Sikhs

Some members of the Sikh community on Tuesday demanded death penalty for former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar ahead of the verdict by a special court in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. Special judge Kaveri Baweja is likely to pronounce order on the quantum of punishment for Kumar in relation to the alleged killings of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in Delhi's Saraswati Vihar on November 1, 1984. Gurlad Singh, who was leading the protest outside the court premises, said, "Four decades have passed now, and it is judiciary's phrase that justice delayed is justice denied. We demand only the death penalty for Sajjan Kumar." Singh said the crime fell under the "rarest of the rare" category as the 1984 riots were a "pre-planned genocide". The Sikh community, he said, was still mourning the loss of their loved ones, and hoped the sentencing bring would bring some sort of closure and justice for the victims and their families. The court on February 12 convicted Kumar for the offence a

SGPC member Gurcharan Singh Grewal condemned the incident, labelling the deportation of Sikhs without turbans as a serious affront to their religious identity

A Birmingham-based brother and sister duo associated with the Sikh Youth UK group have been sentenced by a UK court after being found guilty of fraud offences relating to charitable donations. Rajbinder Kaur, 55, was convicted for money laundering and six counts of theft amounting to GBP 50,000 and one count under Section 60 of the UK's Charities Act 2011, which covers knowingly or recklessly providing false or misleading information to the Charity Commission. Her brother Kaldip Singh Lehal, 43, was also convicted for the same charge under the Charities Act. Kaur and Lehal ran the Sikh Youth UK (SYUK) group. While Kaur was sentenced to two years and eight months imprisonment by Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday, Lehal was given a four months' sentence suspended for 18 months and 80 hours of community service. Kaur tried to portray herself as someone naive about financial matters despite having worked in a bank, Superintendent Annie Miller from West Midlands Police said in a state

The central government has recently constituted an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal to examine whether there is sufficient cause to extend the declaration of banned pro-Khalistan group SFJ

Every year on Dec 26, people celebrate Veer Bal Diwas to pay tribute to the unmatched bravery and sacrifice of Guru Gobind Singh's four sons, which are among the most revered figures in Sikhism

PMO release mentioned various initiatives will also be run to engage young minds, promote awareness about the significance of the day, and foster a culture of courage and dedication to nation

The Canadian MP said that politicians are portraying Hindus and Sikhs as opposing sides regarding the attack on the temple by Khalistani extremists

The priest of a Hindu temple in the Canadian city of Brampton has been suspended for spreading "violent rhetoric" during recent clashes between protesters carrying Khalistani flags and the people present there. On November 3, the protest occurred at the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton and unverified videos circulating on social media appeared to show demonstrators holding banners in support of Khalistan. The videos showed fist fights and people striking each other with poles on what appears to be the grounds surrounding the temple. The protestors carrying Khalistani flags clashed with people and disrupted a consular event co-organised by the temple authorities and the Indian Consulate. On Wednesday, a statement from the Hindu Sabha Mandir said the suspension was due to the priest's "controversial involvement" with protesters on Sunday, but did not elaborate, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported. Taking to X, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said the priest spread "violent ...

Australia's foreign minister said Tuesday she raised allegations with her Indian counterpart that India has targeted Sikh activists in Canada. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she discussed the Canadian allegations with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar while he was in the Australian capital, Canberra. India has denied Canada's allegation that Indian Home Minister Amit Shah ordered the targeting of Sikh activists inside Canada. Wong said her message to the Sikh community was that people have a right to be safe and respected in Australia, regardless of who they are. We've made clear our concerns about the allegations under investigation. We've said that we respect Canada's judicial process, Wong said at a news conference with Jaishankar. We convey our views to India as you would expect us to do and we have a principled position in relation to matters such as the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary and also, frankly, the sovereignty of all countries, she ...

The Supreme Court on Monday said it would consider the the mercy petition of death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted in the 1995 assassination case of then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, if the Centre does not decide on it "either way". A bench of Justices B R Gavai, P K Mishra and K V Viswanathan adjourned for two weeks the former Punjab Police constable's plea seeking commutation of his death sentence to life term due to an "inordinate delay" in deciding his mercy petition. "Decide it either way or we will consider it (Rajoana's plea)," the bench told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, after he informed the court that Rajoana's mercy plea was pending with the president's house. Rajoana has been in continuous custody for 29 years, said his counsel, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, while seeking his release till the mercy petition is decided. "His mercy petition has been pending with the president's house for the past 12 years. Please release him

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches at four locations in Punjab on Friday as part of its probe in a terror-conspiracy case involving designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and the Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), a banned organisation associated with him. NIA teams swooped down at one location in Moga, two locations in Bathinda and one location in Mohali, at premises connected with suspects in the case, an official statement said. The searches led to the seizure of various incriminating materials, including digital devices, which are under examination, it added. The case relates to a conspiracy allegedly hatched by Pannun with other members of the SFJ, the statement issued by the NIA said. "The NIA on Friday conducted searches at four locations across Punjab in a case related to the promotion of terror-related activities and violence by SFJ leader Gurupatwant Singh Pannun," it added. The agency had registered the case against Pannun and the SFJ on November 17,

Slamming Rahul Gandhi, Amit Shah said that he has consistently threatened the nation's security and hurt public sentiments

During an event in the United States, Rahul Gandhi stated that the issue in India centres on whether a Sikh will be permitted to wear a turban in the country

Pakistan has been grappling with a prolonged economic crisis, seeking financial assistance from friendly nations and global lenders

The MHA has expressed concern that "if the SFJ's activities are not curbed, it may escalate its subversive activities, propagate anti-national sentiments, and incite violence in the country."

Nikhil Gupta has been accused by US federal prosecutors of plotting with an Indian government official to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun

Pro-Khalistan slogans were raised by supporters and activists of radical Sikh outfits here on the 40th anniversary of Operation Bluestar on Thursday. The slogans were raised by activists of various outfits, including the Simranjit Singh Mann-led Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), and former MP Dhian Singh Mand at the Akal Takht the highest temporal seat of Sikhs. Mann, who recently lost the Lok Sabha poll from the Sangrur seat, was also present. Led by the radical outfit Dal Khalsa, some Sikh youths were carrying Khalistani flags and photographs of a damaged Akal Takht the highest temporal seat of Sikhs. Dal Khalsa activists were seen carrying placards bearing portraits of slain militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in Canada last year. The entire marbled periphery of the Golden Temple, the holiest Sikh shrine, near the Akal Takht echoed with pro-Khalistan slogans. Some Sikh youths carried banners and placards read

The United States is waiting to see the results of the Indian investigations on allegations related to a plot to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US, a State Department official has said. "They (Indian government) opened a committee of inquiry to look into the matter, and that work is ongoing; we'll wait to see the results. But we made it very clear that it's something that we are taking seriously and we think they, too, should take this seriously," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference. Miller was responding to a question on the allegations that Indian government officials were involved in a plot to assassinate Pannun, a US citizen and a separatist Sikh leader. "I would refer you to the Canadian authorities to speak to the details of the investigation there. With respect to the indictment that was returned in the United States, I will let the Department of Justice speak on behalf of that in detail,"

The devotional strains of Gurbani and messages of harmony rang out at the Houses of Parliament complex in London this week for a first-of-its-kind Baisakhi celebration. Organised by the British Indian think tank 1928 Institute and diaspora membership organisations City Sikhs and the British Punjabi Welfare Association (BPWA), the event brought together a cross-section of professionals, community leaders and philanthropists at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Room on Monday evening to spotlight the UK-India relationship and contributions of the Sikh community to British life. City Sikhs Chair Jasvir Singh led the proceedings, which included speeches and Gurbani by the Anahad Kirtan Society. It's a real honour to celebrate Baisakhi, the birth of the Khalsa by Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1699. Baisakhi celebrates the beginning of the Khalsa and the teachings that accompany this, focussing on equality by proactively removing forms of hierarchy, ego and fear, said Kiran Kaur .