Mohali Golf Range Threatens To Wipe Out Sikh History

[Jag_Singh]

Fateh parwaan karro jiyo,

I'm and avid golfer with a reasonably good handicap and I live in Chandigarh. I love the game but this love pales in front of my love for Sikhi.

In case anyone feels strongly on this issue I think then they must put this in writing and send their objections to Newspapers : Tribune, Indian Express, Hindustan Times and Times of India (Chandigarh Editions)

Hopefully some Sikh Body will take up this issue and could even go to Court.

Guru Rakha

Has your plan worked before?

[Matheen]

Fateh parwaan karro jiyo,

...... and I live in Chandigarh....... I think then they must put this in writing and send their objections to Newspapers : Tribune, Indian Express, Hindustan Times and Times of India (Chandigarh Editions)

Hopefully some Sikh Body will take up this issue and could even go to Court.

Guru Rakha

WJKK! WJKF!

Veer Ji, please take up this seva since you are based there.

Also get the local Gurudwara involved - it is not a small issue. In 20 years our future generation will say our history is all fake if the physical proof is removed. We need to preserve historic sites like this one, it has the blood of countless shaheeds.

[vikramjitsingh]

Fateh parwaan karro jiyo,

I'm and avid golfer with a reasonably good handicap and I live in Chandigarh. I love the game but this love pales in front of my love for Sikhi.

In case anyone feels strongly on this issue I think then they must put this in writing and send their objections to Newspapers : Tribune, Indian Express, Hindustan Times and Times of India (Chandigarh Editions)

Hopefully some Sikh Body will take up this issue and could even go to Court.

Guru Rakha

Has your plan worked before?

Fateh parwaan karro jiyo,

One of the best ways to make them sit up and notice is use the Media.

Please do not take this as trumpet blowing...in many Indian ads they were lampooning Sikhs. I got the email addresses of all the major ad Agencies in India and sent them emails on this issue ( in case you want the email matter please PM me and I will email it to you).

I recall there was an ad in the IPL Cricket league which lampooned Sikhs. I took up very strongly with the Ad Agency that made this ad and they withdrew the objectionable ad.

What I am requesting is bring this issue in the Public Domain as Sikhs not as a newspaper article. Petition the Governor and Chief Minister.

Do your best and do not take the stand ' will they notice' or will it work. Even if it does not you will know in your heart that you did your very best.

Guru Rakha

[Jag_Singh]

PM sent.

[vikramjitsingh]

Fateh parwaan karro ji,

I'm planning to send the following email (draft) to Sukhbir Badal who is the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab. Will be sending this letter to the Media too.

Dear Mr. Sukhbir Badal,

Really very heartening to see your Mother and Wife so often in Darbaar Sahib. I’ve also heard from many of your supporters that ‘Kakaji is now very religious’. This is indeed a very heartening development, because usually people tend to go away from religion when they get power in their hands. Once they get power they start feeling like God. And I don’t think I need to cite examples for this phenomena.

There’s the adage ‘put your money in your mouth', well when it comes to faith this should read ‘ put your belief above everything’. Because unless and until this is done belief is not 100%.

I was surprised to read that a Golf Course is being planned in Mohali and it will be encroaching on Gurudwara land. Imagine this would be taking place in what many would agree is the cradle of Sikhism and another ‘arrow in the heart’ will be that the Government in power is a Akali Government, who many like me take to be a Sikh Government (please do correct me if I'm wrong in this analogy).

My request is that you should involve yourself in this matter and ensure that the Gurudwara land is not encroached on. Please put all other considerations at rest and ensure that Gurudwara land is not encroached upon

I look forward to reading in the Press that the Golf Course has not been given precedence over Sikh Faith. However, if the opposite takes place then I’d say , using a golfing term, when it comes to Sikhism Akalis have with this decision gone ‘out of bounds’!

Look forward to your comments so that I can finalize and send the email.

Guru Rakha

[Matheen]

Thanks for taking up this sewa Veer Ji!

One suggestion: rather than say "Gurudwara Land", mention that it is one of the last remaining undisturbed battle fields of Banda SIngh Bahadur. If a local farmer sinking a tube well nearby found 5-6 old weapons like chakars, talwars etc, then imagine what the rest of the ground holds. Furthermore, it also includes forested area that has many old trees and with most of Punjab drying up, we should preserve all remaining forests.

Send it to everyone you can think of. May Waheguru make this appeal successful.

[vikramjitsingh]

Fateh parwaan karro jiyo,

After making the suggested modifications I've faxed the letter to Sukhbir Badal. Surprisingly the Office of the Deputy CM is not to be found on the Punjab Government's Website.

My request is that all those concerned about this issue should fax their letters to : 91-172-2747212. Surprisingly even though this is a dedicated fax number when you dial the number someone picks it up instead of the fax tone and if you say put on the fax tone he'll ask you what message you want to send or from which mehekma (Office) you are.... just say you want to send a fax for Sukhbir Badal.

Surprisingly our Leaders prefer to create walls when it comes to contact with people.

Guru Rakha

[vikramjitsingh]

Fateh parwaan karro jiyo,

This article appeared in Chandigarh Tribune:

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091006/cth1.htm#5

I think its okay if they make a memorail. Only problem is that golf tends to kickstart exclusivity and if this memorial is part of the golf range/course then the memorial will not be open to Sangath.

There is every possibility that some Akali Leader/s have land in this area and he/they may have mobilized the villagers.

Guru Rakha

[vikramjitsingh]

Fateh parwaan karro jiyo,

<a name="3">Chhapar Chiri memorial back on track

Naveen S Garewal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 25

The Chhapar Chiri memorial, which was being planned to commemorate the victory of Baba Banda Bahadur against the Mughals, will finally see the light of the day. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today announced the state government’s decision to build a memorial in the area where earlier Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) had announced a golf course.

In one of the two meetings held on the issue, the coordination committee for the memorial of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur at Chappar Chiri village submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister asking him to seek demarcation and subsequent acquiring of land. The panel also sought an immediate ban on all construction activity in the area till the plan was approved and finalised.

Committed to have the memorial in place by the tercentenary anniversary of the battle of Chappar Chiri in May next year, Badal summoned yet another meeting of the officials concerned of the Revenue Department and the GMADA where he gave categorical instructions to start work on the project immediately.

Banda Singh Bahadur, a Sikh from Jammu region and a trusted soldier of the 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh was a master in the art of “guerrilla warfare” and had fought the Battle of Sirhind against Moghul Faujdar of Sarhind Wazir Khan to avenge the killing of two “sahibzaadas”.

Baljit Kaur, convener of the committee, said the Chief Minister had asked the delegation to constitute an expert committee with the inclusion of sarpanch and ex-sarpanch of the village to finalise the site plan and design. The coordination committee wants a “minar-e-fateh” and a museum at the site where programmes like the light and sound could be held to narrate the tale of the battle. The state government has extended full support to the idea and asked the committee to suggest a design.

GMADA will now identify the battlefield, including Jhiri, which is more or less preserved in its old form and meant for guerrilla warfare and 30-35 feet high sand dunes in their original form. Necessary steps will also be taken for acquiring required land that is not under the government ownership.

The delegation has also demanded an immediate ban on construction on the demarcated land and said if a road or any building was proposed to be built in the area, then it should be held back till the time a final plan for the memorial was prepared.

Guru Rakha