Sikhs demonstrate against Indian national posing as Sikh saint

[Neo]

Friday, May 25, 2007

Sikhs demonstrate against Indian national posing as Sikh saint

LAHORE: Many Sikhs staged a demonstration in front of the Lahore Press Club (LPC) on Thursday to condemn the ‘blasphemous’ act of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, an Indian national who tried to copy the 10th Sikh Guru, Goband Singh Ji.

The demonstrators blocked the road in front of the LPC for about half an hour and burnt an effigy of Rahim, demanding that the Indian government take stern action against him. The demonstration was followed by a press conference under the banner of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC). PSGPC President Sardar Bishan Singh said that Sikhs were a peace-loving nation, but would not allow anyone to conspire against them and insult their saints. He warned that the Sikhs would deal with the situation by themselves if the Indian government did not take appropriate action.

He said that the Akal Takht in India had issued a charge sheet against Rahim, directing him to apologise and leave Haryana before May 27, otherwise he would be responsible of consequences.

The PSGPC president added that Rahim had conspired against all three major religions (Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism) of the subcontinent in the name of inter-faith harmony and claiming that he belonged to all the three religions. He said that Rahim had borrowed his first name from Sikhism, the second from Hinduism and third from Islam.

Sardar Sham Singh alleged that Indian agencies were backing Rahim and were involved in fanning religious hatreds and ambiguities. He said that some elements were trying to eliminate jihad from Islam and trying to hurt the religious sentiments of followers of other religions too. He added that jihad was essential for the protection of faith in today’s world.

Former PSGPC president Sardar Sham Singh, Sardar Mastan Singh, Sardar Rawel Singh and Dr Sahab Singh were also present on the occasion.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...-5-2007_pg7_42

[Bull]

What has this got to do with 'Indian national'...another act of state terror..or was it a RAW agent trying to tarnish the minority sect again. uffffff

[Asim Aquil]

It's stated INDIAN national because the protests were held in Pakistan.

[Bull]

Originally Posted by Asim Aquil

It's stated INDIAN national because the protests were held in Pakistan.

Whatever.....

[con]

Originally Posted by Neo

Friday, May 25, 2007

Sikhs demonstrate against Indian national posing as Sikh saint

LAHORE: Many Sikhs staged a demonstration in front of the Lahore Press Club (LPC) on Thursday to condemn the ‘blasphemous’ act of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, an Indian national who tried to copy the 10th Sikh Guru, Goband Singh Ji.

The demonstrators blocked the road in front of the LPC for about half an hour and burnt an effigy of Rahim, demanding that the Indian government take stern action against him. The demonstration was followed by a press conference under the banner of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC). PSGPC President Sardar Bishan Singh said that Sikhs were a peace-loving nation, but would not allow anyone to conspire against them and insult their saints. He warned that the Sikhs would deal with the situation by themselves if the Indian government did not take appropriate action.

He said that the Akal Takht in India had issued a charge sheet against Rahim, directing him to apologise and leave Haryana before May 27, otherwise he would be responsible of consequences.

The PSGPC president added that Rahim had conspired against all three major religions (Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism) of the subcontinent in the name of inter-faith harmony and claiming that he belonged to all the three religions. He said that Rahim had borrowed his first name from Sikhism, the second from Hinduism and third from Islam.

Sardar Sham Singh alleged that Indian agencies were backing Rahim and were involved in fanning religious hatreds and ambiguities. He said that some elements were trying to eliminate jihad from Islam and trying to hurt the religious sentiments of followers of other religions too. He added that jihad was essential for the protection of faith in today’s world.

Former PSGPC president Sardar Sham Singh, Sardar Mastan Singh, Sardar Rawel Singh and Dr Sahab Singh were also present on the occasion.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...-5-2007_pg7_42

And what has jihad in Islam has to do with Sikhs fighting among themselves?
What a report.

[Neo]

Monday, 28 May 2007

India sect apologises over advert

A religious sect in the Indian state of Punjab has apologised after its leader was accused of blasphemy against Sikhs.
The leader of the Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) appeared in an advert dressed like Guru Gobind Singh, one of the Sikh religion's most revered figures.

The sect has now apologised to the Guru Gobind Singh directly.

The incident led to a general strike earlier in May, and clashes between Sikhs and members of the sect in which at least one person died.

A deadline set by Sikh leaders for DSS sites to be shut has passed with no reports of violence.

'Humanity's sake'

The sect office issued a statement on Sunday saying "our Guru says it's unimaginable for him to imitate Guru Gobind Singh".

"We have already expressed regret in this connection, but for humanity's sake we apologise to the true guardian of spirituality, the all-encompassing, the all-giving Guru Gobind Singh, so that peace returns to Punjab, Haryana and the country," the Indian Express newspaper quoted from the statement.

The sect claims it has 20 million members worldwide and says it is not a religion but a humanitarian organisation caring for its devotees.

Analysts say the conflict between the DSS and Sikhs has to be seen in the context of state elections held in Punjab in February.

Then the sect leader issued a public appeal for people to vote for the Congress party.

Religious sects have traditionally been subtle about their support for political parties - they have usually issued internal appeals asking their followers to vote for the political party of their choice.

Most Sikhs in Punjab support the state's governing party, Akali Dal.

Some analysts say Sikh leaders, angry at the direct intervention by the DSS in the elections, seized the opportunity to whip up popular sentiments of their community against the sect.

Although peace has prevailed in the state for the last decade or so, in the 1980s and the 1990s, Punjab was the site of a violent insurgency by Sikhs who desired an independent homeland.

In 1984 Indian security forces killed many Sikh militants after they seized the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the Sikh religion's most important site.

In revenge, Indira Gandhi, the then-prime minister, was shot dead by her Sikh bodyguards.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6697323.stm