PAATH DA BHOG: 28 June 2020 (Sunday) at Gurdwara Sahib Mainduab, Jalan Pudu Lama, KL, 9.45am – 12.00 noon| Malaysia
BHAG SINGH S/O TEJA SINGH
Advocate & Solicitor | Formerly of Alor Setar
(13 Jan 1946 – 13 June 2020)
Village: Abhipur, Dist: Ropar
Wife: Beahro Kaur @ Mukhtiar Kaur
Children:
Meijinder Kaur
Ashvinder Kaur
Siblings / Spouses:
Tara Singh (Port Dickson)
Ajmer Kaur (Deceased)
Master Ajmer Singh (Ex-HM)
Charan Kaur (Charno)
Gian Kaur (Deceased)
Mohendra Kaur (Deceased)
Gurmukh Singh (Deceased)
Nasib Kaur
Capt Gurdev Singh (India)
Piara Singh
Also remembered by nephews, nieces, grand-nephews, grand-nieces and a host of relatives & friends.
Paath Da Bhog: 28 June 2020 (Sunday) at Gurdwara Sahib Mainduab, Jalan Pudu Lama, KL, 9.45am – 12.00 noon
Contact:
012 9102055 (Ajmer)
012 9898940 (Harinder)
Message from the family:
His articles “Law for everyone” which appeared in ‘The Star’ newspaper on a regular basis helped to educate the common man in matters of law. – Master Ajmer Singh
Our dear father is missed very much. We’d like to thank everyone for your kind wishes and support during this difficult time. – Meijinder & Ashvin
As it is still RMCO, the family will comply with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for places of worship. Only immediate family and relatives are encouraged to attend.
| Entry: 24 June 2020 | Source: Family
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 |
Sikhs at the Khalsa Care Foundation prepare 3500 meals for seniors and the disabled on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 at their Pacoima gurdwara. Five days a week volunteers, not all Sikh, prepare the meals for those who have been in lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
By Ryan Carter | UNITED STATES |
“Seva” is alive and well in Pacoima.
Every day it’s what fires up the giant cooking containers full of rice and pasta. It’s what powers the assembly lines of volunteers from all over Southern California who package meals — curry, thai, pasta and a sweet treat with a bottle of water — atop rows of tables.
It’s what gets those meals to households from Palmdale to Long Beach to Pasadena and Los Angeles, where the pandemic still draping the region has crushed livelihoods, left families struggling and kept seniors and disabled isolated.
Seva — or “selfless service” — is happening at the Khalsa Care Foundation Gurdwara — a Sikh temple that’s served the area for 15 years.
The massive amount of food prepared and distributed every day here is nothing new for a community of faith whose tradition of selflessness goes back centuries. They know how to feed the world, and it’s happening from New York to India. Amid the chaos of COVID-19, and even among deep social pain and unrest sparked by the death of George Floyd, local Sikh Americans have found renewed energy, across the Southland and also just off Laurel Canyon Boulevard in the northeast San Fernando Valley.
One day, it’s preparing and serving up meals to waves of protesters on L.A.’s streets. The next, providing much-needed meals to struggling families in Palmdale.
And so on, every day of the week. No strings attached.
No proselytizing. No preaching. No preference for a person’s position in life. Just goodwill and a sticker on the lid of each meal’s plastic tray that reads: “Sikh Community Lending a Helping Hand.”
The goodwill was recently tapped by LA leaders, who teamed up with the Gurdwara (translated as temple) for a new goal. The center was already hosting a once-a-week drive-thru hot meal program, and since its beginnings 15 years ago it was preparing hot meals for homeless shelters and other non-profit organizations.
Read the full story, ‘In LA’s pandemic moment, Sikh community taps an ancient specialty: Feeding the masses’ (Los Angeles Daily News, 21 July 2020), here.
RELATED STORY:
(Asia Samachar, x June 2020)
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 |
After a short interlude, Harminder Pal Singh is all set to return to the campaigning circuit as Singapore prepares for a general elections on July 10.
The Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) chief media officer was hospitalised last night (22 June) after feeling giddy during a walkabout in Pasir Ris. He was discharged this morning.
In a statement, SDA chairman Desmond Lim Bak Chuan said the doctors have confirmed that he was good to go after putting him through various tests, and he is now recovering well at home.
“Mr Singh has been working hard to help the SDA put up a good fight during the coming General Election, often burning the midnight oil, and skipping meals to conduct more walkabouts and house visits.
“Fatigue caught up with him this time. Even as he was put in the ambulance, he was apologising and asking to continue with the night’s walkabout. He’s a fighter, and after a day’s rest he’ll be back with us pounding the ground tomorrow,” he said in the statement.
In a short response to Asia Samachar, Harminder Pal said: “I’m getting much better.”
This will be the third consecutive general election that will be contested by the 48 year-old Harminder Pal.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong today advised President Halimah Yacob to dissolve the parliament to set the stage for the nation’s 14th national polls. Nomination Day has been set for June 30 to be followed by a nine-day campaigning period.
In a televised address, Lee said he has decided to call the general election now, while the Covid-19 situation is relatively stable, to “clear the decks” and give the new government a fresh, full five-year mandate.
The move has been criticised by some quarters as the incumbent taking advantage of the uncertain ground due to the novel coronavirus battle at hand globally. The Singapore Democratic Party, one of the opposition parties, have said earlier that calling an election at this point of time would “needlessly jeopardise the safety and health of Singaporeans”.
In a report yesterday, SDA’s Lim was quoted by the Straits Times as saying that the party would focus its campaigning efforts on Pasir Ris-Punggol.
“We would rather concentrate our resources to focus on one constituency that we can actually serve better,” he said. “If we are going to dilute our resources, then, honestly, we will not be able to serve (residents) that well.”
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 |
My talented shotay veer (lawyer) Gurmukh Singh of Malaysia is arguably the most accomplished exponent of raag based gursangeet in Malaysia. This is in no way belittling the ‘kirtan‘ and ‘kirtan perchar‘ abilities of a number of other similar shotay veers in Malaysia who are all a credit to Sikhi in Malaysia.
I single Gurmukh out because he is not only a kirtania and kirtan percharak (proponent), but also a Guru-based ‘artiste’. A category of gursangeet for which, up till now there was no platform to showcase such talent.
Over my lifetime I have witnessed the general Gurdwara psyche concerning ‘kirtan’ narrow. There was a time when gurdwara-based Punjabi schools encouraged their students to write dharmic kavetas (religious-based poetry) and the good ones were presented from gurdwara stages to the Sangat.
Kirtan students had the stage platform to showcase their renditions in raag, from any Sikh dharmic source. There was kavisheri (poetry), persaang (ballads of episodes from our dharmic history) renditions, dhad sarangi renditions, patriotic uplifting bani from Dasam Granth, besides ‘straight’ kirtan.
Over 30 to 40 odd years I have witnessed gurdwaras imposing restrictions. Today ‘they’ do not allow dharmic kavetas under the pretext of ‘kechi bani‘, nothing from Dasam Granth, no Deh Shiva for Nishan Sahib ‘salami‘ – only anything directly from Guru Granth Sahib Ji preferably with two vajas and tabla.
Then came Maha-Mari which I call the ‘Grand Coming’! Gurdwara stages have been relegated to a level playing field with those who are talented enough to display other aspects of our vibrant Sikh life philosophy, online.
Gurmukh would have probably not been allowed to showcase this rendition of 11 raags with bani from Dasam Granth in any gurdwara of today. But no one can stop him to display his and his family’s talent online. A ‘guldasta‘ in honour of our spiritual father dhan dhan Guru Gobind Singh Ji maharaj.
To others who have the talent of writing good dharmic renditions and singing shabads from Dasam Granth, I say – now you have the ability of letting ‘us’ hear and see you online, let it be Facebook, YouTube, etc. There are at least thousands listening and globally. Go for it. Showcase your talents!
Khalsa Ji, enjoy Ragi Gurmukh Singh Ji and family from Malaysia. Click here for the Facebook link.
Malaysian-born Dya Singh, who now resides in Australia, is an accomplished musician and a roving Sikh preacher. The Dya Singh World Music Group performs full scale concerts on ‘music for the soul’ based on North Indian classical and semi-classical styles of music with hymns from mainly the Sikh, Hindu and Sufi ‘faiths’. He is also the author of SIKH-ING: Success and Happiness. He can be contacted at dyasingh@khalsa.com
* This is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.
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 |
KAUR , that’s my last name. It means Princess. I was bestowed this name when I was born and I am lucky that my parents decided NOT to add a family name after the ‘Kaur’, because now my family has become much bigger as I am a sister, daughter and mother to millions of KAURs around the world and not just to my own family.
One of the many reasons why I chose to come out publicly in the way I have especially for Devotional music is that I have always found it disturbing that in this space, ‘Devotional Music’, continues to be heavily male dominated. Don’t get me wrong. I have deep respect for my fellow male/Singh musicians, but I do see the large disparity in numbers where we say that women are equal if not greater then men but yet the numbers paint a different picture.
And this applies to all aspects of the world where today in such a ‘progressive society’ we still see ladies or KAURs being underrepresented in almost every area….
So here I am, 1 Kaur trying to make a difference in the area I am in: music and art. Devotional music, Bollywood covers and Punjabi/Hindi music, trying to pave the way for many other of my peers and younger sisters who wanted to venture forth but were suppressed for whatever reason (family pressure, societal expectation, low self esteem etc).
It’s time to rise my sisters! And you are not alone. I’m so happy that many sisters have reached out to me to show love and support, like my sisters at @akaurbrand who designed this awesome T-shirt which says ‘KAUR – Breaking Barriers’. I will be wearing more of their Kaur designed apparel so check them out and support them if you can!
It’s time for the KAURS!
(The article has been adapted from Mystik Kaur’s social media sharing)
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 |
Missed by brother, sisters, nephews, nieces, relatives & friends.
Path Da Bhog: 10am, 4 July 2020 (Saturday) at Gurdwara Sahib Petaling Jaya
Contact:
Saraman Singh +6012-3876640
Amarjit Singh +6014-2242536
Gurdip kaur +6012-2055037
Message from family: Due to RMCO in force, we have been advised to keep the Path da Bhog as a small affair. The family wishes to thank everyone for their condolences and prayers.
| Entry: 22 June 2020; Updated: 1 July 2020 | Source: Family
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 |
Brother, brothers-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.
Cremation was held at Nirvana Memorial Park, Shah Alam on 20 June 2020. Due to Covid-19 situation, the funeral service & cremation was held among immediate family members.
Path da Bhog: 28 June 2020 (Sunday), at 10.00am at Gurdwara Sahib Subang Jaya, Selangor.
The family wishes to express their heartful thanks to everyone who provided their utmost love, support and advice during the recent bereavement. Our sincere appreciation and heartful thank you.
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 |
Social distancing awareness poster prepared by SikhInside
By Asia Samachar Team | MALAYSIA |
A number of gurdwaras nationwide have started congregational prayer programmes as Malaysia comes out of its partial lockdown imposed to battle the spread of the novel coronavirus.
In the Klang Valley, among the gurdwaras that had programmes this weekend were Subang, Kampung Pandan, Main Doab in the Klang Valley. In the Kinta Valley, Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Ipoh and the Tambun gurdwara had congregational programmes.
Penang gurdwaras are slated to begin congregational programmes this coming weekend (June 27 and 28), with the police gurdwara having a programme on Friday (June 26).
“All the presidents of the gurdwaras on the main land and the island met recently to iron out the SOP. We have come up with a common approach on how to reopen our gurdwaras,” Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Penang president Daljit Singh told Asia Samachar.
The meeting on June 18 was chaired by Penang state executive councillor Jagdeep Singh Deo.
Daljit said that children below 12 will not be allowed into the gurdwara, as per the regulatipons set by the Federal government, but Penang gurdwaras will allow those above 70 years and healthy to attend.
“In Penang, we have many elderly people. We thank the state authorities for this leeway,” he said.
On chaur seva, he said it will be handled by by the granthi or a representative from the management committee.
In Johor, the Muar gurdwara has also started opening up for the Sanggat since June 9 while the Johor Bahru gurdarawa is expected to open its doors the weekend (June 27 and 28). The other gurdwaras in the state – Segamat, Pontian, Kluang and Batu Pahat – have yet to open.
“We had a meeting today (21 June). We plan to open from 8am to 2pm on the weekends, and close to Sanggat visitation on the week days. We are in the midst of planning the roll out,” said Gurdwara Sahib Johor Bahru former president Manjit Singh and committee member. The actual opening dates have yet to be determined. (Line added for clarification).
Gurdwaras in Pahang are still awaiting for the greenlight from the state authorities to commence operations.
“We will most likely have some feedback next week,” said a Kuantan gurdwara committee member.
Malaysian-based SikhInside has prepared social distancing awareness posters for gurdwaras that can be downloaded here.
At the gurdwaras which held programmes, the congregation members were generally excited to be able to return to the gurdwara.
“They were happy to be back after some three months,” said Gurdwara Sahib Subang president Amrick Singh. “And the congregation members observed fully the new protocols.”
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 |
In June 1984, the Indira Gandhi government in India ordered a military assault on the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar, codenamed ‘Operation Blue Star’. Led by the Indian army, it was ostensibly aimed at ‘flushing out’ Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his associates from the holy shrine.
This is the second of a two-part series exploring the events of June 1984 in an attempt to unpack its psychological, social and political after-shocks. Read the first part here.
Capt.Amarinder Singh tweeted @capt_amarinder: Extremely touched by the plight of Jodhpur detainees. Only 40 had gone to court and got compensation order. The others also deserve it. My govt will pay same compensation to the remaining 325 also. I’ll also request Centre for the same. #JodhpurDetenues – Photo: Capt Amarinder Singh twitter in June 2020
By Tridivesh Singh Maini | OPINION |
Besides the killing of innocent pilgrims, the destruction of the Akal Takht (the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs), and the burning of the Sikh Reference Library, one of the most shameful aspects of Operation Blue Star was the treatment meted out to pilgrims who were found alive after the attack. According to eyewitnesses, a large number of young men, and even women, were shot dead.
According to government estimates, over 1,592 pilgrims in the Darbar Sahib complex were detained on 6 June 1984 after the operation ended. Out of the pilgrims found alive, 379 were arrested and first information reports (FIRs)
were filed against 365 of them, all first-time offenders, four days later. Later, on 14 June, more serious charges were filed against them by central agencies under the Indian Penal Code, Explosives Act and Arms Act.
Most of the detainees were first held at a military camp in Amritsar, then moved to Nabha jail, and finally shifted to Jodhpur jail (some of the injured were first taken to hospital and then shifted to Nabha Jail). The detainees were released in lots, beginning 1988, as part of the 1985 Rajiv-Longowal accord under Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) 321. Some of the detainees considered hardliners were released in the last lot.
This author spoke to some of the ‘Jodhpur detainees’ who are mostly settled in Gurdaspur and Amritsar to understand their ordeal, perceptions and problems.
THE JODHPUR DETAINEES
The case of the Jodhpur detainees is a reiteration of how pilgrims, many of whom were ordinary people, even those without any political affiliations, were treated by security forces with suspicion.
A lot of time has gone by and while many of the detainees are no more (100 of the Jodhpur detainees have passed away), the survivors are able to vividly recall the physical and mental trauma that they faced during their imprisonment. Despite these miseries, they have managed to survive.
There were others who were unable to deal with the situation and developed serious problems, including memory loss. A report titled ‘Operation Blue Star: The Untold Story’ has highlighted, through case studies, the sufferings that the detainees went through and the harassment which their families had to face at the hands of the Punjab police.
A section of of the detainees – such as Bhai Manjit Singh (brother of Bhai Amrik Singh, a close associate of Bhindranwale) Harminder Singh Gill, Amarjit Singh Chawla and Rajinder Singh Mehta – had been politically active, and were part of the All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF).
In their book, The Legacy of Militancy in Punjab: Long Road to ‘Normalcy, Inderjeet Singh Jaijee and Dona Suri reiterate the point that far from having indulged in any terror activities, some of the detainees were totally apolitical. Even according to official versions, most of the individuals arrested were totally ‘innocent’ and were simply pilgrims or Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) employees.
The Legacy of Militancy in Punjab
After their release, they jumped into the mainstream political arena. Amarjit Singh Chawla is currently a Vice President in the SGPC, Rajinder Singh Mehta is a General Secretary in the SGPC, Gill joined the Congress party and is currently a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of the Patti constituency, and Valtoha joined the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).
COMPENSATION AND REHABILITATION
For the other detainees, compensation has been no easy task. Over 200 of them had applied for compensation in 1991, saying that they were ‘wrongfully detained and tortured’. But the case was dismissed in 2011 after a two decades-long battle.
It was only in 2018 that 40 of the detainees were able to secure compensation after Judge Gurbir Singh of the District Sessions Court in Amritsar ruled in favour of providing them compensation in April 2017. Bhagwant Singh Sialka, an SGPC member, served as the legal counsel for these former detainees. The judge stated that 40 of these appellants should get Rs 4 lakhs each, and with interest, the total compensation amount came out to be an estimated Rs 4.5 crores.
In his judgment, Judge Singh stated: “…it is a case of malicious prosecution, illegal detention and maltreatment on the part of authorities/defendants”
Significantly, the central government agencies had appealed against the court’s ruling in June 2018. Serving Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, had said that if the central government is not willing to pay the compensation, the state government would do so. Later, the appeal was withdrawn and the central government agreed to pay its share.
EFFORTS TO REHABILITATE THE DETAINEES
Apart from the compensation provided to the 40 odd detainees, some efforts have been made to rehabilitate the them. For instance, while some of the detainees were provided bus licenses to operate buses after their release, both the SGPC and the Punjab government have provided employment to others. In 2018, the SGPC offered to provide jobs to needy ex-detainees.
Many of the detainees who have retired, even from SGPC jobs, are struggling to make both ends meet.
As mentioned earlier, despite the illegal detention of the prisoners and the mental, physical and economic challenges they have faced, the central government, far from trying to compensate or assist detainees, had appealed against the state government’s decision to compensate the detainees, until the SAD took up the issue with the then Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
However, it is not just the central government. Even successive state governments and Sikh religious institutions could have done more, given the resources they possess.
Even Sikh charitable organisations and the diaspora, which have done yeoman’s service in philanthropy in recent years, have not done anything tangible for the detainees. Religious organisations as well as charitable organisations could have done more to provide for the healthcare of the detainees, and also ensured livelihood for one more member of their family.
While Punjab-based print journalists have done some remarkable work in highlighting the struggles of the detainees and in narrating their stories, very few journalists in the mainstream media have looked at this issue, except in the 1980s.
Punjabi media channels focused on Sikh issues have not just been interviewing political personalities and journalists who were witness to the tragic events of June 1984, but also in recent times, been highlighting the travails faced by the Jodhpur detainees and other pilgrims who were found alive in the complex.
One thing that emerges from conversations with some of the detainees is that in spite of facing economic hardships and troubles, they have refrained from playing up their victimhood and made genuine attempts to move on, even if life has not been fair to them.
While there are some who are in a a pitiful financial state and are literally hand-to-mouth as has been mentioned earlier, there are a few cases where individuals have used their time in Jodhpur jail to pursue further education and secure respectable jobs.
NEED TO DO MORE
While certain sections of the national media have highlighted human rights excesses in other parts of the country, it is disappointing that they seldom get any space to those that took place in Punjab during the militancy years.
It is not only important to have open and frank dialogues over the loss of lives and the psychological impact of Operation Blue Star on the Sikh community, but also to highlight stories such as those of the detainees.
Those amongst the ex-detainees who are financially distressed, as well as other pilgrims who were trapped in the complex, should be given greater space not just in discussions, but also provided financial assistance to ensure that they are economically secure.
In doing so, the Sikh community should not just bank on religious organisations, charities and NGOs, but also on a broader collective effort that includes the diaspora.
Tridivesh Singh Maini is a Delhi-based political and policy commentator, and is affiliated with the OP Jindal Global University. The article first appeared at Eleventh Column. Views expressed are the author’s own.
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 |
Selangor has allowed non-Muslim houses of worship to reopen tomorrow, provided that all stipulated standard operating procedures (SOP) are in place, reports Bernama.
State Health, Welfare, Women Empowerment and Family Committee chairman Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud said the state government adopted the new SOPs issued by the national unity ministry with additional guidelines.
“All are allowed to visit their houses of worship, except those in the high-risk and very high-risk groups.
“Those who are aged above 60 but healthy are allowed to attend religious activities in these houses of worship,” the national news agency quoted her.
Speaking at a press conference in Shah Alam yesterday (18 June), she said the three additional guidelines were the low-risk category; high-risk group category (such as those aged 60 to 69 with illnesses like high blood pressure); and very high-risk category (for people over the age of 70 with chronic illnesses).
Siti Mariah said at this time, children aged under 12 were still not allowed to enter any of the houses of worship in Selangor.
Penang is also adopting the 12-year old restriction, the state’s executive councillor Jagdeep Singh Deo told a press conference at the Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Penang (WGSP) yesterday. See here.
All six gurdwaras in Penang were slated to start operating yesterday, along with other places of worship nationwide, as Malaysia relaxes restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
For Selangor, Siti Mariah was reported to have said that officials should be appointed to oversee the movements of worshippers to ensure they adhered to social distancing.
She said the managements should ensure the maximum capacity allowed at any one time was one-third of the area of the houses of worship, taking into account that social distancing of 1.5m was maintained.
“All houses of worship are required to register with the ‘SELangkah (Langkah Masuk Dengan Selamat)’ app for contact tracking purposes and display QR codes at the entrances. No contact or shaking of hands is allowed.”
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 |
