Page 2 - Sikhs

Indian suspect in plot to kill Sikh separatist Pannun extradited to US

Nikhil Gupta has been accused by US federal prosecutors of plotting with an Indian government official to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun

Punjab: Dal Khalsa raises pro-Khalistan slogans on Bluestar anniversary

Pro-Khalistan slogans were raised by supporters and activists of radical Sikh outfits here on the 40th anniversary of Operation Bluestar on Thursday. The slogans were raised by activists of various outfits, including the Simranjit Singh Mann-led Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), and former MP Dhian Singh Mand at the Akal Takht the highest temporal seat of Sikhs. Mann, who recently lost the Lok Sabha poll from the Sangrur seat, was also present. Led by the radical outfit Dal Khalsa, some Sikh youths were carrying Khalistani flags and photographs of a damaged Akal Takht the highest temporal seat of Sikhs. Dal Khalsa activists were seen carrying placards bearing portraits of slain militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in Canada last year. The entire marbled periphery of the Golden Temple, the holiest Sikh shrine, near the Akal Takht echoed with pro-Khalistan slogans. Some Sikh youths carried banners and placards read

What is Sikhs for Justice Group and why is it banned in India

Sikhs for Justice is making headlines again! On Monday, May 6, Delhi Lieutenant-Governor V K Saxena recommended a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal

Waiting for results of India's probe into Pannun's murder, says US

The United States is waiting to see the results of the Indian investigations on allegations related to a plot to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US, a State Department official has said. "They (Indian government) opened a committee of inquiry to look into the matter, and that work is ongoing; we'll wait to see the results. But we made it very clear that it's something that we are taking seriously and we think they, too, should take this seriously," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference. Miller was responding to a question on the allegations that Indian government officials were involved in a plot to assassinate Pannun, a US citizen and a separatist Sikh leader. "I would refer you to the Canadian authorities to speak to the details of the investigation there. With respect to the indictment that was returned in the United States, I will let the Department of Justice speak on behalf of that in detail,"

Gurbani, messages of harmony at UK Parliament complex for Baisakhi

The devotional strains of Gurbani and messages of harmony rang out at the Houses of Parliament complex in London this week for a first-of-its-kind Baisakhi celebration. Organised by the British Indian think tank 1928 Institute and diaspora membership organisations City Sikhs and the British Punjabi Welfare Association (BPWA), the event brought together a cross-section of professionals, community leaders and philanthropists at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Room on Monday evening to spotlight the UK-India relationship and contributions of the Sikh community to British life. City Sikhs Chair Jasvir Singh led the proceedings, which included speeches and Gurbani by the Anahad Kirtan Society. It's a real honour to celebrate Baisakhi, the birth of the Khalsa by Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1699. Baisakhi celebrates the beginning of the Khalsa and the teachings that accompany this, focussing on equality by proactively removing forms of hierarchy, ego and fear, said Kiran Kaur .

Delhi traffic police issues advisory in view of Baisakhi celebrations

The Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory on Saturday in view of the Baisakhi celebrations at Guruji ka Ashram (Bade Mandir), informing commuters about the traffic regulations in certain areas of the city. In a post on X, the traffic police said: "In view of Baisakhi celebrations at Guru Ji ka Ashram (Bade Mandir) on April 13, 2024, traffic regulations will be effective." "Movement of heavy and medium commercial vehicles will be regulated on Bhatti Mines Road, Bandh Road, Chhatarpur Road and Sant Shri Nagpal Marg," it added. The advisory said "all emergency vehicles will be facilitated in reaching their destination". It, however, advised the emergency vehicles to travel via Mehrauli-Gurugram Road, instead of Dera Road and Mandi Road. Baisakhi celebrations will be held at Guruji Ka Ashram, Bhatti Mines Road and Mehrauli, with the police expecting a gathering of 55,000 to 60,000 devotees from across Delhi-NCR as well as neighbouring states. The traffic police has requested the .

Baisakhi celebration: Devotees in Punjab Haryana offer prayers in Gurdwaras

Devotees across Punjab and Haryana offered prayers at gurdwaras on the occasion of the Baisakhi festival on Saturday. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann greeted people on the occasion of 'Sajna Divas' of the 'Khalsa Panth' and 'Baisakhi'. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini also greeted people on the occasion of Baisakhi. Devotees thronged the gurdwaras, including Amritsar's Sri Harmandir Sahib also known as the Golden Temple, Sri Kesgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib, Damdama Sahib in Bathinda and Nada Sahib in Haryana's Panchkula and paid obeisance. Baisakhi festival marks the foundation day of the 'Khalsa Panth' (Sikh order) by the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh. On this auspicious day in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh created the 'Order of Khalsa' at the holy city of Sri Anandpur Sahib by baptising 'Panj Pyare' (beloved ones) belonging to different castes. Baisakhi also marks the onset of harvest season.

Pak issues 2,843 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims for Baisakhi celebrations

The announcement was made by the Pakistan High Commission in India through a post on social media platform X

Ram temple: Sikhs in Ayodhya to hold Akhand Path ahead of Pran Pratishtha

'Sikhs from various parts of the country will participate in the Akhand Path,' said BJP national spokesperson R P Singh

Sikhs thanks PM Modi for taking historical step to celebrate Veer Bal Diwas

A member of the Sikh community in the US, Jaspal Singh said, "We thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the historical initiative to celebrate Veer Bal Diwas nationwide."

Pro-Khalistan separatist Pannun threatens attack on Parliament on Dec 13

In a video, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun featured a poster of Afzal Guru, who was convicted for 2001 Parliament attack, with the caption 'Delhi Banega Khalistan'

Has the fallout from the Pannun incident really been capped?

Not really, as the turn of events looks like becoming a millstone around the govt's neck as the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds a hearing on it

US, India play down Sikh murder plot with wider Asia strategy at risk

The US sees India as key to its strategy of countering China's growing assertiveness in Asia, one of its top global priorities

US charges Indian national in plot to kill Sikh separatist in New York

An Indian national was on Wednesday charged here by federal prosecutors in connection with his participation in a foiled plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist on American soil. Nikhil Gupta, 52, has been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Matthew G. Olsen said. US authorities said Gupta agreed to pay an assassin USD 100,000 to kill the Sikh separatist leader living in New York City. "On or about June 9, 2023, CC-1 and GUPTA arranged for an associate to deliver USD 15,000 in cash to the UC in Manhattan, New York, as an advance payment for the murder," according to the charges. The indictment has not named the US citizen but The Financial Times, citing unnamed sources, last week reported that US authorities thwarted a plot to assassinate banned Sikhs for Justice's Gurpatwant Singh Pannun,

US Sikh body calls on gurdwara to act against those who heckled Sandhu

An American Sikh body has condemned the heckling of India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu during a visit to a New York gurdwara over the weekend and urged the shrine's management to take strict action against those involved. In a statement issued on Monday, Sikhs of America said gurdwaras are places of worship and should be free from personal political views. Sandhu offered prayers at the Hicksville gurdwara in Long Island, New York on Sunday on the occasion of Gurpurab. At the gurdwara, a group of Khalistani supporters heckled him and shouted questions about Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, killed in Canada in June this year, according to videos of the incident circulating on social media. The hecklers were escorted out by members of the Sikh community. "We urge the management of the Gurdwara Sahib to take strict actions against these miscreants so that peace-loving Sikh Community in New York can come to gurdwaras freely without any fear or pressure," Sikh

Pakistan's Punjab provincial govt launches online portal for Sikh tourists

For the first time, Pakistan's Punjab government has launched an online hotel bookings and security services portal for Sikhs intending to travel to the province from India and other parts of the world for pilgrimage. Launched on Thursday, the 'Sikh Yatra Booking Portal', was termed as a "groundbreaking religious tourism programme" by Punjab's caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi. "For the first time, we have launched 'Sikh Yatra Booking Portal' -- a groundbreaking religious tourism programme designed to facilitate Sikhs eager to visit their holy places in the country," Naqvi told reporters here on Friday. He asserted that the initiative represents the first of its kind in Pakistan. "As part of this programme, Sikh pilgrims from across the globe can now conveniently make online hotel bookings through the Sikh Yatra Booking Portal," Naqvi said. "Besides, the visiting Sikhs will have the option to hire security services and arrange transportation as well with the added privilege of

Saddened by recent hate crimes against Sikhs in US: Indian-origin mayor

Calling the recent crimes against Sikhs in New York and other parts of the US "reprehensible" acts of hate and violence, the mayor of Hoboken city in the US state of New Jersey expressed concern over the rising hate crimes against the minority community in the country. Mayor Ravi S Bhalla's Sunday statement came days after he opened up about being the target of a series of letters that threatened to kill him and his family. The letters that he received last year first called on Bhalla to resign but then began threatening his and his family's life, targeting him for his Sikh faith, CBS News reported on Tuesday. "I am disturbed and saddened by the recent hate crimes that have shaken the Sikh community in Richmond Hill, New York, where one Sikh man was assaulted and an attempt was made to forcibly remove his turban, and another senior Sikh individual was subjected to a violent assault and died of his injuries, Bhalla said in the statement. A 19-year-old Sikh boy was assaulted and inju

Sikh teen assaulted in New York for wearing turban in hate crime attack

In a suspected hate crime, a 19-year-old Sikh was assaulted and injured in New York for wearing a turban while travelling in a shuttle bus, the police said. The attack took place early on Sunday when the Sikh teen was riding a shuttle bus in Queens, a borough of New York City, CBS News channel reported. According to the police, the suspect approached the victim, asking him to remove his turban and said, "We don't wear that in this country and take that mask off!" The attacker then repeatedly punched the teen in his face, back, and the back of his head, causing minor cuts. He also tried to remove the victim's turban from his head before getting off the bus and leaving the scene on foot, the report said. Police described the suspect as "a male, 25-35 years of age, dark complexion, slim build, approximately 5'9" tall, with brown eyes and black hair," and sought the public's help to find him. The New York Police Department hate crime unit is investigating the incident, and the police

Sikh man who housed, fed Khalistanis in India allowed into Canada: Report

An immigration tribunal in Canada has ruled that a Sikh man who "housed and fed Khalistani militants in India" over a decade should be allowed into the country because he did so mostly out of necessity and fear of retribution, a media report said on Wednesday. According to the National Post newspaper, Immigration and Refugee Board tribunal member Heidi Worsfold in a recent ruling said the government did not have reasonable grounds to declare Indian citizen Kamaljit Ram inadmissible to enter Canada based on the belief he had provided a safe house and logistical support to Khalistani militants. The immigration tribunal ruled that the Sikh man who housed and fed armed Khalistani militants in India over a decade should be allowed into Canada because he did so mostly out of necessity and fear of retribution, the paper said. The original decision to bar Ram from Canada by the federal government came after he told Canada Border Services Agency officers during an interview that he sheltered

US Congress House Session starts with Sikh prayer for first time in history

"We prayed for the members of this Congress who are working for the protection of the free world and all the Americans over here. We wish and pray for the whole of humanity as one race"