Keir Starmer has asked Boris Johnson to intervene and request that the Indian government release a British citizen after a UN working group declared his five-year detention arbitrary and without any legal basis.
In a letter, the Labour leader asks why Johnson has not acted to ask for the release of Jagtar Singh Johal given the findings of the UN report on arbitrary detention last month.
Johnson prides himself on his strong relations with the Indian government led by Narendra Modi, but he has not used his influence to make a public call for release.
Starmer writes: “Jagtar was arrested in 2017 after travelling to India for his wedding where he was tortured by police officers into making a so-called ‘confession’ to charges carrying the death penalty.”
Referencing the UN working group on arbitrary detention’s conclusion that Jagtar “was targeted because of his activities as a Sikh practitioner and supporter and because of his activism”, he points out that the UN believes there is no legal basis for his continued detention.
The UN’s expert panel called for Johal’s release, finding that there was no legal basis for Johal’s continued detention, and he had been tortured and denied the right to a fair trial.
Starmer asks in his letter, on behalf of Johal’s family, why the government has not made the same request and when it will do so.
Starmer, a former director of public prosecutions, is the most high-profile politician to take up the case, and his intervention suggests the UK will not be able to keep the issue confined to behind-the-scenes diplomacy indefinitely. Johal’s family, based in Dumbarton, have received support from the Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, and the campaign organisation Reprieve.
Read the full report, ‘Starmer urges PM to request India release UK citizen Jagtar Singh Johal (The Guardian, 3 June 2022), here.
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Amrith Kaur at the Brunei base in 2019 – Photo: Personal LinkedIn
By Amrith Kaur | Experience | Malaysia |
This week officially marks a whole decade since I started my career with Baker Hughes. It is a major milestone, a big achievement, and it’s one of the most important relationships I’ve had right from the time I graduated in 2012 – and it’s with my employer. I have always been heavily involved in technical roles from the beginning of my career until recently, in the last two years, I transitioned into the management role.
Few years ago when I was younger, I thought I knew a lot – I didn’t, and I still don’t. I am learning new things everyday amidst the experiences I have had all these years. I put that down to working with the right company. It’s all about the fit. Finding that right fit for the organisation is something that’s close to my heart and I’m lucky enough to have found that with Baker Hughes for myself.
Throughout these years, I met some of my very own close friends here, people with the same vision and goals. I’d like to thank all of them personally for everything they’ve done for me over the last 10 years – providing the guidance and support to progress and excel. It’s been a wonderful journey so far and hoping to continue riding on this journey for the next 10 years as well!
(The article is adapted from Amrith Kaur’s entry at her LinkedIn page. Based in Malaysia, she is the Eastern Hemisphere Service Delivery Manager at energy technology company Baker Hughes. She has a MBA in Energy Management and Systems Technology and a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) in Petroleum Geoscience, both from Universiti Teknologi Petronas)
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Path Da Bhog: 19 Jun 2022 (Sunday), from 9.30am to 12 noon, at Gurdwara Sahib Mainduab, Jalan Pudu Lama, Kuala Lumpur
Leaving behind brothers, sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, grand-nephews, grand-nieces and a host of relatives & friends.
Contact: 012-2522945 Mukand 012-9898940 Harinder
| Entry: 10 June 2022: Updated: 16 June 2022 | Source: Family
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: asia.samachar@gmail.com | Twfffitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here
Akhand Path: 16 June 2022 (Thursday) to 18 June 2022 (Saturday) at Gurdwara Sahib Rawang
Programme details: Akhand Path commences at 12.30pm on Thursday, Akhand Path da bhog at 10am on Saturday, followed by Jodh Mela that will end at 1.00pm
Contact person
Narinder Singh 012-2191447
Mandeep Singh 0126690312
The family wishes to thank relatives and friends for their support.
| Entry: 9 June 2022; Updated: 10 June 2022 | Source: Family
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Handover: Dr T Chandroo (left) and Neil Parekh – Photo: SICCI
By Asia Samachar | Singapore |
The Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) has elected veteran banker Neil Parekh as its new chairman, along with 16 other board members.
Parekh, who takes over from Dr T Chandroo, will serve for a two year period, starting June 15. The 17 members of the chamber’s board of directors were declared elected unopposed, according to an SICCI statement emailed to Asia Samachar.
“The last few years have clearly highlighted the need for community organizations such as SICCI to be active in helping businesses survive and thrive in a challenging business environment,” Parekh, who has previously served as the chamber’s vice chairman, said in the statement announcing the chamber’s new lineup.
Parekh is a partner and head of Asia, Australia & New Zealand at Temasek-backed Tikehau Capital and also concurrently serves as the chief executive officer of SGX-listed Pegasus Asia, a company backed by Tikehau Capital as one of its sponsors.
Prior to joining Tikehau Capital, he was general manager for Asia for National Australia Bank (NAB) where he was responsible for all business, regulatory and governance matters in the Asia region.
He has more than 30 years of global experience in the financial services industry in the Asia Pacific region, US and Europe with senior roles with Bank of America, Société Générale, DBS and NAB. A Singapore citizen, Parekh holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, a Master’s degree in Finance and an MBA in International Business.
Among others, Parekh noted the outgoing chamber team had lent a helping hand to needy families and workers both in Singapore and in different parts of India with the raising of more than S$1 million dollars for the India Covid Relief Fund in 2021.
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Dev Atma Singh Khalsa is all set to become the first turban-wearing Sikh elected to a judicial position in the U.S.
He is all set to take over the Division 2 Santa Fe County Magistrate Court bench, overcoming a challenge from three others on the Democratic primary ticket.
Khalsa received 40% of the tally, according to early returns, edging out Melissa Mascarenas who claimed 30%. John Baca and Michael Roybal finished with 14% and 15%, respectively. No Republicans filed for the position, meaning Khalsa gets the job after the general election, reported Santa Fe Reporter.
Khalsa, born and raised in Virginia and now lives in Española, will be replacing Judge George Anaya, Jr., who served for more than 25 years.
Magistrate judges deal with a variety of criminal misdemeanors, landlord-tenant disputes and traffic violations. They spend much of their time on driving while intoxicated (DWI) cases, but they also hear civil cases with an amount in controversy of up to US$10,000, as well as felony preliminary hearings to determine probable cause, the report added.
In a campaign website, Khalsa4Mag, Khalsa said he studied at the College of William and Mary, St John’s College, and did his law training at the University of New Mexico. He has worked for the District Attorney since 2019.
He said he became Sikh in 2007 and since then has always sought to bring a compassionate, holistic approach to his life and law practice.
Khalsa said he believes he’ll be the first turban-wearing Sikh elected to a judicial position in the U.S., something he said was confirmed by the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund based in Washington, D.C, reported Santa Fe New Mexican.
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Employers in the United States can make avail of a newly released document to learn about Sikhs and ensure that their employment decisions are legally-compliant.
“This guide serves to educate U.S. employers about Sikh employees, including their religiously mandated articles of faith and the legal standards that protect religious practice in the workplace,” said Sikh Coalition senior counsel Harsimran Kaur in a statement. “We hope that the sangat can utilize this resource and share it with their current or potential employers to address any challenges that may arise in the workplace.”
Click here to download the Accommodating Sikhs in the Workplace: A Guide for Employers for free.
The guideline provides background on the history of Sikhs living in the U.S., explains what the Sikh articles of faith are, and outlines existing U.S. legal protections for religious minority employees. Most importantly, it discusses and provides specific examples of how to achieve mutually acceptable solutions to the accommodation of Sikh religious practices in the workplace.
Since its founding, the Sikh Coalition has been contacted by hundreds for help to resolve employment discrimination cases, including instances where their articles of faith conflicted with workplace policies.
The coalition said its goal in creating and disseminating the guide is to demystify and explain Sikh practices so that employers understand how to welcome and accommodate Sikhs in the workplace.
During the course of the pandemic, more than two dozen frontline healthcare workers contacted the Sikh Coalition after being told to shave their religiously-mandated beards to wear N95 masks.
In addition to favorably resolving these cases by securing accommodations for its clients, the Sikh Coalition said it has taken steps to address the issue at a systemic level, including by testifying before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in April 2021 and submitting policy recommendations to various federal and state agencies.
It noted that the Sikh community has disproportionately been subject to workplace discrimination, but no one should be forced to choose between their faith and career.
Ultimately, this new resource will help U.S. employers implement legally-grounded and culturally-competent practices that counter workplace discrimination, advance equal employment opportunity and lead to a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all, the statement added.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: asia.samachar@gmail.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here
Jagdeep Singh Deo (middle) holding a mock cheque – Photo: JSD Facebook
By Asia Samachar | Malaysia|
If all goes well, the iconic Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Penang (WGSP) will be restored to its full glory in the next 18 months.
The gurdwara founded in 1902 is undergoing restoration work to get the building recognised as a national heritage building.
“There will not be any delay anymore in the Wadda Gurdwara restoration project. Not under my watch. We are looking at 15-18 months (upon approval of plans submitted),” said Penang state law maker Jagdeep Singh Deo.
The Penang state exco for local government, town and country planning today (June 7) contributed RM200,000 which came from his budget as an exco member.
“I am very happy to be here again today at the Wadda Gurdwara Sahib, an iconic Gurdwara of the whole of the country, at 122 years old, to ensure its restoration project continues without any further delay. Our target for its completion will be in 2024,” he said in a social media update today.
Aside from the restoration work at WGSP, he said the state was also working on restoring a small room at Fort Cornwallis used by Sikh soldiers for prayers during the British era.
“These are part of our Sikh restoration works… to ensure that our identity will always remain here in Penang,” he said.
At the same time, he added that the Penang state government would continue to assist all places of worship including non-Islamic such as Chinese temples, Indian kuils, gurdwaras and churches. Since 2008, 210 such projects for such non-Islamic places of worship have been implemented at a value of RM8.84 million, namely Chinese temples (103), Indian kuils (54), gurdwaras (10) and churches (43), he said in his social media entry.
The WGSP fund raising team has planned a heritage dinner on Oct 8 to raise RM2 million. At this juncture, they have raised RM1.5 million, with RM400,000 have already been spent on the restoration works so far. The entire project is estimated to cost RM5.9 million, after taking into account cost escalation due to recent economic developments.
Founded in 1901, it was first named Diamond Jubilee Sikh Temple to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria of Britain. Upon completion, it was the biggest gurdwara in Malaya as well as South East Asia.
Located at No 87, Jalan Gurdwara, formerly known as Brick Kiln Road, Penang, the gurdwara structure is a beautiful strikingmixture of Moorish and modern architectural design.
It was on 3rd June 1901 that Colonel Walker of the Malay States Guides laid the foundation of the Gurdwara, Penang. The Straits Settlement Government of Penang, in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria of Britain, granted the land on which it is built. The foundation stone can be seen in the corner of the building near the “Nishan Sahib” (flagpole).
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Panjab-based Christian pastor Gursharan Kaur Deol from the Jesus Healing Ministry in action in 2022 – Source: Ministry Facebook
By Karminder Singh Dhillon | The Sikh Bulletin |
Punjab is undergoing a facelift. Not the surgical type but a religious type in which a peculiar version of Christianity is spreading fast enough to give Punjab a new face altogether.
The land of five rivers is about to get the 4th largest church in the world. It is being constructed in Jalandhar, Punjab – the hub of missionaries – at a cost of Rs 2,000 Crore. The capital city of the Sikhs – Amritsar – is home to 700 churches. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) – the primary panthik organization of the Sikhs has gotten a rival in the form of SCPC – Shiromani Church Parbandhak Committee. The land of the Sikh Gurus has become a haven for churches – 8,000 of the 12,000 villages of Punjab have a church that was built in the last ten years. Sikh terminology has found itself new parameters. The congregation in the church is called a “satsang”, the church is referred to as a “gurdwara”, the food served therein is the “langgar” and Lord Jesus is revered as “satguru Jesus” or “vaheguru Jesus.”
None of these have anything to do with the spread of traditional Christianity in Punjab. The Catholic faith has existed in Punjab from the colonial days. St. Mary’s Cathedral in Jalandhar, Punjab, India, is the seat of the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar. It was constructed by Vicariate Apostolic Rev. Fr. John Mc Donnel in 1847. No one has, or should have any concerns or reservations with the growth of Catholicism or any of the other denominations of the largest religion in the world.
The kind of “Christianity” that is spreading in Punjab is best described as the scourge of “faith healing.” And it is the business model for people who are anything but faithful to the religion under whose label they operate. Punjab is the new home for the purveyors of “miraculous and faith healing” that have led to people being duped into losing their live savings and health; and cheated into converting out of their religions. People, especially children, have died or faced serious medical complications as a result of following the advice of these conmen “faith healers.” Conversions out of their religions at the behest and lure of these conmen have caused familial and social disruptions that threaten the peace and harmony of Punjab.
Despite the fraudulent nature of these groups, the menace is growing rapidly. These “faith healers” have acquired and developed sprawling spaces where thousands gather in periodical special prayer meetings in places such as Ludhiana and Kapurthla. These groups have churned out thousands of videos of “sermons” and “faith healing” that include the testimonies of those “cured” by miracle or prayer of their “pastors” in efforts to increase their flock and build their personal coffers.
Three big outfits are involved in this dubious practice. Leading the pack is pastor Gursharan Kaur Deol’s mass “faith healing” in which she claims miracle cures for kidney stones, joint pain, backache, and “possession by the evil spirits.” She and her husband, Harbhajan Singh Deol, run Jesus Healing Ministry at Khojewala village of Kapurthala district and have a huge following. They have kept their Sikh names to make it easier to lure Punjabis and Sikhs into their scam. The second place is held by “Prophet” Barjinder Singh’s Church of Glory and Wisdom which specializes in “blessing people” with salary hikes and miracle cure for serious ailments. Then there is “Apostle” Ankur Narula, who runs the Church of Signs and Wonders at Khambra village in Jalandhar. He too draws thousands to his healing masses. He is the one who is building the fourth largest church in the world at Jalandhar.
Some of these faith healers are suspected criminals. Pastor Barjinder Singh, for instance, was arrested on charges of rape. He has also been accused of swindling people of money to cure them of their cancers.
The Hindu of September 20, 2021 summed up the scourge that Punjab is undergoing at the hands of the conniving “faith healers”. The report states “we have covered how the conversion industry is flourishing in Punjab with proselytizers like “Apostle” Ankur Narula. Gursharan Kaur, rape accused “Prophet” Barjinder Singh etc. using fake miracle cures, deception, illegal foreign funds and the good old-fashioned “rice bag” (including illegally diverted government rations) to lure converts from among the poor underprivileged sections of Sikhs & Hindus”.
Sikhs have naturally expressed concern at the morass of blind faith that Punjab is becoming. The SGPC launched a campaign of “Ghar Ghar Andar Dharamsal” to counter unethical conversions. The Global Sikh Council (GSC) has engaged with a variety of parties within Punjab to find a legal solution to the activity. The GSC’s argument is summed up in its letter to the SGPC. “To control and check such unlawful conversions and nefarious “faith-healing” sessions, many States in India have enacted laws criminalizing such activities called “Freedom of Religion Act (or Ordinance”). The States that have enacted such laws include Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pardesh, Uttar Pardesh, Odisha, Himachal Pardesh, etc. These states have, after the passing of this laws – seen a tremendous drop in the unethical conversions and faith-healing instances.”
Lady Singh Dr Kanwaljit Kaur OBE, President of the GSC, has argued that the tactic of using Sikh spiritual terminology such as “satsang,” “gurdwara,” “langgar” and “vaheguru” by these charlatans for their flock, church, food and Jesus respectively amounted to religious and cultural appropriation of the Sikh Faith and its practices, customs, Gurbani and traditions. The objective is to deceive the converting Sikhs into believing that the version of Christianity that was being presented to them by these imposters was no more than an off-shoot of Sikhism.
Why are Sikhs of Punjab falling victim to the scams of “miraculous faith healing” and in numbers that are almost unimaginable? The blame can be apportioned to three groups. The first is dera-waad – the babas, sants and other banarsee thuggs – as titled appropriately by Kabir in the SGGS. These people severely corrupted the divine spirituality of Guru Nanak and brought it down to a self-serving business transaction.
FOR MORE ON SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY IN PUNJAB, CLICK HERE
The deal was simple. These crooks in holy garb promised cures, promotions, male offspring, overseas visas and a lot more in return for common Sikhs offering them money to perform ardas, akhand paths, and other ceremonies at their deras. In essence, then, over a period of one century, these dera and taksalee sants and babas have made Punjab a most fertile ground for the scourge of pseudo faith healing. These so called sants, babas and bhramgyanis prepared the ground work for people like Ankur Narula, Gursharan Kaur, Harbhajan Singh and Prophet Barjinder Singh to come in. The only difference was scale and the grandiosity of their claims. After dealing with people who were content to be labelled as “agents of God” – Sants and Babas – the hijacked Sikhs were ready to be hypnotized by those who had promoted themselves to “Prophets and God.”
The second part of the blame goes to SGPC. This was a body tasked with governing the affairs of Sikhi and of Sikhs. With annual budgets that sometimes surpassed that of the state government, it could have built schools and universities to educate the people of Punjab; hospitals for them to get treated; banks to provide financial assistance to farmers, old folks homes, orphanages, welfare homes and so much more. But not a single item within the previous sentence was created under the patronage of the SGPC. It’s a body that made space for the Ankur Narulas, Gursharan Kaurs, Harbhajan Singhs and Prophet Barjinder Singhs. The vacuum that is the SGPC leadership, and zero concern for the welfare of underprivileged Sikhs allowed these false apostles and prophets to lure common folk into curing them and much more.
The primary concern of SGPC has been politics. Over the years it sank itself in the cesspool of Akali politics. The Badals ran it by remote control for the past 30 years. Its leadership has been so thoroughly infiltrated by dera and taksali folk beginning 1961 thata the Badals didn’t need much effort. This was the year that both the SGPC and Akali Dal were headed by dera Sants – Sant Chanan Singh became President of SGPC in this year, while Sant Fateh Singh president of Akali Dal.
It’s thus hard to imagine the SGPC doing something – anything at all – to tackle this scourge of blind faith that is faith healing. Their response has been a half-baked idea with no real action plan labeled “Ghar Ghar Andar Dharamsal.” Will someone inform the SGPC folk that Ankur Narula and Prophet Barjinder Singh etc have already sneaked into the ghar ghars of Punjab.
The final part of the blame goes to the Akal Takhat (AT). As paid employees of the SGPC, one can be excused for wondering why AT Jathedars are being considered as a separate cluster for blame apportionment. It’s because the damage to Sikhi – in particular to the advance of progressive Sikhi – that has been done and is being done by the AT is severe, unmatched and deep. The AT has banned books written by critical and progressive Sikhs. The banning of Dr Pyar Singh’s book in 1993 is case in point. It has excommunicated just about anyone who exposed the cancer that is dera-waad in Punjab. Gyani Gurbaksh Singh and Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer are cases in point. It has excommunicated others who have attempted to be reformers. The excommunication of Harnek Singh is case in point. They have now aimed their guns at Gurbani scholars such as Tharminder Singh and Dr Oangkar Singh.
Like the SGPC, the AT too has been almost completely and thoroughly infiltrated by the ideology that is dera-waad and taksali. All its Jathedars in the past 3 decades – with one single exception of Professor Manjit Singh – have come from deras, are dera-trained or dera affiliated. A good majority of Sikhs are of the view that it is the Sant Samaj that is running the AT today. In the ultimate sense then, the AT power of excommunication is the sword that is wielded on anyone and everyone who works to make the Sikhi of Guru Nanak relevant to the younger generation. Compared to the archaic version of Sikhi as presented by the dera and taksali folk, Christianity appears to be a modern option.
John 3:16 says that “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” It takes a huge leap of faith to entertain the notion that God so suddenly loved Punjab to have sent “Apostle” Ankur Narula and “Prophet” Barjinder Singh to deliver “faith healing” to them. The truth of the matter is that what’s going on in Punjab has nothing to do with God loving the world or loving Punjab. In fact, it has nothing to do with God.
Sikh thinker, writer and parcharak Karminder Singh Dhillon, PhD (Boston), is a retired Malaysian civil servant. He is the joint-editor of The Sikh Bulletin and author of The Hijacking of Sikhi. This article appeared as the editorial of The Sikh Bulletin issue of April-June 2022 (Vol 24, No 2). Click here to retrieve archived copies of the bulletin. The author can be contacted at dhillon99@gmail.com.
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Rocked by the gruesome assassination of folk singer-turned politician Sidhu Moose Wala on May 29, the ruling Aam Aadmi faces a litmus test in the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat bye-election scheduled for June 23.
The seat had fallen vacant after the incumbent Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann quit his Lok Sabha seat on his election to Punjab Vidhan Sabha from Dhuri. In the last two elections – in 2014 and 2019 – Bhagwant Mann had successfully contested from this seat.
Of the five contestants in the fray this time include Simranjit Singh Mann, President of Shiromani Akali Dal (Mann), who represented Sangrur in Lok Sabha from 1999 to 2004.
There were speculations that all Sikh organisations and political parties would up a joint Panthic candidate in their endeavor to get early release of Sikh prisoners languishing in various jails of the country.
The proposal was first taken at a meeting of the Panthic organisations. It was followed by a visit of Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal to the residence of Simranjit Singh Mann, President of Shiromani Akali Dal (Mann).
The closed door meeting the two leaders and other senior leaders reportedly failed to reach unanimity.
While Simranjit Singh Mann went ahead to file his nomination papers day after the meeting, Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal announced the candidature of Kamaldeep Kaur Rajoana, sister of jailed Balwant Singh Rajoana. Various Panthic organisations have been making concerted efforts to seek release of Balwant Singh Rajoana undergoing life imprisonment in the Beant Singh assassination case.
Other candidates in the fray include Gurmail Singh of ruling Aam Aadmi Party. An environmentalist, Gurmail Singh has been active in AAP politics as a youth leader and heads the Sangrur unit of the party.
Other than Simranjit Singh Mann, who contested the last Lok Sabha election from this seat unsuccessfully, Kewal Singh Dhillon is also in the running this time. Though last time, he was a Congress candidate, now he is representing Bharatiya Janata Party. Interestingly, Kewal Dhillon, who twice represented Barnala in Punjab Vidhan Sabha as a Congressman, joined BJP only a day before his nomination as the party candidate for the ensuing bye-election.
Though the BJP contested the State assembly elections in February in alliance with Punjab Lok Congress, a new outfit floated by former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh after leaving Congress, and Sanyukat Shiromani Akali Dal led by former MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, announcement of Kewal Dhillon’s candidature, indicates that the alliance is now more in existence.
At one stage, the Sanyukat Shiromani Akali Dal had raised objections on the way the BJP was going alone on both scouting for the candidate and contesting the election on its own.
In the 2019 elections, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, who unsuccessfully contested from Dirba in the last Assembly elections, was the Shiromani Akali Dal candidate. He finished third behind Bhagwant Singh Mann and Kewal Singh Dhillon by polling 2,63,498 votes.
Parminder Dhindsa had represented Dirba in Punjab Vidhan Sabha for the 2017-2022 term.
Congress has named former Dhuri MLA, Dalvir Singh Goldy, as its candidate.
In the Punjab Assembly elections held early this year, all nine assembly segments – Lehra, Dirba, Sunam, Bhadaur, Barnala, Mehal Kalan, Malerkotla, Dhuri and Sangrur – that constitute this Lok Sabha, AAP candidates made a clean sweep.
Sangrur has a unique record as it has been sending representatives of different political parties, including Communists, Congress, and various factions of Shiromani Akali Dal, to Lok Sabha.
Ranjit Singh was the first Lok Sabha from Sangrur. He won in the 1952 elections as a representative of Congress.
Nirlep Kaur, owing allegiance to the then Shiromani Akali Dal (Sant Fateh Singh), won from Sangrur in 1967, the first general election after the reorganization of Punjab. Subsequently, Teja Singh Swatantar, wrested back the seat for Communist Party of India. In 1962, Ranjit Singh was the first CPI nominee to win from Sangrur.
Two of SAD MPs from Sangrur – Surjit Singh Barnala and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa – remained part of the Union Cabinet in the NDA governments of their time.
SAD (Mann) was successful twice in representing this constituency in Lok Sabha. In 1989, Rajdev Singh was elected from here and 10 years later, the SAD(Mann) chief, Simranjit Singh Mann, won from Sangrur.
Before Bhagwant Mann was elected for the first time in 2014, the seat was held by Vijay Inder Singla for a term – 2009-2014.
Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa succeeded Simranjit Singh in 2004.
For Congress, Gurcharan Singh Nihalsinghwala (1980) and Gurcharan Singh Dadhahoor (1991) represented Sangrur in Lok Sabha.
Political analysts hold that things have changed significantly primarily because of the assassination of Sidhu Moose Wala. Days before his killing, he had reportedly held a meeting with Simranjit Singh Mann pledging support to him in the Lok Sabha bye-election.
Prabhjot Singh is a veteran journalist with over three decades of experience covering a wide spectrum of subjects and stories. He has covered Punjab and Sikh affairs for more than three decades besides covering seven Olympics and several major sporting events and hosting TV shows. For more in-depth analysis please visit probingeye.com or follow him on Twitter.com/probingeye
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here
