Political Prisoner Bibi Parveen Kaur Finally Released from Jail

Friday 15th of May 2009
Panthic Weekly News Bureau



AMRITSAR SAHIB (KP)—Prominent Panthic organizations expressed prayers of gratitude and [[ardas] after the release of Bibi Parveen Kaur, who was held as a political prisoner by the fascist machinery of the Punjab and Haryana Police. Bibi Parveen Kaur was arrested in March of last year by the Punjab Police under the command of the present Akali Government in relation to a baseless case fabricated by the Haryana Government. The Sikh community has been campaigning for her unconditional release since she was taken into custody.

The case against Bibi Parveen Kaur remains pending, but her release on bail has led her family to finally breathe a sigh of relief. At the age of 19, Parveen Kaur's arrest last year was highlighted in an alleged attempt to assassinate Gurmeet Ram Rahim, head of the Sacha Sauda cult. As per usual practice with political prisoners in India, she was quickly labelled a terrorist by the government. However, as published by the Panthic Weekly previously, it was nothing that Parveen had done—in fact, it was the background of the family that she comes from.

Background of Bibi –The cause of her arrest

Bibi Parveen Kaur comes from a meek but extraordinary family. As with many Sikhs, her family converted to Sikhi from Islam—not centuries ago, but very recently. It was barely twenty years ago when her uncle Bashir Mohammed turned Lachman Singh gave up his job as a Punjab Police cop and joined the Babbar Khalsa and served under the leadership of Shaheed Bhai Sukhdev Singh. Bashir’s job was initially to spy on the Jathebandi based in Pakistan, but after coming in contact with the genuine Gurmat based righteous lifestyles of Singhs, Bashir could not resist adopting the way of life bestowed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Bashir’s honest involvement in the Jathebandi led to many Panthic victories during the 80s and 90s and consequently led to the downfall of the Punjab’s Nazi regime of that time. Bashir spearheaded many campaigns and brought to justice genocidal individuals who had illegally and immorally caused the deaths of thousands of innocents. It was due to the growing influence of Lachman Singh that led Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims and others to truly dwell in peace despite the horrendous activities of the Punjab Police.

Obviously the growing popularity of Lachman Singh did not earn a great place in the wicked minds of Punjab Police officials. Sukhdev Chahal, a DSP in Punjab, was especially not gratified by the growing peace in Punjab as he was the one who supervised Bashir’s activities when initially hired by the Punjab Police. Growing rancor consequently led to the bloody murder of Lachman Singh in a brutal manner when he, along with his wife and unborn child, were murdered in their sleep by a troop of policemen in Calcutta.

As the incident had taken place outside of Punjab, several newspapers highlighted the unjust action by the Punjab Police in its true light. Punjab Police’s true face was exposed in front of the mass media, which also led to the arrest and dismissal of many officials. However this did not satisfy or hide the thirst for blood of the main culprits as they continued their oppression, especially targeting family members of Bhai Lachman Singh and family members of Jathebandi Singhs.

Old Wounds – SAD and Congress Show Their Colours

Thankfully for both of these organizations, the epic of true Panthic demonstration was halted, but the legacy the freedom fighters left behind has continued to haunt these men even today. As stated inside Gurbani, the ‘kooreyaars’ (wrong-doers) mingle and continue to spread. After the early 1990s, there has been a rise in cults and deras in Punjab—supported by both Shiromani Akali Dal (B) and Congress. The same organizations once again came forward to save the Sacha Sauda cult of Sirsa when Sikhs and other communities came out into the streets to protest against Ram Rahim’s activities.

It is possible that the concern of anti-Sikh organizations is not the dera itself, but the large bank of votes that comes along with it. To win the support of the cult's followers, both parties have tried to express their support in different forms. Badal, being in control of Punjab, currently has left no stone unturned as his party has favoured arrests and even murders of innocents to gratify the Dera officials. The story of Bibi Parveen Kaur is the same with Badal and the Congress having picked old wounds to satisfy new lords.

Demonstration of Panthic Spirit by Bibi Parveen Kaur

Bibi Parveen Kaur was a regular 19 year old college student when she was picked up and put behind bars in a fabricated case. Despite being held for over one year, she did not come under the impression of falsehood. Her struggle for justice included several hardships and days of hunger but she did not incline to commit any dishonesty to save her from the hardships.

The same spirit was demonstrated by Bibi Parveen Kaur in all her court hearings. After finally being released, Bibi Parveen Kaur reached Sri Darbar Sahib (Amritsar) and Akal Takhat Sahib to offer her ardas along with her family members. She was joined by several other eminent leaders of various organizations. She was stopped at various villages by local residents to honour her for her courage and Panthic dedication. Bibi Parveen Kaur also paid obeisance at various other Gurdwara Sahibs.

In an interview with the press, Bibi Parveen Kaur labelled the time spent in prison as “unforgettable memories.” She shared some of the hardships faced in jail, at the hands of the police. As Bibi Parveen Kaur is free from the shackles of crooked cops and political prison, the Panth needs to unite to ensure her case is fully withdrawn and an apology is tendered. At the same time, we should not forget that six other innocent Singhs are still being held in the Haryana based Karnal Jail in the fabricated case by the Punjab and Haryana Police.

1984 Rally Flyers

Please Print, copy and distribute in your local gurdwara every sunday. Copy both onto a A4 word document and then cut into A5 after printing.



RALLY FOR JUSTICE

SUNDAY 7TH JUNE 2009

25 years of Rape, Murder and Torture...
25 years of Silence...
25 years of waiting for Justice...
25 years and we still have not had our voices heard...
This year make a Difference
Rally for those who do not have a Voice...
Rally for those who have suffered in Silence...
Rally for those who are still being tortured in Prison cells...
Rally for those who are still waiting for their Loved ones to return home...

RALLY FOR JUSTICE
PROGRAMME:GATHER FOR RALLY AT HYDE PARK (REFORMERS TREE) From 11.30am
REMEMBRANCE MARCH THROUGH CENTRAL LONDON TO TRAFALGUR SQUARE 1.30pm – 4.30pm

For more info contact: bssf@live.co.uk



RALLY FOR JUSTICE

SUNDAY 7TH JUNE 2009

25 years of Rape, Murder and Torture...
25 years of Silence...
25 years of waiting for Justice...
25 years and we still have not had our voices heard...
This year make a Difference
Rally for those who do not have a Voice...
Rally for those who have suffered in Silence...
Rally for those who are still being tortured in Prison cells...
Rally for those who are still waiting for their Loved ones to return home...

RALLY FOR JUSTICE
PROGRAMME:GATHER FOR RALLY AT HYDE PARK (REFORMERS TREE) From 11.30am
REMEMBRANCE MARCH THROUGH CENTRAL LONDON TO TRAFALGUR SQAURE BETWEEN 1.30pm 4.30pm
For more info contact: bssf@live.co.uk

Mission Statement of BSSF

Our Mission

We are a Student body for British Sikhs, with the aim of bringing out a well directed and organised voice of the future generations and work to see through a healthy and diverse breed of committed, honest and sincere leaders for our Panth.

We aim to have an active and vocal presence in all British Gurdwara’s leading to a collection of young Sikhs able to manage and progress our Gurdwara’s to becoming open centres of spiritual learning and a place to collect the Panthic spirit and direct it to a meaningful outcome. We will take keen interest in Panthic affairs abroad, but will be mainly concentrating our efforts in Great Britain.

We hope to attend to issues of concern for young Sikhs and find collective and permanent solution whilst bringing together those unaware of our glorious history and Unparallel teachings gifted from our Guru’s.

Chaupai Sahib Jaap In Smethwick

Date: 30 May 2009
Time: 05:10 - 21:10
Location: Guru Nanak Gurdwara
Street: High St, Smethwick
Town/City: Smethwick, United Kingdom
Phone: 07878760899
Email: info@chaupaisahib.org

In order to support this aim, The British Sikh Student Federation along with Kaurageous and The Sikh Naujawan Academy will be hosting a 12 hour Chaupai Sahib Jaap on Saturday 30th May 09 at Guru Nanak Gurdwara, High St, Smethwick from 5am till 5pm followed by Katha, Kirtan and Kavishiri.

Please take out the time to attend and support this event.

for Rauls and more info call:
07878760899/07763608328

200 Years of British - Sikh Relations

United Kingdom: Sikh letter to Gordon Brown expresses anguish with Govt. policies Affirms Sikh connection with Scottish, English and Welsh peoples Two hundred years of British-Sikh relations, has been marked with a striking letter to the British Prime Minister.

The six page letter from the Sikh Community Action Network (Slough), expresses Sikh anguish and opposition to British Government policies which are ‘socially sectarian’ and directly in conflict with ’community cohesion’. It describes current Government policies as ‘divisive, discriminatory and polarising’ against the Sikhs, English, Christian, Scottish, Welsh, Italian, Greek, Hindu, Jewish, Gujeraati and other communities. It says these policies as ‘socially destructive’.

The letter expresses Sikh appreciation of the many benefits life in Britain has provided for the 700,000 British Sikh population. It highlights the substantial military, social and economic contribution Sikhs have made to Britain. It speaks of the “proud and positive connection between the Panjaabi-Sikh, Scottish, English and Welsh peoples.”

It positively stresses the core values of citizenship of responsibility, self-initiative and social action which have driven the Sikh migrants and future generations in Britain. The letter further stresses how the British Government has failed to acknowledge and support the Sikh contribution to Britain, and has simply taken it for granted.

It speaks of the disproportionate and sectarian appeasement of voices within the Muslim population, and the complete marginalisation of Britain’s other communities – English, Scottish, Gujerati, Italian, Greek, Christian, Hindu, Jew, Welsh. “We need to see policies and action which decisively include and empower these diverse communities as part of a collective vision for Britain; rather than the divisive, sectarian and polarising policies of favouring one community over the rest.”

The Sikh Community Action Network says, the letter is designed to bring to the public fore, on this historic 200 year anniversary (25th April 2009), the need for the British government “to stop taking active, successful, forward moving communities for granted. These communities are the core of Britain and its social and economic strength. They are fed up with the slumpish and sectarian policies of a misguided and expedient government.”

Two hundreds years of British-Sikh relations occurred on 25th April 2009, representing the anniversary of the signing of the historic Treaty of Amritsar between the Sikh Government of Panjaab and the British Government in 1809. See www.anglo-sikh.blogspot.com

On the historic two-hundred year anniversary of British-Sikh relations, a Sikh group has written also written to Queen Elizabeth, requesting quantification of various Sikh national artefacts and sacred scriptures confiscated during the British Raaj.

In a three-page letter, the Sikh Community Action Network (Slough), celebrates the ‘rich and eventful’ British-Sikh relationship over 200 years, since the signing of the Treaty of Amritsar in 1809 between the Governments of Panjaab and Britain.

The letter states that: “Across the UK, within the custody of your royal family, royal castles, museums and government bodies, there is an immense range of unquantified and unidentified cultural property belonging to the Sikh nation.”

The letter requests attention to the diverse range of Sikh national property taken from Panjaab following its imperial conquest and subjugation by Britain in 1849. The letter refers to many sacred scriptures, swords and artefacts of various kinds being held within royal castles and royal venues, including Windsor Castle, the official residence of the Queen.

The letter seeks a full quantification of all Sikh national property confiscated and brought to Britain during the British Raaj, and access to these items by Sikh representatives.

The Sikh Community Action Networks, says: “This will be a major positive step, in taking forward British Sikh relations. We are confident that Queen Elizabeth will appreciate our desire for access to these national treasures, which define our history, spirituality, ethics and way of life.”

The letter, also, refers to the letters, diaries and writings of the first Sikh in Britain, Maharajah Duleep Singh. He was the child-king of Panjaab, deposed after the British conquest in 1849. In 1854, at the age of 5-6 years circa, he was brought to Britain as a subject of Queen, Victoria – Empress of India. He was nurtured as a royal gentleman, under the authority of Queen Victoria. He spent portions of his childhood and young years at Windsor Castle. His quest for his past, resulted in him returning to Panjaabi-Sikh culture and seeking to restore the independence of Panjaab. Over the course of his 55 year life, this first Sikh in Britain undertook many written communications with Queen Victoria directly and with the British Government Ministers, about his affairs as a ‘protectorate’ of Britain and his conflicting desire to return to Panjaab and restore his country’s independence. Many of these writings are contained within the archives and stores of Windsor Castles and other royal venues.

Finding Sikhi In Ireland

Dublin, Ireland: Dinesh Singh listened to the drumbeat and soaked in the energy. He then steadied his wooden stick, slapped his thigh and struck at his opponent. Their sticks clacked. He stepped back, twirled his wooden weapon with one hand and hit again with sudden speed, left, right and center. Singh, 27, wearing a long white tunic and a saffron turban, was performing the gatka, an old battle-tested ritual that originated in India, at a temple in the heart of this capital city of Ireland.

Ireland’s history is almost synonymous with Catholicism, but for Singh, this is the land where he first discovered Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred Sikh scripture, on the very day the Irish celebrate for the advent of Christianity in Ireland.

Singh, a former Hindu who lived in India most of his life, embraced Sikhism in Ireland thanks to St. Patrick’s Day.

Like many South Asians looking towards the West for better opportunities, Singh, then known as Dinesh Kumar, arrived in Dublin five years ago from a small city in Haryana, India. He started working as a deputy manager at a supermarket. Two years later, a friend from India introduced him to the Sikh community at Gurudwara Guru Nanak Darbar, a temple in Sandymount, Dublin. The friend was a non-Sikh, but in awe of the gatka, and the shabads– hymns recited by the Sikhs. He often visited their temple to watch and participate. Kumar too developed an interest in the rituals and started accompanying his friend regularly. The temple also gave Kumar an opportunity to play a South Asian musical instrument he was good at, the tabla, which consists of a pair of small drums.

On 17th March, 2007, the Sikh Community of Dublin performed for the first time in St. Patrick’s Day parade. Kumar had been practicing the gatka with the Sikhs for a while now, so he also took part. He even grew a small beard for the role.

When the performance was over, he shaved his beard off. But this caused him a great deal of uneasiness.

“I felt really ashamed that I was just showing myself to be a Sikh for performing in the parade,” he said. “I felt like I was lying to myself.”

A couple of months later, there was a multicultural festival in Dunleary. The Sikh community performed again and so did Kumar. But this time when he kept a beard, he pondered deeply over its significance in Sikhism.

“The beard grows and you cut it and again it grows,” he thought. “So if it is going to grow, why cut it. Let it grow.”

This was his moment of epiphany. He converted to Sikhism, changed his last name to Singh and never shaved again.

Singh has been a Sikh for two years now. He visits the Sandymount temple twice a week, helps prepare food in its spacious kitchen and distributes it as a langar in a religious practice that promotes equality and hospitality.

“Now I feel like I have an aim in life,” he said. “I have to follow my gurus (spiritual guides). Following them gives me happiness. And when I do keertan (recitation of hymns), I get a feeling like I’m flying somewhere.”

He still practices the martial art, or gatka, that inspired him to embrace Sikhism. What he had demonstrated a short while ago, he explained, was a very small version of the real performance that took place on St. Patrick’s Day. Not only did the gatka entertain the crowd, accompanied by jubilant drumbeats, but also served as a sacred reenactment of the battles fought by the Sikhs in 17th century India.

Singh went back to India in July 2008 to meet his family after three and a half years. Not knowing that he had converted, they were shocked to see him in a turban and a beard.

He recalled their reaction and smiled. “I have the best parents in the world. They were taken aback, but they soon understood that this was what I wanted.”

His sister, however, said that she wouldn’t see his face again if he didn’t shave.

“I said ‘okay, whatever,’” he laughed. “After just one hour, she was okay. She’s my sister after all.”

The only aspect of his previous life stopping him from fully assimilating is his name, ‘Dinesh,’ which means ‘Lord of the Day’ in Hindu mythology. He was stopped twice by immigration officers in India for having a beard and turban, but a Hindu name. Upon returning to Ireland, he asked his Sikh friends to suggest a new first name. For now, he is leaning towards ‘Jarnail,’ the Punjabi translation for ‘General.’

For Singh, Ireland will always hold a special significance. This is where he found his true calling.

“I have sangat (company) here,” he said. “I learnt keertan here. I prefer to live here and serve my guru my whole life.”

Laughing at the wild prospect of finding Sikhism in Ireland through St. Patrick’s Day, he said, “It’s just destiny. I had to be a Sikh. It doesn’t matter if I spent 22 years in India being Hindu. I am a Sikh now. That’s destiny.”

Source: Maria Tirmizi

Uk Sikhs Demand Bullet Proof Turban

Sikh police officers in Britain want the government to develop bullet-proof turbans to allow them to serve as firearms officers without having to remove their headwear, it was reported yesterday.

Sikh officers are exempt from a legal obligation to wear crash helmets because of their religion's requirement to wear a turban, but this means they cannot wear the protective headgear of firearms officers.

Inspector Gian Singh Chahal, vice-chairman of the newly formed British Police Sikh Association, said the Home Office needs to make provisions for Sikhs to recognise their role in the police force.

"Sikh officers have been prohibited from becoming firearms officers because our religion does not allow us to remove the turban," he was quoted as telling the journal Police Review. "We would like to follow any opportunity where we could manufacture a ballistic product, made out of a synthetic fibre, that would ensure a certain degree of protection, so Sikh police officers could take part in these roles." (AFP)

Sant Ji Message - 25 years on!!!!

1984 FREEDOM & REMEMBRANCE RALLY