Friday, June 3, 2011

Rare Indian artefacts are sold in UK auction



Key historical documents from India, including an illustrated history of Kashmir, have been sold in the UK.
The Kashmir manuscript contains nine paintings, including that of the famous Maharajah Ranjit Singh, and sold for £11,700 ($19,000) at auction.
Other items included original paintings, miniatures on ivory, historical documents and statues.
A portrait of Maharajah Rajinder Singh of Patalia - an honorary general in the British army - was also for sale.
with thanks : BBC News : link above for detailed news.SikhsIndia


Many respond to Facebook invite for 'chhabeel' & help

LUDHIANA: In an attempt to motivate people to join him in serving commuters sweet flavoured milk to mark the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh guru, Harjinder Singh, a resident of Gurdev Nagar announced on Facebook that he would be organizing a 'chhabeel,' while urging others to join in the effort.

His message evoked a good response and 200 local residents including some affluent people also joined hands to serve commuters on Thursday. Harjinder Singh organized the camp to help commuters beat the heat.

People who had promised to join him came forward to help him in serving people.

While talking to TOI, Singh said that he had been organizing such 'chhabeels' for the past many years on the occasion of martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev on June 5 but this time he decided to hold it a few days before the event to make it more purposeful, as on the 5th commuters get cold sweet milk at many places. He added that most of the devotees organize such 'chhabeels' on the occasion to serve commuters so he wanted to be different. 'I would be performing sewa at a gurdwara on the occasion on June 5,' he added. 

with thanks : Times of India : link above for detailed news.

SikhsIndia

Operation Blue Star, 27 years on


















It was on this day 27 years ago that Operation Blue Star flushed out Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his separatist followers from the Golden Temple in Amritsar.


Bhindranwale was using the shrine as a refuge and had piled up weapons for use in hate crimes against non-Sikhs.



But to this day the scars of 1984 are visible. The siege on the temple lasted three days and claimed many innocent lives. Though the operation was the brainchild of prime minister Indira Gandhi, she later regretted it. The military action led to her assignation two months after Operation Blue Star.



Yahoo! India News brings you pages from a violent chapter.



What was Operation Blue Star?



It was a military raid ordered by Indira Gandhi to eliminate separatists who had taken cover in the holiest of Sikh shrines. The operation spanned four days, between June 3 and 6, and was carried out by the Indian Army which laid siege to the temple complex with tanks and armoured vehicles.



The then Vice-Chief of Indian Army SK Sinha was first asked to lead the operation, but he advised against it saying it this would hurt Sikh sentiments. Indira Gandhi replaced him with Lt Gen A S Vaidya, who along with Lt Gen K Sundarji then planned the operation.



The operation kicked-off with a 36-hour curfew on June 3. All communication was suspended in Punjab, cutting off the state from the rest of the world.



The assault on the temple and the timing of it came in for heavy criticism as heavy artillery was used in the congested by lanes of Amritsar which lead to the death of many innocent bystanders. There was a huge uproar in the Sikh community worldwide, which was followed by hate crimes on Sikhs in parts of India.

with thanks : Yahoo News : link above for detailed news.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Sarna ji's meeting with UPA President Mrs.Sonia Gandhi

ਦੁਨਿਆਂ ਭਰ ਦੇ ਸਿਖਾਂ ਦੀ ਮੰਗ ਦੇ ਮਦਦੇਨਜਰ ਹਜਾਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਤਾਦਾਦ ਵਿਚ ਸੰਗਤਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਦਿੱਲੀ ਸਿੱਖ ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਬੰਧਕ ਕਮੇਟੀ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਪਰਮਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਸਰਨਾ ਜੀ ਨੇ ਯੂ.ਪੀ.ਏ. ਦੀ ਚੀਫ ਸ਼ੀਮਤੀ ਸੋਨਿਯਾ ਗਾਂਧੀ ਨਾਲ ਮੁਲਾਕਾਤ ਕਰ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਦਵਿੰਦਰਪਾਲ... ਸਿੰਘ ਭੁੱਲਰ ਨਾਲ ਹੋ ਰਹੀ ਬੇਇਨਸਾਫੀ ਤੇ ਸਿਖਾਂ ਦੀ ਭਾਵਨਾਵਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਅਵਗਤ ਕਰਾਯਾ। ਇਸ ਮੀਟਿਂਗ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਰਨਾ ਜੀ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਰੂਪ ਤੇ ਦਿੱਲੀ ਦੀ ਚੀਫ ਮਿਨਿਸਟਰ ਸ੍ਰੀਮਤੀ ਸ਼ੀਲਾ ਦੀਖਸ਼ਿਤ ਤੇ ਸ੍ਰ. ਅਰਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਲਵਲੀ ਜੀ ਨੇ ਵੀ ਸ਼ਿਰਕਤ ਕੀਤੀ।



ਸਰਨਾ ਜੀ ਨੇ ਆਸ ਪ੍ਰਗਟ ਕੀਤੀ ਕਿ ਜਿਵੇਂ ਸਿਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਬਾਕੀ ਮਸਲਿਆਂ ਤੇ ਨੇਕਨਿਯਤੀ ਨਾਲ ਫੈਸਲੇ ਲਿਤੇ ਗਏ ਹਨ । ਉਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਵਿੰਦਰਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਭੁੱਲਰ ਨੂੰ ਵੀ ਇਨਸਾਫ ਦਿੰਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਫਾਸੀ ਦੀ ਸਜਾ ਤੇ ਫੈਸਲਾ ਲਿਆ ਜਾਵੇਗਾ।

ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਸਿਖਾਂ ਦਾ ਕਾਲੀ ਸੂਚੀ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਨਾਮ ਹਟਵਾਉਣ ਲਈ ਸੋਨਿਯਾ ਜੀ ਦੇ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਸਹਿਯੋਗ ਲਈ ਧੰਨਵਾਦ ਕੀਤਾ ਤੇ ਆਸ ਪ੍ਰਗਟ ਕੀਤੀ ਕਿ ਆਨੰਦ ਮੈਰਿਜ ੲੈਕਟ ਤੇ ਅਫਗਾਨ ਤੋਂ ਆਏ ਸਿਖਾਂ ਦੀ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਨਾਗਰਿਕਤਾ ਲਈ ਫੈਸਲੇ ਜਲਦ ਹੀ ਲਿਤੇ ਜਾਣਗੇ।



Message from Sd. Paramjit Singh Sarna, President, DSGMC :

ਦਾਸ ਵਲੋਂ ਸਾਰੀਆਂ ਸੰਗਤਾਂ ਦਾ, ਸ਼ਾਮਿਲ ਹੋਈਆਂ ਜੱਥੇਬੰਦੀਆਂ ਦਾ, ਸਾਰੇ ਮੈਂਬਰ ਸਾਹਿਬਾਨ ਦਾ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਸਹਿਯੋਗ ਲਈ ਬਹੁਤ ਬਹੁਤ ਧੰਨਵਾਦ। 

ਆਸ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਕਿ ਅਸੀਂ ਸਾਰੇ ਸਿਖਾਂ ਤੇ ਮਜਲੂਮਾਂ ਦੇ ਹੱਕ ਲਈ ਇੱਕ ਹੋਕੇ ਆਵਾਜ ਬੁਲੰਦ ਕਰਦੇ ਰਹਾਂਗੇ ।
...
ਦਵਿੰਦਰਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਭੁੱਲਰ ਨੂੰ ਇਨਸਾਫ ਮਿਲੇ, ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਅੱਗੇ ਇਹੀ ਅਰਦਾਸ ਹੈ ।




''Antim ardass'' of Badal''s wife held

Malout (Punjab), Jun 2 (PTI) Cutting across partylines, several leaders of political parties and religious organisations paid tributes to the deceased wife of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today. Surinder Kaur had died at PGIMER in Chandigarh on May 24 after a prolonged battle with cancer and was cremated at the CM's native Badal village the next day. An 'antim ardass' (ritual as per Sikh tradition) was held at the new grain market here. Prominent among those who attended were former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, former BJP chief Rajnath Singh, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and CPI national council member Joginder Dayal. All India Congress committee member Jagmeet Singh Brar, Former Haryana chief minister Om Parkash Chautala, former union minister Maneka Gandhi, former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Shanta Kumar were present on the occasion alongwith other cabinet and party colleagues of Badal.

with thanks : IBNLive : link above for detailed news.

SikhsIndia

Gurdwara attacked in Oz, Sikhs appeal for security

A gurdwara in the Australian state of Victoria has been vandalised in what is believed to be a "racial" attack, sparking fears among the minority community which has appealed for greater security for the Sikhs. Sikhs in Shepparton in northern Victoria have appealed to those who vandalised their gurdwara to leave them alone.

"Why they're doing it we don't know and we think there's a bit of racism - I'm not sure but (there) could be," a local Sikh Kuldeep Singh was quoted as saying by ABC News today.

Security has been stepped up around the gurdwara after recent vandalism attacks, including eggs being thrown at the building and a car smashing a fence around the structure, the report said.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : link above for detailed news.

SikhsIndia

Sheila, Sikh delegation meets Sonia

New Delhi, June 2 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and a delegation of Sikh leaders today met and thanked UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for the government's decision to remove names of 142 Sikhs from a blacklist.Dikshit, Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely and hundreds of Sikh leaders representing various organisations met Gandhi at her residence and conveyed their gratitude for providing the "relief" to the NRI Sikhs."We expressed our gratitude to Soniaji for taking up the issue with the government," Lovely said.The Centre has deleted names of 142 NRI Sikhs from the black list after a detailed review while the exercise is still continuing in 27 other cases, Home Minister P Chidambaram had said yesterday.The NRI Sikhs whose names were mentioned in the black list are alleged to have been routinely denied travel permission to the country on grounds that they had taken part in anti-national activities during insurgency period in Punjab.

with thanks : IBNLive : link above for detailed news


Centre reviewing cases of 27 Sikhs still on immigration blacklist

NEW DELHI: The Centre is reviewing the background of 27 Sikhs (suspected former militants and their family members) living abroad who are still on the immigration 'blacklist' that bans their entry into India. 

Union home minister P Chidambaram said on Wednesday that the Centre had last month deleted the names of 142 Sikh NRIs from the blacklist after a detailed review while the exercise was still continuing in 27 cases. 

The home ministry had conducted a detailed review of the cases of 169 Sikh NRIs included in the blacklist but could not get "full information" about the activities of 27 individuals during last 15-20 years. Leaving these names in the list pending inquiry, the ministry had decided to remove the other names from the black-list.

with thanks : Times of India : link above for detailed news

SikhsIndia

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Paramjit Singh Sarna : on mercy petition


ਸੰਗਤ ਜੀ

ਅਸੀ ਕੱਲ (02-06-2011) ਨੂੰ ਸੰਗਤਾਂ ਦੀ ਮੰਗ (ਪੋ0 ਦਵਿੰਦਰਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਭੁੱਲਰ ਨੂੰ ਇਨਸਾਫ) ਨੂੰ ਯੂ.ਪੀ.ਏ. ਦੀ ਚੀਫ ਸੋਨੀਯਾ ਗਾਂਧੀ ਤਕ ਪਹੁਚਾਣ ਲਈ ਮਿਲਣ ਜਾ ਰਹੇ ਹਾਂ।

ਇਸ ਮੀਟਿਂਗ ਵਿਚ ਪੋ0 ਦਵਿੰਦਰਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਭੁੱਲਰ ਨੂੰ ਇਨਸਾਫ ਦੀ ਮੰਗ ਨੂੰ ਪੁਰਜੋਰ ਤਰੀਕੇ ਨਾਲ ਰਖਿਆ ਜਾਏਗਾ।

ਮਿਲਨ ਦਾ ਸਮਾਂ : ਸ਼ਾਮ 4 ਵਜੇ

ਰਕਾਬ ਗੰਜ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਤੋਂ ਚਲਣ ਦਾ ਸਮਾਂ : ਸ਼ਾਮ 3 ਵਜੇ

ਸੋ ਸਾਰੀਆਂ ਸੰਗਤਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਬੇਨਤੀ ਹੈ ਸਮੇਂ ਸਿਰ ਪਹੁਚਣ ਦੀ ਕਿ੍ਪਾਲਤਾ ਕਰਨੀ ਜੀ।

ਧੰਨਵਾਦ

President''s decision final on Bhullar case: Kamat

Chandigarh, Jun 1 (PTI) Union Minister of State for Home Gurudas Kamat today declined to comment on the rejection of the mercy petition of death row convict and Khalistan militant Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar saying that the President's decision was final verdict in the matter. "The President gave the decision (rejecting the mercy petition) after consideration of the case. She gave the final decision and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on a decision taken by the President," Kamat, who is also MoS for Communications and Information Technology, told reporters here. The dismissal of the mercy petition resulted in the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab, various other Sikh bodies including the Amritsar-based SGPC and Delhi-based DSGMC and Dal Khalsa raising the demand for review of the rejection of the mercy petition to save Bhullar from death sentence. The Opposition Congress has also demanded that Bhullar's death sentence be commuted with state unit President Amarinder Singh in his "personal capacity" also saying that the death would not solve any problem.

with thanks : IBNLice : link above for detailed news.

City’s Harsimar tops all-India PMT


Chandigarh


The All-India CBSE Pre-Medical Entrance Examination results here tonight boosted the city’s morale, especially after the dismal showing by its students in IIT examination, when city girl Harsimar Kaur left thousands behind to bag the first position in the country.

Daughter of a Punjab government SDO, Harsimar created history by topping in the national-level examination.


















“I was expecting a position in the top-10 ranking but the first rank has come in as a pleasant surprise. I am thrilled at the achievement. The feeling is yet to sink in but the tears of joy in my parent’s eyes are special to me,” said an elated Harsimar.

In a sequel to last year’s fantastic show, city’s three students made it to the top-10 ranking, while five found place in the top-50 ranking. Last year, six students had made it to the top-100 ranking with the best rank for the city being sixth.

“We have finally done it. The city’s performance in various medical entrance examinations has been getting better year after year. When we got rank 1 in AIIMS last year, we knew we would conquer PMT and look, we have done it!” said a local PMT training centre head.

with thanks : Tribune, Chandigarh : link above for detailed news.

Submitted by : 
Bandhan Preet Singh,
Broadband Engineer (TTA),
BSNL, Mohali, Chd., Punjab.