The Tribune – Sarna wants guards of SAD activists in Delhi withdrawn

Syed Ali Ahmed, Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 7. Fearing manipulation of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) elections scheduled for January 27, committee president Paramjit Singh Sarna today appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs that security guards of the Punjab Government to SAD activists in the Capital be withdrawn forthwith.

In a letter to Home Minister Shushil Kumar Shinde, Sarna said approximately 900 security guards were deployed with various SAD leaders, including Manjit Singh (GK) and Kuldeep Singh Bhogal, in Delhi. He feared that they may be used to rig the DSGMC poll.

“Security guards of the Punjab Police will not be allowed to enter the gurdwara premises without permission,” the DSGMC president warned. He said he would take up the issue with the Delhi Chief Minister and, if need be, with the Prime Minister.

“Sikhs in Delhi are progressive. They want their business to flourish. And that is not possible under Parkash Singh Badal’s leadership,” Sarna claimed.

He alleged that the SAD’s Delhi unit chief had clashed with sevadars at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib on November 22, 2012, tarnishing the image of the Sikh community in the Capital.

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The Tribune – Sarna vows more transparency in running DSGMC affairs

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 21. Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Paramjit Singh Sarna today said the Evacuee Trust Property Board had handed them over the ‘kar sewa’ of Gurdwara Dehra Sahib in Lahore.

Also, he said they would bring in more transparency in the DSGMC affairs on being voted back to power. He denied the charges of corruption against him.

Talking to mediapersons after his return from Nankana Sahib ahead of the DSGMC elections, Sarna said they will soon prepare a blueprint and hand over the ‘kar sewa’ to Baba Jagtar Singh. He said the Trust had also begun the repair work of another historic gurdwara in Sialkot following efforts by the DSGMC.

On the forthcoming DSGMC elections, he said they were fully prepared for it and will retain their hold on it with a thumping majority. He said they had nominated most of their candidates and the remaining too will be done soon.

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The Tribune – Delhi memorial: Sarna eyeing DSGMC poll

Perneet Singh, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 25. With the DSGMC chief PS Sarna expressing his intention to raise a memorial to pay homage to those killed in 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the politics of memorials is hotting up.

Sarna said the DSGMC would purchase land for the memorial which, unlike the Operation Bluestar Memorial, would not be in the form of a gurdwara. “It will be a befitting tribute to thousands of innocent Sikhs killed in the Capital in November 1984.”

He said a consensus among Sikh organisations would be evolved on the issue.

The DSGMC chief was confident that all political parties, including the Congress, would support the move. “The Prime Minister has already apologised to the Sikhs for the 1984 riots and compensation has been announced for the riot-hit. I see no reason why the Congress will oppose it,” he said. During her visit here on Sunday, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had endorsed the move. Observers say building the memorial will pay rich dividends to the Sarna group in the DSGMC elections.

Kalia for memorial on lines of Jallianwala Bagh

Manoranjan Kalia, BJP MLA, has urged the CM to set up a memorial on the lines of Jallianwala Bagh to commemorate the sacrifices of Punjabis. Favouring a monument in the Capital Delhi to pay tribute to those killed in the 1984 riots, he said: “Let the Delhi Government give land for the purpose and let all Punjabis contribute to building the monument”.

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The Tribune – Ready to resolve Nanakshahi calendar row: Pakistan Sikhs

Perneet Singh, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 16. Even as the SGPC is following the amended Nanakshahi calendar, Sikhs in Pakistan as well as New Delhi today observed the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev as per the original version of the calendar.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) member Swaran Singh offered a platform to resolve the differences among the community members over the calendar issue. “We are ready to host a gathering of Sikhs from around the world in Pakistan so that misunderstandings can be removed and a strong appeal can be made to the Akal Takht to implement the original calendar in letter and spirit,” he said.

PSGPC chief Sham Singh, who was also present, endorsed his views. Pleading to the Akal Takht to implement the original calendar, released by the Sikhs’ highest temporal seat in 2003, American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC) coordinator Pritpal Singh said if there was any amendment to be made, it should be done after holding consultations with Sikh leaders from across the world and calendar’s architect Pal Singh Purewal.

PSGPC members said there had been a lot of confusion relating to gurpurabs, martyrdom days and other important dates due to certain amendments made by the SGPC in the original calendar “without evolving a consensus within the community”.

A large number of Sikhs had gathered from all over the world to observe the martyrdom day of the Guru at Gurdwara Shaheed Asthan inside Gurdwara Dehra Sahib, Lahore.

Meanwhile, the DSGMC, headed by Paramjit Singh Sarna, also observed the martyrdom day today as per the original calendar.

The main programme was organised at Lakhi Shah Wanjara Hall in Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib. Though the Akal Takht has endorsed the amended Nanakshahi calendar and directed all to follow it, the PSGPC and the DSGMC continue to stick to its original version while observing various events.

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The Tribune – SGPC, DSGMC differ with Akal Takht on ‘complete marriage Act’; Say amendments in Anand Marriage Act 1909 be allowed to be passed

Perneet Singh, Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 16. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh’s move to support a complete Sikh marriage Act has sparked a major controversy with the SGPC, DSGMC and Sikh intellectuals taking a conflicting stand. They said amendments being made in the Anand Marriage Act 1909 should be allowed to be passed while a complete Act could follow later. However, the Jathedar has also found support from a section of the Sikh community.

SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said: “We ourselves have passed a resolution demanding it in the SGPC general house. Now, how can we say that we don’t want it?” He said first these amendments should be allowed to be passed while the rest of the issues may be addressed later. Makkar is likely to hold a meeting with the Jathedar soon to discuss the issue.

DSGMC chief Paramjit Singh Sarna also said the amendments should be allowed to be passed. “We have fought a long battle for it and after reaching this stage we cannot let it go,” he said. Sarna said if the community faced any problem later, the SGPC and the DSGMC can jointly form a committee of experts to pursue further amendments.

Former Rajya Sabha MP Tarlochan Singh, who played a key role in pushing these amendments, said, “It will be a major achievement and nobody should try to scuttle it at this stage. Those advocating a complete Act should have raised their voice earlier.”

Sikh intellectual Balkar Singh said the Jathedar had created confusion among the community by “speaking on the issue without giving it a thought”. He said only the political class stands to benefit if the amendments in the Anand Marriage Act 1909 were stopped. He said the amendments will pave the way for the recognition of Sikhs as a separate community and the issue of a complete marriage Act can be negotiated at a later stage.

Noted Sikh scholar Bhai Ashok Singh Bagrian said the community should let these amendments take place as it was achieving the purpose of establishment of separate identity of Sikhs. He said the Sikhs have long been demanding these amendments and nobody talked about divorce during this period. He also dubbed the Jathedar’s move as a “step in haste”.

Supreme Court lawyer H S Phoolka said the entire Sikh community had been demanding these amendments for the last seven to eight years. He said the “somersault made by the Akal Takht Jathedar will make a mockery of Sikhs in Parliament”.

“Everyone wants registration of Sikh marriages under a separate Act and these amendments are serving the purpose. Putting these amendments in jeopardy for a complete Act is not a wise decision,” he said.

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The Tribune – Rajoana adamant, wants to be hanged; Writes to Akal Takht, says no need to seek clemency for him

Aman Sood, Tribune News Service

Patiala, March 26. Even as Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today stated in the assembly that he would meet President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seek clemency for Balwant Singh Rajoana, the latter has asked him not to do so as “he wants to get hanged as per the court orders”. He said he did not want anyone to beg for clemency on his behalf.

In a letter to the Akal Takht, Rajoana has clarified that there was no need to seek clemency for him. “I have fought for my rights all through my life. I do not want to give away my principles for anyone,” says Rajoana in a letter handed over to his sister Kamaldeep Kaur, following their meeting at the Patiala Central Jail today.

Criticising politicians, especially the Akalis, Rajoana has said he neither trusts them (Akalis) nor believes them as they have failed to get justice from New Delhi. “These leaders were mum till date and suddenly they are speaking for my clemency. All know how they have made money and what their reality is,” reads the letter. “…the Akalis should give away blue turbans and instead don khaki turbans for failing to get justice from New Delhi time and again”.

Rajoana also refused to accept any sympathy from the BJP, Captain Amarinder Singh or from late CM Beant Singh’s family members. “Asking for mercy from them is not even in my distant dreams,” reads the letter. Earlier today, Badal said in the assembly that the state government was taking all possible legal and constitutional measures to secure clemency for Rajoana.

He said the government had received a copy of the mercy appeal sent by the SGPC to the President.

The Case Files

July 31, 2007: A special court awards death sentence to Balwant Rajoana, Jagtar Hawara

March 13, 2012: The court of Additional District and Sessions in Chandigarh issues execution warrants of Rajoana’s hanging; warrents are sent to Patiala jail where he is lodged

March 16: The orders are returned by Patiala jail stating inability on the part of the Jails Department to hang Rajoana

March 20: The court re-sends the warrants to Patiala jail to hang Rajoana on March 31

March 24: The warrants are again returned by the jail authorities to the court in Chandigarh

DSGMC also to file clemency plea

Amritsar. After the SGPC, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee is also gearing up to file a clemency petition for Balwant Singh Rajoana before President Pratibha Patil tomorrow. DSGMC chief PS Sarna said, “We have prepared the clemency petition and will submit it to the President tomorrow.”

About the basis of the plea, he said they had raised four points in the petition. First, the petitions of the co-accused in the case were pending with the SC, while one of them had got his death sentence commuted to life term. Second, the consequences that may emerge out of Rajoana hanging should also be kept in mind. Third, the SC has termed death penalty fit only in rarest of rare cases, which does not apply here. Finally, the capital punishment is being done away with in various countries and it should be done here as well. (TNS)

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The Tribune – Beant’s kin may seek reprieve for Balwant

Prabhjot Singh, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 16. Will the family of slain Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh forgive Balwant Singh Rajoana and appeal to the state not to hang him on March 31?

If the behind-the-scenes activities are any indication, Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib, Ravneet Singh Bittu, and his uncle and former Punjab Minister Tej Parkash Singh may issue a joint appeal to save Balwant Singh Rajoana from the gallows.

“I have been in touch with them,” says Paramjit Singh Sarna, president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC). “They say they respect the Sikh sentiments and may issue an appeal that Balwant Singh Rajoana may not be hanged,” says Sarna.

Efforts are also being made at other fronts to ensure the decision to hang Balwant Singh is reviewed in time.

Balwant Singh has been convicted for the assassination of Beant Singh outside the Punjab Civil Secretariat. Though execution warrants have been issued, Punjab has expressed its inability to carry out the hanging on the plea that hanging warrants have been issued by a Chandigarh court.

Sarna says once Beant’s family issues an appeal to convert the death sentence to life imprisonment, the execution of the hanging warrants may be reviewed.

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