Azaad

Even as the SGPC and the Damdami Taksal are preparing to begin work on Operation Bluestar Memorial from May 20, the debate on the shape and design of the memorial has gained momentum. A majority feels that it should be different from a gurdwara. Sikh scholar Bhai Ashok Singh Bagrian said the memorial should be simple. "It should ideally be in the form of an 84-ft 'khanda' having five corners," he said, adding that he was against building a gurdwara as a memorial. "The memorial will be for the people, both Sikhs and non-Sikhs, and hence, should not be designed as a gurdwara," he said. He added that the memorial should not be located within the precincts of the Golden Temple Complex for the same reason. Radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh said the memorial should be in consonance with the importance of Operation Bluestar. Besides, there should be a gallery where photographs along with the names of "martyrs" are displayed, he added. All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) chief Karnail Singh Peermohammed said the memorial should be a befitting tribute to "martyrs". He felt that it should not be in the form a gurdwara. "It should be built in such a way that people can distinguish it from other structures," he added. However, DSGMC chief Paramjit Singh Sarna said Guru Granth Sahib's "bir" must be installed inside the memorial. He said it should preferably be in the form of a gurdwara. SGPC Chief Avtar Singh Makkar said: “Its shape and design will be finalised once architects submit their report to the SGPC,” he said. The report is likely to be submitted on May 9.

Objecting to the resolution adopted by the SGPC to install a portrait of the former chief of Budha Dal, Santa Singh, at the Central Sikh Museum, the Dal Khalsa today urged the head of the SGPC to withdraw the same. In a letter to SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar, the organisation has asked him to explain on what basis the SGPC had decided to install the photo of a person who "had challenged the supremacy of the Akal Takht and violated Sikh rehat maryada".

The government today brought before Parliament a Bill to amend the 103-year-old statute that hitherto allowed solemnisation of Sikh marriages but not their legal validation. The Anand Marriage Amendment Bill:2012, introduced in the Rajya Sabha today by Law Minister Salman Khurshid, amends the Anand Marriage Act, 1909, by inserting a new Section enabling registration of marriages performed as per the Sikh rituals (Anand Karaj). The amendment Bill defines the Sikh marriage ceremony as “Anand Karaj” instead of “Anand” as in the old law. Once passed by both Houses of Parliament, it will give the Sikhs the liberty to register their marriages separately and will exempt them from registering these under the Registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths Act, 1969 (which the government plans to amend to provide for religion neutral registration of marriages across India). The Sikhs would continue to have the option of registering their marriages under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, as before. It was registration under this Act that had been causing confusion about their religious identity abroad with their marriage certificates describing them as Hindus. Importantly, the amendment Bill doesn’t provide for divorce among Sikh couples. For a divorce, they would have to use the Hindu Marriage Act. Senior Supreme Court lawyer HS Phoolka, commenting on the matter, said: “Because the amendment Bill serves a limited purpose of giving Sikh religion a separate identity by allowing marriage registration under a pre-existing law, it is not a complete marriage law. “Any religion to be recognised must have its separate ceremony of births, deaths and marriages. Sikhs didn’t have a separate marriage law so far and they wanted the Anand Marriage Act amended for the purpose. For divorce, Sikhs can use the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.” The amendment Bill clearly states that “parties whose marriage has been registered under this Act won’t be required to get marriage registered under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, after the enactment of the proposed amendments in this Bill.” “Today we have won the battle for a separate identity as a religion,” said former MP Tarlochan Singh who led the movement for the Bill. “The SGPC is also against any divorce provision under the Anand Marriage Amendment Bill,” he said. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law had approved these amendments in 2007 when Veerappa Moily was Law Minister. “The Bill need not go again to the standing committee and can be simply taken up and passed,” Tarlochan Singh added

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) did not forget to commemorate the 307th martyrdom day of 40 ‘muktas’ (liberated ones). It organised a three-day event that concluded at Gurdwara Shaheedganj today. But, what the top Sikh body failed to remember is initiating projects for revamping the memorials dedicated to muktas. Both the SGPC and the state government have not been paying any attention towards the memorials. When The Tribune team visited the memorials, it found them lying in a state of neglect. Mukt-e-Minar Built in 2005 near the District Administrative Complex in Muktsar, the Mukt-e-Minar is one of the memorials dedicated to the 40 muktas. It boasts of having the tallest ‘khanda’ (81-ft) in the world. The monument, built at a cost of Rs 5 crore, has been gathering dust for want of proper upkeep. As a result, hardly any visitor can be seen here these days. The slow pace of construction on the road connecting to it is also proving to be a major hurdle in attracting visitors. In the lack of cleanliness, the rings girdled with the ‘khanda’ are now getting covered with rust. Memorial gates The prestigious four gates of the city, got constructed in 2004-05 by the state government through Markfed on all entry points, named after Sikh martyrs Bhai Daan Singh, Bhai Maha Singh, Mata Bhag Kaur and Bhai Langar Singh are also in dire need of immediate repair. Stones of the gates have fallen. Still, no attention has been paid towards the issue even though all notice them while entering or leaving the city. Mai Bhago Park The construction of this heritage park, an initiative of the local Municipal Council, was first scheduled to be completed before March 31, 2011. It was later deferred to this year’s Maghi Mela. But, the park has not been completed even after a delay of more than a year. Though a huge statue of Mai Bhago sitting on a horse has been installed in the centre of the park to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 90 lakh and a war like scene has also been created after installing a number of statues of muktas in a corner, the dilly-dallying attitude of the authorities concerned has been creating hurdles in its progress further. Martyrs’ memorial The foundation stone of the martyrs’ memorial, dedicated to Mai Bhago and 40 muktas, was laid by the then Shiromani Akali Dal president Parkash Singh Badal and former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur on May 4, 2005, on the Tibbi Sahib road. But even after seven years, nothing has come up here. During his recent visit to Muktsar on the occasion of Maghi, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar had said that the construction of the martyrs’ memorial would be completed before next Maghi. However, a committee, headed by Punjabi University Vice-Chancellor Dr Jaspal Singh, formed for the purpose has so far met only once. What officials say Muktsar Deputy Commissioner Paramjit Singh said, "The matter as to why there was a delay in completion of various projects will be taken up with the officials concerned." About the ‘muktas’ Forty 'muktas' (liberated ones) were those brave Sikhs who laid down their lives while fighting the Mughal army near a pond called Khidrane Di Dhabh (presently Muktsar) in 1705.

Twenty-eight years after the Army stormed into the Golden Temple complex to evict Sikh hardliners led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the SGPC executive at a meeting in Anandpur Sahib today approved Operation Bluestar Memorial. The memorial will come up near Gurdwara Thara Sahib in the Golden Temple complex. The SGPC House had given the green signal to the memorial a decade back and the matter had been hanging fire since then. It was decided to hand over the ‘kar sewa’ of the memorial to Damdami Taksal chief Baba Harnam Singh. Buildings which suffered damage and a ‘bir’ with a bullet mark will also be preserved to commemorate Operation Bluestar. Former Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode said ‘kar sewa’ for the memorial would start on May 20. Avtar Singh Makkar, SGPC chief, had set the ball rolling on June 6 last by announcing a five member-committee to prepare a blueprint for the memorial. The panel, comprising Damdami Taksal chief Baba Harnam Singh, SGPC senior vice-president Raghujit Singh Virk, Punjabi University VC Dr Jaspal Singh, SGPC executive member Rajinder Singh Mehta and former Pro VC of GNDU Prof Prithipal Singh Kapoor, submitted its report to the SGPC today. Sikh scholar Bhai Ashok Singh Bagrian said the memorial should be built in front of Teja Singh Samundari Hall from where the Army had entered into the complex. Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh said Panthic outfits had suggested that Maharaja Sher Singh Deori, that still bore bullet marks, was the ideal place for the memorial. The SGPC House had passed a resolution to raise the memorial at its meeting on February 20, 2002. A special executive meeting held at Anandpur Sahib on May 27, 2005, under the then SGPC chief, Bibi Jagir Kaur, unanimously resolved to build the memorial. Interestingly, the proposal was virtually shelved in 2008. Operation Bluestar was ordered by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on June 3-6, 1984, to remove Sikh hardliners from the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar. The Central Sikh Museum has on display a list of 743 persons killed during Operation Bluestar.

The name of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is doing the rounds as a potential candidate for the post of the Vice-President of India. Sources in the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) said the party has not so far received any official communication from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to field Badal as the alliance nominee, but politicians in Punjab have started debating if he would be willing to shift base to Delhi. Those who think that the five-time Chief Minister of Punjab will not say no, if made an offer, feel so mainly because it will result in a very smooth transfer of power from father to son in Punjab. If Badal moves to Delhi, SAD president and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, the heir apparent, will be the natural choice for handing over reigns of the Punjab Cabinet. In fact, there are unconfirmed reports that Sukhbir Badal is hob-knobbing with the NDA leadership to explore the possibility of a role for his father in Delhi. There is also a talk about how Badal’s name was first considered for the post of the President of the country, but the allies of SAD did not think it would be a good idea to have Sikhs as the President, the Prime Minister and the Army Chief, all at the same time. So Badal’s name was dropped from being a contender for the post of the President to that of the Vice-President. Sukhbir Badal told The Tribune that the media was indulging in kite flying; there was nothing concrete on the issue at this stage. “Recall how everyone repeatedly said during the last term of the SAD-BJP government that Sukhbir would be the Chief Minister next week and I am still the Deputy Chief Minister two years later.” He said the NDA leadership would take a decision in that regard and the SAD, a member of the alliance, would be bound by whatever was decided. There are many parallels in Indian polity that support the probability of Badal going to the Centre, despite his being an octogenarian. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Chaudhary Devi Lal, former Chief Ministers of Rajasthan and Haryana, became the Vice-President and the Deputy Prime Minister of the country. His age and status as one of the tallest leaders in Indian politics make Badal an acceptable face. However, the perception outside Punjab as Badal being a person who easily succumbs to hardliners can hamper his chances. Badal was a supporter of the 1973 Anandpur Sahib resolution that called for more powers to the states on a federal pattern. People outside Punjab believe that that resolution was the basis of terrorism in the state. He is also a signatory to the Amritsar Declaration that was sent to the UN Secretary General demanding a separate nation state for the Sikhs. Further the burning of the Indian Constitution by Badal during the Punjabi Morcha is brought up time and again by his political detractors, although he regretted that later. People who know Badal personally say he is a people’s person and loves meeting hundreds every day. In Delhi, he will be confined to a limited public interaction, something that he may not personally like. Surely, Badal may be averse to the idea of sitting home after handing over the power to his son, but he may not be that hesitant to take on new assignments, despite his age.

Pointing towards sloganeering in support of militancy during Punjab bandh on March 28, CLP leader Sunil Jakhar has urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to ensure that such incidents are not repeated. Speaking at a function here today, the CLP leader said Punjabis in general and those belonging to a particular community were scared as a number of youths brandishing swords had raised slogans in support of Khalistan and Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale during Punjab bandh observed to demand clemency for Balwant Singh Rajoana. Stating that Badal was a liberal face in his fundamentalist party, Jakhar said: He is custodian of all communities and he should ensure that such incidents should not occur as the same thing had happened before the beginning of terrorism several decades ago”.

Gulati Tailors are well known tailors. Alot of Sangat from UK and Canada buy their stuff from them.

Gurdwara Gurdarshan Parkash Mehta Chowk, Headquarters of Damdami Taksal

LS Jakhar, Superintendent, Patiala Jail, today appeared in the district courts in connection with the contempt of court notice issued to him in the Rajoana hanging case. Jakhar appeared in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Shalini Nagpal and tendered an apology in his reply. The court has deferred the next hearing of the case to May 5. On March 27, the court had issued contempt of court notice to Jakhar for returning the death warrants to hang Balwant Singh Rajoana, convict in the Beant Singh assassination case, twice to the court. The hanging was however, stayed by the Centre later on. In his reply today, Jakhar stated that he had no intention to lower the authority of the court and while tendering an apology, it was stated that he abided by the guidelines of the Supreme Court while returning the death warrants. He contended that the death warrant could not have been executed as the matter of other convict, Lakhwinder Singh, in the former Punjab CM Beant Singh assassination case, was still pending before the SC. He was thus performing his duty by apprising the court. Earlier on March 27, while returning the death warrants, the court had stated, “The Superintendent, Patiala Jail, has not once, but on two occasions, refused to execute the warrants of sentence of death by way of written communication dated March 19 and March 24. These publications intend to interfere with the due course of judicial proceedings, obstruct the administration of justice and also lower the authority of the court.”

Dr Farooq Abdullah, Minister for New and Renewable Energy, has proposed a sophisticated solar cooking system to cook meals at Sri Guru Ram Das Langar hall at the Golden Temple complex where devotees partake of langar round-the-clock. Stating this after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple here today, Dr Abdullah said under the new system, as many as 30 solar concentrating dishes would provide steam for cooking about a tonne of dal per day. Besides, the system would have a hybrid boiler to help generate steam during cloudy and rainy days. He said the project would halve the consumption of LPG cylinders from 100 per day now to 50. He said such systems had already been installed at Tirupati temple, Sai Baba Temple at Shirdi and Brahma Kumari Ashram at Mount Abu. Dr Abdullah said a team of experts would soon visit the Golden Temple and Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh to carry out a feasibility study. Earlier, the minister accompanied by SGPC officials, Akali and Congress leaders observed functioning of the 5,000-LPD solar water heater system installed atop the langar hall building. Besides the solar water system, the New and Renewable Energy Ministry has provided 25 kW solar photovoltaic power plant installed at Guru Ram Das Serai. Punjab’s Non-Conventional Energy Minister Bikram Singh Majithia said renewable power plants generating 504 MV of electricity had been set up in the state. Out of this, 362.50 MV was from biomass power and cogeneration projects, he said. SGPC secretary Dalmegh Singh, who had studied working of the solar cooking system at Sai Baba temple at Shridi, said the entire energy requirement of the Golden Temple was around 300 kW. He said the Union Minister had assured that the entire Rs 1.40 crore cost of the project would be borne by the Centre.

Punjab's "Raj Gayak" Hans Raj Hans, who has been appointed vice-president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, says that he has decided to dedicate his life to the SAD and his 'political guru' Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. Hans had virtually left politics after his defeat in the 2009 Parliamentary elections. He lost the election to his nearest rival and the then PPCC president Mohinder Singh Kaypee. He managed to secure 3.85 lakh votes. It is learnt that the party may field him in the 2014 Parliamentary elections. Since Jalandhar Parliamentary constituency is dominated by Dalit voters, the SAD leadership is toying with the idea to utilise the goodwill and fan following of Hans as a singer to its advantage in the polls. More than 46 per cent voters in Doaba are Dalits and Hans belongs to the Majhbi-Balmiki community. Apart from being a 'Sufi' singer, he is also the head of a Nakodar-based shrine, "Laal Badshah Da Durbar". "I remained dejected and depressed for over two years after my defeat. But now I am happy and decided to dedicate my whole life to the SAD and its chief Sukhbir Singh Badal. Sukhbir is my 'political guru' and he is instrumental in bringing me back to active politics," he said. "I got a bit shaky and shifted my base to Mumbai, as I was thinking that nobody was asking for me after my defeat. But Sukhbir did not forget me. He has pushed me to the forefront once again," said Hans. Hans remained in political oblivion for over two years after 2009 polls. He had even declared that he would never try his luck in politics again. "In fact, when I went to Mumbai in a state of utter dejection, I had forgotten that over 3.85 lakh people, who had voted for me, had showered so much of love upon me. I should not have left them. Sukhbirji hugged me and reminded me about them. He persuaded me to re-join politics. He had ordered me to do so in such a loving manner that I could not say no to him," he said. About contesting the next Parliamentary elections, he said, "I cannot say anything at this moment. I will do whatever Sukhbir will say. I am blessed as I have not only been made vice-president, but also a member of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the party."

The family members of Jaspal Singh, an engineering student who was killed in police firing on March 29 following which curfew was imposed in the city, have sought time till April 25 to record their statements in front of the inquiry commission probing the incident. Jalandhar Divisional Commissioner Anurag Verma, who is looking after the probe, said the victim’s father, Gurcharanjit Singh, wanted to record his statement in the presence of a senior Supreme Court lawyer, Navkiran Singh. The inquiry report has to be submitted to the state government within a month. Senior officials, including Mohinder Singh Kainth and Varinder Pal Singh, former Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police, respectively, have already recorded their statements. Varinder Pal claimed the circumstances flared to such an extent that police was left with no option but to fire in the air to control the surging mob of Sikh activists. He, however, said the bullet that hit Jaspal Singh was not fired by any police official. The statements of suspended DSP Manpreet Singh, the then SHO of Gurdaspur (City) police station Shama Singh, ASI Ajvinder Singh and Naib Tehsildar JP Salwan, who was the acting magistrate when the firing took place, were also recorded. The deceased’s father wondered as to why the police did not use tear gas shells prior to actual firing even if in the air. “Police could have given a warning to the mob to disperse if it was feared that the situation may spin out of control. But, they started firing without any warning,” Gurcharanjit said.

Sikh couples will soon be able to get their marriages registered under the Anand Marriage Act, 1909, instead of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. Accepting the long-standing demand of Sikhs, the Cabinet today approved amendments to the Anand Marriage Act, 1909, to provide for registration of Sikh marriages. A Bill to this effect would be introduced in Parliament when the Budget Session resumes later this month. The Cabinet also approved the introduction of a Bill to amend the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, to include registration of marriages as well. The move aims at utilising the existing administrative mechanism to maintain marriage records on the lines of records of births and deaths. The amendment would allow couples to get their marriages registered independent of their religion, though the option of getting marriages registered under the Hindu Marriage Act and the Special Marriages Act would continue. Though the Law Ministry note in respect of this amendment talked of compulsory registration of marriages, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal clarified, “Those who wish can get their marriage registered under this new law. The issue of mandatory registration will be discussed when the Bill reaches the Standing Committee .” After Parliament passes the amendment Bill, Sikh marriage certificates won’t be issued under Section 2 of the Hindu Marriage Act (as is the case now). The Cabinet decision comes a year after the government decided to drop the proposal of amending the Anand Marriage Act and Salman Khurshid informed the Rajya Sabha of the decision. The Tribune was the first to report the move on August 29, 2011, following which the Sikhs began fresh agitations for a demand that had once been approved by the Standing Committee on Law when Veerappa Moily was the Law Minister. But later the move fell flat. Khurshid recently proposed religion-neutral registration of all marriages — a move which the Sikhs slammed. Former Chairperson of the National Minority Commission Tarlochan Singh wrote a protest letter to Law Minister Salman Khurshid, demanding amendment to the Anand Marriage Act and not a religion-neutral marriage registration law. “This is the victory of Sikhs; we had fought for this right for decades,” Tarlochan Singh said today. Akali Dal’s Rajya Sabha member Naresh Gujral also welcomed the decision saying. “It’s sad that Sikhs who sacrificed so much for the country had to feel alienated over such a small demand. We thank the PM and the Cabinet as this decision reassures minorities that their interests are protected. We want to congratulate Tarlochan Singh, former MP, who spearheaded the campaign in Parliament.” In the Cabinet, Information Minister Ambika Soni proposed that the amendment Bill be titled Anand Karaj Amendment Bill, 2012. This title is likely to be retained. So far, marriages amongst Sikhs, Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and other communities, except Muslims, Christians, Parsis and Jews, were covered under the Hindu Marriage Act.

The announcement that Facebook for mobile phones is going to be launched in eight Indian languages, including Punjabi and Hindi, has brought cheer amongst the youth in and around the city. There is a sizeable and growing community of people in the region using Punjabi as the language for surfing websites. Youngsters from both rural and urban areas in and around the city are connected on Facebook. Sarabjit Singh, a BA student, said that he used to write in Punjabi using English alphabets. But the introduction in Punjabi on mobile phones would ease things up. "Regional language written using the English alphabet seems funny and frivolous," he says. According to the noted Punjabi poet Jaswant Zafar, who is a regular user of the popular social networking website in Punjabi, “There is a vast community of Facebook users in Punjabi, but there was always a constraint of using it on computers. Mobile platform may propel the online use of Punjabi." Padam Shri awardee Surjit Patar said, "Mobile phones these days are very popular with the youth and so is Facebook. It is good that even while using Facebook on phones, there would be no constraint for people to use the Roman script for sharing and writing Punjabi poetry." “Such initiatives are aimed at increasing the footprint of social networking sites, but they are also facilitate the growth of the languages as a byproduct,” he said.

Devotees thronged Gurdwara Singh Sabha at Rajpura today to catch a glimpse of 100-year-old Guru Granth Sahib that is one inch in size and contains 1,430 ang (pages). Head granthi (priest) Bhai Kashmir Singh and granthi Kulwinder Singh of Gurdwara Maithan Sahib in Agra, who are in Rajpura with this holy book along with a 224-year-old Guru Granth Sahib, written using dyes made out of rock, and a 275-year-old Guru Granth Granth Sahib, handwritten by Baba Deep Singh and Bhai Mani Singh, were overwhelmed by a large number of devotees thronging the gurdwara to see the holy books and narrated the story of how these holy scriptures reached the Agra gurdwara. Narrating the history of the miniature manuscript, Kulwinder Singh said in 1913 when the World War-I was going on, the Indian Army (then British Indian Army) was called to fight for the common cause. “During that time, soldiers of Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army said they would not go to the battleground without taking Guru Granth Sahib along with them. Therefore, the British Government got 13 miniatures of Guru Granth Sahib prepared from a printing press in Germany for these soldiers. Each of these was 1 inch in size and contained 1,430 pages, which were carried by the soldiers. There used to be a special lens for reading the holy book. One of these is safely kept at Gurdwara Maithan Sahib in Agra,” he said. He said the 224-year-old holy book made from rock dyes was prepared by two Muslim brothers in five years seven months and three days and weighs around 28 to 30 kg. Moreover, the handwritten Guru Granth Sahibh has a few pages written using gold, ruby and sapphire. He said, “These books are currently on a tour of various cities to provide Sikhs in other parts of the country an opportunity to see and learn from the history of their religion and scriptures. We brought these books to Ludhiana on January 21 and it was displayed for the first time at Shaheed Baba Dalip Singh Chowk, Model Town, Ludhiana. Later, it was taken to Khanna, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Nakodar and now it will be in Rajpura for 15 days.”

http://g5sikhmedia.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=1&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=88&vmcchk=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=2 G5 Sikh Media are doing this tshirt to raise money for Bhai Jaspal Singh and Bhai Ranjeet Singh

After performing his household chores, 87-year-old Harbans Singh retreats to his one-room dwelling and with serenity of a Buddhist monk, he prays for the "health and prosperity" of Babbar Khalsa International terrorist Balwant Singh Rajoana. The case of Rajoana, who is lodged in Patiala Jail with the death sentence pronounced on him being suspended by the Union Government, has a lot of similarities with the life of octogenarian Harbans Singh who lives with his two nephews on Aliwal Road in Batala. When Patiala Jail Superintendent LS Jhakhar created uproar by refusing to carry out the Chandigarh court's orders to hang Rajoana, he had cited the case of Harbans Singh. After being convicted for a murder in 1981, Harbans had his death sentence stayed as the Bareilly Jail Superintendent had refused to hang him saying that "the documents were incomplete and he would hang him only after getting the requisite documents." Jhakhar, too, had toed the same line and had also stated that he would not hang Rajoana since "the documents were incomplete." Harbans Singh, who along with two of his accomplices Jeet Singh and Kashmira Singh, was convicted for murdering four people in a case pertaining to a land dispute, was awarded death penalty by a Pilibhit court in 1981 which was later upheld by the Allahabad High Court, the Supreme Court and President Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy. His co-accused Jeet Singh was sent to the guillotine in October the same year, but Harbans escaped the gallows as the Bareilly jailor refused to hang him. Later, he along with Kashmira Singh filed review petitions in the Supreme Court following which the later got his sentence commuted to life imprisonment whereas Harbans' case was sent back to the President with the recommendation to commute the death penalty. Feeling uneasy, and a bit embarrassed, because the spotlight had suddenly shifted on him following the Rajoana case, Harbans Singh, who preferred to remain a bachelor after spending the prime of his youth behind the bars, claims that his case had benefited a large number of people. "A large number of convicts have been benefited from my case. However, it is for the first time that I am hogging the limelight because of the stay granted on Rajoana's execution," he said. There may be several similarities between Rajoana and Harbans. However, there is a glaring dissimilarity too. While Harbans filed a review petition in the apex court, Rajoana has refused to file any mercy petition and is willing to be hanged. "I pray that like me, he too should be released from Jail," he says.

Fearing communal tension, the police and paramilitary forces today ensured tight security at the bhog ceremony of 20-year-old engineering student Jaspal Singh who was killed in police firing on March 29. Deputy Commissioner Siben. C, DIG (Border range) Ram Singh and SSP SK Kalia, who have been camping in the town for the last one week, today personally monitored the situation in Gurdaspur and Chorh Sidhwan village. Speaking at the ceremony, Akal Takht Jatehdar Gurbachan Singh, who accorded the status of a "martyr" on the deceased and declared to put up his portrait at the Sikh Central Museum of the Golden Temple, demanded renaming of the Beant College of Engineering and Technology after Jaspal Singh. Prominent among those present were SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar, Dal Khalsa leader Kanwarpal Singh, former Akal Takht Jathedars Jasbir Singh Rode and Bhai Ranjit Singh, former MPs Simranjit Singh Mann and Manjit Singh Calutta.

With the CCTV cameras in place for almost a year now, the SGPC authorities have succeeded in curbing thefts and nabbing the culprits in around 200 such cases at the Golden Temple complex, the shrine being a hot spot for thieves due to the inflow of thousands of pilgrims daily. Of the cases cracked till date, a majority are that of theft of mobile phones and wallets. The area where most of these thefts are reported is Dukhbhanjani Ber, which holds a great significance for devotees who wish to take holy dip in the “sarovar”. Equally prone to thefts is the Lachi Ber, which is situated right next to the Darshani Deorhi. The spot witnesses a huge rush of devotees in the peak hours as the entrance and the exit route to the holy shrine are located on its either sides. Onkar Singh, CCTV project incharge, said there were instances when they even caught hold of the thieves on the spot. In other cases, the guards on duty were shown the footage of the thief who is caught as soon as he steps into the complex next time. He said they have also nabbed minor children who were involved in perpetrating thefts. “Recently, we caught a boy aged below 15 for stealing Rs 5,000 cash and a mobile belonging to a devotee.” They have also identified a couple of women committing thefts on the premises, but they were yet to be caught. “Nabbing them is a tricky job for our male employees and, therefore, we are thinking of seeking the services of female SGPC employees to catch them,” he said. Apart from cash, valuables and mobile phones, the cases of garment theft have also been reported. With the rush of pilgrims increasing with the onset of the summer vacations, the CCTV staff is gearing up to deal with the likely spurt in theft cases, the signs of which are already visible. Onkar revealed that around 10 to 12 incidents of theft were reported on April 2. “With the people wearing lighter clothes, it became easier for pickpockets to steal a wallet or a mobile,” he added. According to him, they also conducted raids in the complex on Saturday night and check the antecedents of the suspected persons. Whether the installation of CCTV cameras has helped curb the criminal activities at the shrine, he replied in affirmative. SGPC secretary Dalmegh Singh admitted that the project had been quite fruitful. “We keep on reviewing its progress and will install more CCTV cameras wherever needed,” he said. He also felt the need for enhancing the recording capacity at the facility, which is only a few days at present. “We will initiate necessary measures in this regard in near future,” he added. The SGPC has a separate wing of employees who man the CCTV control room that is set up near the Akal Takht. Apart from them, nine guards, dressed in civvies, are equipped with walkie-talkie sets of which eight are deployed in different parts of the complex while the remaining one is at the control room to give them the directions. There are six control room operators who man the facility round-the-clock. These operators and guards work in eight-hour shifts. Facts and figures 127 CCTV cameras installed in the Golden Temple complex 101 are outdoor box CCTV cameras 11 CCTVs have distant zoom feature that can turn 360 degrees 1.5 crore rupees is the amount spent on the project 9 guards equipped with walkie-talkie sets man the premises round-the-clock 8 LCD screens, besides other software, installed in the control room having 6 operators Salient Features Cameras can capture colour images even at night and come with tilt-zoom and range-adjustment features There are also infrared CCTV cameras with night vigil facility Installed in front of the Akal Takht, ‘parkarma’ verandahs, all four “chhabeels” in the ‘parkarma’, “gathri ghar” (baggage room), jora ghar (shoe-deposit centres), ‘kara parshad’ counters and the room where cash offering is counted Software will not only facilitate identifying any unclaimed object lying in the complex but will also sound an alarm if somebody jumps into the “sarovar” However, no CCTV camera has been installed on the causeway starting from Darshani Deori to the sanctum sanctorum Why the need Attacks on religious places and threats to blow up the Golden Temple Cases of pick-pocketing and garment thefts on the premises Instances of children going missing during their visit to the shrine

Former associate member of National Human Rights Commission Tarlochan Singh today joined Congress Rajya Sabha member from Punjab MS Gill in terming as ‘meagre’ the Rs 1.75 lakh each of compensation the commission has awarded to the kith of those who were killed and cremated as ‘unidentified’ during the militancy days in Punjab. In a letter to Justice KG Balakrishnan, chairperson of NHRC, Tarlochan Singh said: “The compensation of Rs.1.75 lakh to each victim is too meager. No amount of money can compensate a family that has lost an earning member due to police brutality. But various state governments these days normally give a minimum Rs 5 lakh to families of persons who die during police firings or other unnatural deaths. Kindly raise the compensation amount substantially.” Gill had yesterday demanded 9 per cent interest on the entire amount given to victims’ families

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Stopping thieves from stealing a motorcycle from outside the main entrance of Darbar Sahib here proved fatal for a young granthi of the shrine. Sukhchain Singh (28) was shot dead by armed thieves who fled, abandoning the motorcycle, after the crime. Sukhchain was rushed to the local Civil Hospital which referred him to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Amritsar. He died on the way. The gurdwara management shut its offices in protest against the incident that occurred at about 6.30 am. Sukhchain spotted two youths taking away a motorcycle that reportedly belonged to a devotee. Sukhchain got suspicious and walked towards them to make enquires. The youths took out their weapon and shot him in the chest. They fled through the gurdwara’s langar hall. Manmohanjit Singh, a gurdwara employee, and Mukhtar Singh Randhawa, a devotee, rushed the injured granthi to the local Civil Hospital. Sewadar Nirvail Singh tried to stop the fleeing youths but in vain. The criminals intercepted a motorcyclist and forced him to drive them towards Amritsar. As they neared Thathi Khara village , 4 km from here, they got down and left in a Zen car waiting for them. Arjun Singh, gurdwara manager, has urged the police to take stringent action against the attackers. Manminder Singh, Tarn Taran SSP, said the police had registered a case under Sections 302, 511, 379 and 34, IPC, and Sections 25/54and 59 of the Arms Act. Akal Takht Jatheda Gurbachan Singh and SGPC chief Avtar Singh has condemned the incident.

After wrangling with the Centre for years over their demand for changes to the Anand Marriage Act to allow for compulsory registration of Sikh marriages, the community leaders today hit back at the UPA Government for yet another attempt to ignore their aspirations. Rejecting the law Ministry's new proposal to amend the Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1969, to include marriage registration without the requirement of listing religions, Tarlochan Singh, former chairperson, National Minorities Commission, today said the move was unacceptable to the Sikhs who had long awaited a separate marriage registration law to cement their identity at home and abroad. In a protest letter to Law Minister Salman Khursheed, whose ministry is said to be finalising the proposed amendment to the Birth and Death Registration law to allow couples an option of registering religion neutral marriages, Tarlochan Singh said: "All Sikh MPs have made an appeal to the government to amend the Anand Marriage Act to allow for registration of Sikh marriages currently registered under the Hindu Marriage Act. "Your new proposal will not give any help to five million Sikh NRIs who are facing threats to their identity abroad. If their marriage certificates don't conform to their religious beliefs or reflect their Sikh identity, how will they get justice from the foreign governments?" The Centre seems to be reverting to the position Khursheed articulated in a written reply to a related question in the Rajya Sabha on August 30, 2011. At that time, conveying the Centre's decision to drop the Sikhs' demand for amendments to the Anand Karaj Act, the Law Minister had said: "Since the scope of the Anand Marriage Act, 1909 is limited to marriage ceremonies amongst "anands", the registration of all forms of Sikh marriages is not within its scope. Further, there may not be any justification for secluding Sikhs from Hindus, Jains and Buddhists as such a step would invite similar demands from these religious denominations covered under the Hindu Marriage Act. "Also, seclusion of one community is against the directive principles contained in Article 44 of the Constitution which aims at bringing in a uniform civil code." Sikhs have been seeking changes to the Anand Karaj Act to include a clause for the registration of their marriages. Similar Acts exist to allow for separate registration of marriages in case of Muslims, Christians, Parsis and Jews. "As per the Centre's new proposal, marriages would be registered without mentioning the religion of the couple. But this will never satisfy the aspirations of Sikh minority which has been getting assurances for the last several years that a registration clause would be added to the Anand Marriage Act," Tarlochan Singh wrote to the Law Minister today.

Years after militancy was crushed in Punjab, justice has been done to the families of youths who were picked up by the police, killed and cremated in gross violation of human rights. Closing the 16-year-old Punjab mass cremation case which involved the killing of youths in Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Majithia districts of the state, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today awarded a compensation of Rs 27.94 crore to the families of 1,513 victims (out of the 2,097 cremated) who could be identified after documentation of circumstantial evidence. In each of these 1,513 cases, Rs 1.75 lakh will be paid to the next of kin of the victim. The commission has written to the DC, Amritsar, to release the money. The NHRC award marks the end of hearings that followed the December 12, 1996, Supreme Court order which remitted the case of Punjab’s 2,097 unidentified bodies to the commission after the police and the CBI were unable to make a headway. As many as 532 bodies remain unidentified. Speaking to The Tribune today, NHRC member Satyabrata Pal said: “The Punjab Government has assured us of the payment. This was our last and best effort to identify the bodies after the police and the CBI were unable to do so.” The NHRC orders came on the report of the second committee set up to identify the cremated bodies. The committee, comprising IAS officer DS Bains, Virender Singh, District and Sessions Judge (retd) and DIG (Border Range), Amritsar, submitted the findings on March 22, 2012. During its hearing, the commission on October 10, 2006, noted that of the 2,097 bodies cremated in Amritsar, Majitha and Tarn Taran, 1,245 had been identified. For human rights abuse of the 194 youths in police custody immediately before their death, the families will get a compensation of Rs 2.50 lakh each. “In case of 1,051 identified deceased persons whose bodies were not in police custody but were cremated by theState of Punjab without following the Punjab Police Rules and humanitarian law, the commission has awarded Rs Rs. 1.75 lakh to the next of kin,” the order says. While the commission had identified 1,245 bodies, for the rest (814), it had appointed Justice KS Bhalla, retired judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court as Commissioner for receiving evidence and probing the matter. The Bhalla Commission submitted its report on June 30, 2007, and identified 143 bodies and the commission on February 15, 2007, awarded compensation in 53 cases.