The Tribune – Batala NRI’s murder case; Victim’s mother threatens suicide

Ravi Dhaliwal, Tribune News Service

Batala, October 9. The mother of Canada-based NRI Gurinder Singh, who was gunned down in broad daylight just 50 yards away from the SSP’s residence here recently, has threatened to commit self-immolation if the police failed to arrest accused Deep Raj Singh and Yadvinder Singh Bhullar within 10 days.

While the police has already arrested four of the accused, two were still at large.

Gurinder’s mother Parkash Kaur alleged that the police was trying to hush up the case as the two accused were being shielded by ruling party leaders. “Both Deep Raj and Yadvinder are openly roaming on the streets of Batala and the cops are conveniently looking the other way,” she said.

Parkash Kaur said she would be meeting Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil in Chandigarh in the next few days to impress upon him the need for a CBI inquiry in the case.

Also, she alleged that conspiracy in the case could be gauged from the fact that SSP Gurkirpal Singh had earlier deliberately appointed inspector Naurang Singh, a “close friend” of Deep Raj, as the investigating officer. “When Naurang Singh was booked in a case under the Arms Act in 2005, Deep Raj stood surety for him and also filed bail bonds…this is on record. How could the police ignore such a vital fact?” asked Parkash Kaur. She also showed copies of the bail bonds to prove her claim.

Naurang Singh, however, was replaced in the case by DSP (City) Sakattar Singh later after the deceased’s family objected.

Meanwhile, Sakattar Singh said that the police had procured warrants from a local court, which in due course of time will declare the two accused as proclaimed offenders. Former Minister and Gurdaspur District Congress Committee chief Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said he had written to the Union Home Ministry seeking a CBI inquiry into the case.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111010/punjab.htm#15

The Hindu – Traditional mindsets and cultural sanctions prevent fulfilment of U.N. obligations: India

Aarti Dhar

New Delhi, 10 October 2011. Traditional mindsets and culturally sanctioned practices continue to affect the degree of fulfilment of obligations under the Optional Protocol to the Conventions on the Rights of the Child, the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, 2011, India has told the United Nations. It has admitted to lack of awareness and the inadequacy of shelter homes and rehabilitation.

India has said this in its initial report on the status of implementation of the Optional Protocol for consideration by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

Pointing out that India has spearheaded many of the organisation’s initiatives, with enthusiastic support from the respective Ministries, State governments, international organisations and the civil society organisations, the report says that various factors and difficulties continue to affect the degree of fulfilment of these obligations.

The recently-launched Integrated Child Protection Scheme will contribute to the improvement of the well-being of children in difficult circumstances and reduction of vulnerabilities, but traditional mindsets and culturally sanctioned practices, such as devadasi, continues to exploit young girls.

Displacement and unsafe migration, which leaves a large number of children in urban poverty, majority of them living in informal and illegal settlements such as railway lines and on the street, makes them vulnerable to exploitation, the report says.

Some other issues flagged in the report include lack of awareness on legal provisions amongst caregivers, including right attitude towards the victim, which results in re-abuse of victims; lack of reporting of cases of children in need of care and protection; and an inadequate systematic national and State-wise data.

Inadequate standards of care in homes, which prevents children from being rehabilitated coupled with limited rehabilitation infrastructure and re-integration assistance for the victims once they leave the institution, too figure in the report.

Prosecution depending too heavily on witness testimony and too little on forensic and other evidence and difficulties in providing adequate evidence leading to prosecution also results in poor conviction rates.

Sometimes, victims are the only witnesses of the crime, which poses difficulties for prosecution.

Admitting that limited follow-up and monitoring was a major drawback in the system, the report says that although a progressive system has been developed with the amended juvenile justice system, its implementation in full spirit has remained a challenge.

“Some of the factors in this challenge include, lack of adequate infrastructure and institutional care systems with minimum standards; supervision and commitment; lack of single window mechanism; method of accreditation for registration of institutions/homes; an acute dearth of trained and sensitised manpower at every level of implementation; absence of designated police; and an overburdened judicial system.”

Inadequate facilities, especially counselling services and vocational skills training, creation of new options, and strengthening the existing initiatives for the rehabilitation of children in institutions too are far from satisfactory.

The Protocol was ratified by India on September 16, 2005.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2523767.ece

The Netherlands : Den Haag – Rotterdam – Amsterdam 2 till 12 September 2011

Mostly pictures of gurdwaras, trains and trams taken during my recent visit to the Netherlands
All photos taken on 5 September at Brouwersgracht, Den Haag

Brouwersgracht, Randstad Rail

Brouwersgracht, tram tunnel, Randstad Rail

Brouwersgracht, tram tunnel, Randstad Rail

Brouwersgracht, Randstad Rail

Belgium and Netherlands public transport pictures at :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622685920411/  

More Netherlands pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Sikh soldiers serving in British Army to be honoured

London, October 9. Sikh soldiers who fought alongside British troops in conflicts around the world would be honoured in the UK by showcasing the ‘khanda’, a symbol revered by the Sikh community.

Royal British Legion, a charity organisation that raises funds for soldiers who served or are serving in Britain’s armed forces, would be honouring the Sikh soldiers this year by including the khanda in its annual Poppy Appeal. The appeal is organised annually and is held on ‘Remembrance Sunday’, which this year falls on November 13.

In this year’s appeal in Leicestershire – which has a significant Sikh population – the Khanda will join the Christian cross, the Jewish Star of David and the Muslim Crescent, which have been introduced in recent years.

The Khanda, made up of a solid circle, two interlocked swords and a double-edged sword, will be on sale alongside poppies and other wooden emblems.

Jennifer Leach, the Legion’s community fundraiser in Leicestershire and Rutland, told the local media: “We have had representations from the Sikh community nationally and locally and we felt it was time to produce the khanda. We are very happy to be able to mark the sacrifices which have been made by Sikh soldiers who fought and died in the British Army.”

Resham Singh Sandhu, the High Sheriff of Leicestershire and the first Sikh to hold the post, said he was delighted to hear of the new Poppy Appeal emblem. He said this was “a wonderful way to celebrate the bravery of all the Sikh soldiers who have served the British Army with such distinction”.

Last year’s Poppy Appeal, marking the Legion’s 90th birthday year, raised 525,161 pounds in Leicestershire alone.

It was the first time the appeal had broken the 500,000 pounds mark. The total was 10 per cent up on the previous year’s 476,150 pounds. (PTI)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111010/punjab.htm#18

Dawn – Drone attacks are unacceptable: FO

9 October 2011

Islamabad: The Foreign Office has again said that drone attacks are against the sovereignty of Pakistan.

Talking exclusively to DawnNews, Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua said there is no change in Pakistan’s stance on drone attacks and it is very clear.

Tehmina Janjua said Pakistan will never retreat to its principally adopted stand upon drone attacks and that the attacks are unacceptable for Pakistan, however she never took the name of the United States.

http://www.dawn.com/2011/10/09/drone-attacks-are-unacceptable-fo.html