Azaad

Mehtab Singh and PJS bhaisahib!!

The Punjab Jails Department has refused to execute the order of a Chandigarh court asking the Patiala Central Jail authorities to hang former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh’s killer Balwant Singh, claiming that they (Punjab) have no such understanding with the Chandigarh Administration. At present, Balwant Singh is lodged in the Patiala jail. Following a written request by the DGP (Jails) Shashi Kant to the Punjab Home Department this afternoon, the state government is now exploring legal options as to how “the execution orders by a Chandigarh court pertaining to the hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana could be sent back without being executed”. Sources said technically Rajoana could not be hanged in any jail of Punjab and his execution would have to be carried out in the Burial Jail at Chandigarh. The state government was also not very keen on executing the Chandigarh court order in Punjab as the hanging could come as a setback for the newly formed government, sources added. Sources maintained that a decision in this regard was taken by the Jails Department this morning after a surprise visit of the DGP (Jails) to the Central Jail, Patiala, where he held a closed door meeting with jail officials. “The meeting lasted for over an hour and later Shashi Kant met Balwant Singh and also took stock of the security arrangements,” they added. The DGP (Jails) cited a 1983 agreement between Chandigarh and Punjab, wherein it was stated that the condemned prisoners could be kept in the Central Jail, Patiala, in lieu of daily lodging and boarding charges. “However there is no provision that such prisoners would be hanged in the Central Jail, Patiala,” they said. Shashi Kant said he had already apprised the Punjab Home Department on the issue and after taking into consideration various legal obligations, he would also get in touch with the court to apprise it of the facts pertaining to the case. “Our Home Department would inform the UT Home Secretary shortly as our understanding with the Chandigarh Administration does not authorise us to hang a convict who committed a crime in Chandigarh and is their prisoner,” Kant said. The denial to hang Rajoana has come as a major relief for the SAD-BJP government in Punjab as Sikh hardliners in the state were against the hanging of Rajoana and his hanging in the state could have drawn criticism for the newly formed SAD government. THE CASE n On Tuesday, Chandigarh’s Additional District and Sessions Judge Shalini Nagpal issued Balwant Singh’s execution warrants, which were sent to the Patiala jail where he is lodged. n A special court of Judge Ravi Kumar Sondhi had awarded death penalty to Balwant Singh and Jagtar Singh Hawara on July 31, 2007. NO HANGMAN n The last hanging in Punjab was executed on June 16, 1989, when two brothers from Sangrur, Gurcharan Singh and Pritam Singh, were hanged in the Central Jail Patiala. The hanging was performed by hangman Kaloo, who was specially summoned from the Tihar Jail in Delhi for the job.

Parkash Singh Badal was today sworn in as the Chief Minister of Punjab for a record fifth time. His son and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister. Sixteen other legislators took the oath of office and secrecy and allegiance to the Constitution as Cabinet ministers to run the Punjab Government for the next five years. With this, Badal becomes the oldest and the most experienced Chief Minister in the country. He will be the leader of the House in the 14th Punjab Vidhan Sabha that will meet for the first time on March 19. He was the first to take oath at the Banda Bahadur Memorial at Chappar Chiri, 15 km from Chandigarh, by Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil. The 18-member Punjab Cabinet has 14 ministers from the SAD and four from the BJP, its pre-poll alliance partner. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by thousands of supporters and political leaders from across the country. Leaders from Sant Samaj, which was part of the SAD-BJP alliance, were given special attention and were made to sit on a stage. The Cabinet is a single-tier one with all ministers being granted Cabinet rank. Among these 18, four ministers each are from Majha and Doaba regions. while Malwa has 10 ministers, including the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister. The distribution of ministries is based on the region-wise proportion of constituencies in the state. The ministers from Majha who were sworn in today are Adesh Partap Kairon, Bikramjit Singh Majithia, Anil Joshi and Gulzar Singh Ranike. Doaba is represented by Jagir Kaur, Ajit Singh Kohar, Sarwan Singh Phillaur and Bhagat Chuni Lal. The 10 ministers from Malwa are the Badal father-son duo, Madan Mohan Mittal, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Tota Singh, Surjit Kumar Jyani, Sikander Singh Maluka, Surjit Singh Rakhra and Sharanjit Singh Dhillon. Badal and Sukhbir arrived on time (at 11 am) from two opposite sides and spent a few minutes meeting guests and supporters who were already seated. In the background, Guru Gobind Singh’s “Dey hey Shiva // mohey hai, shubh karman sey kabhi na daroon” clearly conveyed the state government’s positive commitment to take Punjab ahead. The ceremony was started by Punjab Chief Secretary Sabodh Chander Aggarwal. When he declared the ceremony closed, the sky over the venue was filled with fire crackers. The ceremony was attended by various political leaders including former Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani, convener, NDA, and Janata Dal (U) president Sharad Yadav, BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, Gujarat Chief Minister Narender Modi, former BJP chief Rajnath Singh, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, BJP leader Shanta Kumar, former Haryana Chief Minister Om Parkash Chautala, Union minister Praful Patel, former Chief Minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje Scindia, Delhi BJP leader Vijay Goel, Karnataka PWD Minister CM Udasi, AIADMK MPs Thambi Durrai and Dr Maitre, BJP MP Anurag Thakur, Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda, former Canadian MP Ruby Dhalla. As Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister took their oath in Punjabi, their family members, including MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal along with her kids, witnessed the ceremony. Bikram Singh Majithia, who was caught in a traffic jam, made it to the venue riding pillion on his PA Kartar Singh’s motorcycle. All new Cabinet ministers made it a point to get the blessings of Parkash Singh Badal after they were sworn in. Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Singh Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia went to the stage to seek the blessings of Sant Samaj chief Harnam Singh Dhumma and other religious personalities. Baba Dhumma honoured them with siropas (robe of honour).

The SAD, which chose to discard its Panthic agenda during campaigning, is gearing up for its second innings in alliance with the BJP from the historic Banda Bahadur Memorial at Chappar Chiri. The choice of the venue has raised many an eyebrow. Noted Sikh scholar Bhai Ashok Singh Bagrian said: “I don’t know what message the SAD wants to convey, but it seems a mere gimmick. Leave alone Sikh issues, the SAD didn’t even raise key Punjab issues like water, Chandigarh and the transfer of Punjabi-speaking areas. It is no longer a Panthic party.” He, however, praised Parkash Singh Badal for outplaying other political parties in the elections. Former SGPC secretary Manjit Singh Calcutta said: “The SAD is merely trying to please the Panthic vote bank. It projected a secular image during the elections by shunning the Panthic agenda and are now making up for it. ” Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh said the SAD had not abandoned its Panthic agenda, but had focused more on development during the elections. “The inauguration of various memorials and the Panth Rattan awarded to Badal ahead of the assembly poll proves that the SAD never turned its back on the Panthic agenda.” He said the SAD had devoted two pages in its poll manifesto to Panthic issues, touching almost all key points. “The SAD has chosen March 14 for the swearing-in, the first day of New Year as per the Nanakshahi Calendar,” he added.

Was Sikh history on SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal’s mind when he chose Chappar Chiri for the swearing-in ceremony on March 14? Parkash Singh Badal will take oath as Chief Minister there. Sources said Sukhbir had earlier shortlisted PCA stadium at Mohali for the function, but opted for Chappar Chiri later. Chappar Chiri has a special place in Sikh history. It was here that Banda Singh Bahadur, one of the most respected warriors in Sikh history, had won the battle against Wazir Khan, who commanded the Mughal army. Wazir Khan had come to Chappar Chiri to stop the march of the “Sikh army” led by Banda Singh Bahadur to Sirhind. A most hated character by the Sikhs, Wazir Khan was killed at Chappar Chiri. Under the command of Banda Singh Bahadur, he was encircled by Fateh Singh and Baz Singh. On the Chappar Chiri victory, one historian has described the victory to be a “culmination of the Khalsa revolution”. The SAD-BJP government recently built a memorial “Fateh Burj” (tower of victory) at Chappar Chiri. The memorial stands at the centre of the field where the battle was fought in 1710. The function will be held close to the Burj, situated close to Mohali. The victory at Chappar Chiri had led to the annihilation of Sikhs’ tormentors in the region at that time. Fateh Singh was related to Sukhbir Singh Badal from his mother’s side. Fateh Singh was one of the ancestors of his late mother Surinder Kaur Badal. In fact, Surinder Kaur Badal belonged to Chak Fateh Singh village near Bhucho. The village drew its name from Fateh Singh, who was a “General” in Banda Singh Bahadur’s Army. Sukhbir-led SAD, which claims to represent the spirit of the Khalsa panth, registered a historic victory in the recent Assembly elections.

Southampton 15th April

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) supremo Parkash Singh Badal is all set to be sworn in as Punjab CM for a historic fifth term on March 14 with the SAD-BJP alliance today unanimously electing him as its legislature party leader. The swearing-in would take place at the Banda Bahadur Memorial at Chhapar Chiri and several top BJP leaders are expected to attend. After unanimously being elected leader of the SAD Legislature Party yesterday, Badal Senior was BJP-SAD legislators’ unanimous choice to be leader of the Vidhan Sabha today. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal told The Tribune, “Badal Sahib will remain Chief Minister for as long as he wishes. He is the party’s senior-most leader whose contribution to the state and the party is unparalleled.” Badal’s name was suggested by BJP observer Shanta Kumar and proposed by party state chief Ashwani Sharma. After it was seconded by Sukhbir and endorsed by BJPLegislature Party leader Bhagat Chunni Lal, others like Jathedar Tota Singh and Madan Mohan Mittal welcomed the decision with thunderous claps. The Akali stalwart is the alliance’s choice to head the government for several reasons. First, this was an electoral promise made by the SAD. Secondly, with the party securing 56 seats and the support of three Independents besides 12 members of the BJP, the government is firmly in place for the next five years. So, Sukhbir is in no hurry to receive the baton from his father. After an emotional Sukhbir hugged his father, Badal Senior took a moment to respond as his thoughts went back to his wife Surinder Kaur, who passed away last year. Quick to return to the present, Badal said, “I have no words to express my gratitude to all the MLAs who have given me this enormous responsibility.” His characteristic smile also returned. When PS Badal took over as Chief Minister for the first time in 1969, he was the country’s youngest CM. When he would be sworn-in for a record fifth time on March 14, he will be the country’s oldest CM. Talking about the SAD-BJP alliance, Badal said the relationship was very close to his heart. Despite either party’s performance, we will stay together through thick and thin, he said. Coming from Badal, a seasoned politician, the words were perhaps meant to assure the BJP that it had nothing to fear, even though the SAD could form a government on its own. After the meeting, the Badals, Bhagat Chuni Lal, Ashwani Sharma and Shanta Kumar drove to the Punjab Raj Bhawan and handed over a copy of resolution electing Parkash Singh Badal as leader of the SAD-BJP Legislature Party to Governor Shivraj V Patil. The Governor has invited Badal to form the government in Punjab.

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh has resumed the practice of installing Guru Granth Sahib in the balcony of the Takht in the morning and evening hours. A ‘bir’ of Guru Granth Sahib is already installed inside the Akal Takht premises. Talking to The Tribune, the Jathedar said, "It is an old tradition which we have revived. Earlier, only Sikh gurus' weapons were showcased at the Takht, but later on, the Panth started the tradition of installing Guru Granth Sahib there". He said initially Guru Granth Sahib used to be installed at the balcony of the Akal Takht in the morning and evening. Even weapons of the gurus used to be exhibited from the balcony to the devotees who sat in front of the Takht. However, later it was permanently installed inside the Takht. "Now, we have resumed the old practice. At the same time, Guru Granth Sahib continues to be installed inside the Takht". He said a shed had been erected and curtains put up in the balcony to give a suitable look to the place. Former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti said the tradition of installing Guru Granth Sahib in the balcony was there during his stint. But, later they permanently installed the holy scripture inside the Takht as at times sudden rainfall or inclement weather conditions used to create a problem. He said they used to install Guru Granth Sahib at the Takht's balcony at the time of departure of "Palki Sahib" till recital of "Aasa Di Waar" in the morning and at the time of beginning of "Rehraas" up to "samapti" in the evening.

General Bikram Singh, has been appointed as the next Chief of the Indian Army. Ending months of speculation, the Ministry of Defence today made a formal announcement saying he will be the next Chief of Army Staff and will take over on May 31. The ministry made a formal announcement this evening. Lt Gen Bikram Singh will be second-ever Sikh, after General JJ Singh (retd), to command the 1.3 million-strong Indian Army. The ministry’s spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said in a statement: “Lt Gen Bikram Singh, has been designated as the next Chief of Army Staff, in the rank of General, with effect from the afternoon of May 31, 2012. He will succeed the present, General VK Singh, who retires from the service on May 31 2012”. The present Army Chief, General VK Singh superannuates on May 31. The process to announce the Army Chief is normally done in advance. In this case the Government has strictly followed the principle of seniority. At present, Lt Gen Bikram Singh is heading the Eastern Army Command and is stationed at Kolkata. The security of the sensitive North-East and the Eastern states is under his domain of duties. The Army-chief-designate was the Delhi-based spokesperson of the Indian Army during the Kargil conflict in May-July 1999. At that time he was a Colonel and was on the verge of being promoted as a Brigadier. The retirement date of the present Army Chief had led to all sorts of theories in the past few months. It was only on February 10 this year that the Supreme Court refused to reconcile the date of birth (DoB) of General VK Singh. It said the DoB would remain as May 10 1950 and not May 10, 1951 as claimed by Gen VK Singh. Had the apex court accepted the DoB of May 10, 1951, then General VK Singh would have retired after completion of a three-year tenure that is March 31, 2013. In that scenario Lt Gen KT Parnaik, the present Northern Army commander, would have been the next Chief as Lt Gen Bikram Singh would have retired in the intervening period. An Army Chief retires at 62 years of age while all Lieutenant Generals retire at 60 years of age. Had General VK Singh quit after the February 10 SC order, Lt Gen Shankar Ghosh would have been the senior-most officer. Unfortunately for Gen Shankar Ghosh, he retires the same day as Gen VK Singh. Lt Gen Bikram Singh, the Army-chief-designate, was commissioned into the Sikh Light Infantry (Sikh LI) regiment on March 31, 1972. During his distinguished career, he has headed the Srinagar-based 15 Corps. Lt Gen Bikram Singh has served as deputy force commander of a multi-nation UN peace keeping mission in Congo. He had also served as UN observer in Nicaragua and El Salvador during the early 1990s. His long list of decorations include a Param Vishist Seva Medal (PVSM), a Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM), an Ati Vishist Seva Medal (AVSM), Sena Medal (SM) and a Vishist Seva Medal (VSM). Lt Gen Bikram Singh has studied with distinction at the Defence Services Staff College, the Army War College and the US Army War College, Pennsylvania. He has also done an M.Phil in Defence Management from the Indore University. He is married to Surjeet Kaur, who is a housewife. The couple has two sons. Decorated soldier His long list of decorations include a Param Vishist Seva Medal (PVSM), a Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM), an Ati Vishist Seva Medal (AVSM), Sena Medal (SM) and a Vishist Seva Medal (VSM) Current posting Lt Gen Bikram Singh is heading the Eastern Army Command and is stationed at Kolkata. The security of the sensitive North-East and the Eastern states is under his domain of duties. Distinguished Career Lt Gen Bikram Singh, the Army-chief-designate, was commissioned into the Sikh Light Infantry (Sikh LI) regiment on March 31, 1972. During his distinguished career, he has headed the Srinagar-based 15 Corps. Lt Gen Bikram Singh has served as deputy force commander of a multi-nation UN peace keeping mission in Congo. He had also served as UN observer in Nicaragua and El Salvador during the early 1990s.

If you want to visit Sikhs’ five sacred ‘takhts’ in Punjab, Bihar and Maharashtra in one go, board a special pilgrimage train from Amritsar on Baisakhi, April 13. After showing the first ‘takht’ at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the 12-day spiritual journey in a 244-passenger Rajdhani-style train will take the pilgrims to four other ‘takhts’ — Anandpur Sahib (near Ropar, Punjab), Damdama Sahib (near Bathinda, Punjab), Patna Sahib (in Bihar), and Hazur Sahib (in Nanded, Maharashtra). In between, the passengers will visit Delhi, Gwalior and Agra for other historical gurdwaras and monuments. It is a joint initiative of the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation and Punjab Tourism. Last year, a similar train was operated on an experimental basis with “luxury fares”. This time, the entire journey will cost much less — Rs 1.55 lakh (Ist AC), Rs 1.25 lakh (IInd AC), and Rs 85,000 (IIIrd AC). The tariff includes food, hotel stay and sightseeing. The train has been revived to accommodate the common man. It will carry 72 (Ist AC), 138 (IInd AC) and 34 (IIIrd AC) passengers. After the April run, the train is likely to be operated once a month from September-October. “We want to provide Sikh, Punjabi and other communities the best of Punjab and gurdwara yatras,” says Sajivve Trehen, a tour operator, who has got the franchise to run the train. The passengers will be asked to reach Amritsar on April 12 for boarding the train next day. The first day will be devoted to a tour of the holy city, including the Jallianwala Bagh Ranjit Panorama. In the evening, they will also witness a 45-minute “Change of Guards” ceremony at the India-Pakistan border at Wagah. The day will end with a visit to the first “takht” at the Golden Temple — the Akal Takht. On Baisakhi, the train will leave for the second “takht” at Anandpur Sahib. Known as “Sri Keshgarh Sahib”, this “takht’ was founded in 1665 by Guru Tegh Bahadur. The pilgrims will also visit “Guru Ka Lahore” where the marriage of Guru Gobind Singh with Jeet Kaur took place in 1734. The passengers will then visit “Virasat-e-Khalsa”-the heritage museum. They will also visit Sri Keshgarh Sahib gurdwara for seeing Guru Gobind Singh’s weapons. It is the birthplace of Khalsa. The most precious of the weapons is “Khanda”-a double-edged sword-used by the Guru to prepare ‘amrit’ (nectar) used in the first Khalsa initiation ceremony. On the third day, the pilgrims will be in Bathinda to visit the third “takht”-Damdama Sahib where Guru Gobind Singh took nine-month refuge during his battles with the Mughals, and worked on the “Adi Granth”. The train will arrive at the Safdarjung railway station in Delhi on the fourth day. The yatra will start with Sisganj Gurdwara at Chandni Chowk. It was built at the place where Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb beheaded the ninth Guru Tegh Bahadur in 1675. From Chandni Chowk, the pilgrims will move to see Gurdwara Bangla Sahib with a gold-plated dome. Eighth Sikh guru, Harkishen Dev, had stayed there in 1664. The passengers will also be shown the Parliament House, the Rashtrapati Bhawan and the India Gate. On the fifth day, the train will move on for “takht” Sri Patna Sahib in Patna. This is the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh. In the evening, the train will leave for Nanded (Maharashtra) and will reach there next morning. The yatra will start with a visit to “takht” Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib where Guru Gobind Singh held his camp in 1708 after the departure of the Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. This shrine was erected exactly where he had pitched his tent, in which he was convalescing after being attacked by assailants. This is where he and his horse “Dilbag” breathed last. In the evening, the pilgrims will be shown a laser show on Sikh history. On the eighth day (April 18), the pilgrims will get another chance to visit “takht” Hazur Sahib before catching the train for Gwalior. On April 19, they will visit the Gwalior fort and Data Bandi Chorh Sahib gurdwara. The train will depart on its last leg of the journey back to Amritsar from Agra on April 20.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s move to install a fire and water-resistant fabric shed on the causeway between Darshani Deori and the sanctum sanctorum at the Golden Temple to protect devotees from the vagaries of weather, has not gone down well with heritage lovers. Darbar Sahib manager Harbans Singh Malhi says Rs 1 crore will be spent on the retractable shed, which will be operated with the help of a motor. This will protect devotees from the harsh summer heat and rain. “Infrared lights will keep the passage warm in the winters,” says Malhi. The new facility will be in place within a month. Heritage lovers, however, feel that the shed would disturb the original character of the shrine. Balvinder Singh, Head, Guru Ram Das School of Planning, Guru Nanak Dev University, says: “The original character of the holy shrine should be maintained at all cost.” Singh, who is also member of the SGPC’s Heritage Advisory Committee, said he had also protested against the installation of ACs inside the sanctum sanctorum. “Now the ACs are damaging the frescoes inside the shrine”, he claimed. Sikh scholar Bhai Ashok Singh Bagaria says the shed will block the view of the sanctum sanctorum. “How can you call it Darshani Deori when ‘darshan’ is blocked from there?” he asked. Bagaria said it is a shrine not a place for entertainment where facilities should be given a priority. “People have been visiting the shrine for centuries and will continue to do so irrespective of amenities,” he added. Rawal Singh, assistant professor, Department of Architecture, GNDU, said the move will destroy the character of the front façade of the shrine. Interestingly, even the SGPC Secretary Dalmegh Singh feels that the shed will block the view of the shrine. He, however, said he was not much aware of the exact details of the project. Another SGPC official, pleading anonymity, said the traditional look of the shrine should be preserved. On the other hand, the move has evoked a mixed response from the devotees. Joginder Pal Singh, a pilgrim from Kuwait, said, “It would be a big relief for the devotees who visit the shrine in summers or rainy season.” Kuldeep Singh Arora, a local SBI official, said the SGPC should preserve the shrine in original form and avoid tampering with it. Amarjit Singh, another pilgrim from Delhi, said he would like to see the SGPC continue with the traditional ways like using the ‘shamiana’ or watering the floor to comfort the devotees during summers. “Though at times we find it difficult standing in queue in extreme weather conditions for long, but somewhere down the line I feel it increases our faith,” he added. Makkar backs project SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said the authorities used to erect a ‘shamiana’ fitted with fans earlier, but there was always a threat of short-circuit in case of sudden rainfall. “This new facility will pose no such hazard,” said Makkar. “Moreover, the foldable shed will be about a feet away from Darshani Deori and the sanctum sanctorum. Hence, it will not obstruct the view of the shrine from Darshani Deori,” he added.

An attempt to occupy an 18th-century gurdwara in Pakistan's Punjab province has been foiled, media reports said today. The police stepped in when a group of five women, who claimed themselves as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) activists, tried to occupy the 18th-century gurdwara in Sori Gali near Ghaa Mandi yesterday. Their leader and former councillor Romana Safdar Gujari told the police that she had close ties with Nawaz Sharif’s son-in-law. She also claimed that Gurdwara Singh Sabha property had been allotted to her by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) on lease. She claimed she had a letter from ETPB chief Asif Hashmi in this regard. The PML-N, however, said Gujari was not a member of the party’s women’s wing. The gurdwara houses a civil defence post. The women were later arrested. Gurdwara Singh Sabha was constructed during the British rule. Iqbal Qasir, Punjabi Khoj Garh director, told Dawn that the gurdwara was built by local Sikhs without any funds from the Akal Takht. After Partition in 1947, the building was allotted to the Civil Defence Department. “We condemn all such attempts. I again request the Pakistan Government to hand over all gurdwaras to the committee so that we take care of religious sites with honour and dignity,” Robinder Singh, Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee member, was quoted as saying. Pakistan has several gurdwaras, including Nankana Sahib where Sikh religion founder Guru Nanak Dev was born. Minorities form approximately 4 per cent of Pakistan's population of nearly 180 million.

Taking serious note of “forcible baptism” of school students at Dera Sacha Sauda, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) today announced that it would constitute a three-member committee to probe the matter. Talking to The Tribune, SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said a three-member panel led by the SGPC member from Mansa, Mohan Singh Bangi, would look into the matter and submit a report. As many as 49 students of Gobind Singh Adarsh Senior Secondary School at Sahnewala village in Mansa district were reportedly taken to Dera Sacha Sauda on February 19. They were allegedly made to drink “Jaam-e-Insan” at the dera, symbolising their “conversion”. Makkar said the SGPC would file a police complaint if the report corroborated the charges against the school authorities. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh demanded stringent action against the school management, maintaining that a police case should be registered in this regard. Former SGPC secretary Manjit Singh Calcutta also demanded that a police case be registered against the school management. He said the school should be boycotted by one and all. “An apology from the school principal will not suffice and a case should be registered against her,” he said, emphasising that the Akal Takht had issued an edict directing the Sikhs not to keep any ties with the controversial dera. “However, with the Shiromani Akali Dal turning a blind eye, the emboldened school authorities had the audacity to forcibly take the students to the dera,” he remarked. A Dal Khalsa leader said the principal should be removed from the post and a case be registered against her for hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs in general and the students' parents in particular. He said the state government should issue a circular, prohibiting school principals/teachers from taking the students to any dera. An Akal Takht edict in 2007 had asked the Sikhs to sever all ties with Dera Sacha Sauda. The edict was issued when the dera head did not appear before the Akal Takht. He had been summoned for the “sacrilegious act of dressing up like the Tenth Sikh Guru.”

The Sikh high priests again did not take up actor Amitabh Bachchan’s letter, pleading innocence in the 1984 riots, during their meeting at the Akal Takht Secretariat here today. However, the All-India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) handed over “evidence” against Bachchan to the Sikh clergy. AISSF chief Karnail Singh Peermohammed said the “evidence”, including an affidavit and a CD, had been sent to them by California-based Manjit Singh Saini. He claims himself to be an “eyewitness” to the alleged incident in which Bachchan, also known as Big B, was reportedly instigating the crowd against the Sikhs outside the AIIMS in New Delhi on October 31, 1984, the day the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated. Then, Saini used to live at Kalu Sarai in Hauz Khas, New Delhi, along with his parents and siblings. Peermohammed claimed Saini had sent them the “evidence” in a sealed envelope, which they submitted to the Sikh clergy as it is. In his affidavit, Saini explained the entire sequence of events as he claimed to have witnessed on and after October 31, 1984. Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said they had received some documents from Peermohammed and Bibi Jagdish Kaur, a key witness in Sajjan Kumar case, pertaining to the Bachchan issue and they would look into the matter during their next meeting. Meanwhile, the Sikh clergy pronounced “tankhah” (punishment for religious misconduct) against Prof Sarabjit Singh Dhunda for his objectionable remarks regarding the recitation of "Gurbani" at the Golden Temple. The “tankhah” was pronounced after Dhunda appeared before the clergy to clarify his stand on the controversy. He had also tendered a written apology. The situation was tense when Prof Dhunda arrived at the meeting venue as a large number of Sikh Students Federation (Mehta) activists were present outside. Had he not apologised before the Sikh clergy, the situation could have taken an ugly turn. There was heavy presence of the SGPC task force, besides cops in civvies, to deal with any untoward situation. In another move, the Sikh high priests have instructed all gurdwara committees to ensure that only baptised Sikhs should be engaged as “raagis” and “paathis”. The Sikh clergy has also recommended to the SGPC to felicitate marathon man Fauja Singh and Sikh intellectual Saroop Singh Alag. Earlier, the high priests released the amended Nanakshahi (New Year) calendar. JATHEDAR PLEDGES EYES Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh on Saturday pledged his eyes in the presence of representatives of the Eye Donation Association, Hoshiarpur. He has become the second incumbent of the key post to have pledged his eyes. His predecessor Joginder Singh Vedanti had done the same during his stint. ‘ALL BIRS IN BIHAR SAFE’ In view of the recent recovery of an ancient ‘bir’ of Guru Granth Sahib from three persons in New Delhi, Takht Sri Patna Sahib Jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh has said that all the “birs” at Takht Sri Patna Sahib were safe and secure.

An 84-year-old Sikh man has sued his son, one of Britain’s wealthiest men, for 100 million pounds for trying to push him and his wife out on the streets and for keeping the hotel business to himself. Jasminder Singh, 60, chairman of Radisson Edwardian Hotels, is accused of renouncing the Sikh tradition of sharing family wealth and barring his parents from their multi-million pound business, the Daily Express reported. His father Bal Mohinder Singh stands to take a third of the family fortune if he wins the High Court battle against his son, worth an estimated 415 million pounds. Bal, in a statement to the court in central London yesterday, said he and his wife were “deeply ashamed that Jasminder should publicly renounce his cultural heritage.” The system of joint family ownership of all assets is based on religious teaching and widely practised by Sikh and Hindu communities around the world, he said. “For Jasminder to deny that and claim all the credit and ownership for himself will be shocking to wide sections of those communities. That is why his mother and I are so ashamed,” said Bal Mohinder. Bal also accused his son of trying to force his parents out of the 10-million pounds house they share near Ascot racecourse in Berkshire. Jasminder denies ever having been told by his parents they were a “joint Hindu family” and that property acquired by any of them was “joint family property.” He also denied having a particularly religious upbringing, the paper said adding the case is expected to go to trial later this year.

Thats Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (Soho Rd Gurdwara)

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has received a very old 'bir' of Guru Granth Sahib, which some persons were trying to sell at a whopping Rs 20 crore. The DSGMC has kept the 'bir' as per Sikh tenets at Gurdwara Sri Rakabganj Sahib in New Delhi. The Haryana police has arrested three persons identified as Praveen Babbar, a resident of Delhi, Santosh Kumar, a UP resident, and Kalyaneshwar Gautam who hails from Bihar, in this connection. DSGMC chief Paramjit Singh Sarna said they had received a tip-off on February 17 that some persons had an old 'bir' of Guru Granth Sahib, which they wanted to sell at a hefty price. "We sent our supporters to talk to the accused and during the course of conversation they made their video recording. When the accused came to know that they were our supporters, they fled off." He said that then he took up the matter with Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, after which the police swung into action and arrested two of the accused.

The Supreme Court today facilitated the election of office-bearers of the Sikh Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) by allowing the newly-constituted SGPC Board to continue. A Bench comprising Justices RM Lodha and HL Gokhale passed an order to this effect after a brief hearing on a petition filed by the SGPC challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court verdict that has restored the voting rights of Sehajdhari Sikhs. The Bench also issued notice to the Sehajdhari Sikh Federation (SSF), the Union Home Ministry, Punjab government and the Chief Commissioner of Gurdwara Elections seeking their response to the SGPC petition within six weeks. Arguing for SGPC, senior counsel Harish Salve and counsel Gurminder Singh also sought a stay on the December 20, 2011 HC verdict, pending disposal of its appeal. The Bench, however, ignored this plea. On the other hand, senior counsel UU Lalit, appearing for the Sehajdhari Sikh Federation, pleaded for fresh elections as the SGPC poll result, declared on September 22, 2011, was subject to the outcome of the HC verdict. While the SGPC election was held without allowing the Sehajdhari Sikhs to vote, the SGPC Board should be elected afresh, he contended. The SC, however, clarified that this was not possible as the HC judgment had now been challenged. “Suppose we set aside the High Court verdict, what would happen” to the fresh election involving the Sehajdhari Sikhs, the Bench asked. The Bench heard the case in the form of a “mentioning” (plea for urgent hearing) made by the SGPC, while the SSF was present at the hearing as it had moved a caveat to prevent any relief being given to SGPC without hearing it. Salve informed the SC that the new SGPC Board, comprising 170 elected members and 15 co-opted members, was notified by the Centre on December 17, 2011. However, the election to the posts of the president, vice-president, junior vice-president and general secretary was not held in view of the HC verdict. Lalit argued that the Sehajdharis got their right to vote in SGPC election under the Punjab Re-organisation Act 1966 and this could not have been taken away by a Central government notification on October 8, 2003. The senior counsel also contended that the SSF had sought a stay on the SGPC poll, but both the HC and the SC allowed the poll process to be completed holding that the result would be subject to the outcome of the court case. The SGPC had also accepted this view. In its appeal, the SGPC said the HC verdict “raises serious issues of law” relating to the power of the Union Government. “It has been the understanding of those well-versed in the tenets of Sikhism that persons, who trim or shave their beard or hair violates one of the cardinal tenets of the Sikh religion and thereby ceases to be a Sikh.” Once the Sehajdharis were allowed to vote, the doors would be open for persons from other communities, who merely declared their allegiance to the Sikh faith, could claim to be Sikhs and become voters, the petition contended. The SGPC also pointed out that the HC had “expressly declined to go into the issue of who is a Sikh and whether Sehajdharis, who cut their hair would continue to be Sikhs, but none the less struck down” the Centre’s 2003 notification disenfranchising the Sehajdharis. While striking down the notification, the HC had not clarified the status of the newly elected SGPC Board.

bhaji what did you write in your personal statement as in why did you want to do it?

The Delhi government is likely to appeal against the High Court stay on the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee elections that were scheduled to take place on March 11. According to sources, the government may move the court over the issue this week. The Delhi High Court had on February 7 granted a stay on the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee elections, following a petition filed by Harmohan Singh. “Without the delimitation of wards and until the list of voters are completed, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee elections will cause unfair representation from each ward in the national capital,” the petitioner had said. Talking to The Tribune, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief Paramjit Singh Sarna said though he had taken up the matter with the Delhi government, he had not yet heard any official word on its future course over the issue. He, however, said the stay would lead to a delay of at least one year in the elections. “Firstly, the preparation of voter lists as per the court order will take at least three months. The delimitation process will also take a lot of time. Moreover, there is also a talk of giving 10 per cent reservation to women. All this will consume considerable time. Already the elections are late by a year,” he added. Sarna hoped that if the appeal was filed within a week and the stay got vacated, the elections could still be held, although a little later than the date that was scheduled earlier.

The SGPC has decided to make legal efforts to prevent the commutation of life sentence of Kishori Lal, who has been convicted of multiple murders during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the national capital. SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said, “It is sheer injustice to the Sikhs. First, the courts commuted his death sentence to life term and now the government is letting him off.” He alleged the government was adopting double standards for the Sikhs. “On the one hand, it (the government) is not commuting the death sentence of Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar despite the fact that there are no witnesses in his case. On the other hand, it is commuting the term of a person who has been convicted by the courts." While the SGPC is weighing legal options, DSGMC chief Paramjit Singh Sarna claimed, “We have persuaded the Delhi government not to implement the orders of commuting Lal’s life sentence. The breakthrough came after we raised the matter with the Delhi Lieutenant-Governor.” Apart from the SGPC and the DSGMC, other Sikh outfits too have come out against the decision. The All-India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) is gearing up to file a PIL challenging the commutation of Lal's life term. AISSF president Karnail Singh Peermohammed dubbed the move as a "well-planned conspiracy". He said they would also take out a "Justice Rally" against the L-G's decision in New Delhi on February 16. Radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh said, "Instead of prosecuting the high and mighty conspirators, the state is letting off the convicts of riot cases." A former butcher based in Trilokpuri, Lal was sentenced to death seven times by lower courts. However, the Supreme Court commuted them to life terms later. Lal was among 25 people convicted by courts for offences connected to the 1984 riots and has spent around 16 years in jail. Delhi L-G Tejendra Khanna had recently commuted his life sentence on the recommendation of the state's Sentence Review Board.

Gurbachan Singh, Jathedar, Akal Takhat, who attended shared the stage with SAD (A) chief Simranjit Singh Mann during the celebration of the 65th birth anniversary of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale here, walked out of the function. He left the venue as soon as stage secretary started criticising Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for betraying Bhindranwale and the Sikh Panth. Hundreds of people attended the function organised in front of Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib. Addressing the gathering, Mann termed Bhindranwala, a great visionary and Sikh scholar of the century. He said that Bhindranwala was proud of Sikhs and we should follow his philosophy of Sikhism and fulfill his mission.

An under-construction gurdwara in the American State of Michigan was vandalised and defaced with anti-Muslim graffiti on Febrauar 5, members of the gurdwara management committee said. The graffiti included vulgar language, racial epithets, a large drawing of a gun and references to the 9/11 attacks, the Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund said. It urged the authorities to initiate a hate crime probe into the matter. The vandalism was condemned by the Michigan chapters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the American Jewish Committee. "We condemn the vandalism of the Sikh house of worship in Sterling Heights and call on local and federal law enforcement to use their full resources to apprehend the perpetrators of this hate crime," said Dawud Walid, executive director of the Muslim Council. In Amritsar, the Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Gurbachan Singh, on Wednesday sought stringent punishment for those responsible for vandalising the gurdwara. “I appeal to members of the Sikh community as well as the Muslims to maintain peace and harmony. They should not get provoked, but togeteher make efforts to identify those behind the incident,” he said. The Jathedar urged the US Administration to zero in on the culprits and initiate strict action against them as per the law. SGPC secretary Dalmegh Singh said gurdwaras were a symbol of pluralism and misusing their premises to abuse any religion was condemnable. Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh said: “We are pained to see the Sikh community being repeatedly targeted in the US and other countries in one way or the other. “We urge the Obama Administration to use its resources to apprehend the perpetrators of this crime.”

He could have been like any other 'raagi' after his retirement in 1998 from the Golden Temple, where he worked for 30 years. But Bhai Gurmej Singh had a wish: Being blind, he wanted many like him to read the holy Gurbani. He was 12 years away from his dream project. Today, Bhai Gurmej Singh is proud of having transliterated Guru Granth Sahib into Braille. Talking to The Tribune, he said the Braille copy has 2,153 pages in 18 volumes. It has a page size of 11 x 12 inches. "It isn't possible to get the entire work in a single volume due to technical difficulties," he said. He has already prepared three copies of the holy book, the first of which he presented to the visually impaired children studying at Central Khalsa Orphanage in Amritsar, where he spent his childhood. He plans to prepare four more copies of the holy book, of which he would present one each to an old-age home for the blind near Phagwara, a home for blind at Anandpur Sahib and the Golden Temple. "I would keep the fifth copy for myself," he says. He also wants to present the digitised form (CD) of the book to either the Central Khalsa Orphanage or SGPC which may utilise it for facilitating its printed copies. A printed copy can cost anywhere between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000. But before that, he wants to ensure it's error-free. "Getting the first copy in Braille was very difficult as we had a tough time zeroing in on a printing facility before finally reaching the Helen Keller Institute for Deaf and Deaf-Blind in Mumbai. The institute offered its help on a "no-profit-no-loss basis." It took him almost two-and-a-half years to get the first copy. "I received volumes of the holy book for proof reading from Mumbai one by one. It consumed a lot of time. Moreover, those involved in the printing work could not decipher corrections made by me. Later, my nephew Jagjit Singh came to my rescue. He joined a Sikh institution in Ropar to learn Gurmukhi especially to help me out. We both then went to Mumbai where we finished proof reading during our stay," he said. Holy effort Bhai Gurmej Singh spent around 12 years to prepare the holy book's Braille version The version has 2,153 pages in 18 volumes He has already prepared three copies of the holy book and plans five copies He has Sukhmani Sahib and other holy scriptures printed in Braille

i would prefer them asking for votes for Akalis rather than the Congress