Bhai Gurmeet Singh Shaant Kirtan Darbar

Bhai Sahib Bhai Gurmeet Singh Ji Shaant Jalandar wale will be doing kirtan on Sunday 3th August 2008 from 6:45 p.m to 8:00 p.m at Shri Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara Clarence Place, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 1LD.

Please attend and enjoy great kirtan. The Kirtan darbar is being held by Guru Nanak Komal Sangeet Academy Gravesend in partnership with local sevadars.

In History Today:

Guru Harkrishan Maharajs Parkash Purab:

Guru Har Krishan Ji (7 July 1656 - 30 March 1664) was the eighth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism. He became Guru on 7 October 1661 following in the footsteps of his father, Guru Har Rai Ji. Before Guru Ji died, he nominated Baba Bakala Ji, as the next Guru of the Sikhs. It turns out that this was his granduncle Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. The following is a summary of the main highlights of Guru Ji short life:
✏ When Guruji stayed in Delhi there was a smallpox epidemic which resulted in many deaths. By Guruji's blessing, the lake at Bangla Sahib provided a cure for thousands. Exposing himself to his many devotees he too died of Smallpox. Thus he unselfishly, without the thought of danger to himself, served many people. This is true Sewa to care for the sick even at the risk of one's own life.
✏ Gurdwara Bangla Sahib was constructed in Guruji memory. This is where he stayed during his visit to Delhi. This was originally the palace of Raja Jai Singh, who was a strong Sikh and a devotee of the Guru.
✏ Guru Sahib caused the illiterate water-carrier named Chhaju Ram to expound the philosophy of the holy Gita on the challenge from Pandit Lal Chand. On hearing this narration of the holy Gita, Pandit Lal Chand was deeply humiliated. He was so impressed with this feat performed by the Guru that he became a Sikh and later escorted the Guru Sahib up to Kurukashatra.

News:

Ladoo-time in Amritsar as PM wins trust vote

Even as Jathedar, Akal Takht, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti has refused to comment on the winning of confidence vote by the Dr Manmohan Singh-led UPA government, Jathedar, Patna Sahib, Giani Iqbal Singh has congratulated the Prime Minister on this historic victory.
Talking to The Tribune from Patna Sahib, Giani Iqbal Singh described Dr Manmohan Singh as a true and honest Sikh who had quoted hymns from Dasam Granth while seeking confidence vote on the floor of Parliament. However, Jathedar Vedanti, who had eulogised Dr Manmohan Singh earlier, today preferred to keep mum.
Meanwhile, Bhai Ranjit Singh, a former Jathedar, Akal Takht, has said it was moral defeat of the SAD which had failed to support the government of the first Sikh Prime Minister. He said it was ridiculous the SAD leadership had stated they could not support Dr Manmohan Singh merely on the basis that he was a Sikh.
Meanwhile, there is lot of jubilation in the town, especially in the houses of Surjit Singh Kohli and Daljit Singh Kohli, brothers of the Prime Minister. They distributed ladoos to mark the victory.
On the other hand, the BJP burnt the effigies of the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi in protest against bribe given to three BJP MPs.
Congress leaders, led by Prof Darbari Lal, a former deputy speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha, distributed ladoos in the morning much before the counting of votes. Manjit Singh Calcutta, a senior Akali leader and member of the SGPC expressed satisfaction over winning the confidence vote.

Tight security in city as Sikh bodies observe bandh today

Security has been further stepped up in the city in view of the bandh call given by certain Sikh organisations to protest against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Raheem.
Following Monday’s incident in Kamla Nagar, where five Dera followers of a family were injured allegedly by activists of a Sikh organisation — the city police have sounded high alert.
After the recent clashes between the Dera followers and Sikhs in Haryana and other places, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) R K Jaiswal had already put the city police on high alert.
Speaking to Newsline, SSP Jaiswal said: “We have made adequate security arrangements in view of the bandh call tomorrow. All police personnel have been asked to remain on alert. The entire city will be under our close surveillance not only tomorrow but till the situation turns normal.”
Two additional police companies have been called to the city and deployed in different areas to prevent any untoward incident due to the simmering tension between the Dera Sacha Sauda followers and the Sikh community. According to police officers, some sensitive areas have been identified which will be under special scrutiny during the bandh.
The Sikh organisations had called for a bandh following a clash between the Dera followers and the members of Sikh community at Dabwali in Haryana last Friday. A Sikh had been killed in the incident, which had sparked widespread protests from Sikhs in Punjab and other parts of the country.

Sikhs call bandh in Punjab; disrupt rail, road traffic

Sikh protestors on Wednesday disrupted the rail and road transport between Delhi and Punjab, while demanding the arrest of Dera Sacha Suada Chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim. According to reports, six major trains between national capital and Punjab have been disrupted. The trains, which were affected by the protests, include Delhi-Amritsar intercity express, Amritsar-Delhi Express, Amritsar-Pathankote Express, Abohar-Haridwar Express and Amritsar-Saharsa Garib Rath. The protestors are demanding the arrest of the Dera chief and his bodyguard for allegedly killing a Sikh in in Mulund in Mumbai last month. Meanwhile, Damdama Taksal spokesperson Baba Harna Singh has appealed to the protesters to calm down and allow movement of road and rail traffic. However, expressing his support to the protest, he said, “I want to ask a question that why the govt is harassing us. It has not arrested Dera Sacha Sauda chief till now.” On further course of action, he said that the organization will hold a meeting on July 30 to chalk out future plans.

Latest from India, yet another Singh is Shaheed bringing the total to 3

Security stepped up in city ahead of July 23 bandh

The city police have been put on high alert to prevent any untoward incident following fresh clashes between the Sikh community and Dera Sacha Sauda members in Haryana. In the view of the Punjab bandh call given by Sikh organisations on July 23, additional police force has been deployed in the city.
According to sources, senior district police officers are keeping a close watch on the situation. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) (Urban) RK Jaiswal held a meeting with his officers and asked them to deploy police force in various parts of the city.
Sources said that though the entire city is under close watch, some sensitive areas have been zeroed-in on.
Speaking to Newsline, SSP Jaiswal said two companies of the police force had also been called from outside the district. He said the security has been stepped up till July 23 when Sikh organisations will observe a bandh. The SSP appealed to the people to maintain communal harmony.
Following the fresh clashes between the members of Sikh community and the Dera Sacha Sauda at Dabwali in Haryana on Friday, one person from the Sikh community had been killed. This had sparked widespread protest from Sikhs in Punjab and other parts of the country.
Some Sikh organisations have called for a bandh on July 23 to protest against the Dera head Gurmeet Ram Raheem.

Haryana Cult Clash Claims life of another Singh

The conflict between the Sikh Nation and the Sirsa based Sauda cult took another turn for the worst when clashes between cultists and Sikh protestors claimed another Sikh youth's life in the town of Dabwali in Haryana.
Furious over the latest murder, members of the Sikh community clashed with cultists for several hours before authorities managed to control the situation in the border districts of Bathinda, Mukatsar, Faridkot, and Sirsa. Tensions also flared in the districts of SriGanganagar, and Hanumangarh on the border with Rajasthan.
On Saturday, thousands of Sikhs gathered in large numbers at Shaheed Bhai Harmandir Singh's native town of Dabwali to pay tribute to the Sikh Nation's third Shaheed in the anti-Sauda Dera agitation.

Bhai Harmandir Singh, who was also known as Mandar Singh in the community, was a local leader of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Sabha. His body was cremated according to Sikh rites after being taken from a local Haryana Gurdwara Sahib in a huge procession and show of strength by the Sikhs.
The Shaheed Singh's body, draped by siropas (robes of honor) presented by Sikh organizations, was carried on top of a large vehicle with his father Sardar Mohinder Singh, Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh, and other prominent Sikh leaders, and members of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Sabha.

Passions were on edge as the large numbers of mourners raised loud Jaikaras of 'Bole so Nihal, Sat Sri Akal' and 'Shaheed Harmandar Singh Amar Rahay.' Slogans against the Sirsa dera and its criminal chief were also raised through the procession.

After the Shaheed's body was brought to Dabwali's cremation ground, an emotional farewell was given by the martyr's parents, elder brother, and wife Manjit Kaur. His surviving daughter, Sukhandeep Kaur, 5, and son Gurcharn Singh, who is only two and half years old, seemed oblivious to the tragedy that occurred in their family.
The Funeral fire for Bhai Harmandir Singh's body was lit by the shaheed's father and elder brother, along with Jathedar Nandgarh and Avtar Singh Makkar of the SGPC.
After the antim-saskar, Sikh leaders such as Simranjit Singh Maan, Baba Baljit Singh Daduwal, Daljit Singh Bittu, eulogized the martyr at the local Gurdwara at Dabwali.
There was a huge presence of local police, Border Security Forces, and Rapid Action Forces throughout the area, in which the entire border area between the districts of Bathinda and Mukatsar had been sealed and a curfew put in place. Only during the antim-saskar procession was the curfew lifted for about two and a half hours.
According to eyewitnesses, a local 'naam-charcha' (Sirsa cult meeting) was being organized at the residence of Sundar Dass Mehta on Friday. Volunteers of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Sabha, including Bhai Harmandir Singh, complained to the local police officials about the meeting, but officials, who themselves sympathize with the cultists, turned a blind eye to the issue.
When the Singhs, numbering only 15-20, began to protest outside Mehta's residence, they were violently confronted by the cultists whose numbers had now surged into the hundreds-heavily armed. In the initial attack, dozens of cultists ambushed Bhai Harmandir Singh with sharp weapons and latthis (staffs), several others were injured in this melee.
When other members of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Sabha found out about the situation, they quickly arrived at the scene and took possession of the Shaheed Singh's body, and in protest closed down the Delhi-Dabwali highway.
According to press reports, the deputy commissioner Oma Shankar, and senior police captain Venktarmun, soon arrived at the protest scene and attempted to disperse the protesting Singhs using the infamous 'lathi-charge' tactic in which half a dozens more Singhs were injured directly due to police brutality.
As reports of the mistreatment of the Sikhs in Haryana spread, more Sangat began to pour into the town of Dabwali, in which during the evening the Sikh protesters began to retaliate against the authorities and Sirsa cultists. It took several hours and reinforcements from neighboring districts before the Police could contain the situation.
As in the past, local government officials are suspected of sympathizing with and protecting the cult dera members, and are being partly blamed for the death of Harmandir Singh. They include deputy commissioner Oma Shankar, a sub-inspector Dalip Singh, and local patwari.

Legal Cases against Cult Leader

Several fresh developments in the Gurmeet Ram Rahim case this past week. While the Sikh Community mourns the death of Bhai Harmandar Singh, the murder by Sacha Sauda cultists will further intensify the case. In addition, another case was opened against Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the Chandigarh Division Court this past week by a widely renowned lawyer Arvind Thakur of the Global Human Rights Commission of Chandigarh. In a written plea to the court, Thakur testified that he has received death threats on behest of the Sirsa cult leader on July 7, 2008.
Although the court had sent summons to Gurmeet Ram Rahim to appear in the Chandigarh Court on July 17th or to send a legal representative, he failed to provide any notice of his absence from the court. The matter is being perceived as a dishonor of the law and legal system. Furthermore, the summons required the attendance of the Dera Chief’s personal manager and his youth division’s President but they also failed to appear in court. While the court adjourned without any decision, it was decided by the court that the Dera Chief should appear in the Chandigarh Court on September 4th for the case hearing.
The three officials of Dera Sacha Sauda have been accused of issuing death threats to Thakur and his family. The original letter, which was sent through registered email to Thakur, has been submitted to the court and its validity is being verified. A copy of the letter was also sent to the police after consultation of the Chandigarh District Bar. In the writ filed with the court, it was alleged that the Dera’s personal manager played a key role in issuing the death threat to Arvind Thakur.
Furthermore, Thakur asked the court to provide him with security as the Chandigarh Police failed to complete the necessary investigations on time and there could be danger to his and his family’s life. Thakur said that he is being threatened as he raised his voice against Gurmeet Ram Rahim for his wrongdoings.

Dhaarna Held Against Dera Chief

Co-ordinated by the Sant Samaj, the initiated Dhaarna for the arrest of the Sirsa Dera Chief concluded its fifth session today. Under the command of the Sikh nations renowned Parchaarak Sant Baba Ranjit Singh Ji Dhadrianwale, accompanied by members of the Sant Samaj, Sikh organisations and the Sikh youth, a Dhaarna was held in Sector 16, Chandigarh.Like before, memorandums were given to the governing bodies of Haryana and Punjab. To receive these memorandums, no senior member of the governing bodies was in attendance, only delegates were sent. After the four hour Dhaarna when the time for Ardaas came, four Sikh activists not being able to withstand the strong Indian heat and sunlight fainted. These included one woman, two Sikh youths and an elder member, who were given water and glucose to regain consciousness.Sant Baba Ranjit Singh Ji Dhadrianwale have already stated last week that their full support and backing will be given to this Panthic lobby against the Dera Chief. Sant Dhadrianwale has said that first the Dera Chief imitated Dasmesh Pitha and made a mockery of the Sikh traditions, then last year a Sikh was killed by one of his followers, and now while injuring others, another Singh has been shot dead by the cult leaders bodyguard in Mumbai.They said that co-ordination from Gurdwara Parmeshar Dwar Sahib (Shekupura, Patiala) meant activists of the Nirvair Khalsa Dal branches in various cities such as Sangrur, Sunam, Nabha, Bakhshi Vala and other parts of Punjab were able to take part in the ‘Rail Roko’ programme. Sant Dhadrianwale stated that the Government should fulfil its role by arresting the Sirsa Dera Chief and punish him accordingly. Sant Dhadrianwale repeated full support will be given to the Gurmat Sidhant Parchaarak Sant Samaj and Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s Damdami Taksal, as well as other like-minded organisations, who will continue the movement against the Dera Sacha Sauda of Sirsa, so that no one in the future again has the courage to challenge the Sikh Qaum.It must be noted that from the 9th July 2008, the Sant Samaj has been holding Dhaarna’s daily in this Chandigarh-based location, and an unbroken chain of these events will continue until the 19th July 2008.

Bhai Kamaljit Singh Ji Hazoori Ragi Shri Darbar Sahib Amritsar in Gravesend UK

In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises are most sublime and exalted.

Bhai Sahib Bhai Kamaljit Singh Ji Hazoori Ragi Shri Darbar Sahib Amritsar will be doing kirtan from Monday 14th July 2008 till Sunday 20th July 2008 at 6:10 p.m to 6:50 p.m everyday at Shri Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara Clarence Place, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 1LD.

Please attend and enjoy great kirtan. The Kirtan darbar is being held by Guru Nanak Komal Sangeet Academy Gravesend in partnership with local sevadars.

For further information contact the numbers below:
Shri Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara Gravesend – 01474 350611
www.gururamdass.blogspot.com

Latest about Ram Raheem and reaction

Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar (Panch Pardhani) announces indefinite hunger strike before the Parliament starting 20th July against the injustices and atrocities of the Indian state against Sikhs.

A mass contact march to start on 1st August from Takhat Shri Damdama Sahib covering entire Punjab.

In its important meeting at Ludhiana the Party’s Supreme Council felt that the Indian state has never accepted the uniqueness and independence status of Sikh Panth. Due to this perverted conception, since 1947 Sikhs had to suffer such times as June 1984 attack on Darbar sahib, November 1984 Sikh massacres and genocide of Sikh youth in 80’s & 90’s. Simultaneously the state has always encouraged pseudo-religious cults & godheads such as nirankaris, noormahalias and sirsa wala with intention to undermine the basic principle of Shabad Guru in Sikhism. The Panth is in continuous struggle against such state policies. Recognizing the true sentiments of Sikh Panth and continuous persecution and injustice against Sikh Panth, Akali Dal will go on an indefinite hunger strike from 20th July in front of Indian Parliament. Each jatha of 5 Sikhs will sit on hunger strike for 48 hours. Ardaas at Akal Takht Sahib will be held on 19th July at 10 AM to start this agitation.3 main issues of present times:1). Arrest Gurmeet ram rahim of dera sirsa- This imposter has been hurting the feelings of Sikh Panth for last one year. He is responsible for martyrdom of two Sikhs. The state has been shamelessly protecting and encouraging him.2). Return us our Sikh reference library:During the 1984 attack on Darbar Sahib, the Indian army took away hundreds of handwritten Saroops of Shri Guru Granth sahib and rare historical manuscripts. The state has not returned these to this day. The Sikhs feels that they can’t participate in the tri-centenary celebrations of Shri Guru Granth Sahib without this treasure.3). Amend article 25(2) (B) of Indian constitution:Sikh religion is unique and independent of any other religion but the Indian constitution stubbornly clubs the entire Sikh Panth under the Hindu religion, which is direct attack on our entity.Apart from this our party feels that the established ruling parties are responsible for pushing panth and Punjab to the brink of degradation and destruction. The need of the hour is the mass based movement with Guru Granth Sahib as its base. The party will start a mass contact program in villages and cities from 1 August from Takhat Shri Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo. This mass contact march will cover entire Punjab with the purpose of education and organizing people for bright future which they deserve.