The Tribune – Takht supports complete marriage Act; Jathedar says draft to be forwarded to Union Govt through SGPC, rejects amendment in Anand Marriage Act 1909

Perneet Singh, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 15. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh today said the draft of ‘Sikh Marriage Act — 2012’, prepared by Khalsa College principal Daljeet Singh, would be discussed in a meeting of the Sikh clergy and later forwarded to the Union Government through the SGPC. The aim was to get a complete marriage Act for the Sikh community.

Addressing a seminar organised by the Chief Khalsa Diwan here today, the Jathedar said the draft should be widely circulated and also put on the internet so that the Sikh Sangat from across the world could access it and a debate be initiated on the issue. He said he will also talk to SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar to organise a meeting of Sikh intellectuals and legal luminaries, besides representatives of the DSGMC and the Punjab Government, to deliberate on the draft so that it could be further strengthened in all aspects.

Giani Gurbachan Singh said it was high time that the Sikh politicians rose above party lines and supported a complete Sikh marriage Act. He lauded Daljeet Singh for “bringing the Sikh community face to face with reality”.

Talking to mediapersons later, he rejected the amendment being made in the Anand Marriage Act 1909 while asking how could Parliament pass it without the consent of Sikhs.

Chief Khalsa Diwan president Charanjeet Singh Chadha said the Anand Marriage Amendment Bill 2012, which is in the Rajya Sabha, will only facilitate a “lame Act” for Sikh marriages. “We are aiming for a complete marriage Act as other minority communities like Muslims and Christians have,” he said.

Chadha urged the Jathedar to form a committee comprising Sikh intellectuals and legal experts to dwell on the draft and chalk out future course of action over the issue. The participants opined that the amendments being made in the Anand Marriage Act 1909 were not sufficient and were not as per the aspirations of the Sikhs.

While the Chief Khalsa Diwan had extended its full support to the draft, Sikh History Research Board director Roop Singh said the draft was “weak” from the aspect of Sikh ‘rehat maryada’ (code of conduct). He stressed on the need of defining a Sikh strictly on the basis of ‘rehat maryada’.

On the other hand, Dr Daljeet Singh attributed the inclusion of Sehajdharis as well as ‘Patits’ (apostates) in the definition of a Sikh in his draft to the fact that the blueprint prepared by him was based on inclusion theory. He said the draft had been prepared keeping in view the Sikh ‘maryada’ and thoroughly deal with several issues, including definition of Sikh and ‘Anand Karaj’, divorce, alimony and property rights and adoption. The draft does not touch the subject of gay marriages, which are prohibited under the Sikh traditions. Including another significant point, the draft says “no marriage among Sikhs shall be solemnised in any place other than a Sikh gurdwara”.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120516/punjab.htm#1

The Tribune – Lashkar posters surface in another Kashmir town

Majid Jahangir, Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 15. Panic spread among residents of Pattan after posters from two militant outfits, threatening 13 persons, including a woman, were seen pasted on tree trunks and walls of the township in Baramulla district of north Kashmir yesterday.

Two militant outfits Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen have warned residents against “working as informers” and participating in the local bodies elections. This is almost a month after posters, reportedly pasted by LeT militants, had surfaced in south Kashmir, asking elected panches and sarpanches to resign or “face the consequences”. The handwritten Urdu posters in Pattan, jointly issued by the LeT and Hizb, have identified 13 local residents, including political workers and truck drivers, for allegedly working with various security agencies.

Sources said the posters stated that those mentioned in the list would be “killed” any time for their “association” with security agencies. After the posters appeared, panic gripped the township located on the Srinagar-Baramulla national highway.

The police has started the investigation to ascertain the authenticity of the posters.

“We have started investigation into the matter and a case under the Unlawful Activities Act has been registered,” said the Station House Officer, Pattan, Mohammad Abdullah. “We have questioned a few persons but so far no one has been arrested,” he added.

Police sources, however, said the handwritten posters issued by Abu Talha, District Commander, and Javid Khan, Tehsil Commander for Pattan, did not look genuine. It was also not mentioned whether these commanders belonged to the LeT or Hizb. “It can be the result of an internal rivalry. But we are still looking into the matter,” said a senior police officer in Baramulla.

While the police in north Kashmir is suspecting that these posters have not been “really issued” by the outfits, the police in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district — where the LeT posters had threatened panches and sarpanches in April — has concluded that the posters were not genuine.

“We had picked up three boys, but they were later released. Also the logo of the LeT that was on the posters pasted in Pulwama was not the actual logo of the outfit,” said Superintendent of Police, Pulwama, Amit Kumar.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120516/j&k.htm#11

The Asian Age – Malik: Line of Control will soon fall like Berlin wall

Yusuf Jameel, Asian Age Correspondent

Srinagar, 16 May 2012. Pro-independence Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader Muhammad Yasin Malik on Tuesday regretted New Delhi’s reported decision not to allow him return home from Pakistan using the Chakoti-Uri, crossing point along the Line of Control (LoC), to attend the funeral of his father who died in Srinagar earlier on Monday.

There has been no word from New Delhi on Mr Malik’s claim and the officials of the state government here said they had no knowledge about the matter and, in fact, were not supposed to speak on the issue necessarily related to MEA.

“It is really unfortunate that we the people of Kashmir can’t cross this bloody line even in urgent situation. This shows our helplessness. But I’m sure as death that like Berlin Wall this unnatural barrier will also be demolished one day,” the JKLF leader told this newspaper after attending the funeral of his father Ghulam Qadir Malik, 65, who died of lungs failure.

Hundreds of people, including senior separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq attended the funeral here on Tuesday afternoon soon after Yasin Malik arrived here from New Delhi. Chief minister Omar Abdullah also condoled the demise of Senior Malik expressing sympathy with the bereaved family and prayed for peace to the departed soul.

JKLF leader, whose Pakistani wife Mushaal Mullick recently gave birth to a baby girl in Islamabad, said that a Srinagar-based journalist called him up in Islamabad to inform that the Indian authorities have hinted at him being allowed to cross the LoC at Chakoti-Uri if a formal request was made by Islamabad.

http://www.asianage.com/india/malik-loc-will-soon-fall-berlin-wall-233

Sint-Truiden – Brussel – Bristol vv 19/04 – 25/04 2012

On the 19th of April I went to Vilvoorde with giani Manjit Singh (Italy wala) and on the 20th I travelled from Vilvoorde to Bristol via Brussel and  London. I returned from Bristol to Sint-Truiden on the 25th of April.

20 April, Brussel Zuid, Eurostar departure hall

20 April, Saint Pancras, Olympic Rings
Not only were we checked by UK immigration in Brussel, but French border police did a ticket and passport check between Lille and the tunnel entry and another ticket and passport check was done at St Pancras. Olympic fervor ….

Paddington station, First Great Western to Swansea

15.45 to Swansea via Reading, Swindon and Bristol Parkway
Eurostar left and arrived on time, First Great Western left and arrived on time

To see more UK public transport pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157611244941713/

More UK pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – India announces cuts in oil imports from Iran; US energy coordinator meets Indian officials

Ashok Tuteja, Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 15. India today confirmed in Parliament that it has substantially reduced oil imports from Iran even as US Special Envoy for international Energy Affairs Carlos Pascual met top Indian officials to discuss alternate sources of crude supplies to this country.

Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas R P N Singh told the Rajya Sabha that Indian companies imported crude oil to the tune of 18.50 million tonnes from Iran in 2010-11 and 17.44 million tonnes in 2011-12. The target fixed for 2012-13 was about 15.5 million tonnes subject to techno-commercial and other considerations.

The announcement assumes significance against the backdrop of the US continuing to nudge India to slash its oil purchases from Iran in view of its controversial nuclear programme. During her visit to New Delhi last week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had commended steps taken by India to reduce its dependence on the Iranian oil but underlined New Delhi ought to do ‘even more’ in this regard.

In March, the US announced sanctions which threaten to shut out importers of Iranian oil from the U.S. financial system unless they make significant and continuing cuts to their purchases by the end of June. Japan and 10 European Union nations have been granted exemption while India and China remain at risk.

Pascual, who arrived here yesterday, led a US delegation, which met a composite Indian delegation led by Jawed Ashraf, Joint Secretary (Americas) in the External Affairs Ministry. The Indian delegation also included officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Resources, Ministry of Power and the Planning Commission.

The India side explained the long-term projections of India’s energy needs, including key suppliers of oil and natural gas and the possible external energy sources in Africa, North America and Southeast Asia. It was pointed out that India was currently importing crude oil from 30 countries spread across different continents. The US delegation was also told about the incentives being provided on renewable energy sources. In the context of these discussions, the possibility of export of Shale Gas in liquefied form from the US to India was also raised.

Pascaul is expected to visit Mumbai tomorrow for talks with ONGC and financial institutions.

India has already told the US that the quantum of crude oil imported by Indian refineries from various sources was decided by them on the basis of technical, commercial and other considerations.

India presently does not expect any shortage or gap in crude oil procurement by Indian refineries. At the same time, however, it is looking at Nigeria, Venezuela and Canada as part of the strategy to diversify crude oil imports in view of the difficulties being faced in buying it from Iran.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120516/main5.htm

BBC News – India cricket board suspends five ‘corrupt’ IPL players

Tuesday, 15 May 2012. Indian cricket officials have suspended five players pending an inquiry into corruption allegations against them.

The move came after a sting by undercover TV reporters purported to show the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricketers agreeing to bowl no-balls and spot-fix matches.

The cricketers are also heard alleging that team owners often paid them large sums of money illegally.

One of the players has said the allegations against him are false.

He said he plans to sue the India TV channel, which broadcast the footage on Monday night.

The scandal is the latest to affect cricket. Last year three top Pakistani players were found guilty of involvement in a betting scam.

The decision to suspend the five Indian players – who are all uncapped and play for a variety of teams – was taken after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) saw footage from the India TV “sting” operation.

“We have no tolerance towards any form of corruption,” BCCI chief N Srinivasan said.

“We will ensure that the integrity of the game is protected. BCCI believes in the integrity of the game.”

Former ICC anti-corruption chief Ravi Sawani will lead the inquiry into “the involvement of players in illegal activities or activities against the interests of the BCCI and the game”, a statement said.

The fifth season of the IPL, which is considered to be the world’s showcase for Twenty20 cricket, is currently under way in India.

Top Indian and international players take part, contributing to what is the world’s richest cricket tournament.

But these allegations are the most serious to hit the popular tournament after IPL founder Lalit Modi was removed from all involvement in Indian cricket amid allegations of corruption and nepotism in 2010. He denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-18068413