Page 3 - Sikhs

Indian envoy to UK stopped from entering Scotland Gurdwara amid Canada row

The 'Sikh Youth UK' claims that there is an ongoing ban on Indian officials visiting the gurdwara in their official capacities

Canada's soft peddling of Khalistanis afftected pro-India Sikhs: Sources

Pro-Khalistan elements have been "operating freely" from Canadian soil for nearly 50 years now in the garb of notions like 'freedom of expression' and 'political advocacy' but the country maintains "complete silence" on intimidation, violence, drug trafficking by these extremists, sources said on Tuesday. The bombing of Air India plane Kanishka was perpetuated by Khalistani extremists way back in 1985 and it was one of the biggest terror attacks in the world in the pre-9/11 era. However, due to the apparent "lackadaisical" approach of Canadian agencies, key accused Talwinder Singh Parmar and his bunch of Khalistani extremists got away scot-free, the sources said. Ironically, Parmar is now a hero of pro-Khalistan extremists in Canada with banned group Sikhs For Justice naming its campaign centre after him. Over the years, Khalistani extremists were further "emboldened" and started "operating with impunity" from Canada. In the last decade, links of Canada-based Khalistani extremists

India-Canada row a 'political gimmick', says Kashmir-based Sikh body

A Kashmir-based Sikh body on Saturday said the India-Canada row was "a political gimmick" by the establishment to garner votes in the elections and that the community was an integral part of the country. "Everything is politically exploited. Sikhs are an integral part of this country. Since RSS came into power, the only agenda it has is that they will talk about 'gharwapsi' whether it be in Muslims, Sikhs or anybody. We are not going to tolerate it," All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee Chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina told reporters here. "The India-Canada situation is a political gimmick as elections are coming up. It is to garner votes during elections and nothing else. The community is progressive, it is working hard for the country and it will continue working like that," he said. He alleged that the Khalistan issue was a narrative, built on lines of Kashmir issue for political mileage. "A political scenario has been created like for Kashmir, Pakistan scenario has been formed a

What do the Sikhs want?

About 95 per cent of Sikhs are proud to be Indian and there's no such thing as a Khalistan sentiment in Punjab

Canada gave details linking Indian government to Sikh activist's murder

"We are there to work constructively with India and we hope that they engage with us so that we can get to the bottom of this very serious matter," Trudeau said

Will affect Sikhs across world: SGPC on souring India-Canada ties

Amid souring diplomatic relations between India and Canada over the killing of a Khalistani leader in June, the SGPC Tuesday said the matter is very serious and will affect Sikhs across the world. Canada and India have expelled a senior diplomat each after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged the involvement of "agents of the Indian government" in the killing of a prominent Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey in June, claims outrightly rejected by New Delhi as "absurd" and "motivated". The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex religious body of Sikhs, said although the Indian government trashed the Canadian government's accusations and also expelled a Canadian diplomat, this matter is very serious and will affect Sikhs at the global level. SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami on Tuesday appealed to the Centre to resolve the issues of Sikhs in India and move towards an appropriate and meaningful solution by understanding the problems and ...

Miscreants threaten Sikhs, forcibly stop kirtan at Gurdwara in Pakistan

The miscreants, who were handed over to the police, were released without proper investigation and interrogation, it was alleged

India summons Pakistani diplomat over attacks on Sikh community members

India on Monday summoned a senior diplomat of the Pakistan High Commission and lodged a strong protest over the recent incidents of attacks on Sikh community members in that country, sources said. The diplomat has been conveyed that Pakistan should ensure the safety and security of its minorities who live in "constant fear of religious persecution", the sources said. Four incidents of attacks on Sikh community members have taken place between April and June and India has taken serious note of these incidents, they said. "India has demanded that Pakistani authorities investigate these violent attacks on Sikh community with sincerity, and share the investigation reports," said a source. "It has also been conveyed that Pakistan should ensure the safety and security of its minorities, who live in constant fear of religious persecution," the source added.

Withdraw Sikh Gurdwaras Bill or face stir: SGPC chief tells Punjab govt

The SGPC special general house session on Monday completely rejected the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 while calling it a direct attack on the independence of the apex gurdwara body. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Harjinder Singh Dhami also warned that an agitation will be launched against the AAP-led Punjab government if the Bill was not withdrawn. The special general house session of the SGPC was convened here against the state government's move of bringing the Bill. The Punjab Assembly on June 20 passed the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which is aimed to ensure free telecast of 'Gurbani' from the Golden Temple. The session was also attended by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib Giani Sultan Singh and SGPC members. In the house, the SGPC members jointly condemned the Punjab government's interference in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925, and the management of SGPC and announced that it will not be tolerated.

Withdraw Sikh Gurdwaras Bill or face stir: SGPC chief Dhami tells govt

SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami on Monday warned that an agitation will be launched against the AAP-led Punjab government if the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was not withdrawn. Dhami also slammed Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing him of interfering in SGPC matters and trying to implement the anti-Sikh thinking of AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal with a motive of capturing the SGPC. Dhami was addressing a special general house session of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) here against the state government's move of bringing the bill. The Punjab Assembly on June 20 had passed the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which is aimed at ensuring free telecast of Gurbani from the Golden Temple. Addressing SGPC members here, Dhami, while condemning the Bill, asked the Punjab government to withdraw it immediately. If the state government does not stop interference in Sikh matters, then a morcha (agitation) will be started against it after performing 'ardas' ...

473 pilgrims to visit Pak for Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death anniversary

The issuance of visas is in line with the Government of Pakistan's commitment to fully implement the Bilateral Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974

Gurbani telecast row: Here's why PTC MD announced a reward of Rs 1 crore

AAP-led Punjab government is set to change the Sikh Gurdwara Act,1925, to make broadcast of Gurbani from the Golden Temple free for all; opposition parties have fiercely opposed the move

EAM visits Gurdwara in Delhi, Afghan Sikhs raise issue of citizenship

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday visited a Gurdwara in the national capital and met Afghan Sikhs who raised the issue of obtaining Indian citizenship and getting visas

170 Indian Sikh pilgrims reach Pakistan to attend festivities of Jorr Mela

Around 170 Indian Sikh pilgrims arrived here in Pakistan on Thursday to attend the festivities of the Jorr Mela, marking the death anniversary of the fifth Sikh Guru Arjun Dev Ji. Evacuate Trust Property Board (ETPB) Additional Secretary Shrines Rana Shahid Saleem and Pakistan Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Pardhan (President) Amir Singh greeted the pilgrims at the Wagah border. "As many as 170 Indian Sikhs, including women, arrived here via Wagah Border on Thursday to take part in Jorr Mela to be held at Gurdwara Punja Sahib, Hasanabdal," Amir Hashmi, spokesperson of ETPB, which looks after minority worship places in the country, told PTI. He said the visiting pilgrims were offered langar (food) at Wagah and later transported to Hasanabdal city of the Punjab province for the main event. Sardar Gaurbachan Singh, leading the visiting Yatrees (pilgrims), expressed his delight in being in the land of the founder of the Sikh religion, Baba Guru Nanak. He said the Yatrees, during their

PM Modi instrumental in fulfilling demands of Sikhs: Sikh American leader

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been instrumental in fulfilling the demands and wishes of the Sikh community from the US, an influential Sikh American leader has said. Jassee Singh, Chairman of the 'Sikhs of America' oraganisation founded to raise awareness about the community, said the official state visit of Modi to the US later this month is a "historic moment" for India. Prime Minister Modi will embark on his first state visit to the US at the invitation of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden this month. The US president and the First Lady will also host Modi at a state dinner on June 22. This is a very, very historic moment for India that the Prime Minister is coming, said Singh, who has been a part of all the Sikh delegations that the prime minister has met during his visits to the US since 2015. Singh said the Sikh delegations have always presented a memorandum to Modi and almost all of their wishes were met by the prime minister. This time again, a delegation of

Two Punjabs: Contrasting fate of Sikhs on either side of Indo-Pak border

Since Punjab was ripped down in the middle, the western part went to Pakistan, and the Eastern half remained in India

Trade talks with UK still on, reports of pause 'baseless': MEA official

In a bid to bring negotiations back on track, the UK Home Office is planning to make an announcement in the coming weeks and a crackdown on Sikh extremists

Khalsa is a uniting and not a dividing force, says Ambassador Sandhu

India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu has said that Khalsa is a uniting and not a dividing force, days after instances of violence at the Indian missions by a small group of pro-Khalistan supporters. Sandhu, who comes from an illustrious Sikh family, made the remarks on Saturday at an event where he was presented with the prestigious Sikh Hero Award from Sikhs of America along with several other eminent Sikh Americans. Khalsa, which was created on the Baisakhi day, by Guru Gobind Singh is a uniting and not a dividing force, Sandhu said in his keynote address at the event, which was attended by eminent Sikh Americans from across the country. The Khalsa tradition was initiated in 1699 by the tenth Guru of Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh. The important concepts and fundamentals in the Sikh religion and history include universality, unity, equality, honest living, seva, meditation, peace of mind, and harmony between people, he said. The Khalsa flag -- which flies at the Akal T

Pakistan issues 2,856 visas to Sikh pilgrims for Baisakhi from April 9-18

During the visit, the pilgrims would go to Dera Sahib, Panja Sahib, Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib. They would enter Pakistan on April 9 and return to India on April 18

IRCTC starts Bharat Gaurav Yatra train promoting Indian culture, heritage

IRCTC aims to promote the culture and heritage of the country with its Bharat Gaurav Yatra train covering the famous Sikh shrines of India