Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Dec 26, 2007- Jan 1, 2008 www.worldsikhnews.com Vol 3 Issue 1, Phone (408) 272-2034, Fax (408) 519-6610
E
very year ending is a pre- pregnant woman’s stomach and
cursor to hopes for a new plunging a sword through the foe-
dawn, occasion for new tus? What could you deduce from
resolutions and a realistic the fact that the Congress campaign
stock taking of the year gone by. As in Gujarat did not even refer to the
the world soaks in the Yuletide spir- Tehelka sting operation?
A memory frame
it and clock ticks towards the Thankfully, photoframes make
moment when we would be singing deductions simple. India’s ruling
Auld Lang Syne, the Punjabi party could not decide whether it
Diaspora, and indeed the entire wants to be totally secular or par-
South Asian community is crest- tially communal, and it sunk. It
fallen at the developments in India. could have done little else.
Everyone wants to preserve a Communalism is a beast that often
916-681-1188
Fremont, CA 94538
Punjab’s honey traders Five British offered help in cash and kind. A
SeaTac-based Indian radio station
shared his story live on the air.
Singh rest for the month of
December but lack of work means
lack of money too. He wants to
Sikhs jailed Hundreds turned up for a candle- return to his job as soon as possi-
LUDHIANA/KOTA: Rajasthan
and Punjab are hearing a new
drone noise these days, joining
Private Limited, another big play-
er in the industry, says that
besides producing honey, mus-
tard flowers also help in breeding
for murdering a Muslim tenant.
A London court jury found land-
lord Balbir Singh Dhillon and his
four accomplices Amarjit Dhillon,
Lankershim gurdwara
Angad Singh ated in the temple compound along
them in a honey laced pact. With bees. Mohan Singh, Charan Singh and with Red Cross employees. "I donat-
the cold weather killing mustard Kota district has bee-keepers Surinder Singh guilty of murder- LOS ANGELES: Seventy-five peo- ed blood because it would be useful
flowers fast, bee-keepers from from states like Bihar, Uttar ing 21-year-old Rizwan Yousaf in ple donated blood at the annual to my community and I feel good
Punjab and many other places Pradesh and Haryana. his rented one-room flat in East American Red Cross holiday blood about myself.
are converging on Rajasthan to Even small bee-keepers are try- London in March this year. drive on December 9 at the Sikh This is the least I can do," said
lap up honey. ing to cash in on the yellow wave. All were given life sentences Temple of Los Angeles in donor Gunjiv Singh. Donors varied
As sharp winter kills the mus- Ranjit Singh of Thakkar Sandhu with minimum terms totalling 66 Lankershim. The blood will be in age from 17 to 69 years and all
tard flower, bee-keepers from village in Gurdaspur, Punjab, has years. The tenant had moved into donated to the area hospitals in were rewarded with a coupon for
Punjab whose mustard-based come to Phoosewala village with his rented accommodation two Southern California. "Even though I Cold Stone Creamery and also got
honey is a major export item, can his 45 hives. “Of the 100 hives I weeks before his murder. The jury was scared of giving blood for the the opportunity to win a $500
now be seen in Ganganagar, had in Muktsar, I lost 55 due to also heard that Yousaf was far first time, I felt that I couldn't miss American Express gift card in a raf-
Alwar, Bharatpur, Kota, Jaipur insecticide spray on flowers. I’m from ideal tenant as he played loud this perfect opportunity to help the fle. "It would be stupid not to donate
and Bikaner, areas where farm- here to make up for that loss,” he music and kept a noisy dog. people in need," said donor Jaspreet blood because it is the easiest way to
ers grow mustard. says. On the day of the attack, he had Sethi. The event was organized by save a life…I just have to sit for ten
Among these were Jagjit Singh Adds Muzaffar Ahmad from locked himself out of his home local high school students Sartaaj minutes and at the end of the
Kapoor, chairman of Kashmir Kashmir: “These days there is no and visited Dhillon for a key, upset- and Harnoor Walia along with Red process I helped someone out," said
Apiaries Private Limited, in scope of extracting honey in ting the landlord’s wife with his Cross representative Geri donor Jagmeet Singh.
Doraha, Ludhiana, whose compa- Kashmir due to the intense cold, aggressive demands. Hernandez ."I really wanted to help The event was promoted weeks in
ny claims an 80 percent market so I’m here to make honey.” Not to The court also heard that Yousaf my community because there are so advance and the drive had a total of
share of the 15,000 tonnes of mention money for the mustard made an emergency call and spoke many people who need blood right 44 appointments and 31 walk-ins.
honey exported annually to vari- farmers in Rajasthan. of his life in danger after being now…I'm really impressed with the "I'm really glad with our success and
ous destinations, including the Incidentally, a majority of bees threatened of eviction by the land- amount of support shown by every- I hope this will blood drive will con-
US and Europe. in India are the Italian honey lord. Police visited his home but one," said Harnoor Walia. The drive tinue in the future," said Harnoor
Amit Dhanuka, CEO of Delhi- bees (Apis mellifera ligustica). chose not to record the threat. consisted of two 'blood mobiles' situ- Walia.
T
he murder of sity authorities are generally will- the US. The Punjabi Diaspora must sion of politics into gun licensing
Chandrasekhar Reddy and ing to go an extra length to protect have a lot of lessons to write home and ownership leads to a worsening
Kiran Kumar, the two students and faculty members. about the fact that the spurt in crime crime scene. The crime scene in the
Indian Louisiana State Unlike in India, transparency in in many parts of America is widely US will continue to worry the
University students near Governor reporting incidents to students is attributed to the nexus between Punjabi Diaspora since their own
Bobby Jindal's city Baton Rouge has highly respected. Any wilful sup- drugs and guns. kids and many of those of their rel-
left both Americans and Indians pression of news could be extremely The dilemma with regard to atives in Punjab come to US for stud-
shocked. The FBI has joined the damaging to a university adminis- enforcement of the drug law ies. Besides, the Punjabi Diaspora
investigation, but there is no indica- tration. notwithstanding, there is a well- must make an effort to convince
tion yet regarding the motive for the But it will also be prudent to note known laxity in a majority of US authorities back homw in Punjab to
murders. This gory incident may that there have been certain disturb- states that do not favour excessive take the issue of arms control seri-
well rattle all those in India who ing trends in the US that cannot be restriction on guns. This is evident ously. Gun licensing in India is
have children in American campus- ignored. After a few years of a per- in the might of the gun lobby repre- strict, but of late there has been a
es as also the Diaspora. After ceptible drop in violent crime, the sented by the National Rifle laxity, and we don't even have to
Virginia Tech shopotings, apprehen- graph is now rising. Of course New Association (NRA), which has utter the word "Jessica Lal" to con-
sions about security arrangements York City and Los Angeles are strong Republican connections. vince you. The rich and famous can
in and around US exceptions, perhaps due to initia- Former New York Mayor and 2008 easily acquire guns at will. Recently,
universities are legitimate. tives of two dynamic Police Michael Moore's Bowling For Republican presidential candidate the WSN had published a story
One must take reasonable precau- Commissioners, Ray Kelly and Bill Columbine sent a strong message, nominee Rudi Giuliani was a well- about how prohibited guns seized
tions that a prudent person would Bratton, homicides and other forms but did it reach us? known votary of gun restrictions from unlawful elements were auc-
observe, especially in a country of violence are definitely going up while he held office. Now, he isn't tioned to many politicians and their
where you must presume that every- elsewhere. more than 170 homicides this year that warm to gun control, for the kin in Punjab. After the Gurgaon
one whom you confront on the street Philadelphia has a grave situa- alone, of which 77 per cent have fear of alienating a sizeable chunk school shootings, there is every case
is armed. tion. Washington DC has registered been from the use of guns. It is not of the party's leadership devoted to a for tighter control over the process.
world sikh news NEWS Dec 26, 2007-Jan 1, 2008 3
Akalis in top
gear as Cong
high comma
2006
More bones
found from
Pandher’s
house 7
www.worldsikhnews.c
om
A love story
with the
Partition in
background
Vol 2 Issue
23
41, Phone (408)
254-4070,Fax
(408) 519-6610
Call
nd
sits on brakes
WSN Network
threatened to
CHANDIGA contest independen
RH: As Akali denied a ticket.
machinery campaign His revolt would tly if
got into top not only affected have
Prakash Singh gear, the party’s prospects
Badal went around and in Faridkot
but also in
jab cajoling,
mollifying, sooting, Pun- a couple of
Resident Editor
neighbourin
Editor
ing, goading the g seats. Finally
enraged, the angrycoax- lotted the ticket , he was al-
the left-out ticket and but not before
aspirants, Congress- unconditional seeking
men looked askance apology for his
towards the high ty utterances. anti-par-
command, as In Bathinda,
always, for the Lal Garg, who Chiranji
of candidates. elusive list had raised the
By of revolt agreed banner
most candidates' Thursday evening, inee Sarup Singla to support SAD
names will be nom-
But one thing known. Sangrur, Ranjit uncondition
is clear: PM Manmo- ally. In
han Singh has Singh Baliyan
shrunk away won over by convincing has been
ing the bait from pick- him that it was
1-866-902-1300
for Amritsar only opposition
seat, where Lok Sabha from Sukhdev The spirit of
state Fi- Dhindsa that Singh Yuletide met
has come in
BATTLE FOR
nance the way of the great tradition
Minister of langar at
Surinder Singla fielding him.
Ajmer Singh
in Muktsar Army. Report
the party on page 17
PUNJAB
the Akali candidates Even has failed to
y
SP Singh
win over
with tickets Harnirpal
in Singh
pockets eagerly their Kukku who had
in
ings (see separate ed in the Akali and had finally land- Amritsar Times
Badal was busy story on page fold after a stint is World Sikh
tackling the tide 6), the Congress. with News now! Defering
volt that threatened of re- Since Kuku to strong
to rock Shiromani mined to contest, is deter- and consistent
Akali Dal (SAD)
boat ning the party is busy
win- WSN Bureau advice from
of tickets though after allotment over his supporters the ever-widen
left the Delhi in
ng
it has been decidedreadership,
the early announce- gives up even so that he
ment of candidates before filing NEW DELHI: battle to SGPC
tion papers. of nomina- Just a month Avtar chief
party leaders ensured that
the Punjab Assembly before extent, Singh Makkar and to to World Sikh to switch
had enough time In Payal, Jagjeevanpa Akali elections, Delhi Sukhdev Singh some News,
the rebels. n
the to woo Captain Kanwaljit l, a protege of polity has delivered The biggest Dhindsa. which underlines a name
campaign could other hand, a long ciled and would Singh, has recon- Prakash Singh Badal-led a jolt to gainer,
the SAD (Panthak) however, was our
cause of dearth not be sustained be- with Akali continuiing commitme
nominee Maheshlend support to party AkaliParamjit Singh Sarna's Dal Singh led by Manjit nt to
of resources. Delhi contestGK. His party in its maiden
KHALSA
for the ticket. 40 per cent where was
Chandok former Prahlad Singh
will take
turned out of the electorate president DGMC the community
for voting. Akalis and Badal supported on
had candidate uncharted but
Continued on glorious paths.
page 16
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Phone (408) 254-4070 Toll Free (866)902-1300 Fax: (408) 519-6610 The opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the staff or
associated with UN
WSN Network Kaur, United Sikhs director.
United Sikhs filed an application to be
United Nations: United Sikhs has become the associated with the UN through the DPI ear-
first Sikh advocacy, humanitarian relief and lier this year. “Our application was support-
human development Non Governmental ed by UN agencies such as the United Nations
Organization (NGO) to be associated with the High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR),
United Nations, through its Department of with whom we worked during our Tsunami
Public Information (DPI). relief operations in Sri Lanka. We also had
In a letter addressed to United Sikhs, dated the support of other UN associated advocacy
12th December, the head of the NGO section and multifaith NGOs with whom we have
of DPI, Juan Carlos Brandt, said, “The com- done projects,” said Mejindarpal Kaur. About
mittee on NGOs met in December…and I am 1,500 NGOs are associated with DPI, which
pleased to inform you that the committee gives the UN links to people around the
approved United Sikhs for association with world. The NGO Section of DPI is part of
the department, effective immediately.” DPI’s Outreach Division, and acts as its liai-
“This is a significant achievement on son to the UN. It provides a range of informa-
behalf of 25 million Sikhs who will now be tion services to civil society and other part-
able to fully participate in global initiatives ners, including the academic community,
according to the Sikh principle of Sarbat Da educational institutions, and the public at
Bhela, selfless service,” said Mejindarpal large.
Interview me through
video conference,
Kiran Bedi’s retirement
says Jasbir Singh application accepted
CALIFORNIA: In an interview to a
leading Indian English daily, Jasbir NEW DELHI: After dithering for a month and a half, the
Singh, the US-based key witness in government has finally accepted the voluntary retire-
the 1984 anti-Sikh riot case to India, ment plea of India's first woman IPS officer Kiran Bedi,
has suggested that his statement be who at times got into controversies during her tenure.
recorded by the probe agency CBI The government decided to relieve Bedi, who was hold-
through video-conferencing or in the ing the post of the Director General of Bureau of Police
Indian consulate in the US. He said Research and Development, from her duties on Monday.
he has given a notarized affidavit stat- "I have received the letter relieving me" from the gov-
ing that Jagdish Tytler was rebuking ernment, Bedi said. She has since given up her charge at
his men for not killing enough Sikhs the Bureau.
in his constituency. He said he has Sulking after being ignored for Delhi Police
been "threatened by Tytler ‘goondas' Commissioner's post earlier this year, the Magsaysay
and they even approached me while awardee submitted her application on November 15, say-
in US a few months back, threaten- ing she wanted to quit to pursue "strong academic and
ing me to withdraw my affidavit social interests".
against Tytler or face consequences." The government had last week indicated that it would
Meanwhile, human rights activist continue to avail of the services of Bedi for its project
and lawyer Navkiran Singh has of National Police Mission, but she rejected the offer
reached USA to contest Jasbir saying she was not willing to work "for the government"
Singh's case. anymore.
6 Dec 26, 2007-Jan 1, 2008 NEWS world sikh news
BRAMPTON: The opening of front-page news in Parvasi Weekly, hospital would have fewer beds than
Brampton Civic Hospital was sup- which has a circulation of 20,000 in originally thought and that the old
posed to be an occasion for celebra- the GTA, Vancouver and India. Peel Memorial Hospital would be
tion, especially among the city's Local Punjabi radio shows picked closed once the new hospital
burgeoning Sikh community. it up, and Saini talked about it on opened.
They had been actively courted his own radio show, which runs on "Until then, I don't believe that
by the hospital foundation, and CJMR 1320 AM. The Times of India anybody in the community knew
responded with tremendous enthu- picked up the story, says Saini. He that if we are getting this new hos-
siasm, raising $2.8-million with a was invited to talk about it on televi- pital, they are snatching away Peel
Punjabi radiothon and an incredi- sion. Memorial hospital, too," says Saini.
ble $200,000 during a 48-hour Sikh "It was big news," says Saini. "That's how it started simmering
prayer ceremony in July. "Everybody talked about this story. around, you know. People started
The new $790-million facility, There was big outrage in our com- complaining that, `Why are they
built in a field in northeast munity." closing down Peel Memorial?'"
Brampton, was meant to take pres- "It's a very small kind of commu-
sure off the aging Peel Memorial nity newspaper, but still I am trying The community
Hospital downtown, with its water to run it very professionally," says Brampton is home to a large and
leaks and occasional blackouts, and Saini, who operates out of a small why the same people who told him did not come to the hospital, not politically important South Asian
offer the community an improved office opposite a strip mall in they understand his position took to even after Narwal began having population.
level of health care. Mississauga. the streets in protest. seizures, according to Nijjar. Finally South Asians make up 83,245 of
Instead, the new hospital, which "We have nothing against the hos- "A lot of community leaders had the nurses brought a doctor down the 206,185 immigrants in the city,
opened two months ago, has become pital staff or management. We are to decide whether to support the from the intensive care unit. He which now has a total population of
a public relations nightmare for trying to raise the voice. The voice hospital or the community," says read the file and told the family that 400,000.
staff and administrators, with of the people." Mohammad. "The community is nothing could be done. The overall population of the sub-
unproven allegations of misman- large, it's what's around you all the Narwal, 42, with a 2-year-old son urb northwest of Toronto has
agement and substandard health The doctor time. If you're someone who has to in India, died that night. grown by 60 per cent in 10 years, to
care sparking street protests among By the time stories of what was depend on the community for busi- Nijjar said he tried to get help for 400,000, resulting in gridlock,
the very community that worked to happening in the emergency depart- ness...it's difficult." his cousin – he called someone he crowded schools and, critics say,
help raise funds for the project. ment of Brampton Civic Hospital knew on the hospital board, he social and community services that
The deaths of two hospital reached the ears of the man who The patients called someone he knew involved in have failed to keep up. The accusa-
patients, both Sikhs – one of them a runs the place, the facts had been The first patient death to draw fundraising for the hospital com- tion that there aren't enough servic-
man whose family donated $25,000 distorted beyond recognition. media attention was Harnek Sidhu, mittee. es, including libraries and commu-
to the foundation – have been held "`I know somebody delivered a 52. His family told Parvasi Weekly "`Do me a favour, there's no point nity centres, to serve the growing
up as examples of how the hospital baby on the sidewalk outside the that he was not properly attended to in screaming. Write up a written population is a frequent topic of
is failing the community. emergency department...while this in the emergency department at complaint, give it to me Monday. I heated debate on local Punjabi
Hamstrung by privacy legislation man was dying on the floor of your Brampton Civic Hospital, despite will follow up,'" Nijjar was told. radio.
that prevents them from talking waiting room,'" Dr. Naveed the fact that Sidhu was vomiting Health care has long been an
about individual cases, hospital Mohammad was told at a dinner and in acute pain. The opposition issue in the city – until the new hos-
administrators have been forced to party. His son Sandeep later told the Some of the groundwork for com- pital was built, one-third of patients
limit their response to press releas- "There was a lot of misinforma- Star that it took 12 hours for his munity discontent was laid down by seeking emergency care travelled
es outlining hospital procedures. tion out there," says Mohammad. father to be assigned a bed. His the Ontario Health Coalition, which outside of Brampton to get it – to
Responding to community pres- "That was one of the most painful father died 10 days later of pancre- began calling members of the hospitals in Etobicoke and
sure, the province appointed a parts for me. It really painted our atitis. Punjabi press in September to Mississauga.
supervisor to oversee the hospital in hospital and the emergency depart- Sandeep blamed it on the fact that organize a series of town hall meet- The hospital foundation has
a bid to restore public confidence in ment in a negative manner and that the hospital was built and is operat- ings on the topic of health care in actively sought the support of the
the new facility. How it went wrong wasn't the truth." ed as a public-private partnership, Brampton. Sikh community, says Anne
is a puzzle. In five pieces. Neither of the two cases that with the private sector operating The Ontario Health Coalition is Randell, president and CEO of the
became lightning rods for contro- non-clinical services, such as house- opposed to hospitals built on the William Osler Health Centre
The press versy involved medical error in the keeping. Brampton Civic Hospital model – Foundation, which includes
Rajinder Saini was listening to a emergency room, says Mohammad. He said the hospital is under- so-called P3s – which involve part- Brampton Civic Hospital, Etobicoke
local Punjabi radio program about "Nobody waits 10 hours in emer- staffed and the focus is not health nerships between the private and General Hospital and Peel
Brampton Civic Hospital when local gency to see a doctor. Everyone is care, but on moving patients public sectors. Memorial Hospital. A radiothon in
MPP Vic Dhillon called into the assessed in a timely fashion" through the system as quickly as The coalition represents, among the community two years ago raised
show to say one of his close family The problem was one of expecta- possible. other community groups, the $2.8-million.
friends had recently died there. tions, says Mohammad. The com- The family had donated $25,000 to Council of Canadians and several This summer, 15,000 people
As the publisher of the Parvasi munity was expecting that the hos- the hospital. powerful unions, including health- attended a weekend Akhand Paath
Weekly newspaper, Saini had been pital would open at full capacity, Amarjit Narwal was home when care unions. Executive director ceremony at the hospital – a contin-
receiving complaints for years from with 608 beds. It has 479. The he suffered a stroke that paralyzed Natalie Mehra says that under P3 uous reading of the Sikh scripture
readers about the quality of health remainder will open over the next his right arm and leg. He was treat- models, hospital profits are from beginning to end. In all,
care in Brampton. Things were sup- four years. Physicians, nurses and ed at Trillium Health Centre in siphoned off to the private sector, at $200,000 was raised.
posed to be different at the new staff didn't anticipate the chal- Mississauga, the regional centre for the expense of health care. The new emergency department
Brampton Civic Hospital, a state-of- lenges that would come with mov- acute stroke care. The town-hall meetings, which was named for Guru Nanak,
the-art facility that had opened on ing to a spanking new hospital, from Early Saturday morning, Narwal took place a month before the hospi- founder of Sikhism. Two Sikhs sit
Oct. 28. mastering the computer system to was transferred to Brampton Civic tal opened, were designed to bring on the foundation board and three
Dhillon, Saini remembers, finding the stairs. Hospital. Friends and family visited attention to the issue in time for the on the hospital board.
described how his friend had waited They didn't anticipate that with him all day and were reassured provincial election in October, "This was a collective effort by a
eight or 10 hours in the emergency demand would soar as it did – the by the fact that he was talking and Mehra said. portion of our community to do a
room at the new hospital, and that new facility drew 20 per cent more asking for juice. Sunday morning, "We wanted to push the province lot for the hospital, so it's not that
during the man's subsequent 10-day emergency-room traffic than pre- his cousin, Inderjit Nijjar, returned to make some promises leading into person who donated $10-million that
stay at the hospital for pancreatitis, dicted, and the number of very sick to find him in a coma. the election and coming out of the expects you do to something for
his family complained that he was patients to emergency doubled. "I started acting up. I started call- election," she said. them, it's the whole community,"
not properly cared for. Mohammad is Punjabi. He says he ing the nurse, asking her to call the It was through the Ontario Health says Dr. Naveed Mohammad, corpo-
Saini called Dhillon, who put him understands the culture. He under- doctor and look at him," says Nijjar. Coalition that journalists like rate chief of emergency services.
in touch with the family. The next stands why members of the commu- The nurse paged a doctor at Parvasi Weekly publisher Rajinder
day, Nov. 20, the family's story was nity are upset. He even understands home. The doctor called back, but Saini learned that the newly opened (Courtesy thestar.com)
world sikh news NEWS Dec 26, 2007-Jan 1, 2008 7
with internal security Hail LA diversity: toral divide - how ready the governments which are now CIA about whether to the circumspection.
itpal Bobby Toor microphone as the crowds gathered.
The effort put in by families and
Tens of thousands of businesses was huge, with many
ked the streets of Surrey staying up all night to prepare the
ay for the eighth annual Sikhs celebrate
food they were handing out for free.
Minister said
cate better,” said Nirinjan
the and then, to save face, added the an addendum to a motion complicated.
newspapers which found
it big news that vast WSN MEDIA "divides and disparities
lead to disaffection,
below as the last para:
"At the same time, it is also nec-
to hold the CIA in con-
tempt of court filed by the
It was in response to
Freedom of Information
number of people
pushed to the edge, dis- WATCH large-scale migration
and discord," he did not
essary to tackle socio-economic
factors like poverty and wide-
ACLU last week. Amrit
Singh has kept a low-pro-
Act (FOIA) requests filed
by the ACLU and other
placed from their homes, forget to term it as the spread unemployment which help file in the case so far, although she organizations in October 2003 and
edged out of forest lands and "single biggest security challenge" in the spread of Left extremism. It handles ACLU's Immigrant Rights May 2004, that the US District
deprived of any welfare measures to India and asked states to estab- all boils down to good and respon- Project. But on Tuesday, she was Court for the Southern District of
of the state may fight back. So the lish specialized and dedicated sive governance. Pity that instead very much the ACLU's public voice. New York ordered the CIA to pro-
PM's words were front paged. forces to eliminate this virus. of giving that to the public, most “Serious questions remain about the duce or identify all records pertain-
"The Prime Minister today "Left-wing extremism continues governments are unable to tackle extent to which the White House and ing to the treatment of detainees in
linked economic inequality to to affect many districts of our naxalism even as a law and order other government agencies were its custody. Despite the courts rul-
internal security when he said country. Not a day passes without problem. The menace will spread complicit in the CIAs destruction of ing, the CIA never produced the
"uneven development" was giving an incident of Left-wing extrem- if it remains unchecked." the tapes,’’ she said in an ACLU state- tapes or even acknowledged their
rise to many of the security prob- ism taking place somewhere or the Inference: If you can't alleviate ment. “The public is entitled to know existence.
lems within," shouted leading other. It continues to be single poverty and provide employment, who authorized such a flagrant dis- Earlier this month, ahead of a
Indian daily The Indian Express biggest security challenge to the at least run some good governance regard for the rule of law and why rumors of a media scoop, CIA
in its December 21 edition. Indian state and we cannot rest in and kill the Naxals in larger num- nothing was done to stop it.’’ director Michael Hayden publicly
"Development and internal peace until we have eliminated bers. There will always be main- The Indian officialdom has kept a acknowledged that the agency had
security are two sides of the same this virus," the PM said. stream Indian media which will discreet silence on the matter in made the tapes in 2002 but
coin. Each is critically dependent Next day, The Tribune, the label them as a Menace. which the PM’s daughter is giving destroyed them in 2005.
Guru Granth Sahib Haneef seeks damages from Australia MELBOURNE: Indian they look into this visa of the Indian doctor. New
Maoists set to
1.2 m minority
The deposed judge’s family and
even his servants were also not
allowed to leave the house, eyewit-
Live reporting of
nesses said.
rejoin Nepal rallies banned
voters can’t vote
A large police contingent did
not allow Chaudhry’s supporters,
civil society activists and lawyers
to cross barb wire barricades at
government in Pakistan
the Judges Colony. The group had KATHMANDU: The Maoists in Nepal ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s broad-
planned to join Chaudhry for the
Eid prayers.
After offering prayers on a road
near the Judges Colony, the group
will rejoin the Girija Prasad Koirala
government under a new deal signed on
Sunday, ending a three-month deadlock
that had threatened to derail the peace
in Karachi cast regulator has barred “live and
extensive” reporting of election ral-
lies and meetings by TV news chan-
nels, saying such coverage could
shouted slogans against the gov- process. Under the 22-point agreement, ISLAMABAD: As many as 1.2 Zaman gave an assurance vitiate the atmosphere ahead of the
ernment and demanded the rein- the two sides agreed that the country million minority voters in the that the minority voters would January 8 parliamentary polls.
statement of judges who were will be declared a federal democratic southern Pakistani port city be registered for the next elec- “During such meeting, things may
sacked for not endorsing the republic through the interim parlia- of Karachi have not been reg- tion, Lal was quoted as saying be said by candidates against each
Emergency imposed by ment, subject to ratification by the istered for the upcoming gen- by state-run APP news agency. other. We have thus not given per-
Musharraf last month. Constituent Assembly after the elec- eral election and will not be Lal said there are 1.2 million mission for live and extensive cov-
Musharraf, who lifted the tions, likely to be held by mid April. able to exercise their fran- minority voters who have not erage of political rallies and meet-
Emergency on December 15, has Maoists, who quit the government in chise. been registered in Karachi ings,” said Iftikhar Rashid, chief of
said that Chaudhry was involved September to press their demand for The matter of registering city alone. the Pakistan Electronic Media
in a “conspiracy” to remove him declaring Nepal a republic before the these voters was taken up by He also alleged that certain Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).
and asserted that the judges will Constituent Assembly elections and a Amar Lal, the advisor to the political parties were award- He indicated that live coverage
not be reinstated. fully proportional electoral system, Prime Minister on minority ing tickets to members of of such rallies and meetings could
Meanwhile, Supreme Court Bar agreed to return all land and other prop- affairs, with Sindh province’s minority communities for con- affect the atmosphere ahead of the
Association President Aitzaz erties captured by their cadres. Election Commissioner testing polls from reserved elections to the national and
Ahsan, who was released from The government has also pledged to Qamar-uz-Zaman on Monday. seats after “taking money in provincial assemblies. Other live
detention on Thursday for three form a commission to trace the per- Lal asked Zaman to register the name of (collecting) party broadcasts by TV channels were
days for the Eid holidays, was re- sons, mostly Maoists, who went miss- the minority voters of funds”. He said such a prac- not banned but they would have to
arrested in Rawalpindi late last ing during the violence, Nepali Karachi and other areas. tice would discourage middle install time delay equipment to
night while driving from Lahore Congress General Secretary Zaman, however, said the time class candidates from partici- ensure proper editing control over
to Islamabad. Bimalendra Nidhi said. to register voters has passed. pating in the elections. their programming, said Rashid.
10 Dec 26, 2007-Jan 1, 2008 THE EDIT PAGE world sikh news
T
amils are the origi-
nal inhabitants of Lanka was received by WSN in response to
Minister Ceylon, now called
Sri Lanka. This is
the story of the
Tamil people in the second
the Open Letter to M. Karunanidhi by
Jagmohan Singh carried in the WSN
A
s 2007 ends, candidness seems to have half of the last century.
jolted Indian Prime
Manmohan Singh into saying some
Minister In 1948, the very year that
the British handed over the
edition of Nov 7-13, 2007. We publish this
home truths. Even at this stage, truth
does not hurt. Unless one is on the wrong side
Ceylon Government to the
Sinhalese majority on a plat-
in the belief that accounts and reasoned
of it. Addressing the Chief Ministers of Indian
states, Manmohan Singh said the lack of devel-
ter without any safeguards for
minorities, the Sinhalese-
self descriptions of struggling nations in
opment and the lack of any prospects for
improving one’s lot provide a fertile ground for
dominated government
passed a law rendering half
India’s neighborhood will interest the
extremist ideologies to flourish. “A large pro-
portion of the recruits to extremist groups
the Ceylon Tamil population
stateless in the land of their
readers of WSN. The author explains why
come from deprived or marginalized back-
grounds or from regions which somehow seem
birth. Under the Ceylon
Citizenship Act, of the nearly
Mak Suppira Makenthiran Tamils are struggling for Tamil Eelam
disaffected by the vibrant growth in many two million Tamils in Ceylon,
other parts ... I notice that in many cases, inter- over one million Upcountry Sinhalese government, to Torture camps were set up Chemmani. It is disgusting to
nal security problems arise out of the uneven Tamils, who had lived in devolve power to regional coun- and Tamils disappeared invol- note that some of the gross
development.” Ceylon for generations, were cils, but it was soon unilateral- untarily in large numbers. violators of human rights
The Prime Minister could as well have added deprived of their citizenship. ly and dishonestly abrogated. The government unleashed have been rewarded with
the word deliberate discrimination by the To make matters worse, the Again in 1965, Tamil leaders the Sinhalese and Muslim ambassadorships.
Centre and the ruling classes. Sinhalese government disen- signed the Chelvanayagam- home-guards to oppress The Sinhala government
But the problem with even such candidness franchised these Tamils by Senanayake Pact to devolve Tamils. imposed economic embargo
is that it is often negated by reiteration of the depriving them of their vot- power to district councils was In 1981, the Sinhalese on Tamil provinces prevent-
status quo. “Development cannot take place in ing rights by passing the also abrogated. armed forces rampaged in ing supply of food, clothing,
the absence of a secure and stable environ- Ceylon Elections Amendment In 1958 Sinhalese mobs and Jaffna, killing and setting fire and medicines, building mate-
ment,” the PM added. This clearly and for long Act. criminals unleashed terror to buildings including the his- rials, fuel and other basic
has been the argument of those who have try- The Upcountry Tamil lead- against the Tamils all over the toric Jaffna Public Library necessities. People were
ing to suppress people’s movements using the ers launched a peaceful satya- Sinhalese provinces. Tamils containing 94,000 invaluable dying, but international bod-
gun and defining graha to protest against this were massacred, their houses books. This act of cultural ies were denied access.
L E T T E R S
I
ence to the news coverage of the t was interesting to read side their dry-cleaning store in 1990.
abolition of death penalty in
New Jersey in the World Sikh
Jagmohan Singh's letter to the
governor of New Jersey as
Following up on the debate in The two appealed against the
death sentence awarded to them on
News. While I am a staunch
opponent of the death penalty
also the other articles in the
World Sikh News' edition of
WSN pages, Dilwala Singh the grounds that the lethal injection
by which they were to be executed
myself, I still can not agree with
your editorial line that this has
December 19-25, 2007. Jagmohan
Singh as well as other writers failed
writes back to bring to was a "cruel and unusual punish-
ment" prohibited by the
led to hopes of a similar meas-
ure in Punjab as well. I don’t
to bring on record an important
aspect of the debate on whether cap-
attention a rather rare Constitution. The appeals were
turned down successively by a State
think such a move is even being
considered in India where hand-
ital sentence should remain on the
statute book or not. Homicide is a
aspect of the Death Judge in 2005 and the Kentucky
Supreme Court the following year
ing out capital punishment to
people is a routine excercise.
favourite subject among criminal
justice scholars across the globe,
Penalty debate. That after obtaining medical opinion.
The latter went to the extent of say-
The stark reality is that most of especially those in the United States, economists will have a view ing that the Constitution did not
the Indian people do not seem to and scholars remain divided over envisage a "complete absence of
be too bothered whenever some- the wisdom of persevering with on that is rather interesting pain" to the prisoner during execu-
one gets capital punishment at death as punishment but recently tion.
the hands of the state, even there have been new entrants -- econ- The Baze-Bowling ruling of
though the record of the Indian omists! Professors Cass R. Sunstein of the debate, Prof. Wolfers was positive September this year was followed by
judiciary and the overall justice Now, this was one class not nor- University of Chicago Law School that capital sentence is too expen- a similar one on October 30 when
dispensing system in ensuring mally associated with a problem and Adrian Vermeule of the sive to persist with. This stand is the U.S. Supreme Court stayed the
fairness is far from flawless. One that is generally looked upon as the Harvard Law School. Writing in supported by the fact that an execu- execution of a Mississippi prisoner,
of the recent examples in this concern solely of families of vic- Stanford Law Review (2005) they tion for murder is preceded by Earl W. Berry, who is on death row
regard that comes to mind tims, policemen, prosecutors, said: "... the recent evidence of a incredibly prolonged litigation that for killing a woman 20 years ago.
immediately and which would judges, criminologists, sociologists deterrent effect from capital punish- involves huge costs for both the This was a dramatic intervention
find instant recall among most and human rights activists. But the ment seems impressive", and added: prosecution and defence. The indeed, just 19 minutes before the
people who follow the news cov- economists have brought some new "Those who object to capital punish- Donohue-Wolfers analysis ends with execution that had been set for 6
erage of Indian politics is that of arguments to the fore. Also entering ment, and who do so in the name of a reference to how murder rates in p.m. on that day. It is significant that
the now very infamous election the debate are the legal scholars, so protecting life, must come to terms Canada and the U.S. run parallel, Berry got a fortuitous reprieve from
speech made by the chief minis- far a detached group limiting itself with the possibility that the failure although the last time Canada ever the same court that had earlier
ter of the west Indian state of to mere semantics of the law. to inflict capital punishment will fail executed a prisoner was in 1962. turned down two of his appeals.
Gujarat. Addressing thousands As per a New York Times report to protect life." The New York Times report In all probability, it was the
of his supporters along with the (November 18), some economists An exactly opposite point of view comes against the backdrop of two Supreme Court's ruling in the
common people, the chief min- believe that by persisting with the comes from John J. Donohue III, a recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions Kentucky cases that came to Berry's
ister referred to the extra judi- execution of murderers a substan- Law Professor at Yale with a doctor- which have imposed a near country- rescue. In the appeal filed on
cial killing of Sohrabuddin tial number of homicides are pre- ate in Economics, and Justin wide moratorium on executions. October 29, Berry's lawyers were for
Sheikh in the most insensitive vented. The ratio of 1:3-18 is quoted. Wolfers, an Economist at the The first of these was on September the first time disputing the constitu-
manner possible. Shouting to It is interesting that a formula could University of Pennsylvania. They 25 when the court allowed a consti- tional correctness of the procedure
the crowd at his rabid best, he be worked out at all. The group of write in the Stanford Law Review, tutional challenge to the protocol for adopted in administering the injec-
asked, “When you come to know economists that is convinced that again in 2005, that the present evi- administering lethal injections to a tion. The Kentucky prisoners and
that a man like Sohrabuddin the death penalty deters prospective dence of deterrence of capital pun- convict. This was a reference from Berry were taking advantage of a
has kept illegal weapons at murderers is led by Gary Becker, ishment is "fragile". They were Kentucky involving two convicts, finding that the injection was after
home, what do you do? Just tell who won the Nobel Prize for slightly derisive of the "econometric Ralph Baze (49) and Thomas all not painless.
me what do you do to a man like Economics in 1992. sophistication" of those in the oppo- Bowling (52), on the death row for It will not be until next spring
that?” The fired up crowd shout- Admitting the limitations of site camp. In their view, it is "intu- more than a decade, both for sepa- when the Supreme Court rules on
ed with greater force, “Kill him, empirical evidence, the group has itive plausibility" that should take rate double murders. While Ralph the constitutionality of the current
kill him... yes, kill him... What concluded that death penalty should precedence in research design and Baze killed a Sheriff and his deputy procedures relating to lethal injec-
else, just kill him.” The place be retained so that ones commiting analysis of a problem that is part of while they were serving warrants tion. In the meantime, no State may
rang with great applause and an the most heinous of offences will be public policy. Addressing the eco- on him in 1992, Thomas Bowling be expected to go ahead with an exe-
infectious, poisonous commu- deterred. Gary Becker is backed by nomic question behind the whole murdered a husband and wife out- cution.
nal zeal. After all, the question
was about “a man like
L
that while writing about rabid ast week, when it called for a world-wide cutions, such as Afghanistan in the past three It is therefore encouraging that higher courts,
communalism most editors moratorium on the application of the years, have recently resumed them. as well as legislatures, in some retentionist states
tend to blame the political lead- death penalty, the United Nations The death penalty must always be regarded as are reviewing the methods and scope of capital
ers who arouse such passions General Assembly took a significant an extreme exception to the fundamental right to punishment. For example, the U.S. Supreme Court
but hesitate in putting the blame step towards the definitive abolition of life — which is protected under international law has barred execution of minors and is re-examin-
on the common people. When I that sanction, thereby enhancing — and must as such be interpreted in the most ing the use of lethal injection.
hear about people like those in the protection of human rights restrictive manner. Accordingly, the International At the State level this month, New Jersey abol-
Gujarat and at so many other and the inviolability of the per- Covenant on Civil and Political Rights lists specific ished the death penalty thereby becoming the first
places in the rest of India, I hon- son. The General Assembly also restrictions to its imposition. In particular, it states American State to do so in more than 40 years. In
estly don’t see any hope of see- cast serious doubts over the that capital punishment may be meted out only in China, a review by the Supreme People’s Court has
ing capital punishment being death penalty’s supposed deter- the face of the most serious crimes and only after a reportedly led to some reduction in the high rate of
banned. Words like mercy, for- rent effect on criminality. trial and appeal proceedings that scrupulously executions. In Iran, the judiciary has ordered a
giveness, reform, reconciliation, Moreover, it highlighted the dan- respected all the principles of due process. In addi- moratorium on stoning, although this needs to be
etc don’t really strike a chord ger of errors in the application o tion, the death penalty should always be adminis- consistently enforced. For its part, the U.N. has
with members of a society ever f capital punishment and the tered in accordance with laws in force at the time long advocated abolition of the death penalty or, at
ready to feed its collective thirst Louise Arbour obviously irreparable conse- of the commission of the crime. Minors and preg- a minimum and in the interim, restrictions on its
for blood. quences of such mistakes which, nant women must be spared. Human rights mech- use, including moratoria. Such principled position
— Harnek Singh, as modern forensic methods have repeatedly anisms have also clarified that capital punishment is reflected in U.N. practice as well.
via email exposed, do occur even in countries with sophisti- can neither be mandatory, nor can it be carried out Thus, the statutes of the International Criminal
cated investigative and legal systems. in secret. Moreover, the methods of execution must Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for
Keep us posted about This sentiment finds echoes in every region of meet standards of least possible physical and men- Rwanda, both established by the Security Council,
news and events in the world. According to Amnesty International, tal suffering. All too often, however, the death do not provide for capital punishment. The
no fewer than 133 countries have abolished the penalty is applied in ways that violate internation- International Criminal Court and U.N.-supported
your area as also your death penalty in law or practice. And the trend al norms, such as the prohibition of torture and mixed tribunals have adopted a similar stance. If
feedback to stuff in continues to grow. Last July, Rwanda, a country other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or the General Assembly’s call for a global moratori-
the WSN, and these that has suffered the ultimate crime of genocide punishment, as well as anti-discrimination stan- um is an additional and crucial stepping stone in
shall surely find due and whose people’s thirst for justice is still far dards. the natural progression towards abolishing the
mention in our pages. from quenched, has decided to forego the ultimate This is the case, for example, in Iran with regard death penalty altogether, the heart of the matter
sanction of capital punishment. In so doing, to the reported executions of people who were now and in the future remains in the actual imple-
Letters may be edited Rwanda has given a powerful endorsement of the minors when the alleged crime was committed, or mentation of this literally vital pledge.
for reasons of space or importance of pursuing justice while repudiating the stoning of offenders. Japan has recently exe- Ultimately, it is through example that retention-
style. All letters violence to attain it. cuted an individual as old as 75 and, most worry- ist states may be persuaded to join the consensus
should be mailed to Despite these developments and despite the fact ingly, practises executions in secret and without and abandon the abhorrent practice of capital
worldsikhnews@gmail.com that a small group of countries reportedly forewarning to the persons to be executed and punishment.
accounted for 91 per cent of the executions in 2006 their families. Studies show that the death penalty — Courtesy: U.N. Information Centre, New Delhi
— namely China, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sudan, and is applied disproportionately to poor people in any (Louise Arbour is U.N. High
the United States — the death penalty is still prac- given society. Vulnerable groups, such as migrant Commissioner for Human Rights.)
26 December to 01 January 2008 WORLD SIKH NEWS 12
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world sikh news SMOKING GUN Dec
December
26, 2007-Jan
12-18,1,2007
2008 13
OTHER
MERCHANTS
OF DEATH
Lack of political will Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Minister
for Health and Family Welfare
awareness against passive smok-
ing have been flouted with impuni-
find it difficult to do so, something
like the Quitline in the US.
Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss
I
ndia’s CNN-IBN TV news chan- rounded him at Azad market, I’m
nel which claims credit for talking about November 1. He ran
tracking down Jasbir Singh, one into the house of one Amarjeet
of the key witnesses in the case Singh, and hid there. For an hour the
against former Indian minister mob could not find him. He came out
Jagdish Tytler, has now caught anoth- an hour later. They spotted him. He
er witness in a hidden camera opera- ran to the terrace of the house. He
tion who had seen Tytler leading brought out his kripan to defend him-
blood thirsty mobs, saw murders self. Someone grabbed it and stabbed
before his eyes, gave his testimony to him in the stomach with the kripan.
Nanawati Commission, but had later We saw it all from our roof. After the
retracted it. stabbing, Badal didn’t die immediate-
The CNN-IBN Special Investigation ly.
revealed on December 21 evening the Surinder Singh: They threw his
testimony of Surinder Singh, then body down from the second floor.
granthi of Pulbangash Gurdwara in Then they loaded it onto a garbage
north Delhi, was shown saying that he barrow. We were watching from the
saw Tytler leading the mob on top. There they started dancing as if
November 1, 1984, and inciting them it was a wedding. They then brought
by saying “they have killed our moth- him in front of the Gurudwara. There
er”. Unaware of the hidden camera, they put a tire around his neck, they
Surinder Singh said he saw the three had tires with them. Badal Singh was
men being burnt to death in the pres- screaming and crying in pain but
ence of Tytler. they put the tire around him, sprin-
Following assassination of Indira kled kerosene and lit the fire. The
Gandhi on October 31, 1984, nearly man was burnt alive.
3,000 Sikh men, women and children Surinder Singh: In the morning,
were killed across the country, and as before the attack, at 8 am, Inspector
per official statistics, 2,733 Sikhs were Thakur Singh was with me. He was in
killed on Delhi’s roads alone, mostly our Gurudwara committee since her
burnt by using used cycle tyres. had retired from the police. He had
Twenty-three years, 10 investigative come to the Gurudwara on the 31st.
commissions, 13 convictions and an That night the mobs were already
apology from Prime Minister burning cars. In the morning when
Manmohan Singh haven’t done much the attacks started, he (Thakur
to heal the wounds. Singh) said Gyaniji don’t go out. I’ve
Witnesses turning hostile was one been in the police, stay behind me. He
Tearing
of the biggest problems the prosecu- tried talking to the mob, told them
tion faced in the case and the inves- there was a school nearby with
tigative agencies had to shut cases
registered against various accused
like senior Congress leader and for- Nanavati naal meri gal
mer minister Jagdish Tytler. baat hoyi te Nanavati ne
Now the head granthi of Majnu-ka- mainu bulaya. Main
Tilla gurudwara, he had made all
these allegations in an affidavit filed saareyan saamne keha ki
before the Nanavati Commission ye ye bande si par main
probing the 1984 riots but had later onaanu keha main
retracted his statement.
Tytler
Surinder Singh has now brought twaanu vi keh raha hun ki
the truth to the fore, of course thanks aaj sarkar dooji hai te
to being caught on hidden camera, main bayaan de ditta, kal
and explained how he changed his
statement under pressure and said he nu sarkaar badal gayi
had told Justice Nanawati that he will main fer mukar jaana
retract his statement of the govern- kyunki main marna nahi
ment changed and the Congress came
to power. hai, seedhi jayi gal hai. Ye
Narrating what he saw on maine kaha Nanavati ko,
November 1, 1984, Surinder Singh sarakar ab fir badal gayi
explained how the frenzied mob
accompanying Tytler killed Badal fir unka raaj hai
Singh, a gurudwara sewadar, retired
inspector Thakur Singh, who tried to Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims in it. But
stop the mob, and another unidenti- nobody was ready to listen to him.
fied person. He said he was also Surinder Singh: The policemen said
caught by the mob but escaped after the SHO was not with them. They
he started swinging his kirpan said they had locked him up at the
around. thana. Because the local SHO was a
The mob dispersed when police on Sikh named Amarjeet Singh. He
the spot began firing from behind a (Tytler) was there with the police.
tree and asked him to run back into Surinder Singh also described the
Damning
other witness. This
remarkably crammed into Jagdish Tytler: It's all a
a few minutes on camera, former minister does conspiracy.
and not a hidden one. The not know that under no Rajdeep Sardesai: By a
top most lie was that law can a witness be section of Congress lead-
Words
India's Doordarshan TV asked to get another ership?
has CDs that were shot one. Why was Tytler not Jagdish Tytler: I would
with fixed cameras which asked why he could not not say that.
show his presence contin- get another Rajdeep Sardesai: By
uously from 7 am till 3 pm your political rivals? Mian apni akkhaan naal vekhyea
on November 1, 1984 by Congressman to vouch Jagdish Tytler: Anyone.
that he was present by teeno katal mere saamne hi hoye
the side of Indira Rajdeep Sardesai: Is it
Gandhi's body at Teen Indira's dead body people who wouldn't want si. Badal Singh swere keertan
Murti bhawan in New throughout? After all, you to come back to karke 8 waje chala gaya. Te Azad
Delhi. So he could not be both Manmohan Singh power?
where Surinder Singh and Sonia Gandhi were Jagdish Tytler: That's market ch onu lokaan ne gher
says he was. In a chat with for police to find out. CBI
CNN-IBN's Editor-in-Chief
there. All he needs to
must find out.
leya. Eh 1 tareek di gall hai, pehli
Rajdeep Sardesai, Tytler
do is to get Sonia to say CBI clearly suits Tytler Nov di, Azad market ch public
had no answer why he did on national TV, "Dear very well. After all, this is
not produce the CDs Sikhs, Mr. Tytler was by the agency that was going odey magar pai gai. O bhajj ke
before Nanawati my mother-in-law's over board while giving amarsingh singh texla TV wale
Commission and made a body." End of matter. Tytler a clean chit. Till
mess for himself at some Wanna try, Mr. Tytler? Jasbir Singh spoke up. ne, road te hi onaa di dukaan si,
sharp questioning by Tytler even said that onaa de ghar chhup gaya. Te o
CNN-IBN anchor Surinder Singh "should
Suhasini Haidar. also prove his case by bringing in more onu lab lub ke chale gaye te o
At one stage he promised to give CNN- people." What he did not say was that he mileya na, Ghantek baad ona
IBN the seven CDs, then said he has only will ask senior Congress leaders to
one copy, then said he will give these to vouch for him. Clearly, Suhasini Haidar nun fer pata lag gaya te fer o
the CBI, then said he will give these to spoke for many when she said, "Surinder
the CBI if the court asked him to, and Singh and Jasbir Singh are not the only
gharch hi wadd gaye. Te chat si
then said the Doordarshan must have people what o accuse you. The CDs you odda ghar doosri manjil te. Oney
these in its records. Not one Congress speak of were not produced before CBI
leader has so far vouched for his pres- and they may not be there at all now." apni kirpan kaddi hoyegi kise nu
ence all through the time period, but Tytler did not counter this, but merely maaran layi par onu o kirpan
Tytler kept questioning if Surinder added: "After 21 years, this fellow comes
Singh can produce another witness. and says all this. I don't understand this. kaddan hi nahi ditti, te duje
It was then that Suhasini Haidar cut There's someone behind this."Activist bande ne pichheyon fadd leya te
him short with a terse comment: "It's lawyer H.S. Phoolka countered by asking
interesting you should say that. why Tytler did not ask Nanawati to sum- odi kirpan naal hi odaa dhidd (
Surinder's testimony comes in the same mon the CDs. Tytler had no answer to stomach) faad ditta. Utton assi
week as Jasbir Singh's." this. Just one more thing: The CD had
Jagdish Tytler: That's not his testimo- not been invented in 1984. dekh rahe haan sab kuchh. Assi
te chauthi chat te haan te o te
Suhasini Haidar: Does anything that dooji chat te hai, te jadon taan
Surinder Singh says surprise you? odaa dhidh faadta, dhidh faadan
naal banda marda nahi hai ik
Ved Marwah who headed the first to such power?
enquiry into the riots joined in the Ved Marwah: That's true. If people can dam, marr da jaadon saans katti
debate. be burnt alive on Delhi roads, it doesn't jaaye. Te onnu thhalle suteya fer
Ved Marwah: It's very unfortunate that speak too well of Delhi Police. That's
the proceedings have gone on for 23 years what I was going to do if I was allowed to onane. Te thhalle sutt ke o redi
and if the witnesses are now changing proceed with my inquiry. I had collected hundi hai na koode wali,ode te
their testimony, it's because the whole all records that did not put the police in
thing has dragged on for so many years. very good light. onnu ladd ke leyaye hai,
When I was called to Delhi Police – after Ved Marwah: I think it is very tragic
the riots were over – I was given three that no conclusion has been made about
Gurudware de saamne,assi utton
months. But before I could complete it, I who is guilty and who's not in 23 years. dekh rahe haan sab kuch, te naal
was asked to stop. Naturally, I couldn't But the sad fact is that I was the inquiry
proceed with it despite doing a lot of officer and I was given three months to hi nachde tapde log aa rahe hai,
work. Commenting on Surinder Singh's complete and that didn't happen. And for poore bhangre paunde,jiddaan
or Tytler's statement is something that the last 23 years some Delhi police offi-
the investigative agencies must do. cers have been filing one civil suit after vyaah shaadiyan da mahaul
Suhasini Haidar: But investigative another against me for doing that Honda hai na is tarah hi.
agencies have failed and witnesses have inquiry. So you see our criminal justice — VERBATIM EXCERPTS FROM SURINDER SINGH'S
retracted. Even Surinder Singh says he system is in a very bad shape and if
NARRATIVE, FROM CNN-IBN STING OPERATION.
saw six policemen with the mob. How is things go on as they are people will lose
the ordinary person expected to face up confidence.
16 Dec 26, 2007-Jan 1, 2008 WORLD world sikh news
Catholics emerging
as UK’s dominant
religious group
LONDON: Roman Catholics have boosting Catholic congregations.
overtaken Anglicans as the UK’s “When an ex-PM becomes a
dominant religious group. More Catholic, that must be a sign that
people now attend Mass every Catholicism really has come in
Sunday than worship with the from the cold in this country,”
Church of England, according to Catherine Pepinster, editor of
latest published figures. Catholic weekly The Tablet, said. “I
Despite England’s official break would hope that my fellow
with the pope in Rome during Catholics will welcome Tony Blair
Henry VIII’s reign more than 400 into the Church as they welcome
years ago, making Anglicanism and other converts.”Blair is not the first
the Church of England dominant, high-profile Briton to convert to
Catholicism is now the most prac- Catholicism. Others include the
ticed faith in the land. author Evelyn Waugh, the son of an
A survey by the group Christian Anglican churchman, converted in
Research showed that around the 1930s, and novelist Graham
862,000 worshippers attended Greene was a noted convert,
Catholic Mass each week in 2006, although his books often explored
exceeding the 852,000 who went to doubts over faith.
Church of England services. Blair’s conversion was long
Attendance at Anglican services expected — his wife and four chil-
has almost halved over the past 40 dren are practicing Catholics — but
years as the country has grown it has not come without a degree of
steadily more secular, the research criticism. While in office, he fre-
showed. While attendance figures quently championed stem-cell
for both Catholic and Anglican research, supported civil partner-
services are declining, Catholic ships for gay couples and has voted
numbers are slipping by a lesser in favor of abortion, all issues on Authorities investigate after strong winds flipped a small plane minutes after it had landed at the Kenosha
degree as new migrants arrive from which the Catholic faithful hold regional airport. According to authorities, the plane landed safely, but after the pilot and passenger disem-
east Europe and parts of Africa, strong positions. barked, wind gusts caught the plane and flipped it. No injuries were reported.
resume
JERUSALEM: The Israeli prime reporters are allowed to attend. Rauf ’s lawyer and a close family friend, believed that Rauf might
minister Ehud Olmert has pledged “This is true regarding Hamas, friend have said that they believed have been “taken away by the ISI”
war against Gaza militants, reject- Islamic Jihad and all other ele- he had been taken into custody by and feared that his friend might be
ing feelers from the Islamic Hamas ments.” Despite their overt rejec- Pakistan’s secret security-service shot dead while “on the run”.
for a truce, while an Israeli Cabinet tions of a formal cease-fire, Israeli JERUSALEM: Israeli and
minister angered moderate officials have been saying a formal Palestinian negotiators plan to
Palestinians with another plan for
new Jewish housing in a disputed
part of Jerusalem, complicating
renewed peace talks.
truce is unnecessary. They say if
Gaza militants stop the rocket fire,
Israel would have no reason to
attack. Israeli airstrikes over a two-
meet for a second round of US-
backed peace talks hitherto ham-
pered by disputes over the
Jewish settlement building near
Uzbeks re-elect
“There is no other way to describe
what is happening in the Gaza Strip
except as a true war between the
Israeli army and terrorist ele-
day period last week killed 12,
including two top Islamic Jihad
commanders. The truce feelers
started surfacing a day later, first in
Jerusalem.
The Palestinians said substan-
tive negotiations over borders,
and the fate of Jerusalem and
hardline president
ments,” Prime Minister Ehud a call from Hamas political leader Palestinian refugees would not TASHKENT: Uzbekistan voted on Tashkent. A sprawling country of
Olmert told his Cabinet, ruling out Ismail Haniyeh to an Israeli TV begin until Israel committed to Sunday in an election in which deserts, mountains and oases,
truce talks. Reports of truce feelers reporter and later, according to offi- halting all settlement activity, as hardline President Islam Karimov Uzbekistan contains Samarkand,
from the embattled Islamic Hamas cials, by way of Egypt, which has called for under the long-stalled faced only token opposition to his one of the world’s oldest cities and
regime in Gaza have been surfacing mediated several other past truces. “road map” peace plan. bid for a new seven-year term at resting place of legendary
almost daily, and Israeli defense offi- Islamic Jihad, which is behind The road map also calls on the the head of the isolated Central medieval conqueror Tamerlane.
cials have said they are examining most of the rocket salvos, on Sunday Palestinians to rein in militants, Asian state. In the run-up to the But despite gas and cotton rich-
the proposals. again rejected a truce with Israel. an obligation that Israel says must election Karimov, 69, told foreign es, Uzbekistan has failed to pros-
The unconfirmed reports have By nightfall three rockets fired from be fulfilled in the occupied West diplomats that he wanted “a free per since independence from the
Hamas convincing fellow militants Gaza exploded in Israel, causing no Bank and Hamas-controlled Gaza society and prosperous life” for the Soviet Union in 1991 — something
in Gaza to stop their daily rocket fire damage or casualties, the military Strip before a Palestinian state can ex-Soviet republic of 28 million that critics blame on Karimov’s
at southern Israel, while Israel halts said. Israeli officials said Defense be established. people. However, victory for uncompromising presidency. He is
its air and ground operations in Minister Ehud Barak will travel this The first round of negotiations Karimov — who voted in the capi- famous for refusing to allow even
Gaza. Speaking to his Cabinet at week to Egypt for talks with that followed a US - sponsored tal Tashkent mid-morning, accord- flickers of opposition. In 2005 he
Sunday’s weekly meeting, Olmert President Hosni Mubarak. It was peace conference in Annapolis, ing to Russia’s RIA Novosti news launched a bloody crackdown on
rejected negotiations with Hamas unclear whether a cease-fire would Maryland, opened in discord agency — was seen as a foregone mainly unarmed protesters in the
because it has rejected international be on the agenda. on December 12 with the conclusion. He barely campaigned eastern city of Andijan in which
demands to recognize Israel, At last month’s peace conference Palestinians demanding Israel and his three nominal challengers hundreds were killed, according to
renounce violence and endorse past in Annapolis, Maryland, hosted by drop plans to build some 300 new are virtual unknowns. human rights activists.
peace accords. U.S. President George W. Bush, homes in an area near Jerusalem “I voted for Karimov. We are all Uzbek authorities blamed the
“We have declared (this war) and Israel and the Palestinians known to Israelis as Har Homa used to him,” said pensioner violence entirely on Islamic rebels
we will continue,” Olmert said at the resumed peace talks for the first and to Palestinians as Abu Hakim Abdurakhmanov at a and said 187 people had been
beginning of the meeting, which time in seven years. Ghneim. polling station in the centre of killed.
T
he Diaspora communities are sure? – secular because it no more wants to be panthic inar on human rights resolved to keep up the
often at the receiving end in the Anti-immigration groups seized on – but only as secular as one can be in a tie up with fight. Bhai Daljit Singh Bittu showed sagacity by
host country but the most vulner- the stories and claimed vindication for RSS-BJP. That Parkash Singh Badal often extricating his party from the one-man leader-
able are the immigrant labourers, but their allegation that outsiders were describes the Akali-BJP alliance as one between ship system and making an experiment with col-
imagine what would be the reaction “stealing” British jobs. London's figures brothers will help you calibrate the secular com- lective leadership. There is hope, after all. Photo
even among the better educated citizens so far had said the percentage was ponent. Did you say we were making the 2007 frames aren’t complete without hope. One H.S.
of the host country if one morning they around 50. Now many were alleging that photoframe more depressing? Well, we haven’t Phoolka refuses to give up the fight, one sole wit-
are suddenly told that 80 per cent of the the Government had concealed the real even started talking about Sukhbir Singh ness with a threat to his life refuses to back down,
jobs created in the last one decade have magnitude of jobs secured by the immi- Badal’s rise, not to mention his plans to rule for some are simply not giving up the fight in the
been cornered by the foreigners? p taking the stage. This has grown
grants.
mayor of London. The
25 years! Khalra kidnap and murder case, one Khalsa
Clearly, it will make life diffi- Now, a close look at the report This was the year when even the country’s Action Committee leads the charge against Dera
from a day of celebration to almost a event will also feature traditiona
Tens of thousands of
ked the streets of Surrey
clamoured for a few minutes at the
microphone as the crowds gathered.
The effort put in by families and
businesses was huge, with many
staying up all night to prepare the
Hail LA diversity: of the Commission has Prime Minister, the I-won’t-show-emotions-on- Sacha Sauda’s Gurmeet Ram Rahim, there was
Sikhs celebrate
most locals will look at them ay for the eighth annual
arade honouring the reli-
est day. The police esti-
celebration brought out
,000. The parade closed off
food they were handing out for free.
This weekend’s gathering had a
more political tone than in recent
years, with several floats, signs and
flags demanding a state of Khalistan.
Vaisakhi in the revealed that the Commission my-face-come-what-may Manmohan Singh, also always one police officer near Sis Ganj who could
city of glamour
as usurpers of resources. Newton for hours as a car-
ats and marchers weaved
gs of people who lined the
nding out Indian delica-
eats to all who passed.
The float for a group called the
Sikh Vision Foundation had pictures
of martyrs who died in the armed
struggle in Punjab, including leaders
of Khalistani organizations such as
had ended up including a
WSN Network
WSN MEDIA
who had been born abroad excuse? It said it relied on the
but are very much British definition of foreign workers Punjab govt to licence
and also British citizens.
Britain’s Statistics
Commission virtually trig-
WATCH as given by the Office for
National Statistics, a govern-
ment department.
saw mills: The Punjab
government has decided to
issue licences to saw mills and
Badal finally expresses
gered a strong negative reaction against
the immigrants when it recently said
that 80 per cent of British jobs over the
But the fact remains that the
Commission ended up creating a wholly
misleading impression and fuelling
other wood-based industries in
the state. Forest minister
Tikshan Sood said that all saw
mills without licenses and
love for Congress, closes
past decade have gone to “foreigners”.
News papers in Britain, the US as well
as in India, from where many immi-
grants come, splashed the headlines.
anti-immigrant prejudice. Can any
country classify foreign-born citizens as
“foreigners”? Citizenship is not grant-
ed lightly and the most important privi-
other wood-based industries
set up after December 30, 2002
were closed in compliance with
complaint chapter
The lazy media forgot to check out the lege it confers on a new citizen is not to the orders of the apex court.
correctness of the news report, some- be called a bloody foreigner ever again. Sukhbir can go abroad: A
thing it hardly does these days. The The Punjabi NRP Diaspora must add special court in Ropar on
headlines had appeared on December its voice to those protesting against Saturday allowed Sukhbir
11, and considering the sensational such classification of citizens even for Singh Badal to go abroad from
aspect of the story, found great place on statistical purposes. We must always be January 6 to 12, 2008 on a
front pages. Since the Statistics seen as supporters of exhortations to surety of Rs 5 lakh. Sukhbir is
Commission works closely with the immigrants to integrate with the host facing trial in a corruption and
British Government, one had little rea- society. disproportionate assets case.
BEFORE
dirty one. Also wash your hands with
soap and water and wash cooking
surfaces before and after handling
raw meat, poultry and fish.
YOU BITE...
If you love to eat, you need to be extra
licking the beater when Mom baked
cakes? Unfortunately, cases of salmo-
nellosis are also rampant. So that
delicious frothy frosting made with
raw egg whites is a bad idea for the
birthday cake. When you can’t thor-
oughly cook a recipe before tasters
dig in, use liquid pasteurised eggs,
careful during the monsoon. found in the dairy case.
Here are some simple precautions Take risks with open eyes
There are times when you might
W
e’ve all had those awkward fully aware of the foodborne The advice you received as a child want to send caution to the wind.
moments when we aren’t pathogens present. — to wash your hands when you And although raw fish is on the list
sure whether to offend the come indoors and before eating — of foods we should avoid, you
cook or risk spending several days Beware of raw dairy, holds truer than ever during might feel like indulging yourself.
sick in bed. Say you’re at an outing fish and meat the rains But consider this: raw food is a
and someone asks you to try some- You might remember a time when breeding ground for all kinds of
thing from his or her lunchbox. But you were tempted to take a refreshing avoid anything that’s not cooked to antibacterial properties, but it's not bacteria. The humidity levels and
the sandwiches are looking awfully drink of raw cold milk. But no matter kill the germs. Likewise, you might enough to count on. temperature levels make eating
soggy and the other stuff ’s not some- how tempting the thought, avoid. love the taste of chilled raw oysters raw food a risk that’s easily avoid-
thing you’d usually like. E. coli bacte- Always go for pasteurised milk. dipped in spicy cocktail sauce, but Clean with hot soapy water able. And if you’re still having sec-
ria wreaks havoc on hundreds of When it comes to raw milk, learn to hold that thought — there’s a new Temper your food-safety zeal with a ond thoughts, you should keep in
lives and can cause death. Although say ‘no thank you.’ There is currently strain of the bacterium Vibrio para- little diplomacy when a dinner guest mind that the Japanese have the
you don’t need to carry a thermome- a proliferation of new virulent, haemolyticus that makes chowing offers to do the grilling. To prevent highest incidence of foodborne
ter with you to check the temperature antibiotic-resistant strains of bacte- down on this dish decidedly risky. cross-contamination, send the raw illness in the world. Now that’s cer-
of the food you eat, you need to be ria. And that’s another reason to Some studies show that hot sauce has meat out on one platter, then return tainly food for thought.
W
hether you already row or Your legs compress and extend with peanuts, and the results, published allergy can place a heavy burden on
are considering rowing to uses so many muscle groups). every stroke – in addition to the more in the Journal of Allergy and the families affected. We welcome
keep in shape, to lose ● Great for joint health (joints move obvious work being done by the back Clinical Immunology, suggest the this research and look forward to
weight, to cross-train for another through a wide range of motion). and arms. molecule normally stops allergies to further developments.”
sport, to compete on the water or ● Upper body (completes the stroke). Legs: Rowing promotes both food developing. In severe cases, peo- Symptoms of allergies include
rehabilitate from injury or surgery, ● Lower body (the legs initiate the strength and flexibility through this ple can suffer life-threatening reac- swelling and itching, eczema, vom-
rowing is the complete exercise for drive). wide range of leg motion. tions, including anaphylactic shock. iting, diarrhoea, coughing, wheez-
you. Arms, legs, chest, back, abs — ● Works the back and abs too! Arms: As with the legs, this range of The only way now for sufferers to ing or a runny nose or sore, red
even your mind. Your whole body ● Superb aerobic fitness (great for motion promotes both strength and manage the problem is to avoid cer- and itchy eyes. Some people devel-
gets a complete workout from the effi- cardiovascular fitness). flexibility. tain foods and make sure they have op a whole-body allergic reaction
cient, rhythmic motion of rowing. ● Relieves Stress (for overall health Core: Chest, back, abs: At the start injectable adrenaline at hand in called anaphylaxis. This is a rare
Rowing is such a great exercise in so and well-being). of the stroke, the power of the legs case of emergency. If you have a but potentially fatal reaction caus-
many different ways. This is different from the rowing you is connected to the handle by means food allergy it means the immune ing swelling, loss of conscious-
● Low-impact (easy on the knees and may have done as a kid in a rowboat. of the arms and the core muscles of system responds to a food protein as ness, low blood pressure and
ankles). The difference lies in the sliding seat. the body. if it was harmful. breathing problems.
20 Dec 26, 2007-Jan 1, 2008 SPORTS world sikh news
Woods seals
Sherwood victory
CALIFORNIA: Tiger Woods
Ronaldo’s brace rescues United
MANCHESTER: A Cristiano about the flurry of yellow cards Portugese to go when he was con-
shrugged off three bogeys and an Ronaldo double ensured that dotted a scrappy first-half. fronted by two Everton defenders
early challenge Manchester United overcame a With both teams abrasively test- after collecting Anderson’s pass
by Jim Furyk to spirited Everton to move back to ing each other out for weakness - but a neat sidestep created a space
win the Target within one point of leaders and Everton quickly exposing the and the winger’s left-foot shot
World Challenge Arsenal at the head of Premier inexperienced United right-back found the top corner for his tenth
by seven shots League table. Sir Alex Ferguson’s Danny Simpson - the game was league goal of the season.
on Sunday. Six side appeared destined for a frus- notable more for a series of niggly Everton’s outstanding recent run
ahead of the trating afternoon at Old Trafford personal battles before Ronaldo meant they were never likely to
pack overnight, after Tim Cahill had cancelled out injected the first bit of quality. lose heart at falling behind to the
the world num- Ronaldo’s 22nd-minute opening The United winger darted champions.
ber one fired a goal. around England defender Joleon And their response was as quick
four-under-par But a clumsy challenge from Lescott before sending a low cross as it was impressive with Pienaar
68 at Sherwood Everton’s South African midfield- towards the near post that was delivering a dipping cross from
Country Club to er Steven Pienaar sent United cap- dabbed delicately goal wards by United’s problem right hand flank
claim his eighth victory of the tain Ryan Giggs crashing to the Wayne Rooney and parried by towards Cahill, who out-jumped
year in the elite 16-man tourna- ground inside the visitors area Everton keeper Tim Howard Patrice Evra to head the equaliser
ment he hosts. with just three minutes remaining before Carlos Tevez sent the just five minutes later.
Woods, who stretched his lead to and Ronaldo kept his nerve to rebound wide. Rooney was denied against his
seven strokes after two holes clinch the points from the penalty Tevez, who has been outstanding former club by Lescott’s goal-line
before it was trimmed to two by spot. in recent weeks, had earlier clearance but United did little else
playing partner Furyk over a cut- The goal brought relief to volleyed the first real opportunity during the first half to suggest
and-thrust outward nine, posted a Ferguson’s side who had failed to of the afternoon high over they would recover to reduce
22-under total of 266. make steady second-half pressure Howard’s bar and would spurn at Arsenal’s lead.
World number three Furyk, tell against an Everton side who least two more clear opportunities A half-time re-organisation
who piled the pressure on Woods had not been beaten in their 13 pre- Wenger’s Arsenal ahead of the to score. But with the Argentina breathed fresh life into United’s
with five birdies in the first eight vious outings. next round of holiday fixtures. star unable to take advantage of a attacking play but they were
holes, double-bogeyed the par- But Ronaldo’s goals — his 15th Ferguson had spoken out last week routine chance, it was Ronaldo unable to break down Everton’s
three 15th on his way to a 71 and and 16th of the season — once against the rash of bad challenges who broke the deadlock with a resilient defence until Pienaar
third place at 13 under, two again proved the difference and that have marred recent superb curling shot created out of wafted a lazy leg into the path of
behind Masters champion Zach ensured Ferguson’s side remain Premiership games and the man- nothing in the 22nd minute. the onrushing Giggs and United
Johnson (68). close on the heels of Arsene ager can have had no complaint There seemed nowhere for the were handed a welcome lifeline.
world sikh news SPORTS Dec 26, 2007-Jan 1, 2008 21
$1mn painting in
trash
A painting stolen 20 years ago
was found lying in trash along
a street, and now it could fetch
up to $1 million at auction.
Elizabeth Gibson didn’t know
anything about the brightly
colored abstract work she
spotted on her morning walk
BIRDS OF PREY
the now-widowed original
owner. It turned out that it
was a 1970 painting titled
‘Tres Personajes’ (Three Peo-
ple) by Mexican artist Rufino
Tamayo, whose work has
soared in value in recent
years.
5. Gyrfalcon 3.8
9. Harrier 3.6
Photos after 27 yrs!
Karen and Mark Cline were
Gujarat stories
another face of inhumanity in
Gujarat. Over its 72 minutes of run-
ning time, the film explores and
exposes the saffronisation of the
Dalit-OBC population and its conse-
quent plight. Its focus is on the pat-
R
akesh Sharma needs no unsavoury truths about farmers sui- terns of arrests and litigations
introduction to those who cides as well as lower-caste rioters since the 2002 riots. It shows how
have been following the now in prison. most of those charged with rioting,
human rights movement He said the films are his response arson, murder and similar crimes
in the media. He is one of the most to Narendra Modi and his propagan- are either tribal or Dalits and
outspoken and independent film- da. OBCs. The analysis of those arrest-
makers on human rights Since 1985, Sharma has ed from 32 police stations in
and for this he fights the worked extensively in film consultant to broadcast channels for Ahmedabad suggests that of the
powers that be including and television. His docu- programming, on-air presentation 1577 detainees, only 30-odd
India's censor board. After mentaries have always been and live television. belonged to upper castes. "Are these
his revolutionary films based on painstaking inten- Khedu Mora Re (Oh My Farmer), foot soldiers victims too? Cynically
Final Solution and sive field research, wherein over 62 minutes, explores the myth recruited, then discarded, left to rot
Aftershocks - A Rough the filming often takes less- of a 'vibrant' Gujarat by graphically in jails, what do the perpetrators of
Guide to Democracy, now er time than the research. documenting the tragic series of the violence feel today about the
come two new explosive His numerous internation- farmer suicides in the state. Sharma VHP and the BJP?"
documentaries Khedu al awards have strength- examines the true story behind the The overall message that emerges
Mora Re and Chet'ta Rejo. ened his determination to hype of development. Knowing that through a range of voices - violence
Both films are in Gujarati, Rakesh Sharma go ahead and make this the film could invite attack and that and politics of hate destroys the
with no English subtitles. statement through the medi- its credibility would be challenged, Dalit-OBC-Muslim communities; it
He even used RTI to collect um he knows best - cinema. he chose the RTI (Right to is best to stay away from parties that
government data -- expose He currently earns his living as a Information) Act route to use the A still from Khedu Mora Re preach hate.
S T O R I E S I N B R I E F
Elvis Presley
Cruz to star in
Almodovar’s next In A Turban
I
t's going to be a rock-
ing good Christmas
A
ctress Penelope Cruz if Swansea's very
will appear in acclaimed own Singing Sikh
Spanish director Pedro has anything to do with
Almodovar’s next film Los it. Peter Singh is already
Abrazos Rotos. They had previ- well-known to fans as the
ously worked together in Volver world's only Sikh Elvis
and Cruz’s performance in the Presley impersonator. "I'm a Sikh. I don't cut my hair and keep it tied in a turban
film earned her an Oscar nomi- His talents also extend and I keep my beard.
nation for the best actress cate- to lyric-writing, with self- "That doesn't mean I can't pay my respects to a great
gory.The title of the Spanish penned Bhindi Bhaji hero of mine.
film means, ‘broken embraces’ Boogie and Turbans Over "I sing by nature and Singh by name and I want to show
and it will also star Blanca Memphis some of his that my community appreciates western music.
Portillo and Lluis Homar, a crowd-pleasing "Elvis was from the West, I'm from the East, so what?
website reports. Pedro said favourites. That's the whole point of it."
writing the screenplay of the But his latest produc- Songs he has come up with include Turbans over
film was quite easy. “Like my tion is a seasonal rocker Memphis. One lyric said: "I don't smoke dope, I don't
other film – Women on the which he hopes will pro- drink bourbon, all I want to do is shake my turban."
Verge of a Nervous Breakdown vide some good cheer to In the highly competitive world of Elvis impersonators, he
– this film came easily, in one the yuletide festivities. stands out.
go,” he said. It's called Come on it's Christmas. Peter Singh has Once his photograph ended up on the front page of USA
written it himself. Today under the headline "Elvis dons a turban".
So if you have had enough of turkey this Christmas,
Depp most easily now try something with a curry flavour. The spice boy
first became a fan of Elvis after moving to Britain
from India in the 1950s. For a while he ran a takeaway
in Waun Wen called Graceland, named after Elvis's
career as an Elvis impersonator was born.
Backed by his group The Poppadoms, he performed
widely, and appeared on television, belting out Elvis-
autographing celeb home and burial place where you'd have found on the
menu a Love Me Tender burger, a Burning Love
Special curry and the set meal for one, Are You
Lonesome Tonight? But it was slipping into a white
sequinned jumpsuit that really made his name.
inspired hits such as Who's Sari Now? and My
Poppadom Told Me.
Peter also answers to the name of Turbanator, calls
Elvis "The King" and explains himself pithily: "I am
East meets West." For Swansea, he is someone who is
H
ollywood actor Johnny After the death of the King, much to the surprise of taking Swansea all over the world with a song and a
Depp has been declared his extended family, he began donning the rhinestone- turban. He had earlier paid a tribute to Elvis Presley
the most gracious studded white jump suit, diamante-studded turban to mark the 25th anniversary of The King's death at
celebrity for the third year in a and a belt with a buckle the size of nan bread. His new the club in Swansea's High Street.
row on Autograph magazine’s
annual list of the 10 best and 10
worst Hollywood signers. The
Pirates of the Caribbean star
has won this title because he
Sholay’s GP Sippy dead Jazz great
Oscar
L
always agrees to scribble his egendary Bollywood producer-cum-director G P Sippy,
autograph if a fan asks him for best known for his 1975 blockbuster Sholay , died here on
it,hollywood.com reports. “ He
likes to talk to fans and get to
Tuesday night after prolonged illness, his family said.
Sippy, 93, who had been suffering from age-related ailments Peterson
know them while signing, and
he’ll sign more than one item
when he has time,” said New
for the past few months, breathed his last around 10 pm. Scion
of a rich Sindhi family, Sippy’s career got a flying start with
the film ‘Marine Drive’ (1955). The same year he produced Adl-
no more
York autograph dealer Anthony Risi in the December issue of e-Jahangir with the star-cast of Pradeep Kumar, Meena Oscar Peterson, who
the publication. Matt Damon is second on the new list, fol- Kumari and Durga Khote. sat atop the world of
lowed by George Clooney, Jack Nicholson, Rosario Dawson, The fifties and sixties was a time of hectic filmmaking for jazz piano for
John Travolta, Katherine Heigl, Jay Leno, Dakota Fanning Sippy, when his banner produced memorable flicks like decades with his
and Russell Crowe, who was among the worst signers on last Shrimati 420 , Chandrakant , Light House , Bhai Behan and driving two-handed
year’s countdown. Andaaz. It stands to his credit that G P Sippy, besides produc- swing, has died. He
ing, also directed all of these films. was 82.
26 December to 01 January 2008 WORLD SIKH NEWS 24
1.866.FOR.RAJA
Raja ®
• Lunch
• Dinner
www.rajasweets.com
SWEETS & CATERING
• Catering
• Banquet
Special Discounts
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Call Makhan
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