Latest news with #AmritdhariSikh
Hindustan Times
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Rajasthan govt allows Sikh religious symbols during exams
The Rajasthan government has allowed Sikh candidates to appear in exams while wearing the five Sikh articles of faith (kakars), after outrage from the Sikh community over an Amritdhari girl being denied entry to the exam hall for wearing 'kakars', including 'kirpan'. President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Harjinder Singh Dhami, appealed to the Rajasthan chief minister to make special arrangements to allow Sikh candidates, who were unjustly barred from the exam, an opportunity to reappear in the exam. (HT File) Reacting to this, president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Harjinder Singh Dhami, stated that the government should have taken this step long ago. He appealed to the Rajasthan chief minister to make special arrangements to allow Sikh candidates, who were unjustly barred from the exam, an opportunity to reappear in the exam. Dhami said that under the Constitution, Sikhs already have the full right to wear a 'kirpan', and according to the Sikh 'rehat maryada' (code of conduct), no Amritdhari Sikh can be separated from the five 'kakars'. There are specific legal provisions for this, which are often ignored. He pointed out that despite widespread awareness of this, in the recent past, Amritdhari Sikh students have been forced to remove religious symbols at several places, and when they resisted, they were denied entry to the exams. The SGPC president also appealed to the central government to issue directives to state governments to safeguard the constitutional rights granted to Sikhs and to prevent such injustices against Sikh students. He stressed that clear instructions must be issued to examination authorities regarding Sikh 'kakars' during exam procedures. He said that strict action should be taken against officials who harass Sikh students in violation of the Constitution.
Time of India
27-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Akal Takht jathedar condemns denial of entry to Amritdhari Sikh candidate in Rajasthan high court exam
Representative Image AMRITSAR : The officiating Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj condemned the alleged denial of entry to an Amritdhari Sikh candidate, Gurpreet Kaur, from village Pheloke, district Tarn Taran, for wearing a kirpan while appearing for the Rajasthan High Court (Jodhpur) Civil Judge recruitment exam in Jaipur on Sunday. Terming the incident a grave violation of the Indian Constitution and an act of religious discrimination against Sikh s, Giani Gargaj asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Rajasthan govt how the party , which claims to be working in the interests of Sikhs, is safeguarding Sikh interests in practice. "The entire world knows that Amritdhari Sikhs wear the kirpan as a mandatory article of faith, yet Sikhs are repeatedly targeted in India for their distinct identity and beliefs," he said. He directed the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to immediately form a high-level joint delegation to meet with the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Rajasthan chief minister, and Registrar of the Rajasthan High Court to register a strong protest and ensure such discrimination is permanently resolved. If necessary, he added, the SGPC should consider filing a petition in the present case and collecting past cases in the Rajasthan High Court to seek a judicial remedy to protect the future of Amritdhari Sikh candidates. Jathedar Gargaj warned that if such challenges to Sikh identity and beliefs continue, the consequences will be more serious in the future. Therefore, resolving this issue urgently and permanently is essential, he said. Following the incident, an official of the Secretariat, Akal Takht, also shared details of the present incident with the Ex-Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, Iqbal Singh Lalpura, who confirmed that the Commission already issued directions that Amritdhari Sikh candidates are allowed to appear in competitive exams with the kirpan. Lalpura assured he would raise the matter again with the Rajasthan High Court Registrar.
Time of India
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Sikh candidate stopped from entering CET centre wearing kada let in after intervention
Hisar: An Amritdhari Sikh candidate was reportedly stopped briefly by security personnel at the entrance of a CET centre in Sector 16-17 here because of his 'kada', one of the five articles of faith (Panj Kakars) worn by initiated Sikhs. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Though Milanveer Singh was allowed to carry his 'kirpan', he was initially barred from entering the centre wearing the 'kada'. He then contacted Sardar Sukhsagar Singh, former head of Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha and a former member of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee. On receiving the call, Sukhsagar promptly arrived at the exam centre and informed the police officers that Amritdhari Sikh candidates are legally allowed to appear in exams with all five religious articles, including the kada, according to govt guidelines. Despite this, the security personnel remained adamant and refused him entry. To escalate the matter, Sukhsagar dialled emergency helpline 112. When additional police arrived, he asserted that preventing the Sikh youth from wearing the 'kada' was a violation of constitutional rights and religious freedom. He also attempted to contact the SHO of Civil Lines police station, but his call reportedly went unanswered. The police then consulted a senior officer on the phone and allowed him to speak with Sukhsagar. However, the officer also denied permission to wear the 'kada' during the exam. In protest, Sukhsagar began preparing to stage a sit-in outside the exam centre. Following further consultation with senior officers, the police finally allowed the youth, Milanveer, to appear for the exam wearing both his 'kada' and 'kirpan'. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Speaking to the media, Sukhsagar emphasised that initiated Sikhs have a constitutional right to wear their five symbols, just as married Hindu women have the right to wear a mangalsutra during exams. He criticised the police personnel for their lack of awareness and failure to follow official protocols, which caused unnecessary stress to the student and potentially affected his exam performance. Photo caption: The head of Gurdwara Shri Guru Singh Sabha, Sukhsagar Singh, speaks with police personnel at the exam centre
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Business Standard
28-06-2025
- Business Standard
Elderly Ludhiana couple dies by suicide after alleged harassment over EMIs
An elderly couple in Ludhiana died by suicide after allegedly facing repeated harassment and humiliation from bank officials, despite having repaid more than 55 instalments on their loan. The couple — Jasbir Singh (59) and his wife Kuldeep Kaur (58) — consumed poison inside their hosiery store, leaving behind a suicide video and note naming specific officials from IDFC FIRST Bank, The Indian Express reported on Saturday. Local police have registered an FIR for abetment to suicide against the bank's branch manager and two unidentified employees based on the video and statements from the couple's son. According to the police, the couple ran a hosiery and garments business under the name Panchratan Fashion in Gandhi Market Colony. On Wednesday, they consumed sulphas tablets inside their shop. Before taking the step, they recorded a video message detailing their ordeal, the report said. In the video, Singh, an Amritdhari Sikh, is heard saying, 'With immense grief in our hearts, we are leaving this world today... The officials from IDFC FIRST Bank and some other banks have humiliated me to such an extent that I have no other option… They did not even honour my white beard... I have already repaid 55 instalments of my loan and even then I was humiliated so much that it became unbearable. We are consuming sulphas tablets to end our lives.' He further said, 'My family is very nice, they respect me a lot. I know my son, daughter and grandchildren will be saddened but it is our compulsion now to take this step.' Son alleges over 200 harassment calls, threats by agents The couple's son, Gagandeep Singh, told the police that they had availed a loan of approximately ₹2.35 crore–₹2.38 crore against property from a private bank to support their business. While they had repaid 55 EMIs — totalling over ₹1 crore — a delay in the current month's payment allegedly triggered relentless harassment. He claimed the bank's recovery team made over 200 calls daily and even visited their shop and residence in Harbanspura. 'They misbehaved with my parents and even threatened me when I intervened,' he said. On Thursday morning, Gagandeep found his parents unconscious and rushed them to DMC Hospital, where they were declared dead. Suicide note details threats, abusive behaviour Police confirmed that a handwritten suicide note was recovered from the scene. The note corroborates the contents of the video, citing mental harassment and threats from bank officials. It also warned that their home was at risk of being taken over. SHO Gagandeep Singh from Division No. 4 police station said the bodies have been sent for post-mortem and an investigation is underway. Additional DCP-1 Sameer Verma confirmed that an FIR had been lodged against Naresh Sharma, branch manager of IDFC FIRST Bank at Feroze Gandhi Market, and two unidentified employees. The case has been registered under sections 108 (abetment to suicide), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 3(5) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Indian Express report said.
Indian Express
27-06-2025
- Indian Express
Elderly couple dies by suicide, names bank in video note: ‘Leaving this world with a heavy heart… bank officials humiliated us'
An elderly couple from Ludhiana died by suicide after allegedly being harassed and humiliated by bank officials despite having repaid over 55 loan installments, police said on Thursday. The couple left behind a video message naming officials from IDFC-FIRST Bank, prompting the police to register an FIR for abetment to suicide. The deceased were identified as Jasbir Singh, 59, and his wife Kuldeep Kaur, 58, who ran a hosiery business and owned a shop, 'Panchratan Fashion', in Gandhi Market Colony, Ludhiana. According to police, the couple consumed sulphas tablets at their shop on Wednesday and recorded a video message on their phone before ending their lives. In the video, Jasbir Singh is seen with his wife, saying: 'With immense grief in our hearts, we are leaving this world today. I am an Amritdhari Sikh. The officials from IDFC-FIRST Bank and some other banks have humiliated me to such an extent that I have no other option… They did not even honour my white beard. I have already repaid 55 instalments of my loan and even then I was humiliated so much that it became unbearable. We are consuming sulphas tablets to end our lives.' He added, 'My family is very nice, they respect me a lot. I know my son, daughter and grandchildren will be saddened but it is our compulsion now to take this step.' Based on the suicide video and the statement of their son Gagandeep Singh, the police have booked Naresh Sharma, branch manager of IDFC-FIRST Bank, Feroze Gandhi Market branch, and two unidentified bank employees. Gagandeep told the police that his parents had taken a loan of Rs 2.38 crore for their hosiery and garments business. Though they had repaid 55 instalments amounting to over Rs 1 crore, the current month's EMI was delayed due to financial difficulties. 'The bank manager and his colleagues began harassing my parents over the phone and even visited their shop to threaten them,' he told the police. Additional DCP-1 Sameer Verma confirmed that the police had registered a case based on the family's complaint. 'The couple had already repaid 55 instalments. They left behind a video message alleging continued harassment by bank officials. We have registered an FIR against the bank manager and his two colleagues,' he said. The FIR has been registered at Division Number 4 police station under sections 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 108 (abetment to suicide), and 3(5) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). No arrests had been made till the time of filing this report.
