the hardest battles the British had to fight and went through two world wars without drink and bhang. So lets not confuse the issue here.
  13. I think you're getting a wrong perception of goray from the newspapers or the TV. Most goray who have interaction with Sikhs appreciate our open hearted culture. We also have our rednecks like you have and their views mostly come from the fact that they have not interacted with Sikhs.
  14. I understand what you are saying but you are making a mistake equating the great leaders of the Khalsa with the hard drinking and drug culture of Punjab. The leaders such as Banda Singh Bahadur, Nawab Kapur Singh, Baba Deep Singh, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia didn't drink and they certainly didn't take drugs. Don't take the 'evidence' of some dodgy hippy websites as fact. In fact these people following that website are more likely to be taking part in Shia siapas than doing anything positive for Sikhi.
  15. Humkire Some very wise words there brother! What we are seeing on this forum is the various strands of Sikh views which are pretty much mirrored in the general society, although Sikhs thankfully, due to our history are much more clued up on what Islam and Muslims are really about. Having faced a century of genocide from Muslims since the birth of the Khalsa and then another round of killings in 1947 does make a community wonder whether the religious beliefs of the persecutors have something to do the way they have been acting. The views of Sikhs which are-; 1. The lax, liberal, george galloway following 'respect' party supporters, ranj and sunny hundal types. These people have been brainwashed by the liberal media like the BBC and the Guardian into thinking that the Muslims are victims whereas the truth is that in 99% of all cases the Muslims are the aggressors. These people have emasculated themselves by their own hands and think that by taking a, in their view rational non-violent approach to the Muslim problem will work wonders. Any victory for Muslims is seen as a victory of the victims by them, they are the types who went around with 'We are all Hazbollah Now' signs after the Hazbollah-Israel war last year. They are the 'America deserved 9/11' brigade. Most of them might have had a history of struggles against the National Front in the 70s and 80s and because at that time the 'asians' were united they still think that the 'asian unity' slogan can still act as a unifier of the communities. They fail to understand that much has happened since the 70s and 80s and the Muslims with their increased population are much more aggressive. In fact the Muslims pretty much disowned the 'asian' tag around the time of the satanic verses affair. They fail to understand that Muslim behaviour depends on what percentage they constitute in the local population. If there's only a few Muslim families then they will be the best behaved and most friendly people around. Get some more Muslims moving in and then their attitude changes. In the 80s most Sikhs in west london had no problem with Muslims and the problems with forced conversions were a midlands problem. Now that the Muslims have increased in west london then the problem has started here as well. Some Canadian and American Sikhs also come under this type mainly because they live in areas where Muslims are a small minority. To them I would say, just wait a few years and with more Muslim immigration and see how your pro-Muslim views change. 2. The Khalistani Anti-Hindu type. This is personified by people like Sarpanch and Militant. I have a great deal of respect for their Khalistan beliefs since they constitute the new generation of Sikh nationalism but what irks me sometimes is the fact that the anti-Hindu attitude is all consuming and is not measured. No true Khalistani can be anti-Hindu, yes Khalistani like myself are anti-India. Their anti-Hindu attitude makes them overlook all Muslim activities against Sikhs. These guys I assume are too young to know that one of the reasons that the Khalistan movement received its setback was the help provided to India by Benazir Bhutto against the movement. Pakistan's aid is just there for it to cause problems for India. Pakistan would never support Khalistan mainly because they know that they are sitting on land vacated by Sikhs. India and some Hindus are our enemies at this stage but Islam and Muslims will be enemies of Sikhs for eternity. Sikhism promotes all the things that Islam dispises Freedom of belief and equality. 3. The 'Bhai Mardana was a Muslim so all Muslims and Islam can't be bad' brigade These are people who have read some books on Sikhi mostly written by 'sarbsanjivalta' types from the 50's who were trying to present Sikhi as a socialist experiment. Instead of looking deeper they just assume that because Bhai Mardana was at one stage a Muslim suddenly this proves that Islam is a valid belief system. They take the verses from Gurbani about what a good Muslim should be and take that literally and instead of delving deeper into what definition Gurbani gives to a Muslim. They will use any excuse to overlook the actions of the Muslims. All the persecutions of the Sikhs in explained away as the actions of Mughals and not Muslims as if Mughals did not follow Islam. They fail to understand that the actions of the Mughals were in line with Islam. Anyone espousing freedom of belief and equal rights for all in an Islamic state is liable to be taken as an enemy of Allah and such liable to execution. These Sikhs will dismiss the actions of Muslims who have read the Quran and studied Islam for decades as 'misguded' and yet these Sikhs probably at best read a children's book on Islam saying what a great compassionate faith Islam is. 4. The aware Sikhs. Gradually more and more Sikhs are becoming aware of what a danger Islam is. Just as the general population is becoming more and more aware and even some parts of the media has been asking searching questions about why Muslims seem to causing the most problems around the world. These Sikhs more than the other three types have the most experience of Muslims and Islam. These Sikhs are the ones when confronted by a Muslim hissing 'Issslaam is peeeecccee' will ask him some searching questions that even he won't be able to answer. I think most Sikhs start off as any of the other three types but experience of Islam leads them in the end as type 4.
  16. Dancing Warrior, I see you're up to your old tricks. If you can't ack up your statements you start going off at a tangent. Nice try though but as always your inability to back up your opinions can't be hidden under the insults.
  17. Dancing Warrior it's better to admit you made some pretty stupid comparisons and accept what even a 5 year old knows, that Sikhs do not have freedom in India.
  18. THATS IT????? 44 ? It should be in hundreds... I don't think it's the common Punjabi that is creating these problems. The issue of international airports in Jullundur and Ludhiana is created by land speculators trying to make a quick buck. Word got out that the government was due to announce the upgrading of either Halwara or Sahnewal airports to international status so the speculators started to buy land nearby, the price of which skyrocketed but when the announcement didn't come the prices fell again. Now they government is announcing that Mohali may get an international airport which will lead to more land speculation. The Mohali idea just shows how stupid or mischevious the people in power are trying to build another international airport at the extreme edge of the state. I don't think that any of the people who live in the west whose back ground is from Jullundur or Ludhiana are bothered about an airport in their districts. From Amritsar to Jullundur is only 1 and half hours and Ludhiana about 2 and a half hours so it's no big deal for them. One of the issues which Punjabis should now be campaigning against is the price differentials of airlines like Jet Airways. During the same season Jet charges something like £525 from London Heathrow to Amritsar whilst from the same airport to Delhi is £390! Considering that Amritsar is closer by nearly an hour than Delhi as well as the fact that the load factor (% of seats sold) is greater in the Amritsar flights than the Delhi ones then the prices don't make any sense.
  19. Yeah rite You can carry a Kalashnikov in India. Maybe because the police in India know the ones who had the guts to use their Kalashnikovs in defence of Sikhi are gone and only the kuchay peelay with plastic kalashnikovs remain.
  20. I'm always surprised at the amount of desh bhagati that some Sikhs in India show. Maybe they just want to ape the Hindus who are a majority. As for slaves of whites Jassa needs to get out Hindia for a while and see how free people live in the west. We have equal rights in the countries we live in unlike India we don't get Sikhs picked up off the streets and get murdered by the police and we don't have to wait for 20 years for justice. Yes, there's racism and people like Sodhi get killed by rednecks but the police as well as the government are there to uphold the law. The only law the Indian police and goverment uphold is the law of the jungle. The west with all it's drawbacks is a million times better than living in a dungheap like India. Given half a chance 99.9% of people in India would migrate to the west. No one from the west would ever move to India.
  21. LOL, your just another brain washed individual, who uses words like Pyjama to encourage your fellow dim witted, idiotic friends to laugh and follow suit. Wow, they really have got you by the short and curley's havent they! Dear oh dear. Yes, Pyjamaji you got me beat! :WW:
  22. I think the expression comes from the Punjabi rhetorical question Tuun Banda Jan Pyjama? Ranj you might want to watch dispatches tonight at 8pm on Channel 4. It's called Britain under attack and involves the Islamaniacs and their attacks on Britain. Channel 4 used a lefty pinko liberal channel but dispatches seems to have given them a bit of a backbone.
  23. Ranj, You still keep going on about this issue being two sided. Either put up or SHUT UP! You still have not posted any evidence about Sikh guys trying to convert Muslim women by trickery or blackmailing. You're just coming across as one those pyjama Singhs who just want a quiet life and think that if someone has been attacked then it must be that persons fault! BBC is filled full of Islam lovers, strange thing is that if ever the Islamaniacs take over these BBC liberal left wing nuts will be the first ones they execute. Man, how ridiculous you are citing a muppet like galloway as though he's some kind of authority on the BBC. Just look any any news item where Muslims are doing anything wrong that they will always be described as 'Asians'. Only in terrorism cases do they call them Muslims but even Brown wants to change that now.
  24. Amritsar airport takes off on new high - internationally By Jaideep Sarin, IANS Amritsar : The Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi has some competition after all. Amritsar's Rajasansi airport has taken off literally on a new high with dozens of international flights landing and flying out - mostly booked to capacity. Figure this. With over 80 departures during peak time a week, the airport here has come of its own, especially after 2005. Out of the over dozen airlines that operate from here, eight have international flights. Even during lean season (May-August), the departures never fall below 60 per week. The total number of passengers handled by the airport here nearly touched 600,000 in 2006-07. Of these, 488,310 were international passengers while only 107,918 passengers were domestic ones. Thanks to Punjab's ever-increasing population of NRIs and also the attraction of coming to the Golden Temple, the holiest of Sikh shrines, Amritsar has emerged as a destination in its own might. "Amritsar is the new destination for international travellers. With so many NRIs around and people wanting to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple, this airport is bound to grow. People who were till now forced to go to Delhi for international flights can now easily board from here," pointed out Amritsar-based builder Harvinder Pal Singh. Compared to the number of passengers it was catering to just a decade ago - 22,190 in 1997-98 - Amritsar's flight plan took off in 2002-03 with over 178,000 passengers that year. In 2006-07, the passenger growth touched 596,228. In just four years, the passenger growth is nearly three and a half times. Aircraft movement, which was 1,864 in 2002-03, touched 5,754 in 2006-07. The growth potential of this airport can be seen from the interest of various airlines to operate from here. Singapore Airlines has been operating from here for over one year. Malaysia's successful budget airline - Air Asia - is planning to start its first flights out of India from Amritsar in October. Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan Airlines are already operating from here. Airport Director Arun Talwar is upbeat not only about the growth of passengers and flights from here but also the expansion plans for the airport. "It is the fastest growing airport in the country. With cargo operations starting Aug 1, the airport will see even more fights. Last year, Amritsar beat Goa and Ahmedabad in terms of international passenger growth," Talwar told IANS. Amritsar recorded 488,310 international passengers compared to nearly 400,000 at both Goa and Ahmedabad - both airports known to attract tourists and business visitors. The airport's terminal building is being renovated and expanded from its earlier covered area of 14,500 square metres to over 41,000 square metres. The building, which now has a passenger handling capacity of 500, will be able to handle 1,200 passengers by March 2008. The runway at the airport is being extended from its present length of 10,790 feet to 12,000 feet. The airport will have nine parking bays within a couple of months compared to the present three. The Punjab government is providing 44 acres of land to facilitate the expansion plans. "The growth of this airport has been such in recent years that projected figures for future plans have already been surpassed. The new plans are in line with future requirements till 2015," Talwar said. Even though it is tucked in the northwest corner of the state, Amritsar is only two-three hours away from industrial hubs Ludhiana and Jalandhar. New Delhi in comparison is 8-10 hours away. "It is so convenient to take flights from here instead of going to Delhi. If only more airlines start their flights from here to Britain, US and Canada, Amritsar will soon be in the big league of airports," says Rajdeep Abroal of Ludhiana.
  25. I think we should be more strigent in presenting the Sikh suffering rather than just lump into the overall suffering of the different communities. 1. Sikhs were the first community to be targetted by Muslims in Punjab in March 1947. Whole Sikh villages were wiped out in Rawalpindi district a clear 5 months before the partition. 2. Muslims in West Punjab particularly targetted Sikhs because Sikhs owned the most land there and they wanted to take it over. The loss of Sikhs in terms of land was much more than the land left behind by Muslims in East Punjab. The land the Sikhs left behind was also better quality than the land left in East Punjab. 3. In terms of numbers although most of the communities lost similar numbers killed, in terms of total population, Sikhs lost 1 in 20, Hindus lost 1 in 35 and Muslims 1 in 55. 4. In terms of refugees 2 out of 5 Sikhs were made into refugees, for Muslims it was 2 in 8 and for Hindus 2 in 6. The end result was that the people who suffered the most in 1947 and now the worst off in 2007. Hindus have their own country as do Muslims. Sikhs do not.
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