THE ROAD TO KHALISTAN

Good-bye

2011-10-09T16:44:00.000-06:00

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA! VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH!!

This will be my last post as owner of this blog.

A few weeks ago my husband, my companion of 22, years died. I am now alone and re-examining my life. I have found that my life has become out of balance. Most of my time has been spent in sewa at the expense of my Gurbani studies and (attempted) Simran. I am now going to take a much-needed retirement from public life for a time. It might be temporary or permanent; I do not see into the future very well.

Rather than abandoning this blog, which is a much-loved child, I am turning it over to the very capable hands of my friend and younger sister Kamal Kaur Badyal. She has long assisted me on this and her name has been visible as an author in the right hand column. She is someone you already know and next to myself, she knows and loves The Road To Khalistan better than anyone else.

She is an Amritdhari Sikh with a deep love of our shaheeds. She has indicated to me that she would like to perhaps do a series on our shaheeds, which I believe is a wonderful idea.

Please give her the same love, loyalty and consideration that you have given me over the years.

I love you all! (Yes, even the one who threatened to kidnap me and take me to India to be hanged for treason)

Harinder Kaur called "Mai"

VAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA! VAHEGURU JI KI FATEH!!

DID THE TERRORISTS WIN?

2011-09-10T22:59:00.000-06:00

Source: US Department of Defence

So, it's 11 September 2011, ten years later.

CBC has been obsessing about this, even outdoing the USA networks.

These have been a very difficult time for us Sikhs in North America. We have been snubbed, bullied,beaten and murdered in a case of mnistaken identity. I admit that I often think that this is a willing mistake on the part of those who have chosen to hate us. We look different - even worse, we CHOOSE to look different. We choose not to blend in, we choose to stand out.

Still, I, at least, feel a bit guilty when I explain that I am not a Muslim, a chunni is not a hijab. Am I implying there is something wrong about being a Muslim? No, I am not! But sometimes, it is taken that way, especially by Muslims. I can usually get them to see what I mean by asking, "Would you like to be taken for a Sikh?"

I heard of a group of Christian girls and women in Kansas City, who, with much publicity, donned hijabs after the attacks with the state motive to make it impossible to look at a woman and know iof she is a Muslim. Look at the picture below. Can you be sure of her religion?


GIRL IN HIJAB

I have no idea how the Muslim community reacted to this, but it raised an interesting question: How would we react as a community if a group of non-Sikhs grew kesh and tied turbans to protect us? I'm really not certain, but it's interesting to think about.
Whatever.

It has been ten years, ten difficult years for Sikhs in the USA. I will not compare the North American experience with what the Sikhs of India suffered in the last 15-20 years of the Twentieth Century. That is a different situation, and I hope my fellow Diasporan Sikhs draw courage and commitment from those Sikhs.

I think that this would be a good time to renew our commitment to stand for good for all humanity. Let us live the truth of the words we say at least once every day:


Photo: Courtesy NASA

To that end, I suggest we join with Pete Seeger, a great USAer and a great humanitarian, singing the great USA song of hope, optimism and commitment, WE SHALL OVERCOME. I'll make it easy for you. This video has on-screen lyrics.

CREDIT: GIRL IN HIJAB by Mohammed Ibrahim
http://www.clker.com/clipart-girl-wearing-hijab.html

Sewa

2011-09-04T04:16:00.000-06:00

All of you know her. An elderly, tiny, shriveled Khalsa Kaur who seems always to be at every Sikh gathering, but rarely says anything to anyone. She sits in a corner and keeps to herself, her face expressionless as she does her sewa.

When I was growing up, there was such an elderly Khalsa Kaur in our sangat. To me, a young girl, she seemed impossibly ancient, skin wrinkled like a raisin, her teeth often left at home, always dressed in drab colours, her tiny frail body lost in a chunni that seemed to engulf and swallow her. She rarely said anything to anyone, quiet, possibly shy and, of course, a widow. A solitary woman who seemed to almost disappear, unnoticed, into her environment.

She sewed kachera. Whenever I saw her she was stitching, tiny, even perfect stitches. To me, being young, I thought she was doing a lot of unnecessary work. Why not get her a sewing machine? When I suggested this to Dad, he just gave me a knowing smile and said nothing.

I decided that if no one else was going to help her, I would.

So one day, I walked up to her - although I was a bit afraid of her - and said, "Khalsa ji, would you like to have a sewing machine to sew your kachera?" She stopped her sewing, looked up at me and did something I had no idea she knew how to do. She smiled. A huge, wide, happy smile. Then she patted the floor beside her, inviting me to sit down beside her, which I did.

Again, she picked up her sewing and began stitching. That close to her, I could hear her almost silent "Waheguru" with each stitch. I never again suggested she get a sewing machine.

[Note: those are pictures of me that I have aged using the magic of Photoshop. Now I know what I'll look like should I live to be 100.]

JACK LAYTON IS DEAD

2011-08-22T15:17:00.000-06:00

Photograph by: Fred Thornhill, Reuters

"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world.

All my very best,

Jack Layton"

With those words, he bids us farewell. Jack Layton is no more. Jack Layton has gone to his heavenly abode. Jack Layton has passed on. Jack Layton is dead. Jack is dead.

I am stunned, at a loss for words. The Sikh Kaum has lost our staunchest ally and friend in Canada. The loss there is incalculable. But Jack Layton was more than a friend and ally; he was proof that it is possible to be a moral, upright, strong, uncorrupted human being - and a politician.

Like myself he was a native of Montreal and a graduate of McGill University. Like myself, he was a social democratic. I really am at a loss what to say about him. He took the New Democratic Party (NDP) from a sort of fading bunch of would-be do-gooders in 2003 to becoming Canada's official Opposition Party in 2011. He died of prostate cancer. Mani was an oncologist, a cancer doctor. Perhaps he could have cured him. Again, those saddest words, "What might have been."

I think the best way to describe Jack Layton is to let him speak for himself. When he realised he might be dying, he wrote this final statement to us.

Jack Layton, MP, Député

Toronto – Danforth

Leader of the Official Opposition/Chef de l'Opposition officielle

Leader, New Democratic Party/Chef, Nouveau Parti démocratique

August 20, 2011

Toronto, Ontario

Dear Friends,

Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.

Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.

I recommend that Hull-Aylmer MP Nycole Turmel continue her work as our interim leader until a permanent successor is elected.

I recommend the party hold a leadership vote as early as possible in the New Year, on approximately the same timelines as in 2003, so that our new leader has ample time to reconsolidate our team, renew our

party and our program, and move forward towards the next election.

A few additional thoughts:

To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don't be discouraged that my own journey hasn't gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope.

Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.

To the members of my party: we've done remarkable things together in the past eight years. It has been a privilege to lead the New Democratic Party and I am most grateful for your confidence, your support, and the endless hours of volunteer commitment you have devoted to our cause. There will be those who will try to persuade you to give up our cause. But that cause is much bigger than any one leader. Answer them by recommitting with energy and determination to our work. Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let's continue to move forward. Let's demonstrate in everything we do in the four years before us that we are ready to serve our beloved Canada as its next government.

To the members of our parliamentary caucus: I have been privileged to work with each and every one of you. Our caucus meetings were always the highlight of my week. It has been my role to ask a great deal from you. And now I am going to do so again. Canadians will be closely watching you in the months to come. Colleagues, I know you will make the tens of thousands of members of our party proud of you by demonstrating the same seamless teamwork and solidarity that has earned us the confidence of millions of Canadians in the recent election.

To my fellow Quebecers: On May 2nd, you made an historic decision. You decided that the way to replace Canada's Conservative federal government with something better was by working together in partnership with progressive-minded Canadians across the country. You made the right decision then; it is still the right decision today; and it will be the right decision right through to the next election, when we will succeed, together. You have elected a superb team of New Democrats to Parliament. They are going to be doing remarkable things in the years to come to make this country better for us all.

To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world.

There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.

And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one – a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world's environment. We can restore our good name in the world. We can do all of these things because we finally have a party system at the national level where there are real choices; where your vote matters; where working for change can actually bring about change. In the months and years to come, New Democrats will put a compelling new alternative to you.

My colleagues in our party are an impressive, committed team. Give them a careful hearing; consider the alternatives; and consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don't let them tell you it can't be done.

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world.

All my very best,

Jack Layton

I am watching CBC news as I write this. I smile as I hear the announcers and the people talk about "Jack." Not "Jack Layton." Not "Mr. Layton." Jack. Our Jack.

He belonged to all of us, the people of Canada, people of hope and love and goodwill everywhere. Even those who opposed his politics liked him. That bright infectious smile was no act. Writing now is difficult for me now; I suppose you can feel this.

I asked a friend when I first received the news, "Can I cry?" The response was, " You are a kharkoo. You are not allowed to cry." All I could say was, "Too late."

We will go on. Of course, we will go on, but things will not be the same. A Great Soul has left us. I cannot help but think of a sort of obituary I wrote a few months ago about Osama bin Laden. The good die. The evil die. And each death diminishes us in one way or another. I am going to quote in this post, as I quoted in the one before, John Donne's words:

No man is an island, entire of itself;

every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;

if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less,

as well as if a promontory were,

as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were;

any man's death diminishes me,

because I am involved in mankind,

and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;

it tolls for thee.

I must correct myself. Earlier I wrote, "Jack Layton is no more." We write that, but in this case it is not true. As long as we hold true to his hopes, his dreams, his optimism, Jack Layton is still with us. I ask each of my readers to please take a moment to say a prayer for his family, for Canada, and for the world; our world has been diminished by his death.

I just heard him described as "relentlessly optimistic." I wonder if he knew the phrase "chardi kala." Whether or not, he certainly lived that way.

Good-bye, Jack. I love you.

JACK LAYTON 1950-2011


OK. Sorry.

Unhotlinked picture of Jack

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world.

Mes amis, l'amour est cent fois meilleur que la haine. L'espoir est meilleur que la peur. L'optimisme est meilleur que le désespoir. Alors aimons, gardons espoir et restons optimistes. Et nous changerons le monde.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

2011-08-14T16:54:00.000-06:00

KHALSA AID NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT NOW!!

2011-07-06T15:15:00.000-06:00

NEWS FLASH!
I have just received word that Khalsa Aid is starting a programme to get food to the drought-stricken Horn of Africa where 10,000,000 people are threatened with starvation!
******************************************************

Once in a while, an organisation is found that is worthy of our total support. Such an organisation is Khalsa Aid. The whole Panth can be very proud of Khalsa Aid. Their main project is aiding the poor Sikhs of Punjab, especially the families of our honoured shaheeds and of those Sikhs in jail or person for only-the-police-know-what reasons. They are engaging the children of rural Punjab in their PURE (Punjab Rural Underprivileged Empowerment) Programme that aims at educating children in both secular subjects and Gurbani while engaging the whole family in the hope of curbing drug and alcohol abuse among Sikhs there.

I URGE ALL MY READERS TO HELP KHALSA AID IN EVERY WAY YOU CAN. Volunteer. Donate your daswandh. Say ardas. Every Sikh can do something.

Khalsa Aid helps poor Sikhs in Punjab, and that is not all they do, either. They are visible Sikhs doing worldwide sewa for other groups needing our help. Volunteers went to Haiti to help those devastated by the earthquake there; they still maintain a long-term presence there, providing food and clean water to the still-desperate Haitians. I am very proud that my friend Harpreet Singh Mann of Toronto is among those who have volunteered in Haiti. As noted at the top, I have just gotten word minutes ago as I write of a major project being launched in the Horn of Africa to feed the people of that drought-stricken region.

Currently, Khalsa Aid is working at the Libyan border providing clean drinking water for the refugees streaming ocross the desert fleeing the fighting in that country.
Take a look at this video.

Please take a look at their website at Khalsa Aid and if you are able, make a donation. Every little bit helps. And If you want the experience of a lifetime, volunteer.

Here is their latest newsletter.

Update Focus Punjab – Shaheed Parivaars

Focus Punjab – Shaheed Parivaars:
Since the Focus Punjab project was extended to include the monthly welfare support for the Sikh families who have lost their sons and fathers to the violent and destructive period from mid 1980's to mid 1990's. (http://www.ensaaf.org/publications/)

Khalsa Aid has been inundated with urgent requests for support. Although we have a fulltime employee in Punjab, who coordinates the allocation of support for Shaheed Parivaars, we regularly send volunteers to oversee and support the projects.

Although the state sponsored massacres (Operation Woodrose) during the 1980s to 1990s in Punjab were turbulent and horrific, we cannot and should not forget those who are still suffering from the consequences. Following a needs and means assessment, Khalsa Aid is providing monthly support to these affected families, who are more commonly known as Shaheed Parivaars.

KA Volunteers Kiratraj Singh and Karam Kaur earlier this month travelled to Punjab, and were understandably overwhelmed with what they saw:

To control your tears while Mata ji and Pita Ji and their families relive the events of 1984 and tell us about their Shaheed Singhs is indescribable..These Mothers are the Jewels of our Panth, they sacrificed so much for the Panth, but why don’t we care about them?

"We have met countless families of Shaheed Singh’s and its absolutely heartbreaking to see the level of poverty which these families are STILL living in!” Karam Kaur

Khalsa Aid is eternally grateful to the Sangat, as through the support of the Sangat we were able to provide Rs. 3 Lakh to Major Dalbir Singh, Dharmi Fauji. We had earlier shown to the Sangat what the conditions this family was living in, their house was decrepit and dilapidated and did not provide even shelter from the elements. Now he and his family can finally live in a house with full shelter.

Karam and Kiratraj were shocked after visiting Shaheed Satnaam Singh Cheena family and seeing with their own eyes the level of poverty his widow and son were living in. Monetary support was provided, including the start of monthly welfare support and unlimited support for his son education.

If any member of the Sangat wishes to see our projects, or meet a sponsored family in Punjab, we are happy to provide transport and facilitate the visit.

Donate via SMS/Text:
Please text SEVA13 £5 to 70070 to donate £5 (your credit or phone bill will be debited by £5)

Please continue to support Khalsa Aid, so we can continue to do Seva and increase the global awareness of Sikhs.

Khalsa Aid:
Khalsa Aid is the first cross border humanitarian organisation based on the Sikh principles of Sarbat Da Bhalla and Vand Kay Chakna.

Khalsa Aid is dependent on the generosity of the Sangat to carry out such vital Seva. We are extremely grateful to the Sangat for supporting our global aid projects over the past 12 years since our launch.

To donate monthly or to make a one off donation, please click on the following link:http://www.justgiving.com/khalsaaid or please visit www.khalsaaid.org for more information about the work we continue to do.

Join our Mailing list http://www.khalsaaid.org/lists/?p=subscribe
To receive updates on our projects as well as volunteering opportunities.

Khalsa Aid
UK Registered Charity (#1080374)
Main Office: +44 (0) 1753 567 457

The Foundation Stone Has Been Laid

2011-06-05T01:29:00.000-06:00

“If the Indian government attacks the Golden Temple, it will lay the foundation stone of Khalistan.” – Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.

The foundation stone has been laid. Now when will the rest be built?

In my wanderings of the Interwebs, I came across this exchange of letters between Sant Ji and The Wicked Witch of the East. I think it is appropriate for today. Read it and then watch the video, please. It is simple and has a message.

Letter from Indira Gandhi to Sant Ji & Sant Ji’s Reply

She wrote:

Sriman Sant Jarnail Singh Ji

I want to solve the knotty problem of Punjab. We shall find a solution of the demands of Punjab with mutual talks. We will settle all your demands within the constitution. Taking into account my personal security, fix some time to meet me. Do not waste the potentiality of India in such agitations (Morchas). Any dispute can be resolved with mutual talks. You are patriotic, brave and a hard working Punjabi. I hope you will make a significant contribution towards the construction and prosperity of

India

With thanks

Indira Ghandi

Prime Minister of India

Sant Ji responded:

Ik Onkaar SatGur Prasaad

Us Kirpan Khando kharg, Tupak Tabar ur tir.

Safi Sorobi saithi yahai hamare pir

(Sword, double-edged sword, bow and arrow are our guides or Gurus)

The main servant of India from political angle, bibi Indira Ji,

I am expressing my thoughts which will reach your deaf ears. My voice will reach to you the discriminations against the Sikhs, which have injured their feelings. It may let your deaf ears feel, what type of language has been used. But in order to remove your deafness I want to express myself in this letter. Read it carefully.

The enquiry of the death of Lala jagat Narain, who was connected with the Hindus, was complete within three days, the same may be proved from the warrants of my arrest, but the enquiry of the murder of the Guru of the Sikhs, the destruction of wealth of the Sikhs collected in the form of buses and the plunder of Sikh wealth of three lakh at chando kalan was stopped with a writ of a government official because that enquiry was in the hands of a Sikh Judge, while my case was registered with a Hindu judge. This is an example of your deafness, because no Sikh had objected why my enquiry was entrusted to a Hindu judge.

The dead body of lal Jagat Narain who was connected with the majority Hindu community was handed over to Ramesh after post-mortem. But the dead bodies of about one and a half a dozen Sikhs at Mehta Chowk in police firing were never handed over to their relatives. This is a clear example of discrimination.

None of the Hindus have gone to jail for Hindi Suba; none has courted arrest for renaming a train after a Hindu temple. No one has ever gone to jail for getting a status of a sacred city for some Hindus railway station. None of the Hindus have made any sacrifice for the preservation of a Hindu symbol. After independence they got everything that suited their religion.

But contrary to this, after independence more then one lakh of Sikhs have courted arrests and a large number of them has been martyred for Punjabi speaking state, for installing a transmitter in Golden Temple, for a status of a distinct nation, for getting the status of a sacred city for Amritsar and for getting the right to adorn the Sikh symbols. Even then your deaf ears have not heard anything.

Sikhs have already faced the cruelty of the rulers with peace, but you should know that when the patience is exhausted the Sikhs have resorted to the armaments according to the advice of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji-

When all the means of a peaceful solution are exhausted it is just and pious to resort to arms. (Zafarnama)

But we still have no programme to resort to arms, but if the injustice with the Sikhs continues like this under the intoxication of the chair (state of power) it will not be tolerated for many years or months, because our patience is exhausted as we have been observing the peaceful mean since long. While asking the government to accede to our demands we have been propagating that a Hindu should be a perfect in his religious symbols i.e. he should keep a tuft of hair unshorn on his head, should have a stick in his hand, should wear dhoti, should wear sacred thread, should have 12 saffrom marks (on head, nose, chin, shoulders, cervix, palate etc). He should read Geeta and worship Shivling. He should go to temple and ring the holy bells and should not smoke tobacco. We think such Hindu as a brother. A Muslim should be perfect in his religion and a Sikh should be a perfect Sikh. That is what we preach. How far is it true to term such a person as a terrorist?

Under the spell of false prestige of state power, many rulers have tried to finish the Sikhs and there is no sign of them now. If you continue your atrocities and tyranny I am afraid, you will meet the same end because power and wealth never remain permanently with anybody. Our Holy Scripture says;

The praise of wealth… does not compare to Gods praises

At long last people like Ravan went barefoot

Pulling off Sikh girl’s cloths and forcing their father to have sex with them, to put tobacco on the mouth of a Sikh and spitting in his mouth, making a wound in the thigh and putting salt in the wound, putting the houses of the Sikhs on fire, making false cases on Sikh girls, arresting Sikh students, killing them in false encounters, and protecting the murderers of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the chief minister, S.P.D.R Bhatti, Ludhaina, D.I.G. Mangat Patiala and their companions are the glaring examples of deafness. Everything is told here in brief.

Let the time come I will tell you in detail the discrimination meted out to the Sikhs.

Jarnail Singh Khalsa

19-2-83

WARNING! BOTTLE BOMBS

2011-05-18T00:51:00.000-06:00

Brothers and sisters, we need to protect each other.This is some very important information that might save your hands, your eyes or even your life. This has been verified by snopes, the outfit that busts Internet hoaxes. They are the best. This is happening in the USA right now, but the chemistry is very simple and, no doubt, will spread. Friends, please be very, very careful.

Kids are putting Drano (sodium hydroxide), one other common household item and a little water in soda bottles and capping it up - leaving it on lawns. When you go to pick up the trash, and the bottle is shaken just a little - in about 30 seconds or less it builds up a gas and explodes with enough force to remove some of your extremities. The liquid that comes out is boiling hot hydrochloric (muratic) acid, of which even a small amount causes severe acid burns as well.

Don't pick up any plastic bottles that may be lying in your yards or in the gutter, etc. Pay attention to this. A plastic bottle with a cap. A little Drano. A little water. A common household item. Disturb it by moving it; and BOOM!! No fingers left and other serious effects to your face, eyes, etc.

People are finding these "bombs" in mailboxes and in their yards, just waiting for you to pick it up intending to put it in the trash. But, you'll never make it!!! It takes about 30 seconds to blow after you move the thing.

Kids are doing this for kicks.

This is evil in its purest form. Violence for the sake of violence. Destruction for its own sake. No goal. No point. No purpose. No way to negotiate. A step beyond political terrorism.

See "SNOPES" below -- it's true -- the video at SNOPES shows the Indiana State Police Bomb Squad detonating one -- it's truly horrifying!
..... .. I checked "Truth or Fiction" and "they" agree this is TRUTH!!!

So be warned and beware.

As stated above, at present, these have appeared only in the USA. However, they are so easy to make that almost certainly,they will soon be appearing in many places.

Here is what it looks like:

PLEASE READ WHAT IS ON THE SNOPES SITE. SPREAD THE WORD.
More: http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/bottlebomb.asp

Monsters And Brothers - Thoughts on the Death of Osama bin Laden

2011-05-07T01:21:00.000-06:00

Osama bin Laden is dead.

A simple statement. The new reality.

Osama bin Laden is dead. The boogie man is no more.

Who was Osama bin Laden and how can I react? Was he a monster as so many believe?

There are several sorts of monsters. Some live in the dark. You know the type. They hide in the closet or under your bed – or in the deepest recesses of your mind – until the lights are turned off. Then you must protect yourself by pulling the covers up over your head and lying very, very still. These monsters disappear when you pull the covers away and confront them directly and you find they were nothing more than creations of your own mind.

Not all monsters are imaginary, though. They are there, obvious, unavoidable, all too visible. They have names like Aurangzeb, Adolf Hitler, Pol Pot. They do their deeds openly, for all to see, apparently without conscience or caring. These are the ones who run roughshod over the values that we as humans treasure, lacking compassion, seemingly finding pleasure tormenting those with whom they share they earth. On a smaller scale, we call them bullies. They torment those who are weaker than they, unable to defend themseves. Their deeds are malicious, finding joy in the suffering of others. They are murderers of the spirits of others and sometimes murderers of the body, as well.

Then there are the monsters who are invisible, living among us, unseen. Child molesters and rapists not yet caught, undiscovered serial murderers, corrupt and dangerous politicians and cops, more that you can add to the list. These monsters, unlike the first type are real and they know who they are. I do not know whether they choose to be monsters or are forced by some inner compulsion to do their evil deeds.

There is another type of monster, the kind that has no idea that s/he is a monster at all. The next door neighbour who hates Hindus or Christians or Muslims or Sikhs or Jews is a very naive sort of monster. Perhaps the hatred is directed at black people or brown people or yellow people or pink (white) people. (Those called “red” are really brown.) Maybe the prejudice is aimed at girl children and women, or at men. Then, of course, there are the xenophobes, those who hate foreigners or indeed strangers of any sort. For my readers specifically of Indian background, I would include caste prejudice in this unsavoury list. I suspect that more of us are this sort of monster than would care to admit it. Perhaps, even I sometimes am a naive monster.

It is possible for the naive monster to act on her/his prejudices and become a full-blown bigot and a genuine, visible monster.

Then there is the monster who so deeply believes in a cause that s/he will do whatever is necessary to realise that cause. No matter if civilians are killed by accidents (collateral damage) or on purpose (terrorism). No matter the damage done because the cause is all. The end justifies the means. Was Osama bin Laden this sort of monster?

Or was he the worst sort, the most evil who cynically leads others in a cause – perhaps for power and glory – that he himself had ceased to believe in or had never believed in?

I have no way of knowing which of these monsters he was.

Or perhaps he wasn’t a monster at all. Perhaps he was a soul who got lost in the swirling changing mass of stuff around us that we call the World or Maya.

Whatever he was I am not sorry he is dead. He was a scumbag and I think the world is better off without him. My entire being, however, is repelled at public celebrations of his death. I understand them. I myself felt like celebrating when Indira Gandhi was killed. I did not celebrate, but that might have been simply because circumstances prevented it. I was wrong then, as people celebrating now are wrong now.

However evil and vile his deeds, are we just mouthing platitudes when we say all people are children of the same Parent, whatever name you personally use for the Creator? I have lost a brother. A brother who did evil deeds, a brother I am glad to be rid of, a brother I did not love, but a brother nevertheless. It is at times like this that I find it necessary to deeply examine my own beliefs and I find myself not without hypocrisy. I know that Indira Gandhi is my sister, but I am not yet ready to feel it.

John Donne’s immortal lines, which I have heard no one quote at this time, come to my mind.

No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as a manor of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

I must ask myself how does the death of this man, Osama bin Laden, diminish me. I am not yet able to answer this.

OSAMA BIN LADEN in 1998

Internet Freedom in the World's Largest Democracy.

2011-05-03T00:57:00.000-06:00

I do not know how much press coverage this has been getting in India, so I will cover it here.

There has just been passed a horrendous law the effectively ends free expression on the Internet in the Republic of India. It forbids Internet writers to:

Section 3: use, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, update, share or store any

information that : —...

(2 ) (b) - is harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, blasphemous,objectionable, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, pornographic,paedophilic, libellous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, orracially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable, disparaging, relating orencouraging money laundering or gambling, or otherwise unlawful inany manner whatever;

First, looking at (b), no matter what is written someone, somewhere, among the 1.2 billion people in India will find it “otherwise objectionable.” This, in itself - if enforced -

effectively ends all freedom of expression on the Net.

And furthermore

(j) threatens the unity, integrity, defence, security or sovereignty of India,

friendly relations with foreign states, or or public order or causes

incitement to the commission of any cognisable offence or prevents

investigation of any offence or is insulting any other nation.

Next, looking at the first clause of (j) - threatens the unity, integrity, defence, security or sovereignty of India – that would seem to forbid any mention of Khalistan or any other liberation movement within the Republic. I find it somewhat amusing that it also means it is against the law to speak ill of Pakistan and China! It does, after all, include anything that is insulting any other nation.

This law will, of course, be selectively enforced, the government of India (GOI) blocking sites it does not like. This blog is a very small player in the blogosphere and probably beneath the notice of the GOI, officially, at least. I want to ensure my beloved readers that I will continue to write as I always have, encouraging the self-determination of the Sikh Qaum and the chardi kala of the Panth. However, preparing for the worst, anyone who would like to receive e-mail copies of my posts, please contact me directly and I will put you on my mailing list.

I am writing and publishing from the United States of America and I have been careful to follow the laws of this land. As I am a strong believer in freedom of speech and freedom of the press, I do not follow the ridiculous restrictions of censorship laws of India. Reading blank pages would be boring to you, I'm afraid.

I do not know what will happen in the future, that, of course, will be the Hukam of Vaheguru. Perhaps nothing will happen. We can always hope and pray for the best – and of course, prepare for the worst. Whatever happens, please know that I personally love you all and you are ever in my heart and in my prayers.

The entire text of this law can be found at http://www.mit.gov.in/sites/upload_files/dit/files/due_dilligance4intermediary07_02_11.pdf

SIKH TURBAN DAY 2011

2011-04-12T23:06:00.001-06:00

Tomorrow - Today in India - is Sikh Turban Day. In honour of that, I am posting my favourite turban picture (I know you've seen it before. It's still my favourite!)

Sant Ji Tying His Turban - 1984?

Ans my favourite turban video. (How about a forty under your turban?)

SIKH TURBAN DAY 2011

2011-04-12T23:05:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow - Today in India - is Sikh Turban Day. In honour of that, I am posting my favourite turban picture (I know you've seen it before. It's still my favourite!)

Sant Ji Tying His Turban - 1984?

Ans my favourite turban video. (How about a forty under your turban?

OF KHALSA AND SAMURAI - REPRISE.

2011-03-21T16:22:00.000-06:00

I think with all the attention on Japan these days, some of you might enjoy reading my earlier post about a Samurai lady meeting two Khalsa in San Francisco. First, I have constructed a picture as my tribute to the people of Japan, which I will share with you here.

My Tribute to the People of Japan

This is my recognition of the spirit, courage and civility of the Japanese people and their response to the recent trisaster.

This is a reminder that the Sun is always shining. Sometimes we just can't see her.

Below is the the devastation of the earthquake and tsunami, while Fujiyama soars above the tragedy. Above all, the benevolent presence of Amaterasu-no-Kami, the Sun Goddess and chief deity of the Shinto religion, gives her blessing and strength to her people, the people of Japan.

(Note: I am neither Shinto nor Japanese. If I have hurt anybody's religious sensibilities, please let me know and I will correct the matter.)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

With much thanks to Derek Visser. Three of his photos were used to make the Fukushima plant here:
www.flickr.com/photos/vizpix/5530864283/
www.flickr.com/photos/vizpix/5529845859/
www.flickr.com/photos/vizpix/5529038135/

To the United States Air Force
www.flickr.com/photos/usairforce/5529732202/
and
the US Pacific Fleet(Navy)
www.flickr.com/photos/compacflt/5529922582/

I believe all other images used are in the Public Domain.
******************************************************************************

OF KHALSA AND SAMURAI

A few weeks ago, we visited the San Francisco Bay Area, courtesy of one of my husband's nephews. I was the first time I have been to San Francisco, Mani's favourite American city, since the events of 1984. Such memories, it brought back! I can't really share these with anyone here, so I'm sharing them with you, my online friends.

San Francisco

One year, I think it was 1978, but I'm not sure, we decided to celebrate our anniversary/my birthday by taking a holiday in San Francisco. Very unusual for us, we decided to leave Sandeep in the safe hands of the family and set off for nine days and eight nights in The City By The Bay. Family had our hotel number, of course, along with a promise not to phone unless it was a life-altering emergency. No such emergency occurred and we had a wonderful time. OK, I'll fess up. We called home each evening to say hi to our Sikhling.

One of the few things Mani and I could never agree about was our manner of dress. His appearance was very important to him. His clothes were always perfect, his turban beautifully tied, shoes, when he wore them, perfectly shined. He even ironed his jeans! (I refused to do that because I thought it was stupid.) I, on the other hand, insisted only that my clothes be neat and clean and cover me decently. And be comfortable. They must be comfortable. Beyond that, I really didn't much care what I looked like. We did agree on a few important points. No high heels, no dresses, no make-up.

On the farm, my appearance didn't matter all that much. He expected me to be a bit messed up, mucking around with the cows and goats and chickens (kept for fertiliser) and also with our various crops. I usually indulged him in the evenings by showering or lounging in the Jacuzzi for a while and then putting on a Punjabi suit, a salwar kameez. He usually lounged around evenings in kurta pajama. We might not have been a Punjabi couple, but except for his grey eyes and my brown hair and pasty skin, we certainly looked like one.

For our trip to San Francisco, we reached a compromise. During the day, while we were walking, hiking, goofing off, I would wear jeans - ironed by him! - and something colourful and attractive on my top. This was necessary because walking shoes look really stupid with dressy clothes. When we went out in the evenings, I would dress to the nines, looking every inch the proper lady, while he also dressed up - in full bana! He looked really cool in bana - what Sikh doesn't? - and he looked somehow silly in a suit.

We quickly found out that many fine San Francisco restaurants had a dress code that men had to wear jacket and tie. We avoided those. As Mani said, "They probably don't have decent vegetarian food anyway. We had a glorious time, walking from the Embarcadero to the Pacific Ocean - one side of San Francisco to the other, rambling through Golden Gate Park, exploring those strange, little neighbourhood shops that San Francisco seems to be full of. We spent a whole day at Fisherman's Wharf, watching the tourists shiver. Most people don't realise that San Francisco is quite cool most of the time, and so dress inappropriately for the weather. We also went hiking in the Muir Woods amidst the giant redwoods and hiking up Mt. Tamalpais across the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County.

I really want to write about one particular afternoon and evening. We decided to go see a Toshiro Mifune movie playing in a theatre in Japan Town.

Toshiro Mifune

Japan Town, San Francisco

Mani gave me those cow eyes and asked me to dress up, even though it was only afternoon. I said it was too early, if I had to dress up I'd wear bana, too. He grinned at me and agreed. We ended up dressed exactly alike except he had a saffron turban, while I used a chunni. (We should have tied a turban on me, I now realise, but for some reason, we didn't think of it.) And, unlike him, I carried the more usual short kirpan. I admit we made a grand-looking couple, him in a dark blue chola, saffron-coloured gatra containing a full-length kirpan, and, of course, his perfectly tied turban, me similarly clad. Him tall and towering and masculine, the perfect Khalsa warrior, me short and slender, yet with the full figure of a fertility goddess, also the perfect Khalsa warrior, except in a battle, I'd have to ditch the chunni. As he said, "We look goooooood!"

We arrived for the afternoon matinee and, much to our surprise, there were only a very few others attending. I guess weekday afternoons don't bring out the samurai crowd. A very lovely Japanese lady, clad in traditional kimono, not only sold us tickets, but also tended the refreshments counter and acted less like an usher than like a hostess. When we first came in, she looked at Mani shyly, but still with open curiosity and perhaps a bit of apprehension. She was even shorter than I am; he must have seemed a giant to her. "Sir, "she asked in a heavily accented voice, with that high, squeaky voice that Japanese women traditionally affect, "may I ask you a question?" She waited for him to answer, which he did in the affirmative.

Our lady was really quite a few years older

I just knew she was going to ask if he were an Arab, but she surprised me. "I see you have a katana, a sword. Are you some sort of a samurai among your people?" In spite of the accent, her English was excellent.

We were both startled at that question; I was very curious how he would answer. "We are Sikhs who have been initiated into the Khalsa Knighthood, so I suppose you could consider us a sort of samurai." He went on to explain a bit about Sikhi, which she had never heard of. When he finished, she was grinning broadly, obviously happily impressed.
Then she turned to me and said, "Great lady, you are also this Khalsa?"

Great lady! I could live with that. I smiled at her and replied,

"Yes."

Her smile faded briefly as she asked, "Then why do you have such a small sword?" I didn't really have a good answer, so, on the spur of the moment, I came up with the explanation that I was so short that it would drag the ground., Actually, that is close to the truth. The answer seemed to satisfy her and her smile returned. She also wanted to see them both unsheathed; we were happy to oblige.

Shastars

She was obviously impressed and asked if there was anything she could do to make us comfortable. She clearly wanted to do something, so one of us suggested that some Japanese tea would be nice. I mentioned that we were visiting San Francisco to celebrate our wedding anniversary as well as my birthday. She brightened up immediately. "Then you must have long noodles for long life to celebrate." He explained that we were vegetarians and ate only "Buddhist food." (We had learned that was the easiest way to get correct food in what used to be called Oriental restaurants.)

"No meat. No egg. Tofu is OK?" She asked."

A bit taken aback, we agreed.
"I be right back. You go sit down, enjoy watching the people stab each other." She disappeared into a back room and we went into the theatre and watched "the people stab each other."

After a time, she returned with a large tray of not only with tea and noodles (in miso soup), but also a sumptuous feast of vegetarian sushi, inari sushi, norimaki with vegetable and tofu filling, and small mounds of vinegared rice with various thinly sliced vegetables on top where normally there would be raw fish. And lots of wasabi, ginger and shoyu.

Vegetarian sushi

We were both overwhelmed. She ignored our reaction and arranged one tray on the seat to Mani's left and another to my right, dividing the food between us. "Now eat and enjoy while you watch movie." She smiled, bowed and walked away. What could we do? We ate and enjoyed and watched the movie. And wondered what was going on. After the movie, we found out, while eating some vegetable tempura that she brought in.

"I am Shinto," she told us. "I worship Amaterasu-no-Kami, the Sun Goddess, our foremother.

Amaterasu-no-Kami

"Last night, she sent me a dream that I would meet some great warriors, not Japanese, but worthy to be samurai. I saw you and knew she had blessed me with your holy presence, so I could have the honour of serving you. I am descended from a very old samurai family that was impoverished when the samurai class was outlawed. They took all our swords and melted them down. You know, all our women were also taught martial arts and sword fighting, so we could protect our homes and our honour, if need be. Without our swords, what could we be?"


Samurai swords

She was clearly speaking from deep in her heart, speaking as if these things happened recently, instead of in the previous century. I wanted to see your kirpans" - she stumbled over the word - "so I could honour my ancestors." We didn't quite understand that last statement and didn't ask. Somehow asking seemed cold. "There is one more thing, please." She pulled out a small book wrapped in a silk cloth and handed it to me. (Why not him? I do not know.) This is the Bushido Book, The Code of the Warrior. I think you do not know Japanese, but please accept it as my gift." We were quite overwhelmed. The book was obviously quite old, probably a family heirloom. Still, it was unthinkable to refuse it. We took it and kept it always among our few treasured possessions.

A commercial edition of the book she gave us

A most important note: As usual most of these pictures are roached from the Internet, compliments of Google Search. Two are not. That strange-looking being on the Golden Gate Bridge is me, as a giant Nihang. Why not?

That very handsome Sardar Ji I have used to illustrate bana is the father of my little sister Kamal Kaur. His name is Sarbjeet Singh Ji and he, like my own Dad, is a Canadian from Punjabi. Notice the twinkle in his eyes and that lovely smile.

Sarbjeet Singh Ji

My medical caretaker,Irene pointed out to me that if he is my sister's father, then he must also be my Dad. An interesting idea, as I believe he is somewhat younger than my 57 years! My thanks to these two for letting me use this picture.

One further note about Kamal Ji. You might have noticed her listed as an author, although she has never contributed a post. This is for a very special reason. For some time, she has been downloading and saving each post's html on her computer. Anything can happen on the Internet. This site could be hacked, Blogger could decide to delete it for some reason, new laws in America might restrict the freedom of speech and/or the press. If this blog should, for any reason disappear from the blogosphere, dear Kamal Ji will have preserved it, so it will not be destroyed. Of course, I also download it to my computer, but my poor old compy isn't very reliable and if something should happen to me, it might sit forever here with no one the wiser. So she is performing a great sewa, in my opinion. This will probably embarrass her, but, little sister, I want to thank you from my heart for doing this.

FIVE GUNNED DOWN IN BAHRAIN

2011-03-16T19:26:00.000-06:00

In solidarity with the people of Bahrain

Bahrain locks down kingdom as uprising surges

"...Doctors at the country's main hospital said their facility was taken over by security forces, blocking physicians from either leaving or treating the wounded on site.

"There are many people injured, but we can't bring them to the hospital because of the travel restrictions, and doctors can't come to us," said Ali Marsouk, a resident of the Shiite village of Sitra, who said helicopters fired on homes in a three-hour attack..."

A freedom struggle is noble and good and exciting to the imaginations of all who believe in freedom. Is that why this is being painted as Shiites (the majority) against Sunnis (the rulers). What better way to get the West to turn away than to report it as a Muslim sectarian conflict? Boring! But this is the People against the Tyrants.

THIS IS THE PEOPLE AGAINST THE TYRANT!

I am not an expert on the Middle East, of course, but it does not escape me that the ruling al-Khalifah family is a long-time ally of the United States of America. But what do I know?

Cui bono? (Who profits?)

MORE IMAGES OF BAHRAIN from GHADEER AL-SHAMLAN

2011-03-16T00:59:00.000-06:00

pleas help us they kill us now :(

STAND WITH BAHRAIN

2011-03-15T14:51:00.000-06:00

We Sikhs have a long history of standing with people fighting injustice anywhere. Today on my Facebook page, I received this plea for help from my gallant young friend in Bahrain, Ghadeer Al-Shamlam:

Please Published for all people you know

Help us to reach our voice to foreign countries

...

What's going on with this world.. why everyone is watching what's happening in Bahrain and no one is taking any action?? WHY?? aren't we humans??? don't we deserve to live as well... Where are the people of the world??????? Bahrain is calling.. listen or it will be too late...

I feel so helpless. All the attention of the world is right now focused on the four-fold disaster in Japan (earthquake/tsunami/nuclear meltdown/volcano) and the good people of Bahrain have been nearly forgotten. Japan, of course, must be helped, but do we have such small hearts and minds that we can only help in one place? Please look at these pictures that Ghadeer ji just sent me. This is what the government of Bahrain, with the help of the Saudis and, I just heard, the Kuwaitis, are doing to their own citizens. As Sikhs, we know what it feels like to be attacked by what is supposed to be our own government.

One more picture, a screenshot from a YouTube video about the attackj on peaceful protesters. (See also the second video below)

It seems a particularly destructive form of tear gas is being used against the protesters. I've breathed tear gas a few times and even the ordinary form is bad enough.

LET US ALL STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH OUR SISTERS AND BROTHERS !!

TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO SAY ARDAS FOR THEM!!

FREE BAHRAIN ZINDABAD!!

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2011 - PART TWO

2011-03-07T20:18:00.000-07:00

In the 1960s before they were outlawed, there was a TV cigarette commercial that proclaimed,

You've come a long way, baby

To get where you got to today

You've got your own cigarette now, baby,

You've come a long, long way.

Aside from the fact that calling a woman "baby" is demeaning and having a cigarette for women is a very dubious advancement, I got to thinking how far have we come as women, both in the West and in India. (I thought about posting the commercial from YouTube here, but I was afraid some readers would accuse me of promoting tobacco, which, of course, I would never do.)

Politically, I suppose we have come a long way. Names of women in politics come to mind. Hillary Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, Carolyn Parrish (I love her!) and, of course, Indira Gandhi (I do not love her). Politically, I guess we have come a long way.

Socially? In the West there have been huge changes in many ways. Spousal abuse, which up until the 1970s was considered a family problem that the law should stay away from, has become unacceptable to most people and the perpetrators are prosecuted and jailed sometimes. Oftentimes, still, however, the woman refuses to prosecute her abuser for various reasons. Although perhaps understandable, this is very sad on numerous levels. It is bad for the woman. it is bad for the society and it is especially bad for the children. The boys learn to punch and the girls learn to be punching bags, thus perpetuating the cycle of violence. There has been progress, but not enough. One area where I have seen progress is in the attitudes toward rape. Rape is now recognised as a crime of violence against women, not just the boys having a good time because "she asked for it." Having sex with a woman who cannot resist because she has been drugged or is asleep is also recognised as rape. Marital rape, where a husband forces his wife against her will has likewise been criminalised. I remember reading a very influential book called Against Our Will: Men. Women and Rape. Although published in 1975 and a bit dated, this book is still one of the best analyses of the subject that I have read. I do find her condemnation of men in general too harsh.


This is the cover I rermember. I believe it has been updated.

India, as is often the case seems to be in a state of confusion. Societal issues, in general, far favour men over women. Thr double standard is in full force. (A boy is just sowing wild oats, a girl is a slut or whore.) Eve-baiting occurs everywhere to the point that many young women dread going out. A woman who has been raped is often said to have been "dishonoured," although she is the victim and the male perpetrator is the one who has dishonoured himself, if indeed, he had ever had any honour to dishonour. (This leads into izzat, which is a topic for another post.) Some laws, I am told, favour women to the point that a simple accusation without supporting evidence can land a man in jail, I am told.

This article from today's (7 March 2011) Times of India is a real eye opener:

Printed from

Indian men lead in sexual violence, worst on gender equality: Study
Neha Bhayana, TNN | Mar 7, 2011, 12.30am IST

NEW DELHI: Nearly one in four Indian men has committed sexual violence at some point in their lives and one in five has admittedly forced his wife or partner to have sex. The findings of a recent International Men and Gender Equality Survey reflects a new low for Indian men. Only 2% Brazilian males and less than 9% of men in Chile, Croatia, Mexico and Rwanda were found to have indulged in sexual violence.

The survey was conducted in six developing countries across four continents to map attitudes and practices related to gender equality. Researchers from the International Centre for Research on Women ( ICRW in US and India) and Instituto Promundo in Brazil, who led the survey, interviewed more than 8,000 men and 3,500 women, aged 18 to 59, from these countries.

Indians, who are known to excel in competitive examinations globally, were ranked last on the 'gender equitable men' scale, given that only 17% of men here qualified to the 'highly equitable' (gender-just) category. The percentage was the lowest for this category among the six countries. On sexual violence, 24% said they had committed some form of it in their lives.

While Croatia topped the test, with 82% 'gender-just' men, more than 50% men in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico made the grade. Rwanda, which is among the least developed nations in the world, in fact, fared better than India, with 30% males qualifying as 'highly equitable'.

Rwanda, however, joined India with highest rate of domestic violence, with 38% men admitting they had physically abused their partners. Worse, more than 65% Indian men also believed that women should tolerate violence to keep the family together and that women sometimes deserved to be beaten.

And although Indian men were the most sexually and physically violent at home, they were not involved in violent or criminal behaviour outside. Only 4% Indian men had participated in robbery and 7% had been involved in fights with weapons, compared to 36% men in Croatia and 22% men in Brazil.

The findings, released in Washington last month, reiterated that although India may be on its way to becoming the world's fastest developing economy, it figures at the bottom of the pile when it comes to gender equality. "Indian men are far more traditional, to put it mildly. Even young, educated men are not changing as rapidly as women. They are still living in the old ages," said Ravi Verma, director of ICRW's Asia regional office in Delhi.

Verma added that they would soon present the survey findings to the ministry of women and child development and other policy-makers to urge them to make appropriate changes in policies and programmes to better foster gender equality.

In the survey, which found Indian men to be the worst offenders in terms of sexual violence, more than 1,000 men from the 1,500 interviewed in India were from Delhi. The findings mirrored the high incidence of sexual assault in Delhi: the capital witnessed 489 rapes last year.

"Although the survey has focussed on violence in the privacy of homes, it reflects the situation in public places, too," said Kalpana Vishwanath, project director of the Gender Inclusive Cities project run by Jagori NGO. South Asia does fare quite poorly in terms of gender equality.

Vibhuti Patel, a women's rights activist, blamed the repression of sexuality in India for the high rate of sexual violence. "All the other countries surveyed have more sexual freedom than India. Rwanda, too, has tribal culture so people are more open and women's role in the economy is recognized," said Patel, who heads the economics department at Mumbai's SNDT University.

"In India, the age-old code of conduct has been to keep men and women separate. So women are only viewed as sex objects," she added.

I can think of no better way to end this post than to remind all my readers of the beautiful words of Guru Nanak Dev ji. Most of us say this words each morning. I think it's time we listen closely and take to heart what he wrote.

ਭੰਡਿ ਜੰਮੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਨਿੰਮੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਮੰਗਣੁ ਵੀਆਹੁ
॥From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married.

ਭੰਡਹੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਦੋਸਤੀ ਭੰਡਹੁ ਚਲੈ ਰਾਹੁ ॥
Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come.

ਭੰਡੁ ਮੁਆ ਭੰਡੁ ਭਾਲੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਬੰਧਾਨੁ ॥
When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound.

ਸੋ ਕਿਉ ਮੰਦਾ ਆਖੀਐ ਜਿਤੁ ਜੰਮਹਿ ਰਾਜਾਨ ॥

So why call her bad? From her, kings are born.

ਭੰਡਹੁ ਹੀ ਭੰਡੁ ਊਪਜੈ ਭੰਡੈ ਬਾਝੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥

From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all.

ਨਾਨਕ ਭੰਡੈ ਬਾਹਰਾ ਏਕੋ ਸਚਾ ਸੋਇ ॥

O Nanak, only the True Lord is without a woman.

ਭੰਡਿ ਜੰਮੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਨਿੰਮੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਮੰਗਣੁ ਵੀਆਹੁ

॥From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married.

ਭੰਡਹੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਦੋਸਤੀ ਭੰਡਹੁ ਚਲੈ ਰਾਹੁ ॥

Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come.

ਭੰਡੁ ਮੁਆ ਭੰਡੁ ਭਾਲੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਬੰਧਾਨੁ ॥

When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound.

ਸੋ ਕਿਉ ਮੰਦਾ ਆਖੀਐ ਜਿਤੁ ਜੰਮਹਿ ਰਾਜਾਨ ॥

So why call her bad? From her, kings are born.

ਭੰਡਹੁ ਹੀ ਭੰਡੁ ਊਪਜੈ ਭੰਡੈ ਬਾਝੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥

From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all.

ਨਾਨਕ ਭੰਡੈ ਬਾਹਰਾ ਏਕੋ ਸਚਾ ਸੋਇ ॥

O Nanak, only the True Lord is without a woman.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2011 - PART ONE

2011-03-07T15:41:00.000-07:00

Here is my annual post. Nothing has changed. I am sick and tired of this. What more can I say?
****************************

There is a lovely little nursery rhyme that every child in the UK and Canada knows. I am not so sure about the children of India, so I reproduce it here:

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!

As long as I have been expressing myself publicly (about 2 years 5 years in 2011), I
have said that the most dangerous enemy we Sikhs have is not the
Indian government, the Deras or even the Hindus. It is no force from
outside our own community. It is ourselves. We are fast destroying
ourselves through one particular practice. I have here a little poem
I wrote about that. It unites IWD and our self-destructive
tendencies.
**********************************************

Tinkle, tinkle, little boy,
Bring your parents so much joy.
You're their diamond, you're their pearl,
They're so glad you aren't a girl.

Punjab practice straight from hell.
Very soon its evil tell.

You are looking for a wife,
Someone who will share your life.
Not a woman to be found,
Rotting foetus in the ground.

Guru's teaching has been taught,
But its meaning never sought.
Daughter is a gift from God,
Not a dead, decaying clod.

Without woman, there's no life,
No more children, no more wife.
Guru's teachings die off now,
Go and worship sacred cow.

Tinkle, tinkle, little boy,
Bring your parents so much joy.
****************************************
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, ~~2008!!! 2009!!! 2010!!!~~ 2011!!!

WHY TRY TO FIT IN?
YOU WERE BORN TO STAND OUT!

Canadian Hindu Advocacy - Real Or A Sick Joke?

2011-03-05T00:47:00.000-07:00

A lot has been going on, especially with developments in the Hoodh Pind Massacre case. I am assuming you have been able to read about that elsewhere on line, so I am writing a bit of news from my home of Canada.

A brother who is on their mailing list received this letter from the group calling itself Canadian Hindu Advocacy:

The Canadian Hindu Advocacy is very pleased to announce our intention to
hold multiple events over the summer celebrating heroic acts of anti
terrorism in India.

In 1984, the heroic Indian Army destroyed the terrorist Khalistan movement
by attacking terrorists occupying the Golden Temple in Amritsar. That same
year, Hindu civilians after the assassination of PM Indira Gandhi deterred
Sikh Khalistan terrorists by fighting back against Sikh rioters on the
streets of New Delhi.

Other than the assassination of Indira Gandhi, 1984 was a great year.
Thousands of Sikh terrorists were killed both at the Golden Temple and in
New Delhi, and together the Indian Army and Hindu citizens smashed
Khalistan terrorism.

Everyone on this list will be invited to our summer celebrations.

Regards
Rahul Bhardwaj,
Canadian Hindu Advocacy

I don't think they much like Sikhs. Although I cannot deny the credibility of the brother who received this, it just didn't seem real to me, so I did some research. The Canadian Hindu Advocacy is a real group. It uses OM on a Maple Leaf as its logo.

It has both a Facebook page and a website. On Facebook, its statement of purpose reads:

    EVER WONDER WHAT CANADA"S LEADING HINDU ADVOCACY LOOKS LIKE? READ ON:

    We are a national organization of professionals, most of whom have left other groups, … to join together and form an entity that really stands up for traditional Canadian and mainstream Hindu values.

    We advocate for Canadian Hindus, and we stand up for Canada, traditional Canadian values, and democratic principles.

    Hindus have the highest per capita income of all ethnic groups in North America, are among the best educated, and constitute the majority community of the world's largest democracy / emergent superpower (INDIA).

    Hindu civilization gave rise to the world's oldest language (SANSKRIT), from which all European languages (including English and French) developed. Science, medicine, and mathematics developed in Hindu India helped Europeans build Western civilization.

    Standing up for Canada means supporting Hindu interests. We are together because Canada needs us!!

    Historical Hindu and traditional Canadian values must be defended. An attack on one constitutes an attack on the other. ALL CANADIANS MUST STAND UP FOR HINDUS and HINDU VALUES.

    Canadian values are endangered by the enemies of Canada, who use the media, education system, and politicians to spread false stereotypes about India and Hindus.

    We believe in multi-faith initiatives with groups and people who share our values of democracy, liberty, and merit-based success. This includes the Jewish, Serbian, and other communities.

    We support fellow democracies such as INDIA, ISRAEL, AMERICA, and TAIWAN.

    Our friends and partners in various communities will work with us to shape and build a better Canada, purged of malign and negative influences. Are we Sikhs among those "negative influences? Definitely Khalistanis are. [added by me]

    With the skills and experience brought in by our members and directors, we have formed the leading mainstream Hindu political and media lobby in Canada.

    From political lobbying to media advocacy to business seminars on ethical investment, we have the skills and drive to deliver results.

    JOIN US TO BUILD A BETTER FUTURE

If this represents mainstream Hinduism,,,

Its website contains such shining gems as a letter to the editor, CHA: Praise anti Khalistan operations of 1984, both in Delhi and Punjab (but the link doesn't work). And, of course, they are supporting le Bloc Quebecois in banning the kirpan from the Quebec "National" Assembly with a goal of banning the kirpan in the Canadian Parliament, a move that would effectively bar Amritdhari Sikhs from holding national office, as banning it in the Quebec "National" Assembly bars us from provincial government. No doubt their eventual goal is to totally ban the kirpan in Canada.

From their website, this is their core values:

Our Core Values

We believe in unity, diversity, and tolerance.

This is why our directors and members include Hindus hailing from many different parts of India. We also include Hindus from the Caribbean, Malaysia, and elsewhere.

We even have non- Hindu directors from different communities, including the Jewish, Serbian, and Anglo-Saxon ethnicities. No Sikhs, though, for some reason [added by me]

Inter-faith events and alliances are an important goal for us. Because our organization is a beacon of hope for all communities and groups who share our passion for merit, freedom, and democracy.

This is why mainstream Canadians see us as not just a group that represents Hindu interests, but also a key defender of the values that define Canada.

'DEFENDING HINDU VALUES, STANDING UP FOR CANADA'

I feel the need to take a bath.

MASSACRE IN BAHRAIN: Eyewitness Reports

2011-02-20T15:34:00.000-07:00

puplish plz

bahrainies need u


How many of our Sikh mothers, daughters, sisters have experienced this? The dress is different; the feelings are the same.

Last night, looking for something entirely different, I came upon this discussion about the Bahrain military's attack on its own citizens peacefully protesting from the Flickr group, Global Photojournalism; Politics, News, Protest, and Culture.

The pictures and discussion of Bahrain can be found here.

We Sikhs have had a lot of experience of this in "India" and so we can understand what these Bahrainis are going through. Let's send them our prayers and comfort. At this point, I don't know what more we can do.

What follows is from Ghadeer Shamlan, a young woman, age 18, a law student from Bahrain, obviously a person of great courage. I hope thesepictures and reports helps to make the situation real to you. These are real live (and dead) human beings and they need and deserve our compassion and concern.

Posted in the Flickr group, Global Photojournalism; Politics, News, Protest, and Culture.

From 16 Feb 2011, Bahrain

Here is some of what 2 eye-witnesses said about todays attack in Bahrain

Witness 1 (woman): I was sitting with another woman getting ready pray "salat el-lail" which is a type of prayers the Shiites have , the woman was with her two months old baby, she gave me the baby so that she go to prepare for the prayers , just few minutes then the Bahraini forces started attacking with out any caution , one of the military forces men came to me and started beating me and he took the baby and throw her on the ground and shot her with his gone without any mercy,

she added it was really terrorism dead bodies and parts were everywhere on the ground , they throw some people over the bridge and drive there cars "police cars" over them, also they took injured people and bodies "alive" in closed fridges to unknown place. It was like a real war she added !!

witness (2) " man" : we were lying to sleep as suddenly the tear-bombs and gun-shots came from everywhere without any notifications we started running heading to salmaniya , while that i got injured by the gun-shots , the man who was killed and had his head blasted was killed in front of me they put the gun on his head directly and shot , his head parts spread everywhere !!!

puplish plz

bahrainies need u

A protester takes cover around a corner as Bahrain's security forces fire tear gas on demonstrators marching from Salmaniya Hospital to Pearl Square, in Manama February 19, 2011. Anti-government protesters in Bahrain swarmed back into a symbolic square on Saturday, putting riot police to flight in a striking victory for their cause. REUTERS/James Dugga


A child badly injured and possibly killed by Bahraini military forces

Unless otherwise indicated, all photographs are from Ghadeer Shamlan

KAMAL NATH DENIED DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY IN USA

2011-02-08T12:31:00.000-07:00

This is really a step forward. Kamal Nath does not have diplomatic immunity in the USA and Sikhs For Justice's (SFJ) case against him can go on as planned. My understanding is that he is due for a pre-trial conference this Wednesday.

FROM:Tamil Daily News
February 6, 2011
Kamal Nath summoned by US court in 1984 Sikh riots case
By Arun Kumar

Washington,(IANS) Indian Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath has been summoned by a New York court for a pre-trial conference Feb 9 for his alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.The trial will proceed as the US State Department has declined to intervene in the case due to the seriousness of allegations of human rights violation against Kamal Nath, according to Gurpatwant S. Pannun, legal advisor for Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), a US based human rights advocacy group.

After being summoned by the Southern district court of New York Dec 10, 2010, Kamal Nath had sought diplomatic immunity. His request for immunity has now been turned down by the State Department, Pannun said.

In April 2010, SFJ along with two individuals filed a law suit against Kamal Nath under Alien Tort Claims Act (ATCA) & Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA) asking the court to order compensatory and punitive damages against the minister.

According to Pannun: “Alien Tort Claims Act of United State, the law under which trial against Kamal Nath will be held is specifically created to provide remedy and forum to victims of genocide to vindicate their complaints.”

The trial against Kamal Nath “is one such opportunity through which SFJ plans to put on the record of the court evidence related to genocide of Sikhs and Kamal Nath’s role in it,” he said.

Plaintiffs have asked for a “jury trial” and will have the right to call upon survivors and experts on genocide as witnesses to prove that systematic killing of Sikhs in November 1984 was genocide as defined in Article 2 of the UN Convention on Genocide.

Responding to Kamal Nath’s comment that “no case has been filed against him in India during past 26 years”, Pannun said Nath’s argument is absurd because if a case is not filed against a criminal, it does not mean that he has not committed the crimes.

SFJ and victims of November 1984 riots also plan to launch a campaign in India asking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to sack Kamal Nath from his cabinet position for his alleged involvement in attack on Gurdawara Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi, Pannun said.

More than 3,000 people were killed in various clashes across north India during the riots that followed the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi Oct 31, 1984.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)

This YouTube video is from last year; I include it because it contains a lot of useful information and it is always interesting to see actual tapes of accused.

"FIGHTING INTOLERANCE SINCE 1699"

2011-02-07T16:10:00.000-07:00

This brought a big smile to my face. I noticed that they even "ji'ed" Guru Gobind Singh ji. This paper has class!

FROM:

Sikhs prove EDL wrong
A delegation of Sikhs marched proudly joining a big rally against the English Defence League (EDL) held in Luton.
They played the Dhol, a Punjabi war drum, as they entered the rally carrying a banner that read ‘Sikhs Against the English Defence League – Fighting Intolerance since 1699’, a reference to the establishment of martial Sikhism by the 10th Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

They were greeted with cheers by more than two thousand demonstrators gathered in the Park Square, in the centre of Luton, who gave the marching Sikhs a great applause.

This comes as a great blow to the English Defence League (EDL) as they had claimed that they are getting support from many Sikhs.

The demonstration by ‘Sikhs Against the EDL’ shows otherwise.

The Sikh protesters shouted slogans against Guramit Singh, one of the self-styled EDL leaders from Sikh background and called him a traitor.

They claimed that he had brought shame to the Sikh community and should be locked up due to some of his recent speeches.

Varinder Singh spoke on behalf of the Sikh delegation and pointed out that the Sikh community has a proud tradition of fighting Fascism in the Second World War. He asked, “Given our proud history, how can Sikhs not oppose the racism and Fascism espoused by EDL?”

Varinder Singh went on to condemn Guramit Singh (ethnic spokesperson for the EDL) and other racist traitors of Sikh origin joining EDL and expressed that these individuals should be held accountable.

Balwindar Singh Rana, also from a Sikh background said, “The Sikhs Against the EDL have launched a ‘Joint Statement’ which has already gained support from some of the major

Sikh and Hindu organisations, including many Sikh Student Societies, as well as many prominent individuals in this country.

People are waking up to the dangers of the racist poison that is being spread by the EDL and they will no longer fall for their ‘divide & rule’ tactics.”

He added:”In the ‘70s and ‘80s, whether we were Sikhs, Hindus or Muslim, we were all united against the racists and fascists of the National Front and the BNP. We now have to show the same unity again if we are going to halt this tide of racist hatred by the EDL.”

Salvinder Singh Dhillon from the Indian Workers Association pointed out that the rally was being attended by all communities was a proof that they all stand shoulder to shoulder against promotion of racism and fascism.

He said, “The poison of racism serves to divide people and weaken their common struggles against the attacks by the state on their livelihood, against imposition of tuition fees, and the pending massive spending cuts in social services, health and education.”

The rally was organized by Unite Against Fascism(UAF), a broad based organisation supported by numerous individuals and organizations including trade unions and members of parliament.

Various speakers expressed their opposition to EDL and the racist British National Party( BNP).

There was also a further protest in the Bury Park, near the Mosque, organized by the Muslim community and attended by nearly two thousand people.

2011-02-01T01:01:00.000-07:00

BTW, I just noticed that this is the 501st post in The Road To Khalistan. I invite you all to join me in a nice cup of ginger tea!

********************************************************

This picture really made me sit up and take notice!


An Woman in the Uprising

This picture is from the Humans's Rights Photos: Slideshow: Women in the Egyptian Uprising, located in Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/humanrights.change.org?v=wall#!/album.php?aid=268678&id=327200178036

KIRPANS IN QUEBEC - follow up statement

2011-01-27T18:34:00.000-07:00

Where have my brains been hiding? Why didn't I see this immediately? This whole thing was a set-up by Bloc Quebecois.

I was reading this editorial (I'll copy/paste it below) when I realised what a dolt I've been. Quebec has been fuming ever since the Montreal public schools were ordered to let that kid keep his kirpan in school. This accommodation (or not) for the niqab was the perfect opportunity to get even with us and take it even a bit farther.

The Quebec government is well aware of the importance of the kirpan to Sikhs because of the above case. When they invited the Sikhs to testify, they knew very well they would be carrying kirpans. They purposely made no arrangements with security to permit the Sikhs in, knowing that they Sikhs would refuse to surrender their kirpans. They knew the Sikhs would rightfully raise a huge stink at being treated so unfairly.

This publicity give the Bloc the chance to up the ante and get kirpans banned not only from the Quebec Legislature but to also try to get them banned from the Canadian Parliament where Navdeep Singh has been attending with his kirpan for more than six years and, I might add, has made no attempt to stab any opposition MP.

So we've been seriously punked! What are we going to do about it?

I realise that probably everybody else saw this from the beginning, it's so obvious.

My dear readers please sign the petition (if you haven't already) : Say NO!! To Bloc's Call to Ban KIRPANS in Parliament

and also join the Facebook Cause with the same name.

The article that brought about this much belated epiphany (italics mine):

Only in Quebec you say?

Other provinces have long tolerated minority rights. Not us

By DON MACPHERSON,
The Gazette
January 27, 2011

What is it about Quebec that makes it more dangerous for orthodox Sikhs to wear the kirpan here than elsewhere in Canada?

After Sikh boys in other provinces had been allowed to wear the dagger-like religious symbol to school for a hundred years, why was it still considered unsafe in 2002 for a Sikh boy to do the same here, even under severe restrictions?

And in the latest incident involving the kirpan, why was a Sikh delegation barred from the National Assembly last week after refusing to surrender their kirpans, when a Sikh member of Parliament is allowed to wear his in the House of Commons?

(And why, after Liberal Navdeep Singh had been doing so for more than six years, did the Bloc Quebecois only get around to objecting after the incident at the Assembly?)

Safety was the official reason given by the Assembly's security service for forbidding the Sikhs to wear their kirpans. But, as ruefrontenac.comblogger Marco Fortier pointed out, the kirpan is no more dangerous a weapon than the table knives in the Assembly's restaurants.

And it's not as if the Sikhs just showed up unannounced on a bus tour, catching everybody at the Assembly by surprise. They had been invited to appear before an Assembly committee examining a bill on, ironically, religious accommodations.

But since the committee had neglected to make prior arrangements for them to be admitted while wearing their kirpans, the Sikh delegation wasn't heard.

More than one made-in-Quebec compromise between the Sikhs' religious beliefs and the need for security at the Assembly was available.

The delegation could have been escorted by Assembly constables, as was a Sikh leader invited to a ceremony at the legislature last year.

Or they could have been allowed to wear their kirpans sealed inside their clothing. That was the solution suggested by the Supreme Court of Canada in its 2006 "reasonable accommodation" decision in the case of the Sikh boy forbidden from wearing his kirpan to school.

In applauding the exclusion of the Sikh delegation, Louise Beaudoin of the Parti Quebecois expressed disagreement with the Supreme Court's decision. "Multiculturalism might be a Canadian value," she said. "But it is not a Quebec one."

The conditions under which the boy could wear his kirpan to school originated not with the Supreme Court, however, but with the boy's French-language school board. They were expanded in a decision by a Frenchspeaking judge of Quebec Superior Court.

And contrary to what Beaudoin implied, the Supreme Court's decision was not based on multiculturalism.

Rather, the court ruled that forbidding the boy to wear his kirpan to school violated his freedom of religion under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

And that freedom is protected not only by the Canadian Charter but also by Quebec's own Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms -adopted seven years before the Canadian Charter.

(Beaudoin's position is wrong, but at least she took one. Liberal Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil, the sponsor of the accommodation bill, refused to say whether the Sikh delegation should have been admitted.)

So "reasonable accommodation" reflects Quebec values as well as so-called Canadian ones.

Or at least it reflects what used to be Quebec values, before the backlash against the Supreme Court's decision on the kirpan.

Since then, the parties have been competing over the identity question for the votes of the majority, at the expense of the Quebec Charter and the rights of minorities, and not only religious ones.

dmacpherson@montrealgazette.com
© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

Reprinted from Sikh Philosophy Network

SIGN THE PETITION! ATTEMPT TO BAN THE KIRPAN IN THE CANADIAN PARLIAMENT

2011-01-26T15:13:00.000-07:00

SIGN THE PETITION:

Say NO!! To Bloc's Call to Ban KIRPANS in Parliament

As many of you know, I was born and raised in Montreal, in the French Canadian province of Quebec. This is a part of Canada and yet apart from much of the Canadians' ideals. I won't try to make sense of that right now. It's just too complicated. Enough to say that a group of four Sikhs were invited to speak at the Quebec Legislature talking about religious rights and freedom and the niqab. Make a note, they were invited guests. When they arrived, they were not allowed inside to testify because they were carrying their kirpans. I am not making this up!

Four Sikhs rejected from entering the Quebec Legislature

Invited to Quebec legislature, Sikhs then barred for carrying kirpans
RHÉAL SÉGUIN
QUEBEC— From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
Last updated Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011 12:10AM EST
They came to the National Assembly to support a woman’s religious right to wear a niqab in Quebec but four members of the World Sikh Organization of Canada were turned away because of another religious flashpoint – the kirpans they were carrying.
The four Sikhs had been invited to appear before a legislative committee debating a bill that deals with the reasonable accommodation of religious minorities. But the group never got through the metal detectors at the entrance of the National Assembly building as security agents ruled the kirpans, or ceremonial daggers, they carried were a potential weapon...

Louise Beaudoin, the [Parti Québécois]’ designated critic on secularism, said, "...multiculturalism is not a Quebec value. It may be a Canadian one but it is not a Quebec one."
Ms. Beaudoin supported the security agents’ decision to prohibit access to the four Sikhs when they refused to remove their kirpans.

Not satisfied in keeping Sikhs out of the Quebec Legislature, they are now trying to ban our kirpans in the Canadian Parliament. Clearly this is unacceptable to Sikhs everywhere. We must stand up and say a resounding NO! to this nonsense. One way to do this is to sign the petition

Say NO!! To Bloc's Call to Ban KIRPANS in Parliament

Please, dear Gursikhs, help the Sikhs of Canada, your sisters and brothers preserve this right. We need your help now. Don't let us down!!

Please note that Jack Layton of the NDP (a proven friend to the Sikh community) supports our right to carry the kirpan, as does Liberal Party Leader Michael Ignatieff.The Conservatives have remained silent.

Photo Credit: CTV News

MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY - 2011

2011-01-17T14:37:00.000-07:00

Today is a national holiday honouring Martin Luther King, Jr., the great non-violent civil rights leader of the 1960s. Because of his efforts and the efforts of hundreds of thousands - maybe millions - of USAers, laws enforcing and perpetuating segregation, the USA's apartheid system, were outlawed and racial equality became the law of the land. This was very good.

I do feel the need to point out that passing laws is one thing and getting them enforced is another. [Think of India's anti-dowry laws, for example] The enforcement actually involved quite a bit of violence on both sides. Things seem to have settled down. The election and presidency of Barack Obama is one indication of this.

About the video:

For those who may not know, "Abraham" is Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth President of the USA, who is credited with freeing the slaves;
"John" is John Kennedy, 35th President of the USA;
"Martin" is Martin Luther King, Jr.;
"Bobby" is Robert Kennedy, JFK's younger brother who was running (standing) for President in 1968.

All four were assassinated.

WHY KHALISTAN?

2011-01-15T22:53:00.000-07:00

I have again been asked the perennial question, Is Khalistan really necessary? This time it was in a Facebook group, Sikhism(English Language). The person who posted it seems to have removed it. I think it deserves an answer and, anyway, I have taken the time to write it and my time is valuable. Here is the exchange:

His question (completely unedited ):

Mai Harinder Kaur ji , I can understand the state which you went through in the past . But cannot understand why you are still supporting Khalistan ? Past is Past . The new generation here in India does not want to listen to the Khalistan stories . With time , people are moving ahead . Looking for Justice is a separate thing and Dreaming of Khalistan is a separate thing .Many teenagers who were not even born 25 years ago , get into debates of Khalistan - Khalistan here in this Virtual World . The age which is meant to make career , look for life partner is spent in hatred and criticism debates regarding Khalistan . As a human , we all want Justice . But With Khalistan tales , we are again creating hatred and criticism among new generation people . Isn't it so ?


Indian Princely States

My response:

No, it isn't so. Hatred is not being created. Injustice exists. That creates a certain amount of negative emotion all on its own. Criticism is necessary and justified. Any system will be and should be critically examined. That includes the system that is called The Republic of India. Has India treated Sikhs with respect in the past? If not, how can we expect India to treat us fairly in the future?

This statement is most interesting: "The new generation here in India does not want to listen to the Khalistan stories." If this is true, the solution is simple. Don't listen. No one is forcing you to listen or read or watch videos about Khalistan. The writings and videos are there; it is your choice to pay attention or ignore them. I have found, however, that many young Indian Sikhs are very interested. Also your statement that "the age which is meant to make career, look for life partner is spent in hatred and criticism debates regarding Khalistan" implies that one cannot make a career and look for a life partner while debating Khalistan. That is simply not true. Career and marriage, and working toward Khalistan are not mutually exclusive at all. In fact, Khalistan will need educated workers and stable families in order to exist and thrive.

Are we Sikhs a people? Yes, I believe we are, both spiritually and physically. We have a history, a language, a culture and an ancestral homeland, as well as a religion. We have the right and the need to preserve all this. All people long for their own autonomy. In India, we Sikhs will always be a thorn in the side of the ruling elite because we don't accept their self-claimed right to rule over us. Because of promises such as M. K. Gandhi's assurance, " No Constitution would be acceptable to the Congress which did not satisfy the Sikhs." (Collected works of M K Gandhi Vol.58. p. 192), the Sikhs threw their support to Congress only to be betrayed when Independence was achieved. The Constitution of India (which accepts us only as Hindus) has never been accepted by us and will certainly never satisfy us. With such disrespect shown to us at the highest levels, how can we ever enjoy safety in our homes and businesses?

If you think the need for Khalistan is rooted in hatred, you are completely wrong. It is rooted in the love we have for our Sikh sisters and brothers, in our love of Sikhi and in our love for the highest Khalsa ideals. If you read my writings carefully, you will find that I have never advocated violence to establish Khalistan. I have always said that Khalistan will become a physical reality when it is the Hukam of Vaheguru. I expect eventually that India - a legal fiction created by the British for their own convenience - will fall to pieces. People from Andhra Pradesh, Maharashrta, Gurjarat are foreigners when it comes to history, language and culture. There has been no point in time in the last 3000 years when Kashmir, Tamilnadu, Bengal and Punjab were under the same administrative unit. Again, India was created by the British for their administrative convenience. It was Gandhi/Nehru foolishness that a person from Jalandhar or Ludhiana needs a visa to travel to Lahore but doesn't need a visa to travel to Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore. It's simply absurd. Creation of Khalistan is a means to end this absurdity.

When India disintegrates, it is our right and responsibility to be prepared to govern Punjab and whatever other parts of Balkanised India choose to join us.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - A Young Singh in Hoshiarpur District, Punjab

2011-01-12T03:00:00.000-07:00

Photograph courtesy of Gurcharan Singh Laddi

Used with permission

A GOAT MAKES A LION SHEEPISH

2010-12-11T21:43:00.000-07:00

For the last few months, my creative endeavours have been mostly concerned with visual arts instead of writing. I’ve been working with Photoshop and gif and, most recently, with Windows Movie Maker. I have also been teaching myself to knit Estonian lace, an accomplishment for those with two usable hands.

My writing has kind of fallen into the bin of things I just don’t make the time for. A couple of dear friends have really been pestering me to write something, anything. Today, there is a heavy rain and I feel like a change, so I will write about an incident on our lovely little farm many, many years ago when life was simple and generally a lot of fun.

I’m not sure I can write this. It’s about the funniest thing that ever happened to me and even thinking about it I can’t stop laughing. It concerns a grumpy, cantankerous nanny goat – they are all grumpy and cantankerous, but this one seemed to have some special chip on her goat shoulders – and a strong, dignified, self-possessed Khalsa lion who was always in control of himself and never let anything discombobulate him.

A lovely Saturday summer’s day on the farm. Mani had decided that I needed a break from my usual routine and that he would milk the goats. I admit I wasn’t too sure that that was a good idea. Mani was a great doctor and very good at doing almost everything, but he was a city boy right down to his cellular structure and the farm was an alien environment to him. I was, of course, raised in the city, but parts of our summers in India had been spent on the family farm, always a welcome relief from the filth of the city. I sort of caught the farming bug then and felt at home on our little farm.

Back to milking the goats. Mani, of course, looked perfect. He had decided to play nihang, I guess, and was wearing a blue chola and a perfectly tied turban. I knew the goats wouldn’t be impressed, but, to be honest, I was. He always – almost always – impressed me. So he took the milking bucket and all 6’ 3” (191 cm) of himself out to the barn.

I sat down in the kitchen to work on my knitting and enjoy a cup of tea and some homemade bread and jam.

For a time all was peaceful. I could hear the happy little birds chirping and the sound of Sandeep and Rosa’s kids playing happily in the back ground when—

Mani came running full speed into the kitchen, screaming as I had never heard him scream before, in a complete panic – (Sorry, I have to stop for a laugh time) – “Shut the door! Shut the door!”

[Freeze frame] Before I continue with the action, I must describe my thoroughly discombobulated husband. His chola had somehow come completely open, his turban was loose and disheveled and goat milk – my wonderful goat milk – was dribbling from his drenched beard. What milk had managed to make it into the bucket was slopping and spilling all over the floor.

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t shut the door. All I could do was laugh helplessly. Normally I am a kind person who wouldn’t just laugh at someone in such panicked distress, but this was my imperturbable Mani, the always calm, always perfect Mani Singh with goat milk dribbling down his beard onto his naked hairy chest.

[Resume action] Immediately behind him ran one very determined nanny goat. Determined to catch him and do God-only-knows-what to him. Needless to say, I could not close the door. I was laughing too hard. I think ROFL had not yet been invented, but I was laughing so hard that I was bent over double, unable even to breathe, and actually fell out of the chair onto the floor. ROFL. So there I was, helplessly laughing on the floor – which by now was slippery with goat milk, my husband first glaring down at me and then at the goat and one nanny goat standing, smiling triumphantly at the whole scene.

“If you can stop laughing long enough, get that damned beast out of our kitchen!” Poor Mani just didn’t see the humour of the situation yet. (He would later, of course.) I struggled to my feet and slid over to the goat while Mani made his way to one of the chairs. He was almost there to safety when he slipped and that whole big body crashed to the floor. He grabbed at the table and managed just to catch the end of the tablecloth, pulling jam and bread and tea onto his prostrate body. I am sure that someday, in some remote corner of hell, I will pay for this, but I couldn’t resist saying, “Lo, how the mighty are fallen,” as I picked myself up. The goat meanwhile had started nibbling at a flower pot on the counter and had pooped on the floor. I managed to get her out of the kitchen and back to the barn. She liked me well enough and I suppose that she was content to return home, having had her triumph.

Still barely in control of myself, I quickly ran back to our house, to the kitchen, hoping to get to a camera before Mani regained his senses. I was too late. He had already run off to the shower. Not before disposing of the goat poop, though.

I started to clean up the mess, leaving him to nurse his wounded pride. After a time, he returned, looking again like Mani, calm, self-possessed and all that, although he was very, very red from blushing embarrassment. Rather sheepishly, he insisted on finishing cleaning up the kitchen, which was very sweet of him. I made another pot of tea and ate my jam and bread and knitted and burst out laughing every time I even glanced at him.

Two things I learned from this:

Bana is not appropriate attire for milking goats.
Goats do not belong in my kitchen.

Mani never offered to milk the goats again.

THANK YOU, JACK LAYTON

2010-11-04T21:10:00.001-06:00

Take a good look at this picture. This is what a friend of the Sikh people looks like. Mr. Jack Layton, Leader of the NDP.

In the midst of this time of remembrance, we have gotten a gift of sorts from Jack LayTon, Leader of Canada's New Democratic Party - NDP (my party, if anyone's interested). I am reproducing his statement below, courtesy of SAN (Sikh Activist Network).

I ask all my Canadian readers to please call him at 416-405-8914 to thank him for taking this bold, courageous step on our behalf. Even if you aren't Canadian, I think a Thank you would be most appropriate.

I also suggest you consider joining the NDP. That is a "Thank you that would be most appreciated.

CALL JACK LAYTON AND THANK HIM NOW!
Phone #:

416-405-8914

Other contact information\

Email Address
LaytoJ@parl.gc.ca

Mailing Address - Parliament Hill Office
Jack Layton, M.P.
Leader of the NDP
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
Canada
K1A 0A6

Here ios a transcript of the statement which can be copy/pasted if anyone wishes to do so:

November 3, 2010

Statement by New Democrat Party Leader Jack Layton on the tragedy of November 1984
It is with great sorrow that I extend my sympathies on the 26th anniversary of the tragic pogroms of 1984 that targeted Sikh men, women and children.

The New Democratic Party of Canada stands in solidarity with the Sikh community, demands justice for the survivors and an explanation for why and how this community was targeted by organized mobs and government officials.

The victims and survivors of 1984 cannot sit idly by, waiting for the Indian government to recognize their plight and frustration. Rehabilitation and support for the broken
families, especially the widows, must be prioritized. The negligence of the police must be examined. The truth and those guilty must be brought to justice.

These are not demands - these are obligations of a democratic government to its citizens.

Remembrance is the tie that binds us to our past as it guides us for
the challenges of the future.

Lest we forget.

DELHI POGROM TRIBUTE 2010

2010-11-02T02:39:00.000-06:00

I made this video to acknowledge the events of early November 1984 and to commemorate our beloved shaheeds.

My dear friend (and little sister, Kamal Kaur (Badyal) gifts us with the soundtrack.

One Dead Singh Reprise

2010-11-01T17:23:00.000-06:00

I sat down a few days ago to write my November Pogrom piece for this year. Rereading last year's, I realised that I couldn't write a better piece than this. This is quite possibly the best thing I've ever written.

If you haven't read about what happened to us personally in Delhi during those first few days of November 1984, please go to the link in the sidebar. I very much want to make this real to my readers by telling individual histories of this time. This holocaust did not happen only to the Sikh people, it happened to individual Sikhs. Like me.

ONE DEAD SINGH

Who is he? Who is this Singh? I have spent countless hours staring at this photograph asking myself questions. Whose son is he? Whose husband, whose dad, whose brother, whose uncle, cousin, friend? Is someone waiting anxiously at home for him, waiting for a footfall that will never come?

Where is he from? Does he live in Delhi or is he just visiting? Where was he born? What is his pind? When was he born? How old is he?

What is his occupation? Is he an engineer, a doctor, a professor? Or is he a taxi driver or a trucker?

What are his politics? Is he an Akali or a member of Congress? Is he a Khalistani or a Bharata Mata lover? Or is he political at all? Is he just trying to live his life and not really concerned about the niceties of the larger world.

Why is he keshdhari? Is it just habit, following family custom? Or is it deeply meaningful to him? Does he pray each day, do naam jap, love Vaheguru? Or are those just incidentals that have fallen by the wayside of his life? Where is his turban? How does he feel as it is ripped from his head and his kesh is exposed?

How does he feel as he realises the mob is coming for him, chasing him down the street or dragging him from his home or his car or from the bus? What goes on in his brain as the petrol is poured on him and set alight? What is he thinking as his body burns? Or is he beyond thought? Is he aware of the laughing jeering mob around him, enjoying watching his final agonising moments of life on this earth?

What is his last awareness as he dies alone, surrounded by merciless thugs?

Questions without answers. Whoever he is, he deserves to be remembered. I doubt he had even a death certificate, so I have made him one.

(Click to enlarge)

There is something so very final about the certificate. And, of course, I realise that all I have written is wrong and must be rewritten to reflect the truth of 25 26 years later...

Who was he? Who was this Singh? I have spent countless hours staring at this photograph asking myself questions. Whose son was he? Whose husband, whose dad, whose brother, whose uncle, cousin, friend? Was someone waiting anxiously at home for him, waiting for a footfall that never came?

Where was he from? Did he live in Delhi or was he just visiting? Where was he born? What was his pind? When was he born? How old was he?

What was his occupation? Was he an engineer, a doctor, a professor? Or was he a taxi driver or a trucker?

What were his politics? Was he an Akali or a member of Congress? Was he a Khalistani or a Bharata Mata lover? Or was he political at all? Was he just trying to live his life and not really concerned about the niceties of the larger world.

Why was he keshdhari? Was it just habit, following family custom? Or was it deeply meaningful to him? Did he pray each day, do naam jap, love Vaheguru? Or were those just incidentals that had fallen by the wayside of his life? Where was his turban? How did he feel as it was ripped from his head and his kesh was exposed?

How did he feel as he realised the mob was coming for him, chasing him down the street or dragging him from his home or his car or from the bus? What went on in his brain as the petrol was poured on him and set alight? What was he thinking as his body burned? Or was he beyond thought? Was he aware of the laughing jeering mob around him, enjoying watching his final agonising moments of life on this earth?

What was his last awareness as he died alone, surrounded by merciless thugs?

He was our brother and he was one single human being, one Sikh among the thousands murdered during the madness of those days in 1984.

He is our brother and he deserves justice.

One final, unanswered question: When?

DING, DONG, THE WITCH IS DEAD!!

2010-10-31T16:12:00.000-06:00

DING, DONG, THE WITCH IS DEAD,

Which old witch? The wicked witch!

Ding, dong the wicked witch is dead!

She’s gone to where the goblins go,

Below, below, below!

Sing it high! Sing it low!

Let them know the wicked witch is dead!
From : The Wizard of Oz

Had Indira Gandhi not been killed on 31 October 1984, you would probably not be reading this blog because your author would have been killed in Operation Shanti, beginning on 8 November 1984. Read on, dear readers.

Twenty-six years ago today, Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, Architect of the Bluestar Massacre, enemy of the Sikh people, was executed by Shaheed Beant Singh and Shaheed Satwant Singh, inspired and encouraged by the uncle Shaheed Kehar Singh. Let us drop any hypocrisy we may be harbouring about this person. She knew that in attacking Darbar Sahib (Amritsar) she would earn the lasting enmity of the Sikh Quam and go down in Sikh history next to Aurangzeb. She was evil, but she wasn't stupid. She surely knew that it was suicidal to keep Sikh bodyguards after desecrating Harmandir Sahib. Or was she so far gone in her megalomania that she thought she was invincible? Or did she believe she could implement Operation Shanti before anyone would take action against her? In any case, her nefarious plans were thwarted by her own action in not reassigning them.

I was in Delhi at a family gathering when we got the news that she had been shot. Dead silence followed by, “Well, I hope the bitch is dead!” She was, of course. When we later heard that her Sikh bodyguards had shot her, a cheer went up. None of us was surprised. The older members quickly sobered up. “Glad she’s gotten rid of, but there’s going to be hell to pay.”

Of course there was. Rajiv Gandhi screamed for revenge. Amitabh Bachhan came on TV screaming "KHOON KA BADLA KHOON!" (Blood for blood!)” Blood for blood there was, indeed. The mobs were given the addresses of Sikh families, paid in liquor and kerosene and ran off to the joy of the slaughter. By the time the bloodbath ended, thousands of Sikhs were dead, thousands widowed and tens of thousands orphaned. The financial losses pale next to the toll of human life, but they were also devastating to the Sikh community.

Consider the situation from our Sikh point of view. Not only was she responsible for invading and shooting up our holiest site, she also destroyed much of our history in the burning of the Akal Takht and the Sikh History Library. This was followed by Operation Woodrose, a pretty name for a diabolical action rounding up and murdering Amritdhari males in Punjab.

It is widely believed that she had concocted a larger genocidal plan called Operation Shanti (Peace) to virtually wipe out the Sikhs of India. This was to be carried out in the second week of November during the celebration of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji.

Indira drew a diabolical plan, named Operation Shanti, to carry out a general massacre of the Sikhs, of genocidal proportions, around November 8, when the Sikhs would assemble in various Gurdwaras for Guru Nanak's birthday celebrations. According to the plan, large-scale skirmishes virtually amounting to a war were to take place all along the India-Pakistan borders. And, it was to be given out that the Sikhs had risen in revolt in Punjab and joined hands with Pakistani armed forces which had made considerable advances into the Indian Territory. The Sikhs all over Punjab, especially in Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Kapurthala and Jalandhar districts were to be subjected to massive aerial bombardment, apart from being slaughtered by army and para military forces. The Sikhs all over India were to be subjected to mass scale massacre, loot, arson and incendiarism by lumpen elements organized by Youth Congress(I) activists. Elaborate preparations were made by Youth Congress (I) network all over India; they were to await a coded signal to start mayhem. Operation Shanti, Sikhwiki.

Large scale Sikh genocide was being planned by the top layers of government including Gandhi herself. The plan, known as Operation Shanti, was to take place around November 8, as was a surprise attack on Pakistan. Beant Singh, the man who assassinated Gandhi, heard of Operation Shanti from R. K. Dhawan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister and decided to kill Gandhi. [source: The Sikhs in History by Sangat Singh] from SikhLionz .

I try to be nice, really I do. I just can't find it in me to be nice about this monster. Had she not died when she did, who knows what havoc would have been wreaked upon us by the Mad Dog of Delhi, the Wicked Witch of the East, Indira (Nehru) Gandhi?

 By knarmahfox  the edge of death.wav

(http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=59182)

By Matt_G   m240.wav

(http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=30749)

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   -
HAPPY HALLOWEEN, indeed.

Taking Back Your Head

2010-10-26T21:23:00.000-06:00

A poem for those who once gave Guru Jee their head by taking Amrit, but took it back...

Guru Gobind Singh Ji tried, to keep you on the right track
You gave Him your head, but then you took it back

Turning your back on Guru Ji, how did it feel?
Or were you too busy convincing yourself, that "It's really no big deal"

Remember that day when you took Amrit and made a vow?
What happened to those promises, who is your Guru now?

You sold out your Sikhi, and that's the plain truth
You ruined this precious life, saying "I want to enjoy my youth"

To make yourself feel better, you can say whatever you want to

But one dreadful day, your words will come to haunt you

And when that day comes, you will regret what you have
done
You lost your honour, in a battle you should have won

This world is just maya, it will take your Sikhi away
Tell me, did you forget that you are gonna die one day?

When this dream called life reaches its end
Then who will be your saviour, your helper, your True Friend?

There is still hope, you need to sharpen your mind

Go towards Guru Ji, and the Truth you will find

To merge with God, you were sent to earth

Trying to impress the world, you wasted the human birth

Did you think of those mothers,
who wore their babies around their necks?
Or did all you think about, was attracting the opposite sex?

The very same hair that Guru Ji put Amrit in
You grabbed the scissors, and committed the ultimate sin

Guru Ji's Sons gave their lives, so you can be a Sikh
Their Sikhi remained strong, with each and every brick

Now is the time, for you to wake up and take control
Guru Ji is the water, that will sooth your burning soul

Do you really want to come back to this hell on earth?
Wandering and suffering, birth after birth

You say you're not ready to take Amrit, thats always your reply
But think about this...are you ready to die?

You think you'll practice Sikhi, in the future when you are old
But tell me, do you know when your body will turn cold?

When it's all said and done, you will be full of sorrow and regret
You'll want to go to Sach Khand, but the requirements were not met

Guru Ji's arms are wide open, and He is waiting for you
It's time to take action, and do what you gotta do

Change your life RIGHT NOW!, don't wait another day
Tomorrow may never come, then what will be left to say?
That Guru Gobind Singh Ji tried to put me on the right track
I gave Him my head, but then I took it back.

Poem courtesy of Sikh Roots

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - Kid's Day At Abbotsford Gurdwara, BC, Canada

2010-10-13T12:00:00.000-06:00

Picture Courtesy of Gurumustuk Singh


Kid's Day At Abbotsford Gurdwara, BC, Canada

through a Creative Commons License

VIDEOS OF KHALISTAN RALLY!!

2010-10-07T13:29:00.000-06:00

SikhRevolution has given permission to embed these videos of the rally held at Jagreon on 28 October 2010. Please watch and listen and be inspired. Or appalled. Or scared. Or however you react to the idea of Khalistan. As I wrote the other day, 2 Lakh (2,00,000 OR 200,000 in Western numbers) attended this. Each person attending (except, of course, the RAW agents and other governmental infiltrators) puts him/herself in danger from the GOI and, worse, the notorious Punjab police.

Please, do not misuse these videos in any way!

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

PART FIVE

INTERVIEW WITH SIMRANJIT SINGH MANN AT THE RALLY

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2010

2010-10-06T12:10:00.000-06:00

OK, I realise that it's not International Women's Day. The reason for re-posting this today is that someone in Google Buzz has hinted that I am not writing about Female Foeticide, often now called gendercide, which also covers other sorts of murder of women and girls, including, "honour" killings, inferior medical care for girls and women and the like.

In any case, I think it is a good thing to remind us all of this on-going evil at odd times, so here is a reminder.
********************************
My post from International Women's Day, 2009 (very slightly revised):

I was so very sincerely hoping that this year, I would be able to write a nice cheerful post about how much progress we have made in the last year regarding the most important women's issue in the Punjabi Sikh community. Unfortunately, this practice has spread to the Sikh Diaspora communities, as well. Will we ever learn, I wonder?!

I am referring, of course to the murdering of our daughters before they are born, what is called female foeticide. I have named this the Fourth Ghallugharah, and it is still in full swing. SHAME ON US!

No my dear brothers and sisters, I refuse to let up until this horror is ended!

Unfortunately, I can do nothing better than to reproduce my post from International Women's Day of last year, 2008.

Maybe next year...

There is a lovely little nursery rhyme that every child in the UK and Canada knows. I am not so sure about the children of India, so here is one version with lyrics:

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!

As long as I have been expressing myself publicly (about 2 years - 4 years in 2010), I
have said that the most dangerous enemy we Sikhs have is not the
Indian government, the Deras or even the Hindus. It is no force from
outside our own community. It is ourselves. We are fast destroying
ourselves through one particular practice. I have here a little poem
I wrote about that. It unites IWD and our self-destructive
tendencies.

Tinkle, tinkle, little boy,
Bring your parents so much joy.
You're their diamond, you're their pearl,
They're so glad you aren't a girl.

Punjab practice straight from hell.
Very soon its evil tell.

You are looking for a wife,
Someone who will share your life.
Not a woman to be found,
Rotting foetus in the ground.

Guru's teaching has been taught,
But its meaning never sought.
Daughter is a gift from God,
Not a dead, decaying clod.

Without woman, there's no life,
No more children, no more wife.
Guru's teachings die off now,
Go and worship sacred cow.

Tinkle, tinkle, little boy,
Bring your parents so much joy.

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, ~~2008~~ 2009!!!!

WHY TRY TO FIT IN?
YOU WERE BORN TO STAND OUT!

TV Coverage of Khalistan Rally in Punjab

2010-10-05T22:00:00.000-06:00

I wonder how many Khaliblog readers were aware of a huge Khalistan Rally in Jagraon, Punjab on 28 September of this year? Approximately 2 lakh (2,00,000) attended and it was broadcast on ChardiKala TV.

The ChardiKala TV coverage is available on Youtube through SikhRevolution. The whole playlist can be found at Khalistan Rally at Jagraon-September 28, 2010.

I strongly urge you to go to the link and watch the rally. It's in Punjabi language, but even if you don't understand Punjabi very well (or at all), it's still uplifting and inspiring to watch. Unfortunately, due to some people misusing some of SikhRevolutions videos, I cannot embed them here, so I would strongly urge you to go watch them in Youtube. While you are there, you might also like to subscribe to SikhRevolution at their channel page. Just click to go there.

An interesting note. When originally the three of us started this blog, we were told that no one from India (OK) would want to read something with Khalistan in its title because no one in India (OK) is interested in Khalistan anymore. I notice, looking at the sidebar, that we have had more readers in that country than in any other. I realise that a few of these readers are GOI agents, but most are not.

I would like to personally thank those of you who have been loyal readers over these last almost four years. Our first rather tentative post was on 26 January 2007 and now we are nearing 500 posts. We were all newbies and didn't understand about search engines and search terms and the like. We all reasoned that out of the millions of blogs in the blogosphere, no one would ever find our little personal effort. We were astounded to discover that the word "Khalistan" seemed to draw readers. Along the way, the other two writers left to pursue other projects and follow different dreams, so now I am here writing alone whatever I feel like sharing with you.

I am not sure what this blog has meant to anyone else; to me it is a child of my heart and mind and spirit. At present, at least, it is my legacy. I pray that the posts about what happened to us in 1984 will be read and encourage other survivors to record their experiences, as well. It is difficult, but worth the effort. This is our history and it can be told properly only by us, especially by those of us who lived it.

I am also endeavouring to encourage the Sikh Quam to regain and remain in chardi kala as we move toward the day when the establishment of our homeland will be the Hukam of Vaheguru. Let us prepare ourselves and be ready for whatever happens, following in the footsteps of our physical and spiritual ancestors.

KHALISTAN ZINDABAD!

Most sincerely and with highest regards,

Harinder Kaur
Mai

BIR KHALSA GATKA - India (OK) Really Does Have Talent!

2010-10-01T13:59:00.000-06:00

By now, everybody is aware of the great performances by Bir Khalsa Gatka on India’s Got Talent. The voting ends on 2 October, so please get your votes in immediately. Here are some suggestions for getting out the vote:

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!!!

Every Sikh should vote from all mobiles in family.

Every Sikh informs others and tells them the procedure.

Every Sikh should put a printout in his office, Gurudwara sahib, shop or an other place of information.

Take your friends, relative, associates, juniours mobiles or anyone you know & vote.

Do the sewa of asking sangat at your nearby Gurdwara sahib and getting them vote for them

Buy new sim cards, put balance & vote,

Ask your local Akali leader to be in picture and spend some money on it also rather than posters etc.

DSGMC & SGPC should issue circular to make it mandatory for its employees/sewadars to vote.

We should use all the live stages and appeal sangat to vote for them.

All our kathakars, granthi singh, ragis should make a point to make sangat aware about voting.

Make a refreshment stall outside Gurdwara sahib/kirtan samgam to attract people and make sangat vote for them.

Akali leaders/committee should try to help them at this stage in any manner possible rather that getting images clicked with them after their victory.
End of the day mission is vote, vote, vote…

Unfortunately, only those in India can vote.

WHAT! You haven't seen them? Take a look. Here are all three performances.

The first(Sajjan Khan makes an arse of himself!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itkWd1JTUmw&feature=channel

THE QUARTER FINALS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNA-kYIxGoM&feature=channel

THE SEMI FINALS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLAsP-5tp60&feature=channel

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - Athletes' Village at Commonwealth Games, Delhi, India (OK)

2010-09-29T17:03:00.000-06:00

Not one picture, but 13...

Games due to start 3 October 2010

Courtesy of : BBC Sport, 23 September 2010

Outsourced

2010-09-25T00:21:00.000-06:00

Usually I would not waste my readers' time writing about a TV "comedy" show, but since this we were told that this one has a "real Sikh" in it, I thought perhaps it might be worth at least checking out. OK, there is a "real Sikh." At least he looks like a Sikh. Here is a little quiz. I took a few screenshots of this "comedy." In each of the pictures below, is The Sikh. Find him, if you can! Some are very easy; some are more difficult. Answers below. (Yes, I know the pictures extend into the sidebar, but there was no other way to get the pictures big enough to actually see him. I promise, he's still visible in each picture.)

I rarely watch TV comedies because I find them a bit depressing. My expectations of this show were very low; the show itself was worse. Just to focus on the Sikh character. He made a few minor appearances, spoke no lines and each time was glowering, glaring, angry, a bit scary, even to me. Even the "Kiss me, I'm Irish"t-shirt didn't help. Of course, he had some cause; the lead character joshing about his turban isn't a very good start. I recommend that all Khaliblog readers watch this show once just to see how drearily dismal this thing is.. I have read an on line review of this show, which I am in complete agreement with, although the author might have used less profane language. The Eight Most Racist Jokes from the Outsourced Pilot. Pity me. To get these screenshots I had to watch the whole dreary thing very closely. Finding Mr. Singh wasn't always easy.

I would call this show a real dog, except I see no reason to insult our canine friends and companions. It bears no resemblance to any animal. It is simply gross, insulting and stupid.
If you'd like to waste a half hour while being insulted, the episode can be seen at http://www.nbc.com/outsourced/video/pilot/1251026 at least in the USA. On second thought, you'd be better off doing some naam-jap, though.

Here's the answer sheet.

Kiss me I'm Irish?

What on earth was SALDEF - a great organisation - thinking when they gave the OK to this drivel?

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - together they walk the winding roads

2010-09-21T20:33:00.000-06:00

walking down the winding road

Love doesn't make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.
Franklin P. Jones

BURNING THE QURAN - A Position Statement

2010-09-10T21:00:00.000-06:00

I would love to ignore that hateful ignoramus the "Reverend" Terry Jones of Gainesville, FL, USA, but I need to issue a statement because to say nothing might be construed as either support or indifference to this. I do not know what Terry Jones may or may not do. I do know that what he proposes to do is wrong, wrong, WRONG!! As a Sikh, I respect all religions and am bound to treat others' holy books as do their adherents. I treat the Holy Bible, the Holy Quran and all other sacred scriptures as sacred scriptures with respect and love. I may not - I do not - follow their teachings, but I do accept that they are inspired writings, revered by their followers and worthy of respect.

It has been pointed out to me that part of the reason for Sikhi coming into existence was the persecution of the religious groups of India, primarily the Hindus, by the Muslims. Excuuuuuuse me! The persecutors, sure enough, were Muslims, but not the only Muslims. The Mughal rulers were a small group of tyrants and, it must not be forgotten that those who hunted down and killed Sikhs for a bounty were almost entirely Hindus. It seemas forgotten that Guru Nanak Dev Ji's dear friend and traveling companion was a Muslim, the cornerstone of Harmandir Sahib Ji was laid by a Muslim, and we mustn't forget Sheik Fareed and Bhagat Kabir whose writings are included in Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj, our eternal Guru were Muslims.

I remember seeing birs of Guru ji burnt in the Sikh Genocide of Delhi, 1984. These pictures are very painful to look at. Here, see what I mean.

I cannot wish this on anyone. Let all Sikhs everywhere condemn this idiot's plan to burn the Holy Quran. Whether or not this happens, the very idea is so repulsive that it must be vociferously condemned.

In Tribute - Shaheed Jaswant Singh Khalra

2010-09-06T21:20:00.001-06:00

SHAHEED JASWANT SINGH KHALRA

Fifteen years ago today, KP- Gill and his minions kidnapped, tortured and eventually killed on of the Panth's brightest star, the human rights activist Bhai Sardar Jaswant Singh Khalra. He was, of course just one of thousands, tens of thousands, lakhs who disappeared in Punjab during the 1980s and 1990s.

KP- GILL

He dedicated his life to tracking down those who had disappeared, to find out what really happened to them. He discovered the truth and for that he had to die.

Please watch this video, courtesy of the Sikh Activist Network (SAN). It is in Punjabi with English subtitles. Please take the 18 minutes necessary and watch it in memory of Shaheed Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra ji.

Jaswant Singh Khalra's Last International Speech from SikhActivistNetwork on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/14741568

He was not secretly cremated. It is reported that after being held and tortured for over a month, pieces of his body were thrown into the Sutlej River on 24 October 1995. The next time you look into the waters of this one of the Five Rivers remember our brother's body floating, in pieces, down its waters.

Sutlej River in the 1980s and 1990s

There were 6 Punjab Policemen charged with his murder. Five were convicted and awarded life sentences. The sixth was acquitted. The most guilty criminal of the gang, KP- Gill remains at large and securely protected by the government of India (OK). To read more about Jaswant Singh Khalra ji and the convictions, go to the ensaaf page.

If it is at all possible for you, please attend SAN's conference, Where Did They All Go: Jaswant Singh Khalra Memorial Weekend, 11-12 September 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada It will be hosted by Jaswant Singh Khalra ji's wife, Bibi Paramjit Kaur Khalra and it will be possible to meet and talk with her.

FREE PAL SINGH

2010-08-09T15:54:00.000-06:00

Bhai Pal Singh Ji

The illustrious Punjab police are at it again. Once again an innocent Sikh has been framed, arrested and tortured by the protectors of the law in East Punjab. This time it was Bhai Pal Singh, 60, a French citizen, Sikh preacher and humantarian worker, especially among the poor farmers of Punjab.

Although the cops say that they dug up weapons, ammunition and explosives, the neighbours say that nothing was dug at all. Is it possible that the Punjab police, not noted for their good intelligence (pun intended), have mistaken "Tat Khalsa," a religious movement with "Babbar Khalsa," a proKhalistan group, believed to be terroristic by some. Here is one instance of what seems to be such confusion: Tat Khalsa supporting activities of Sikh terrorists, claims Punjab police.


Don't be fooled by the turbans; these are not friends of the Sikhs!

There is so much I would like to say, but words fail me. We all know about the excesses of the Punjab Police. They would not hesitate to torture even to death an innocent Sikh man who has done nothing but good. France has done nothing, although he is a French citizen. It falls on the shoulders of the worldwide Sangat to champion this dear brother and make his case known to the world. Is this not one more argument that we need our own country to respond to such things?

One of the men arrested with him has been severely tortured and is near death. Pal Singh's health is very frail and it is mostly likely he could not survive torture at the gentle hands of the Punjab police. Harminder Kaur, in the Facebook page, Free Pal Singh, reports that "a familly friend has visited Pal Singh and said he was very weak."

So what can any of us do, other than sit and wring our hands? The first thing to do is to be informed. Here is some help to get you started.

Information is not easy to come by. This in itself is suspicious to me. I am relying primarily on two Facebook pages, Free Pal Singh and Voices For Freedom. I ask you to go there and join these two pages. Facebook is sometimes silly and frivolous, true; it is also very powerful.

First, the chronology, as Reported by Voices For Freedom:
Timeline of events:

Based on the reports received by Voices For Freedom

-17th July: Pal Singh was arrested at 7:00pm, as per an eye witness.
-17th July: Pal Singh was dropped at his house at 1pm.

-22nd July: Pal Singh was again arrested at at 1:30pm. No charges were levied against him.

-23rd July: The Panjab Police raids his home in Village Dandowal, Jalandhar district at 3 different times on the same day: 4:00 am, 1:00pm and 7:00pm while he was still in custody. No charges were levied on him.

-26th July: Pal Singh legal counsel, Rajwinder Singh Bains, files habeas corpus for Pal Singh

-27th July: Panjab Police presents Pal Singh in front of the magistrate late at night and gets his remand extended till 30th July.

- morning 28th July: the habeas corpus petition was taken up by Justice Arvind Kumar who had appointed a warrant officer to trace Pal Singh
- afternoon 28th July: The Panjab Police in a press conference says that Pal Singh was arrested from Jalandhar. As from eye witness’s and reports received by VFF, which are corroborated by the Times of India report, Pal Singh was arrested from his home village, a clear discrepancy.

- 30th July: Punjab police presented Pal Singh in front of the judge and requested another remand of 7 days, the judge allowed 1 day

- 31st July, Punjab police presented Pal singh in court and the out the outcome – not known yet

Based on information from a village fellow Gurmukh Singh who reported, said that the Panjab Police took Pal Singh to his fields alone, sat with him for almost an hour in the field and then took him to his residence and from their drove him back to the jail. No news or journalists were invited and nothing was seen being carried with them. Next morning zeenews reports that that “Pal Singh told the interrogators that he had kept a large quantity of explosives, arms and ammunitions near his residence at his village Dhandowal. He led a police team to the spot and handed over the consignment consisting of 15 Kilogram RDX, 3 detonators, 45 caliber sub-machine gun, 150 cartridges, 45 caliber, 1 Magazine AK 47, 100 cartridges of AK 47 and 3 packets fuse wire, the police added”

Gaping gaps appear in the story requiring a re-investigation and a CBI enquiry. Voices For Freedom has contacted the National Human Rights Commission in India, seeking the safety of Pal Singh and to initiate a CBI inquiry.

Panjab police has a nefarious record of violating human rights and making concocted stories.

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Next, a few questions and links:

Who is Pal Singh?

What is the official story of his arrest? This is a lot of nonsense, but it is useful to know the official story.

Click on picture to see larger, readable page.

A photo from Times of India of their story.

What really happened at his arrest? (See the Timeline above)
What can I do?

Here is a list of human rights organisations that we would like to mobilise to help Bhai Pal Singh ji. Please visit each of them asking for help for our brother.

Amnesty International
http://www.amnesty.org/

Avocats Sans Frontières
http://www.avocatssansfrontieres-france.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=173&Itemid=129&lang=en

The Advocates for Human Rights
http://www.mnadvocates.org/

Giste
http://www.gisti.org/

Human Rights Watch
http://www.hrw.org/

International Coalition against Enforced Disappearances
http://www.icaed.org/the-coalition/

UN Watch
http://www.unwatch.org/site/c.bdKKISNqEmG/b.1277549/k.D7FE/UN_Watch__Monitoring_the_UN_Promoting_Human_Rights.htm

World Organisation Against Torture
http://www.omct.org/

Asian Human Rights Commission (Asia)
http://www.ahrchk.net/

Asian Centre for Human Rights (Asia)
http://www.achrweb.org/countries/india.htm

All pictures are from the Free Pal Singh Facebook page except that of the Punjab Police, which is from in.com.

Khaliblog Busniess

2010-08-09T13:40:00.000-06:00

I have nicknamed The Road To Khalistan as the Khaliblog. I hope you don't mind.

This blog has been around for quite a while now. The first post is dated 26 January 2007. That's not a huge amount of time, but long enough to maybe need a bit of housecleaning. I notice it is loading rather slowly. I know this can be annoying. In order to speed things up, I'd like to clean up the sidebar. I'd like your opinions on what should be removed to speed things up. If you'd rather tolerate the slower loading and have me leave it as it is, I'd like to know that, as well.

Today, I have added a new link I hope you will use. It is listed as Why Khalistan - 1.

About the header. I have been asked several times in e-mails, "What is that building that Sant ji (or sometimes not such a complimentary name) is pointing at?" I'm sure those of you in Occupied Khalistan and/or India recognise it, but the rest of you might not. That is the Indian House of Parliament. I am sure it annoys the GoI (Government of India) agents who regularly read this blog.

There has been so much controversy going on in the Panth that I have not been commenting on. This is because I cannot see any good I could do by addressing these and I do see that I could possibly do some harm. In this case, I think silence is my best move. One of my aims is to unite the Panth, especially among the Khalsa. Remember, whatever our differences we are sisters and brothers and we really do need each other.

One thing has happened that has me sad and angry and hurt. I believe it is also something that all Sikhs can agree on. That is the arrest of Pal Singh. That needs a separate post which will be up soon.

Picture: Obeisance by Koshyk
Used under a Creative Commons Licence

AUSTIN GURUDWARA and Young Fateh!

2010-07-22T15:39:00.000-06:00

I generally am not a fan of rap, but I like this. Please listen and then go to the donation page of the Save The Gurudwara site.

Before the music, some pictures of what we are saving:

Now the music. Sing along with the hook:

They Cant tear it down
Its the only one left standing in that town
they cant tear it down
they trynna bulldoze the shrine
We need ta fight back, its about time..

All the lyrics:

They can tear down a building/ but cant knock down our spirits/
they was scared before - but now its time to fear it
Austin Texas / We cant just let them Reck This
Gurujis HOme/ It up to us to protect it

Everybody talking Change/ land of the free
but Its a Damn Shame/ no one doin a damn thang
where da A.K's Lets Jus Reign on they Parade/
They trynna make us fade/ lets go on a crusade/

Christopher Columbus ---------- robbed all the natives/
Declared it his own/ then brought over slave ships/
history repeats/ this is kinda like the same shit
the Couple didnt like it/ tomorrow its the nation/

"Sikhs need get out"... forced assimilation/
we need to fight back/ for our temples salvation/
government racist/ This is discrimination/
i put my hand out/ For your collaboration/

Sikh Activist, we in affliationt
shaheed baba deep singh is my inspiration/
need come together for our generation
They already tried to knock out our popultion

the 50 stars, Blue star operations
they didnt think twice/ no hesitation
skip the starbucks, give that as a donation
before my holy temple comes to termination

Thanks to Young Fateh.

STOP THE DEMOLITION OF THE AUSTIN GURUDWARA!

2010-07-17T15:43:00.000-06:00

Imagine that you have no gurudwara in your area to worship in and the sangat uses a makeshift manufactured house as an impromptu gurudwara. The nearest gurudwara is more than 100 miles (120 km) away. Then you all get together, raise money and after many difficulties actually get your new gurudwara built. At last, you have a real, permanent home for Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj Then someone in your town manages to get the government to issue an order to demolish the gurudwara you love and have worked so long and hard to build. How would you feel? What would you do? An small congregation in Austin, Texas, is facing this bleak situation.

Today, I am both sad and angry. Who would want to tear down the only gurudwara within 100 miles, legally built, unobtrusive? Evidently some of the good citizens of Austin, Texas, USA. Jasleen Kaur who was instrumental in getting this gurudwara built sent me an e-mail which says, in part,

We're currently raising money to take this to the state supreme court, but it will be an expensive battle.

it is heart breaking, literally. all i can do is encourage the sangat to keep us in their ardaas and do as many chaupai sahib paath as they can for our victory.

Our sisters and brothers in Austin, Texas, USA need our help. Will we stand with them and help them to overcome this obstacle? They need our prayers and our donations to fight the legal battle in the Texas Supreme Court. With the help of the worldwide Saadh Sangat and the kirpaa of Vaheguru, this is a battle that will be won!

Please go to their website Save The Austin Gurudwara and donate whatever you can. Please be generous.

Here is the Austin Gurudwara Sahib as it stands today...

None of us wants to see this:

The article says: "Sikhs around the world and shocked, saddened, and flabbergasted by such an unjust ruling." I would like to amend that to "people of goodwill of any faith - or no faith - around the world..." I have said that this blog has a world-wide readership. This would be a good time to speak up. Even if you cannot send a donation, please send a word of encouragement to AustinGurdwara@gmail.com.

Here is the article about this from the Free Press:

COURT, SHOCKINGLY, ORDERS DESTRUCTION OF AUSTIN TEMPLE

Austin. July 16, 2010
Sikhs are shocked and outraged at a ruling by a Texas Court of Appeals ordering that the only Sikh Temple (Gurudwara) in Austin, Texas be torn down.

Austin Gurdwara Sahib (AGS), a non-profit, Sikh organization purchased land in West side of the Greater Austin area in 2003 to start the first permanent Gurudwara in the Capital City. For years, religious services were hosted weekly in a manufactured home located on the property. In 2005, to improve the facilities, AGS, with the congregation’s support, decided to build a more contemporary building. In this regard, AGS applied for, and was granted, all the necessary permits from the city. The approval process from the city included meetings with Planning & Zoning committees as well as the City Council at large. AGS also met with and provided full disclosure to the neighborhood association.

The construction commenced in late 2007, and the members of the Austin Sikh community celebrated laying the initial foundation stone of the first Sikh temple of its kind in Austin. However, the festive mood came to an abrupt stop immediately after the foundation had finished in Feb 2008, when the Bolliers filed for an injunction against the construction. John and wife Leslie, who is an attorney, were relative newcomers to the neighborhood arriving about 3 years after AGS had been using its property for religious services. Citing to the deed restrictions, the Bolliers argued vehemently against the construction of the Sikh Temple on the grounds that it would be an eye-sore and a traffic magnate, and would lower their property’s value.

By agreement, AGS and the Bolliers agreed to cease construction until the issue was resolved by the trial court. In March 2009, the case was heard by Honorable Judge Susan Covington in the 353rd Judicial District in Travis County Texas. Over the course of several days, the court heard evidence presented by both sides, and rendered an informed decision denying Bollier’s request for an injunction and further ordered them to pay 80% of the associated court costs. In fact, the plantiff, Leslie Bollier, was cited for inequitable conduct in connection with the AGS use of the property.

After the trial court’s favorable ruling, AGS proceded to complete the Temple construction over the next few months. Meanwhile, not satisfied with the trial court’s decision, Bolliers filed an appeal. In July 2010, months after the construction of the Temple was complete, the Appellate Court reversed the lower court’s ruling. In fact, it went so far as to order the completed structure to be torn down! Sikhs around the world and shocked, saddened, and flabbergasted by such an unjust ruling.

The AGS intends to vigorously appeal and ask the court to reconsider its decision. A website www.SaveGurudwara.com is being set up to provide updates on the matter as well as to collect donations for the legal fight.

Press Release issued by: Austin Gurdwara Sahib, 5104 Avispa Way, Austin TX 78738 Email: AustinGurdwara@Gmail.com.

THE ROAD TO KHALISTAN

Good-bye

DID THE TERRORISTS WIN?

Sewa

JACK LAYTON IS DEAD

Photograph by: Fred Thornhill, Reuters

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

KHALSA AID NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT NOW!!

The Foundation Stone Has Been Laid

Letter from Indira Gandhi to Sant Ji & Sant Ji’s Reply

WARNING! BOTTLE BOMBS

Monsters And Brothers - Thoughts on the Death of Osama bin Laden

Internet Freedom in the World's Largest Democracy.

SIKH TURBAN DAY 2011

SIKH TURBAN DAY 2011

OF KHALSA AND SAMURAI - REPRISE.

My Tribute to the People of Japan

FIVE GUNNED DOWN IN BAHRAIN

In solidarity with the people of Bahrain

Bahrain locks down kingdom as uprising surges

"...Doctors at the country's main hospital said their facility was taken over by security forces, blocking physicians from either leaving or treating the wounded on site.

MORE IMAGES OF BAHRAIN from GHADEER AL-SHAMLAN

pleas help us they kill us now :(

STAND WITH BAHRAIN

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2011 - PART TWO

Indian men lead in sexual violence, worst on gender equality: Study

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2011 - PART ONE

Canadian Hindu Advocacy - Real Or A Sick Joke?

MASSACRE IN BAHRAIN: Eyewitness Reports

KAMAL NATH DENIED DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY IN USA

This is really a step forward. Kamal Nath does not have diplomatic immunity in the USA and Sikhs For Justice's (SFJ) case against him can go on as planned. My understanding is that he is due for a pre-trial conference this Wednesday.

FROM:Tamil Daily News

February 6, 2011

Kamal Nath summoned by US court in 1984 Sikh riots case

"FIGHTING INTOLERANCE SINCE 1699"

Sikhs prove EDL wrong

KIRPANS IN QUEBEC - follow up statement

SIGN THE PETITION! ATTEMPT TO BAN THE KIRPAN IN THE CANADIAN PARLIAMENT

Invited to Quebec legislature, Sikhs then barred for carrying kirpans

RHÉAL SÉGUIN

QUEBEC— From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

Last updated Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011 12:10AM EST

MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY - 2011

WHY KHALISTAN?

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - A Young Singh in Hoshiarpur District, Punjab

A GOAT MAKES A LION SHEEPISH

THANK YOU, JACK LAYTON

CALL JACK LAYTON AND THANK HIM NOW!Phone #:

416-405-8914

Other contact information\

DELHI POGROM TRIBUTE 2010

One Dead Singh Reprise

DING, DONG, THE WITCH IS DEAD!!

Taking Back Your Head

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - Kid's Day At Abbotsford Gurdwara, BC, Canada

VIDEOS OF KHALISTAN RALLY!!

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2010

TV Coverage of Khalistan Rally in Punjab

BIR KHALSA GATKA - India (OK) Really Does Have Talent!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - Athletes' Village at Commonwealth Games, Delhi, India (OK)

Outsourced

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - together they walk the winding roads

BURNING THE QURAN - A Position Statement

In Tribute - Shaheed Jaswant Singh Khalra

FREE PAL SINGH

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Khaliblog Busniess

AUSTIN GURUDWARA and Young Fateh!

STOP THE DEMOLITION OF THE AUSTIN GURUDWARA!

CALL JACK LAYTON AND THANK HIM NOW!
Phone #: