Jump to content

Sikh Temple Opens Doors To New Building, Closes Doors To Controversy


JSinghnz
 Share

Recommended Posts

June 18, 2013 by PJ Randhawa Source: www.wistv.com

http://www.wistv.com/category/229633/video-landing-page?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=8996838

Jun 16, 2013: COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - The shroud of controversy and suspicion surrounding a new Sikh temple appears to have lifted just in time for its celebrated grand opening.

It's a religion that preaches peace and acceptance of all faiths.

"Every Sikh shrine has four doors that's to represent anybody, doesn't matter which faith or religion you belong to, you could be part of us," said Dr. Inderjit Singh, Chairman of the Sikh Religious Society of SC.

But politics and faith often have very different agendas.

Last year, Governor Nikki Haley, who was born into a Sikh family, denied rumors that she and her father, the president of the Sikh Religious Society, were about to be indicted for tax fraud relating to the temple's finances.

"It is wrong," said Singh. "We have nothing to do with what's happening. We have no problem with the IRS or anybody."

Though the IRS officially denied the claims, Haley's legal team filed a lawsuit against the blogger who initiated the rumors last year. Finally, that case may be close to a resolution.

"We have an apology from that person already, that 'yes, we were given the wrong information, we're sorry about that,'" said Dr. Ajit Randhawa, President of the Sikh Religious Society of South Carolina.

"We're still trying to figure out what his motive is," said Singh. "Why he's trying to malign our temple."

Leaders of the Sikh Religious Society say at least five lawsuits filed by contractors who claim they weren't paid for their work on the temple have been resolved. And all payments made in full.

Governor Haley declined to comment on the lawsuit. And though she is no longer Sikh herself, she spent much of the day reflecting on the importance of culture and community.

"It was this community that thought me strength with grace," she told the congregation. "This is the community that shows what true love, peace and faith looks like and so I am a proud daughter of this community and a proud daughter to say these are the people that raised me."

22603327_BG1.jpg


The opening of this 6,200 square-foot structure represents the expansion of a very visible minority in South Carolina.

"This was the community that taught me service, that taught me how blessed we are to live in this country," said Haley.

There are roughly 25 million Sikhs in the world, and here in Columbia, less than 200 families.

http://www.sikhnet.com/news/sikh-temple-opens-doors-new-building-closes-doors-controversy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • advertisement_alt
  • advertisement_alt
  • advertisement_alt


  • Posts

    • yeh it's true, we shouldn't be lazy and need to learn jhatka shikaar. It doesn't help some of grew up in surrounding areas like Slough and Southall where everyone thought it was super bad for amrit dharis to eat meat, and they were following Sant babas and jathas, and instead the Singhs should have been normalising jhatka just like the recent world war soldiers did. We are trying to rectifiy this and khalsa should learn jhatka.  But I am just writing about bhog for those that are still learning rehit. As I explained, there are all these negative influences in the panth that talk against rehit, but this shouldn't deter us from taking khanda pahul, no matter what level of rehit we are!
    • How is it going to help? The link is of a Sikh hunter. Fine, but what good does that do the lazy Sikh who ate khulla maas in a restaurant? By the way, for the OP, yes, it's against rehit to eat khulla maas.
    • Yeah, Sikhs should do bhog of food they eat. But the point of bhog is to only do bhog of food which is fit to be presented to Maharaj. It's not maryada to do bhog of khulla maas and pretend it's OK to eat. It's not. Come on, bro, you should know better than to bring this Sakhi into it. Is this Sikh in the restaurant accompanied by Guru Gobind Singh ji? Is he fighting a dharam yudh? Or is he merely filling his belly with the nearest restaurant?  Please don't make a mockery of our puratan Singhs' sacrifices by comparing them to lazy Sikhs who eat khulla maas.
    • Seriously?? The Dhadi is trying to be cute. For those who didn't get it, he said: "Some say Maharaj killed bakras (goats). Some say he cut the heads of the Panj Piyaras. The truth is that they weren't goats. It was she-goats (ਬਕਰੀਆਂ). He jhatka'd she-goats. Not he-goats." Wow. This is possibly the stupidest thing I've ever heard in relation to Sikhi.
    • Instead of a 9 inch or larger kirpan, take a smaller kirpan and put it (without gatra) inside your smaller turban and tie the turban tightly. This keeps a kirpan on your person without interfering with the massage or alarming the masseuse. I'm not talking about a trinket but rather an actual small kirpan that fits in a sheath (you'll have to search to find one). As for ahem, "problems", you could get a male masseuse. I don't know where you are, but in most places there are professional masseuses who actually know what they are doing and can really relieve your muscle pains.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use