December 2011 Archive

Evidence of Impunity: Records of Indian police declare 24 cases of 1984 violence as untraceable

Ludhiana (December 13, 2011): Professor William A. Schabas, an International Law Scholar and Chairman of Irish Centre for Human Rights, had observed in his work: ...

Sikh media raised the issue of homeless Punjabi Youth in Southall, London

London, UK (December 12, 2011): Many homeless persons spent chilling nights of December on footpaths of Southall city, near London. Sikh Channel, one of the two community channels of Sikhs in UK, raised this issue through street journalism and raised the concern of these homeless people.

Rights and wrongs; Dr. Binayak Sen and Ilina Sen on Jaswant Singh Khalra Centre for HR Defenders

Jaswant's painstaking research led him to files from the municipal corporation of Amritsar which had information like the names, age and addresses of thousands of Sikhs who had been killed and illegally cremated by the Punjab Police. CBI investigations later revealed that Jaswant was held and tortured at a police station in Tarn Taran and subsequently four police officers were indicted for his kidnapping and murder.

Seminar in UK lambasted SAD and the Congress for inducting rights violators in their party ranks

London, England (December 11, 2011): To highlight the human rights conditions of ethnic and religious minorities in India, the Dal Khalsa’s UK chapter organized a seminar on “Whither Human Rights in India’ at Southall in UK on Sunday.

Refusal by many to share dais with Jagdish Tytler forced him to withdraw his name

New Delhi, India (December 11, 2011): Protesting over the name of Jagdish Tytler among the awardees for Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Award, journalist Zafar Agha and Social worker Shabnam Hashmi, on 7th of December 2011 refused to accept the award and even attend the award function. The award was to be presented on December 10, 2011 in a function to be organized at India Islamic Cultural Centre here in New Delhi.

Dal Khalsa’s Memorandum to HRW on World Human Rights Day 2011

On the occasion of 63rd World Human Rights Day, Dal Khalsa provides a comprehensive, though not exhaustive list, of violations of human rights of ordinary people, unionists and political activists in Punjab at the hands of the already tainted Punjab police in the year 2011. Similar incidents have taken place in the last three years too.

Sikh body writes to HRW cataloging incidents of rights violations of past one year in Punjab

Amritsar (December 10, 2011): Taking up the cases of the denial of civil liberties of common citizens in addition to political dissenters, the Dal Khalsa on Saturday invited the US-based Human Rights Watch to probe “the continuing abuse of human rights in Punjab.”

Undertrials in Nabha jail to go on hunger strike

Ludhiana (December 09, 2011): Sikh under-trials lodged in maximum security jail, Nabha (Punjab) would proceed on indefinite hunger strike beginning December 10 – observed as ...

Sikh attacked at Fresno airport, Sikhs in deep shock

Fresno, California (December 8, 2011): A 56 year old Sikh preacher, S. Anup Singh was attacked by a 26-year-old white man named Mitchell Dufur at ...

India Islamic centre condemned for hosting Maulana Jauhar Award to Tytler

Maulana Mohd. Ali Jauhar Award to Jagdish Tytler, an accused of 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom, is an insult to the award. Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar was a key figure of the Indian freedom movement, a leader of the Khilafat movement and one of the founders of Jamia Millia Islamia. Hence, it is sad that the name of Maulana Mohd. Ali Jauhar is being misused. We are sure this is not how he would have liked his name to be remembered, and that he would not have approved of being used to white-wash the sins of a politician who was part of communal violence and mayhem in the capital of India.

SCI’s decision would impose blind impunity zone in Punjab: SSF

Patiala (December 08, 2011): Sikh Students Federation has raised it’s grave concern over Supreme Court of India’s decision in the case of enforced disappearance of three relatives of Professor Devender Pal Singh Bhullar and has term the decision as most unfortunate. Supreme Court yesterday set aside the Punjab and Haryana High Court order directing CBI inquiry into the matter, on mere ethical ground that High Court judge ordering the inquiry had certain reason for prejudice against one of the accused police officer.

Two decades of impunity: SCI set aside CBI probe against police officers accused of practising enforced disappearances

New Delhi, India (December 07, 2011): The Supreme Court of India today quashed a Punjab and Haryana High Court order directing the CBI to investigate the enforced disappearance of three innocent Sikhs, including son of a former IAS officer and the father and uncle of Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, in 1991.

Pre-Trial stay in Professor Bhullar’s relatives’ disappearance case: SCI may pronounce decision on 7 December

New Delhi, India (December 06, 2011): Supreme Court of India may pronounce it's decision in case related to killing of father, uncle and friend of Professor Devender Pal Singh Bhullar. Senior Police officers, including IPS (Indian Police Services) officers are facing the charge. Professor Bhullar's father, uncle and friend were abducted by Punjab Police in 1991 and were never heard upon thereafter, a CBI investigation, carried under the directions of Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2008, has revealed.

Bakhshish Singh and three others acquitted by Samana Court

Samana, Punjab (December 06, 2011): A Samana court today acquitted Bakhshishs Singh alias Baba and three others, two were flasely charged as suspected suicide bombers, of charges of alledgely plotting to kill Dera Sauda Sirsa head Gurmit Ram Rahim, who is facing charges of murder and rape in a CBI court.

Badal receives Fakre-e-qaum; Gaini Gurbachan Singh has written a black chapter in the history- Sikh bodies

Amritsar, Punjab (Decmber 05, 2011): Despite stong opposition from a large section of the Sikh nation, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has been honoured with title “Panth Rattan - Fakhar-A-Qaum” award by the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib, Amritsar and others today at Amritsar. Jathedar (Chief) of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib Giani Gurbachan Singh, who is appointed by Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC), controlled by Badal Dal, presented the award to Chief Minister in the Golden Temple complex in the presence of Chiefs (Panj Singh Sehban) of all the Takhats.

SGPC’s committee submits report for construction of memorial for Ghallughara June 1984

Amritsar, Punjab (December 02, 2011): A committee constituted by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is reported to have finalized the palace to build a memorial for attack on Darbar Sahib, Amritsar (also called the Golden Temple of Sri Amritsar) by Indian Army in June 1984, which was code-named by Indian State as "Operation Blue Star".

Sikh Coalition Leads National Alliance Demanding US TSA Audit

Washington, DC, (December 1, 2011): A diverse coalition of 38 civil rights organizations led by the Sikh Coalition is demanding an independent audit of the ...

Amitabh Bachchan writes to Sri Akal Takhat; After 27 years denies charges of instigating violence against Sikhs

Amritsar (December 01, 2011): Indian Film Industry's star Amitabh Bachchan is accused for instigating violence against the Sikhs by raising anti-Sikh slogans on Government Television (Door Darshan) in November 1984 after the assassination of Indian Prime Minister 1984, while he was attending Indira's funeral. Such accusations were levelled against him since last 27 years, but now he is facing a criminal complaint in Australia under Universal Jurisdiction laws.

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