High Court orders government to rehabilitate shopkeepers affected in 1984
AMRITSAR: The 27 year’s long legal battle ended with justice when 147 sufferers of Operation Blue Star were extended relief when Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered to Punjab Government to rehabilitee 147 shopkeepers within six weeks who were uprooted during the Army operation on Golden Temple in 1984. The court orders were issued on Thursday and brought in the city on Sunday by the President of the ‘Blue Star Merchants Sufferers Association’ Gurdip Singh.
It may be mentioned here that in June 1984 during the Operation Blue Star, Army Action was initiated to flush out the hiding militants from the Golden Temple and during operation Army had to demolish hundreds of shops around theGolden Temple to take war machinery including tanks and heavy artillery inside the Golden Temple.
After few months of Operation Blue Star, all the shopkeepers who were uprooted adjusted suitably as they were given adequate commercial shops desirable locations, since the land of their existing shops were permanently occupied by the Government in order to give easy access to Golden in Temple for future. But 147 sufferers were ignored due to some technical reasons who got relief now after 27 years with the intervention of Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Talking to media here today, in the presence of Gurdip Singh, the advocate of Punjab and Harayna High Court Dalbir Singh Pheruman who was contesting the case while showing the court orders said that Court has ordered to Punjab Government to sanction commercial sites to all the 147 petitioners with in the period of six weeks.
Pheruman said that petitioners were striking the door of the Government from day one when they were uprooted but nothing tangible was done on the part of Government.
Pheruman added that Court in its orders has directed the Punjab Government to sanction commercial sites to 147 sufferers as each petitioner would be sanctioned 27 square yard area at the rate of Rs. 1000 per square yard besides fifty percent construction cost to be born by the Punjab Government.
Throwing light on past Gurdip Singh said that the loss caused to the holy Akal Takht and the Golden Temple during the operation Blue Star was repaired immediately on top priority after the operation. But the loss suffered by these hapless 147 shopkeepers was never heard since they had to run pillar to post to get justice as neither Punjab Government nor Union Government of India was serious enough for them unless court intervened.
Adding further Gurdip Singh said that in 1988, a GALAIRA YOUJNA (beaurtification project around the GoldenTemple) was framed by the Government to rehabilitate these 147 shop owners. It was decided under the scheme with subsequent assurance from the then Punjab Governor S.S. Ray that all the affected persons would be allotted alternate place for carrying out their respective business activities.
But nothing was done for these wretched shopkeepers. In 1991, when Beant Singh government came to power, deputation of 147 shop owners met him. Beant Singh gave all kind of assurances followed by no result. Arrival of Akali Government headed by Parkash Singh Badal who was considered espouse and great sympathizer of Sikh masses, to power rekindled the ray of hope in the minds of affected persons to get justice. But this time again their hopes ended in smoke, as Badal also did not pay much heed to the aggrieved persons. Nevertheless to say, number of times, these people kept on meeting successive heads of the Punjab Government, but their miseries never come to an end. Even the Government of Congress led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh did nothing.
May 28, 2012
Tags: 1984, Operation Blue Star Category: Current Issues 
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Gurdaspur firing: Protesters demand arrest of culprits
GURDASPUR: Gurdaspur remained peaceful but tense following the district adminstration and police clamped ban orders on assembly of more than five persons under section 144 and protesters seeking probe into the police firing in which Jaspal Singh , student of Beant Engineering College was killed .
Jaspal singh was killed in police firing during protest march in the city seeking clemency of death sentence for Balwant Singh Rajoana, one of the accused for former CM Beant Sinngh’s killer .The protesters led by Jaspal’s singh ‘s father Gurcharanjit singh and Damdami Taksal cheif Jathedar Lakhwinder Singh wanted to march to Kahnuwan Chowk from Sidhwan Chor village but were stopped by the police mid way and they were forced to stage dharna at Harochhani Road.gurdaspur firing protest, punjabnewsline
The protesters were also demanding arrest of more than half a dozen Shiv Sena activits who were named in FIR causing violence during protest for clemency of death sentence for Rajoana decrying police inaction.
While the city fostered look of a police fortress and no vehicle or bus passing through the city was allowed to go unchecked after the Gurdaspur adminstration clammed ban orders on assembly of five or more persons , as soon as the police came to know that protesters had left Sidhwan Chour village for Kahnuwan Chowk for staging their dharna , the alert police stopped them midway and they were forced to pitch their tents at Hardochhani Road where members of the various radical outfits addressed the gathering .
gurdaspur firing protes, punjabnewsline The protesters said even though the government had launched two probe panels —-one led by Jalandhar Division Commissioner and other by DIG border Range , the police seemed to be shielding the police officers involved in firing which led to killing of Jaspal Singh and demanded that CBI should be asked to probe the case. Acrimony raised its ugly head when the radical group members did not allow Hardeep Singh to speak and asked him to come down from the stage when he lauded the efforts being made by Gurdaspur MLA and CPS Gurbachan Singh made by him to promote peace and harmony in the city .
While Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Sr Abhinav Trikha and SSPO Ravcharan Singh reached the spot and were seen holding dialogue with the protesters that following ban orders , the protest march could not be allowed to proceed to the city , they were asked to give their memorandum to them at the spot but the protesters refused their offer to stay put at the dharna site .
gurdaspur firing protest, Gurdaspur DC Dr Abhinav Trkha and SSP Ravcharan Singh in their respective statements said the ban orders were clamed in the city to maintain law and order situation in the city even as most of the protesters had left venue towards the evening , only a hand full of the them were staging dharna .SSP Brar said no untoward incident had taken place during the protest and law and order situation in the city was normal .
Exhorting the residents to maintain peace DC Trikha said , the ban order had been clamped by administration so that law and order was maintained to that otherwise peaceful atmosphere was not vitiated in the city .
May 28, 2012
Tags: Anti-Sikh, Firing, Gurdaspur, Punjab Police, Sikh Youth Category: Current Issues No Comments
UN grilled India over custodial torture, enforced disappearances
New Delhi, India: Custodial torture, enforced disappearances and use of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act were the major concerns raised by UN member nations that grilled India yesterday when its national report for the second Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of human rights came up for discussions at Geneva.
Most country representatives asked Attorney General Ghoolam Vahanvati representing India why the government had not ratified the UN Conventions against torture and enforced disappearances despite positive indications earlier.
Ratification of the Convention against Torture was recommended to India four years ago after its first UPR.
“That hasn’t happened. Though the Prevention of Torture Bill 2010 was introduced in Parliament,” India’s National Human Rights Commission has in its observations on the country’s second UPR said. “The Bill was weak. If the Act eventually adopted dilutes the revisions made by a committee of Parliament’s Upper House, it will call into question the government’s commitment to the convention,” it said. Between 2001 and 2010, NHRC reported 14,231 cases of deaths in police and prison custody (1,504 and 12,727, respectively) — an average of 43 deaths a day.
The Working Group on Human Rights (WGHR) in India and the UN which submitted a parallel report for India’s UPR says that torture is the most widespread in India’s conflict areas and leads to physical, mental disability and impotency.
“Common methods of torture in Kashmir and the North-East are placement of iron rod on the legs on which many people sit; placement of burning stove between the legs and administration of electric shocks to genitals. A Commission of the ICRC confirmed the use of torture in Kashmir,” WGHR report says.
Yesterday, India was reminded of its 2011 promise to ratify the UN Convention on Enforced Disappearances. This recommendation was made after India’s first UPR.
The NHRC report to the UN Human Rights Commission, however, says: “There is no evidence that the Government intends to ratify the CED. Enforced disappearance is not codified as a criminal offence in domestic law nor are extant provisions of law used to deter the practice.” The NHRC received 341 complaints of disappearance in 2010, over 400 in 2011. The WGHR report laments enforced disappearances in Kashmir.
May 26, 2012
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TYTLER CASE: SIKH BODIES TO HOLD RALLY IN DELHI
Fatehgarh Sahib May 25:
The All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF), Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and victims of the 1984 anti-sikh riots would hold a justice rally outside Karkardooma court in New Delhi on Friday, demanding the registration of a murder case against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler for his alleged role in inciting mobs to kill Sikhs.
“The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has ignored witnesses who can testify that they saw Tytler outside Gurdwara Pulbangash, leading mobs that burnt alive many Sikhs,” said Karnail Singh Peermohammad, AISSF president.
May 25, 2012
Tags: 1984 Category: Current Issues No Comments
NORTH AMERICAN SIKH BODIES SLAM ANAND MARRIAGE AMENDMENT
Amritsar May 25:
A day after a number of Sikh bodies in the US hailed the recent amendment to the Anand Marriage Act, Sikh organisations and Gurudwara Management Committees across North America have now come together to slam the amendment.
The amendment is not sufficient to restore the separate status and identity of Sikhism, a press release by Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) in New York said. Sikh bodies like the Sikhs For Justice, American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Ontario Gurdwara Committee, Dashmesh Darbar Gurdwara of Cartret and Sikh Cultural Society of Richmond Hill, New York, the release said, have demanded an amendment to Article 25 of the Constitution of India to restore the separate status of Sikhism.
“The recent amendment to the Anand Marriage Act does not establish separate Sikh identity for Sikhs living in India or abroad, as claimed by the proponents of this legislation. Under the Supreme law of the country, Constitution of India, Sikhism continues to remain subjugated as per Article 25 of the Constitution. The demand of Sikh community is an amendment to Article 25 of the Constitution, which is being continuously ignored by the Centre,” the release quoted SFJ legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun as stating.
May 25, 2012
Tags: Anand Marriage Act, North America Category: Current Issues No Comments
Anand Marriage Act does not give separate identity to Sikh religion- AISSF
AMRITSAR: “Just because now Sikhs can register their marriages under Amended Anand Marriage Act, it does not give separate identity to Sikh religion as being falsely propagated by the Government”, stated Karnail Singh Peermohammad, President All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF).
It’s ironic that while Prime Minister and Chief of Indian Army both happen to be Sikhs, “the very constitution to which they have taken oath to protect and uphold does not recognize the separate identity of the religion they belong to”, stated Peermohammad. “Constitution of India is the only constitution in the world that claims to be secular and yet defines religion and undermines separate identity of Sikhism”.
Reminding the Sikh organizations which are praising the passage of Anand Marriage Act, Federation Chief questioned as to “what relief Anand Marriage Act provides to millions of Sikhs living in India who continue to be governed by Hindu laws”?, he quipped.
Amendment to Anand Marriage Act is merely another attempt by Congress (I) to divert the attention of Sikh community which is coming together to take the cause of Sikhs rights to international level. If the Government is really sincere, it should implement the recommendation of the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC) headed by the former Chief Justice of India, Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah to amend the Article 25 of the Constitution to restore the separate status of Sikhism.
On May 15, AISSF and Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister’s Office demanding to take steps for implementation of NCRWC Recommendation regarding Article 25 of the Constitution and amend the same to restore the independent and separate status of Sikhism.
While commending SAD (Badal) MPs Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Harsimrat Kaur Badal and others who raised the issue of amendment to Article 25 of the constitution in both Houses, Peermohammad stated that SAD (Badal) MPs should come through on their statements made in the Parliament and should push for the implementation of NCRWC recommendations regarding amendment to Article 25 of the Constitution.
May 24, 2012
Tags: AISSF, Anand Marriage Act Category: Current Issues No Comments
BJP wants memorial of terrorists’ victims
By Jagmohan Singh
AMRITSAR: With the beginning of construction of memorial in the memory of those Sikhs who were killed while battling with the Indian Army during 1984 Operation Blue Star in the Golden Temple, now the alliance BJP partner of Punjab Government has indirectly sparked controversy.
Controversy came in lime light when BJP firebrand leader and former State Cabinet minister Lakshmi Kanta Chawla raised demand to built memorial in the memory of innocent people of the Hindu Community who were assassinated by terrorists during the peak days of militancy in Punjab.
Chawla in a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and State BJP President Ashwani Kumar has said that the innocent people who were assassinated had great role to bring peace tranquility in Punjab, hence deserve recognition.
Recalling the incident of mass killing of people from Hindu community, Chawla said that in the year of 1983 many bus passengers were shot dead by terrorists when they were identified as Hindus at Dhilwan town of Punjab near Jallandhar district. She said that Punjab Government should raise memorial for those who were killed during indiscriminate firing at Dhilwan and the names of the all the victims be engraved on memorial.
Adding further she said that all the innocent people who were killed at the hands of terrorists should be brought in record and their names to be mentioned in the memorial since to bring calm in Punjab the blood of innocent people shouldn’t go unnoticed. She said that people of Punjab would extend full moral and financial support to Government when memorial to be raised in the memory of innocent people who had sacrificed their lives in Punjab.
She said that all the innocent people who were killed during turmoil period should be declared martyr besides adequate compensation and other necessary benefits on the part of Punjab Government.
May 23, 2012
Tags: 1984, Anti-Sikh, BJP Category: Current Issues No Comments
American Sikhs applaud passage of Anand Karaj Amendment in the Indian Parliament
WASHINGTON: American Sikhs have expressed their joy and satisfaction at the passage of Anand Marriage Amendment in the Indian Parliament.
Dr. Rajwant Singh, Chairman of the Washington based Sikh Council on Religion and Education, said, “ this is a historic day for Sikhs in the Independent India after a long and hard struggle. Not having a full recognition of their observances and their customs in India had created a sense of lack among Sikhs in India and it questioned their independent identity as a community. This thoughtful action by the elected leaders of India honors the Sikh tradition and its validity. It also sends a signal that India welcomes its own vibrant diversity and honors its own minorities. Comprehensive law recognition the Sikh marriage is still needed which would require community wide deliberations and we appeal to Sikh leaders to involve various sections of Sikh intelligentsia. ”
Parliament has passed a Bill to remove doubts on the validity of the ‘Anand Karaj’ (marriage) among the Sikhs. Rajya Sabha had adopted the Bill on Monday by a voice vote at the recommendation of the cabinet under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The Anand Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2012, which seeks to amend the Anand Marriage Act, was passed by the Lok Sabha by a voice vote.
Moving the Bill for consideration, law minister Salman Khurshid said the legislation was evidence of the intention of the government to respect the sentiments of people of all religious communities.The Bill seeks to amend the Anand Marriage Act, 1909, to provide for compulsory registration of ‘Anand Karaj’ marriages.
Rajwant Singh further added, “We are proud of Sikh parliamentarian Tarlochan Singh for his meticulous legislative work and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his support as the head of Indian political office. Both deserve applause from the entire worldwide Sikh community. We as a community must continue to make full use of the political process to get full rights and this is a prime example.”
Dr. I.J. Singh, a New York based Sikh commentator and author of several Sikh books, said, “Passage of Anand Marriage Amendment is obviously important for Sikhs in India and Sikhs across the world. It is crucial step but it is a pity that it took 60 years. Not that we as a community did not protest or struggle to get this crucial recognition, finally those efforts have brought this good. He further stated, “Forming policies around Sikhs customs is an evolving process and we hope as community develops consensus, it should not take another 60 years to make changes in the current law.”
Ranjit Singh, Chairman of the Maryland based Guru Gobind Singh Foundation, said, “ We are pleased with the outcome of this long standing struggle. Finally Sikhs in India have the chance to feel that they are fully acknowledged. It is important for Sikh leaders to evolve consensus on the next phase of the process. It was great to see Sikh parliamentarians working across party lines to achieve this goal. That is a victory for Sikhs. Indian Parliament leaders also deserve recognition for their unanimous decision.
May 23, 2012
Tags: America, Anand Marriage Act Category: Current Issues No Comments
DECLARE JUNE 6 AS STATE HOLIDAY IN PUNJAB: SIKH BODY
Amritsar May 20:
A Sikh student outfit today demanded that June 6 be declared as a state holiday in Punjab to honour the killing of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale during 1984 operation Blue Star at the Golden Temple.
By declaring June 6 as a state holiday, the government will pay befitting homage to Shaheed Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Shaheed Bhai Amrik Singh, Shaheed General Shubeg Singh and countless other Sikhs who died in June 1984 protecting Sikh rights and defending Sri Akal Takhat Sahi, All India Sikh Students Federation said.
May 21, 2012
Category: Current Issues No Comments
Finally memorial construction work begins in Golden Temple
By Jagmohan Singh
AMRITSAR: Today finally construction work for the memorial being made in the memory of those who were killed during the Operation Blue Star has begun amidst chanting of religious slogans ‘ Bole So Nihal Sat-Sri-Akal’ in the presence of sea of crowd in the complex of Golden temple here.
Notably, in June 1984 Operation Blue Star was initiated by the Indian Army to flush out the hiding militants led by their militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindrawala who was killed along with his associates and other visiting Sikh devotees to Golden Temple. Sikh community for the last one decade was demanding to erect memorial in the memory of those who were killed at the hands of Indian Army so that Coming generation could come to know the bloodshed occurred in 1984.
The construction work of was entrusted to chief of Dami-Dami Taksal Bhai Harnam Singh Dhuma by SGPC. At the time of beginning among prominent who were present on the occasion, Jathedar Akal Takht Giani Gurbachan Singh, SGPC President Avtar Singh Makkar, majority of SGPC members besides various Sikh religious and political outfits today in the premises of the Golden Temple.
Memorial being built near the historic building of Akal Takht where every visiting devotee to Golden Temple could have the glimpse of the memorial and read the history as what happened during Army Operation in 1984 in the Golden Temple when Akal Takht (highest Sikh Temporal Seat) was badly damaged which had hurt the sentiments of Sikh community by and large.
Construction of memorial begins with the ‘Bhog’ ceremony (conclusion ceremony) of the ‘Akhand Path’.
Decision to construct the memorial was taken by the SGPC executive on July 20, 2002, whereas, the sub-committee was formed only last year after the Sikh radical groups and hardliners mounted pressure on SGPC besides threatened to go ahead with the memorial if the religious SGPC “did not honour its promise made to the Sikh community”.
The spot where the memorial being built is that same place where the body of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale the then chief of Dam-Dami Taksal was found by the security forces when Army had finished its operation in 1984.
May 20, 2012
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