Stephen Harper Refuses Parshad, Langar; Lensmen Roughed Up

[raj_karega_khalsa]

...refuses prasad, langar; lensmen roughed up

Varinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 18

Controversy and chaos marked Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Golden Temple visit.

Harper refused to partake of prasad at Darshani Deodi after being dissuaded by his aide, Alisa Mohammed. He also declined langar.

SGPC officials said she also made them vacate their information office prior to the premier’s arrival. “When we objected, she said she had already spoken to the SGPC secretary on the matter. It is for the first time that we have suffered such humiliation at hands of a foreigner in our own office,” said a senior SGPC official, expressing resentment over the behaviour of the Canadian PM’s staff.

Multi-tier security provided by officials of intelligence, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Punjab Police, CID and the overzealous Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee task force converted the complex into a fortress. Perhaps for the first time, movement of devotees came to a halt during a VVIP’s visit.

Members of SGPC’s task force allegedly snatched cameras of photojournalists and misbehaved with them. Even Canadian journalists were jostled around and manhandled. The video camera of a CBC journalist fell during the melee. “It seemed that everyone was policing and there were more securitymen in the complex,” a Canadian journalist told this correspondent.

Though Indian photojournalists were restricted to three pre-determined points in the Parkarma, their Canadian counterparts were allowed to perch on veranda roofs along the Parkarma. SGPC chief Avtar Singh assured action against erring task force officials.

[apnepart2]

http://www.cbc.ca/po...ikh-shrine.html

have a look at this hate*** venom*** article written by cbc news, no wonder their journalist got manhandled and his camers fell down. justice served from heaven. (beforehand) lol

did he visit durgiana mandir? is that why dominant media is not happy, particularly rss tribune editor.

in distant future bhindranwales potrait will adorn the walls of indian parliament.

[BhForce]

The CBC News article was amazingly hateful. The visit to Harimandar Sahib by Harper was simply to understand the spiritual antecedents of a large number of his constituents. Bringing up Air India and so on is totally irrelevant. Does the CBC bring up the sordid history of Christian Canadian discrimination against Asians, Komagata Maru, and the forced indoctrination in Canadian native schools every time the PM visits a Christian church?

Taking or not taking parshad is everyone's right. But I'm skeptical about him not taking it "after being dissuaded by his aide, Alisa Mohammed". Why did this Musalmann feel the need to tell the PM not to take parshad in a Sikh shrine? Does she feel hatred toward SIkhs?

Finally, I highly disagree with turning Harimandar Sahib into a fortress with special privileges when so-called Very Important Persons visit. As far as Guru Ram Dass ji is concerned, every visitor is a very important person. The Akalis have profaned the memory of our great Gurus.

By the way, the tribune is not RSS; it's Arya Samaji.

[raj_karega_khalsa]

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Guru_Amar_Das_and_King_Akbar

Akbar was a famous king of India. He was a kind and good king and respected the Sikh Gurus for their sensible practises and their fair and just teachings. In the year 1569, Akbar came to the Punjab and wanted to see the Guru.

So he sent a message to Guru Amar Das ji that he was coming to visit him. The Sikhs were very happy at the news. Some Sikhs thought that special arrangements should be made to welcome the king. But the Guru said, "Akbar is as much a human being as others are. The Guru's place is open to all. The king and his subjects, the Hindus and the Muslims, the rich and the poor are all equal here. So Akbar will be welcomed like all other visitors to the Guru's place and special arrangements need not be made."

"Caste has no power in the next world; Only the humble are exalted there. It is only the good who are honoured for good acts." (Guru Nanak (SGGS p469))

The king, along with the Rajah of Haripur, arrived in Goindwal where the Guru lived. The Guru and a few Sikhs received them warmly. They were shown round the place. Akbar was interested to know how the Guru's Langar was run. Simple food was served to all in the Guru's Langar. It remained open day and night.

Travellers, beggars, and strangers, as well as the followers of the Guru, were all served with food. Whatever was left was thrown to the cattle and birds so that nothing was wasted. The Guru had given an order that all persons coming to visit his place must have their food in the Langar (when hungry). There they were to sit in rows (Pangat) as equals and were to be served simple food in turn. Akbar and the Rajah of Haripur took their meals in the Guru's Langar. They sat among the common people in a row as the Sikhs served them food. They enjoyed the simple food and were very happy. Akbar liked the working of the Guru's Langar very much.

Before leaving, Akbar said to the Guru,

"I like Guru Nanak's religion very much and I respect you for your teachings. I want to make a grant of land for running the Langar. Would you mind it!".

The Guru replied,

"Dear Akbar, I am very glad you like the path of Baba Nanak. I am also grateful to you for your offer of a grant of land for the Langar, but I am sorry I cannot accept it because the Guru likes all to work hard to earn (Kirt Karni) and to share their honest earnings (Wand Chakna) with others, by giving something to the Langar from their honest earnings to help others.

As such, the Guru's langar is the people's (Sangat's) Langar and it must be run on people's free gifts and not on a royal grant. That is why all share equally in the Guru's Langar and no one is looked upon as an outsider. In the Guru's Langar, each gives as much as we can spare and takes as much as he/she needs. Here, there is no difference between kings and beggars. All sit together; and eat simple food served with loving care." Akbar liked the Guru's idea very much.