Petition to the House of Commons UK

To The House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

The Humble Petition of the Kesri Lehar Working Committee

Declares that we make this petition on behalf of the undersigned, to petition Parliament to hold a debate on ongoing and, disturbing atrocities that are being committed in the Republic of India, that, infringe the basic human rights of the minority communities, this includes but is not limited to the Sikhs, Christians, Muslims and Dalits (India‟s untouchables)

Although some of the issues have been addressed by the UK Parliament in the recent past, and raised with the Indian government, especially on the issue of the death sentence, little or no action has been taken by India.

This is evident from the recent revival of the Indian government agencies‟ acts of applying to the Indian judiciary, to upgrade the already sentenced Sikh prisoners, be sentenced to death by hanging. In contrast, non Sikh prisoners who have been sentenced to similar terms of imprisonment have been pardoned and released prematurely.

The contrast in the manner that the Indian government and its agencies‟ act clearly shows the discrimination towards different classes, and, races in India. This has enraged not only the diaspora that live here in the United Kingdom but also the wider community as a whole.

In the recent weeks, the Sikhs in Punjab, have been brutally beaten (“lathi charged”) and tortured when they stood out to be heard at street protests, where there have been at least 3 recorded shootings by the police, of unarmed Sikh teenagers who have been peacefully protesting against the government. While in contrast, the “Shiv Sena Group”, which is an anti-minority, fascist, pro Hindu group, has been allowed, and in many situations, provided security protection by the paramilitary and police forces, while making anti minority speeches and threats against the minority community. These again, clearly depict the discrimination against the minorities by the government of India.

Additionally, whilst news footage was originally shown here of the peaceful protests in Punjab, and the heavy handed reaction of the Indian Police and paramilitary forces, this was subsequently stopped and the incidents were no longer reported.

The most disturbing issue is the wide spread increase in custodial rapes in India, and the gang rape of girls and women, throughout India by the police, paramilitary and military forces. The recent rape of Christian girls and women in North East India by the police and its paramilitary forces, with no action against the rapists, has again confirmed the government‟s discriminatory action against minority races.

The petitioner(s) therefore request(s) that the House of Commons hold a debate in parliament on the issues raised above and subsequently bring them to light in the European Union and United Nations. Further, we request that the United Kingdom urge India to take immediate action to stop the Human Rights abuses facing minorities in India. Additionally we request that the UK together with the UN and EU request India to sign the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the UN charter against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment which encompasses the „death penalty‟ and thus have the death penalty abolished in India as it is now a Cruel, Inhumane and Degrading form of punishment in today‟s day and age. Moreover we urge you to appeal to India to stop Balwant Singh Rajoana‟s death sentence and that he be released from jail as he has served many years in custody. We further urge you to appeal to India to release all prisoners facing the same situation and those who have been imprisoned without a trial.

I think this text could be used as a template in other countries with Sikh populations for petitions in their local languages to their parliaments

Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Solar cooking system at Golden Temple soon

Neeraj Bagga, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 15. Dr Farooq Abdullah, Minister for New and Renewable Energy, has proposed a sophisticated solar cooking system to cook meals at Sri Guru Ram Das Langar hall at the Golden Temple complex where devotees partake of langar round-the-clock.

Stating this after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple here today, Dr Abdullah said under the new system, as many as 30 solar concentrating dishes would provide steam for cooking about a tonne of dal per day. Besides, the system would have a hybrid boiler to help generate steam during cloudy and rainy days. He said the project would halve the consumption of LPG cylinders from 100 per day now to 50.

He said such systems had already been installed at Tirupati temple, Sai Baba Temple at Shirdi and Brahma Kumari Ashram at Mount Abu.

Dr Abdullah said a team of experts would soon visit the Golden Temple and Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh to carry out a feasibility study.

Earlier, the minister accompanied by SGPC officials, Akali and Congress leaders observed functioning of the 5,000-LPD solar water heater system installed atop the langar hall building.

Besides the solar water system, the New and Renewable Energy Ministry has provided 25 kW solar photovoltaic power plant installed at Guru Ram Das Serai.

Punjab’s Non-Conventional Energy Minister Bikram Singh Majithia said renewable power plants generating 504 MV of electricity had been set up in the state. Out of this, 362.50 MV was from biomass power and cogeneration projects, he said.

SGPC secretary Dalmegh Singh, who had studied working of the solar cooking system at Sai Baba temple at Shridi, said the entire energy requirement of the Golden Temple was around 300 kW. He said the Union Minister had assured that the entire Rs 1.40 crore cost of the project would be borne by the Centre.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120416/punjab.htm#8

The Tribune – Pakistan turning Dilip Kumar’s house into heritage site

Islamabad, April 15. Eight decades after Bollywood icon Dilip Kumar left his ancestral home near the famous Qissa Khwani Bazar in Peshawar city, Pakistani authorities are in the final stages of acquiring the crumbling building so that it can be preserved as a national heritage site.

Tucked away in a corner of Doma Gali in Mohalla Khudadad, the home with an elaborately carved green doorway has few outward signs that set it apart as the place where Dilip Kumar was born as Muhammad Yusuf Khan on December 11, 1922. The son of prosperous fruit merchant Lala Ghulam Sarwar, the future silver screen icon spent several years of his childhood in the home located near Qissa Khwani Bazar or the “Market of Storytellers,” where travellers and traders from across Central Asia gathered to swap tales.

In December last year, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, the Information Minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, announced plans to acquire the ancestral homes of Bollywood legends Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor in Peshawar so that they could be preserved as national heritage sites. Officials said the move to acquire Dilip Kumar’s home was in its final stages.

“The government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is negotiating for purchasing Dilip Kumar’s house with the present owner. The negotiations are in the final stage,” Shuaib Uddin, a senior official of the province’s Information Department, told PTI.

After the house is acquired, it will be preserved and maintained by the provincial government as it belongs to a legend of this soil. After the acquisition process is complete, a strategy will be put in place for its maintenance,” Shuaib Uddin said. (PTI)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120416/main5.htm

The Hindu – Many feared trapped in Jalandhar building collapse

Jalandhar, April 16, 2012. Several people were feared trapped under debris after a blanket factory building collapsed in Focal Point area near Jalandhar, police said.

Nearly 40 people have been rescued from the collapse site, Deputy Commissioner (Jalandhar) Priyank Bharti said, quoting personnel from the fire brigade and army, who have been actively engaged in rescue operations through the night.

Two persons out of the rescued ones have suffered serious injuries and they have been admitted in the ICU unit of a nearby hospital, he said.

There is, however, no confirmation yet on the exact number of people trapped.

The entire factory building collapsed at around midnight on Sunday, Mr. Bharti said, adding the cause of the mishap was yet to be ascertained.

The official said help has also been sought from the National Disaster Response Force, whose personnel were expected to reach the site later today. (PTI)

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3319504.ece?homepage=true

28 February 2012 – Antwerp, trams, the river, the castle and the wedding

On 28 February I went to Antwerp to attend the wedding of Jatinder Singh & Reyhan Kaur
As I was early I had time to take pictures of trams, the river and the castle

The Wedding : Reyhan and Jatinder

The Wedding : Reyhan and Jatinder

Jatinder, Reyhan and the Man in Blue

Jatinder, Reyhan and the Man in Blue

The IC to Hasselt and Genk at the not often used platform 2 in Sint-Truiden
From Antwerp I took a train to Leuven and there joined the Intercity Gent – Brussel – Genk

Sint-Truiden, platform 2

To see more Belgium (mostly Limburg) pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622046344528/

More Belgium pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Countering peddlers

The first quarter of the current year witnessed a record seizure of narcotics along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab, particularly in the Ferozepur sector. Anirudh Gupta finds out how cross-border smugglers have tried to change their strategy and how the BSF has succeeded in countering them.

The first quarter of the current year has witnessed record seizures of narcotics as compared to the previous years along the 553-km-long border that the country shares with Pakistan here. The credit goes to an enhanced vigil by the Border Security Force to combat heightened smuggling activities in the area.

Not only contraband, cases related to the recovery of arms and ammunition have also shown a substantial increase. Sources say till date this year, 127.155 kg of heroin, worth Rs 635 crore in the international market, has been recovered. A huge quantity of other drugs, fake Indian currency amounting to Rs 19.28 lakh, 12 pistols, pump action gun (Baretta) and ammunition have also been seized.

Apart from the seizures, eight Pakistani smugglers were gunned down while six others were arrested. The BSF also nabbed four Bangladeshis and as many Indian drug peddlers involved in cross-border smuggling. Last year, the BSF had recovered 67.97 kg of heroin and fake currency amounting to Rs 41.71 lakh during the first quarter.

Smugglers change modus operandi

Earlier, say the BSF officials, the cross-border drug peddlers used to adopt “conceal and clear” strategy to smuggle contraband to India. However, of late, the agents from the Pakistani side have started coming up to the border fence while taking cover of ‘sirkanda’ (tall wild grass) or standing crops in the fields along the border. Subsequently, they either throw the consignment over the fence or use plastic pipes to push it across the electrocuted barbed wires where their Indian counterparts are ready to receive the consignment.

During the entire operation, the smugglers on both sides communicate through mobile phones using Pakistani SIM cards to evade any interception by the Indian security and intelligence agencies.

Pakistani SIM cards proving a headache

The cross-border drug peddlers continue to use Pakistani SIMs even inside the Indian territory to evade surveillance and interception by the security agencies. The process has been going on for some time now and regular seizure of these Pakistani SIMs is being made. However, the agencies have been unable to find any solution to check the practice, which has been posing a serious threat to the security of the nation.

The BSF officials admit that the Pakistani mobile operatives have their presence inside the Indian border. Pakistani service provider Mobilink, which leads the market share with 30.75 million subscribers, has connectivity up to several hundred metres in Mamdot, Khem Karan and Ferozepur areas while another company, U-Fone, has its signals reaching several villages in Mamdot and Amarkot areas.

Unregistered SIMs in wide circulation

A lot of foreign companies operate in Pakistan, which include Telenor (Norwegian), Zong (Chinese), WorldCall (Oman). Besides, UAE-based Warid also has a large subscriber base in Pakistan. Security officials say that in the absence of any stringent regulatory laws in Pakistan, a large number of unregistered SIM cards are in circulation there, which at times make their way into India.

“It is extremely difficult to prevent the incursion of these SIMs as they can be easily brought here through legal interface like Wagah or Attari and even through other grey channels as well,” say BSF officials. The smugglers who use Pakistani SIMs keep changing the mobile user and their number to ensure they are not intercepted. The BSF officials reveal that earlier both smugglers as well as spies used to operate through satellite phones to execute their tasks. However, security agencies were able to track down their details. But, intercepting the SIM cards is a cumbersome job as their servers are based on the other side of the border.

Modern gadgets aid surveillance

The BSF officials say that modern surveillance gadgets like HHTI (hand-held thermal imagers), LORROS (long range reconnaissance and observation system) and night vision scopes, which have been procured from Israel and a few other countries, are now being used by the troops at forward locations along the zero line. These gadgets have proved beneficial for the troops as they have improved surveillance along the border due to which any movement ahead of the fencing can be easily spotted. Moreover, the installation of high mask illumination pole lights along the border has also increased visibility even during foggy days and the darkest of nights.

Welfare programme for vulnerable youth

Most of the time, unemployed and frustrated youths belonging to the border villages are hired as couriers by the professional drug smugglers. The job fetches them quick and easy money, ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 for a packet of heroin. The couriers, say BSF officials, are generally unaware about the origin and final destination of the consignment due to which security agencies are not able to apprehend the kingpins behind the drug racket.

The BSF has launched a civil action programme for the welfare of the people residing in villages along the zero line and its hinterland. The programme has given tremendous results as the inflow of information regarding sinister activities has increased, which, in turn, has helped the intelligence agencies keep track on the nefarious designs of the smugglers in the sensitive border areas.

What BSF Inspector General has to say

The BSF Inspector General, Punjab Frontier, Aditya Mishra, says the force has also increased the strength of troops patrolling the border, which has helped in combating the menace of drug peddling. “After the recent recruitment, all vacancies in the force have been filled,” he says. Sources say coordinated efforts were being made with the help of other security agencies to keep a check on the cross-border drug trade, which has paid rich dividends.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120416/punjab.htm#3

BBC News – Afghan attacks: Fighting ‘over’ in Kabul

Monday 16 April 2012. Fighting in the Afghan capital has finally ended, 18 hours after the Taliban launched their assault, officials have said.

A spokesman for Kabul’s police chief said the last gunman, who was fighting near the parliament in the west of the city, was killed early on Monday.

Earlier, security forces flushed out insurgents in the central diplomatic area, home to several embassies.

Officials said at least 17 gunmen and one police officer have died.

More than 30 people were injured, many of them civilians.

Attackers also carried out raids in the provinces of Logar, Paktia and Nangarhar.

Hostage reports

In Kabul, foreign embassies, Nato’s HQ and the Afghan parliament were hit in the first major attack on the city in more than six months.

“The latest information we have about the Afghan parliament area is that the attack is over now and the only insurgent who was resisting has been killed,” said the Kabul police chief’s spokesman Hashmatullah Stanikzai.

In the central district of Wazir Akbar Khan, offcials said Afghan and Norwegian special forces raided a construction site which the attackers had been using as a base.

Video footage showed soldiers scaling the scaffolding after dawn on Monday, as bullets blasted off walls around them.

The BBC’s Bilal Sarwary in Kabul says there are reports that the gunmen took several construction workers hostage.

“I could not sleep because of all this gunfire now. It’s been the whole night,” local resident Hamdullah told Reuters.

Afghan officials said they have also arrested two would-be suicide bombers, who intended to kill the second vice-president, Mohamed Karim Khalili.

The Taliban said the co-ordinated attacks were a response to recent claims by Nato officials that the insurgency was weak.

“These attacks are the beginning of the spring offensive and we had planned them for months,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters.

Correspondents say the attacks have shattered the confidence of Afghans, as the insurgents have once more shown that they can strike right in the heart of Kabul.

The assault has also raised concern about security as Nato prepares to withdraw its troops by the end of 2014 and hand over reponsibility to Afghan forces.

Elsewhere in the country, gunmen attacked government buildings in Logar province, the airport in Jalalabad, and a police facility in the town of Gardez in Paktia province.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17724261