Latest news with #NagarKirtan
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Will take legal action against breakaway faction for misusing party's name: SAD
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday announced to initiate criminal proceedings against leaders of the breakaway faction for allegedly using the party's name, noting the Akali Dal is a registered and recognised party with the Election Commission under a 1996 notification. The SAD also thanked party workers who led the fight and forced the AAP government to withdraw the land pooling policy, and announced a thanksgiving event at the Akal Takht on August 31 under the leadership of president Sukhbir Singh Badal. The party said it would not step back from protecting the interests of Punjabis. Claiming that 100 per cent of the party's delegates are with the SAD and not a single member is with the breakaway faction, senior SAD leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema alleged. The breakaway faction misused the SAD's name despite not participating in the membership drive, where every member paid Rs 10 for five years membership as per the party's constitution. The breakaway faction has no right to call any meeting 'a SAD delegates' session' and could face charges of fraud and forgery, he warned. Calling the faction's actions illegal and unconstitutional, Cheema said, 'The SAD is consulting legal experts to file a criminal complaint.' He accused the breakaway faction president, Giani Harpreet Singh, of defying the December 2, 2024, order of the Akal Takht, directing all factions to merge into the SAD in the interest of the Panth. Instead of complying, Giani Harpreet opened a new front. For a person who served as Jathedar of the highest Sikh authority, it is unfortunate that he is not following his own directions, Cheema said. Appealing to the media, Cheema said, 'It is completely wrong to call Giani Harpreet Singh the SAD president. This sends a wrong message to the people.' Responding to a question, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami criticised Giani Harpreet Singh's reported statement about capturing the SGPC, calling it an attempt to harm the honour and history of the Sikh institution. Dhami said, 'SGPC is a body that serves with the leadership given by the Sangat. If someone wants to serve, they should win elections, not resort to unethical remarks.' 'SAD is the only Panthic party. One should move towards unity, not division,' he added. Itinerary of Nagar Kirtan for 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur released SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Tuesday announced details of events for the 350th martyrdom anniversary of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur. A Nagar Kirtan on the theme 'Dharam Het Saaka Jini Keeya' will start from Gurdwara Dhobri Sahib in Assam on August 21 and will conclude at Sri Anandpur Sahib on November 23 after passing through 20 states. The first 10 days will cover routes from Dhobri Sahib to Siliguri (Aug 21), Malda (Aug 22), Kolkata (Aug 23-24), Asansol (Aug 25), Jamshedpur (Aug 26), Ranchi (Aug 27), Takht Sri Patna Sahib (Aug 28), Sasaram (Aug 29), Varanasi (Aug 30), and onward from August 31. A second Nagar Kirtan will start from Gurdwara Sri Matan Sahib, Jammu & Kashmir, on October 5, and a third from Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib, Delhi, on November 25; both will conclude at Sri Anandpur Sahib. The SGPC will also organise Gurmat Samagams, a poetry event, and interfaith gatherings in different parts of India. Booklets on Guru Tegh Bahadur's life and contributions were released in Punjabi, Hindi, and English, with translations into other languages also planned. Dhami criticised Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Harmeet Singh Kalka for announcing events independently instead of coordinating with the SGPC, saying such matters should be discussed jointly.
CTV News
01-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Thousands attend Khalsa Day festivities in Regina, marking new year for Sikh community
In celebration of the new year for the Sikh community, different practices and performances took place at this year's Khalsa Day in Regina. (Sierra D'Souza Butts / CTV News) Thousands of people across the province came out to celebrate the annual Khalsa Day festival at Regina's Wascana Park on Saturday. Starting off with a parade, the all-day event marks the new year for the Sikh community through different cultural performances, practices, and activities. 'The official word of the parade is Nagar Kirtan. Nagar means 'city,' and Kirtan means to 'sing the hands of God,'' explained Manmeet Singh, general secretary and spokesperson for Sikh Society of Regina. 'What we are doing here is we are telling people that we are here. We are your neighbours, we belong here, and we all belong to the same human race.' With the event being open to the public and continuing to grow in size every year, Singh said educating others about Sikh traditions is a significant part of the festivities. 'A lot of people don't know about Sikhism. We are fairly new in terms of how old the religion is. Our religion is only 500 years old,' he explained. 'People [may] think we are from a religion or a place that [goes back a long time] which is not the case. We are actually the religion that prophecies the quality of both men and women and equality of all. Nagar Kirtan is saying no matter where you come from, who you are, we are all children of the God.' Aside from small businesses and local vendors, officials from the Government of Saskatchewan, the NDP, the City of Regina, along with members of the Regina Police Service and Regina Fire & Protective Services were in attendance. 'We hope that people take this opportunity to learn more about the Sikh faith, and we are able to portray we are good neighbors and outstanding members of the community,' he said. 'We participate together and bring oneness.' Organizers estimated over 15,000 people attended Saturday's event.
CTV News
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
‘It's just awesome': Saskatoon celebrates Nagar Kirtan
Over 10,000 people made their way to Saskatoon's Lions Century Park on Sunday to celebrate Nagar Kirtan. The Sikh holiday is an opportunity for those in the community to gather, worship, sing, and celebrate their faith. 'We commonly get together, share values. And every person is more than welcome without any cause or creed, and everybody is celebrating this culture,' Balpreet Singh, President of Sikh Temple West, Saskatoon, said. While the holiday is celebrated across the globe, this particular event has been recurring annually in Saskatoon since 2017. 'It feels great; it's just awesome how people can come together and make this event a success. Everything you see here is volunteer based. All the food stalls are free, and that's an amazing part of it,' Jagmeet Bajwa, one of the event organizers, said. A major part of the celebration is the Guru Granth Sahib Procession, which features the holy scripture of Sikhism carried on an elaborately decorated float and paraded through the community. Over 10,000 people made their way to Saskatoon's Lions Century Park on Sunday to celebrate Nagar Kirtan. (Hallee Mandryk/CTV News) Bajwa shared that this emphasizes the focus of the day on the core values and beliefs of Sikhism. 'When people go home today, they will take away a memory or lesson, or they will just remember the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib,' Bajwa said. Singh said this day is something many people in the Sikh community look forward to every year. 'People are very excited. There are religious activities, there are cultural activities... free food served. And everybody enjoys the day; it's a nice summer day today,' Singh said. Many of those in attendance are far from home. Bajwa added that this is one of the many reasons being able to gather as a community is especially important around the holidays. 'It's important to make them feel at home when they are far away from their dear ones. This is driven by brotherhood, so that's why it's very important,' Bajwa said.
CTV News
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Calgary Sikh community celebrates with annual Nagar Kirtan parade through northeast
Tens of thousands of Calgarians are attending Nagar Kirtan, one of the largest parades in the city Saturday. The event started at Dashmesh Cultural Centre at 10 a.m. and goes to Prairie Winds Park. 'Nagar Kirtan is basically a celebration of the Khalsa (or Sikh nation),' said Talvir Singh, team lead for the parade. 'This is a time when we can get together as a community and do Kirtan – just do favours for each other.' 'Everyone is more than welcome and just come together and share with love and compassion for everyone,' Singh added. Singh said the parade in Surrey B.C. broke the world record, so he was expecting a huge turnout for Saturday's event -- because it's for everyone. Talvir Singh Talvir Singh says everyone is welcome at the Nagar Kirtan parade Saturday in the northeast. (CTV News Calgary) '(It's) for the community,' he said. 'Anyone that wants to enjoy the Kirtan, enjoy the company of everyone – come out, maybe even ask what the celebration is for, get a better understanding (of Sikh culture and tradition), and just overall, there's a lot of ways to connect with the community. 'Just get to know more people.' Singh said it's a good time to have a parade, because the world needs one. 'I feel like especially now, after so much has happened after COVID and all of that, it really helps bring the communities together,' he said. 'Especially (to raise) the awareness in Calgary, where's such a diverse community. 'It really allows for everyone to come to celebrate each other's religions, the diversity that we have, as Canadians – that's the one thing we're known for: embracing all differences." With files from CTV's Tyler Barrow
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Over 2,000 expected at Sikh parade in New Brunswick despite safety concerns
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel An annual Sikh parade in Moncton, New Brunswick, has received official permission to proceed after concerns were raised online about traffic and public safety. The event, organized by the Maritime Sikh Society , is set to take place on May 11 outside of Moncton. It marks the fifth year of the religious procession, named 'Nagar Kirtan,' celebrated by the Sikh this week, social media posts questioned whether the rural area had the capacity to safely host such a large event. Concerns were mainly due to road closures and the ability of emergency services to respond during the parade. It also expressed concern that the event fell on Mother's Day, a busy day for business owners in the Read: Alberta oil jobs take a hit as Cenovus Energy announces new layoffs The provincial Department of Transportation and Infrastructure confirmed that it reviewed the parade's traffic control plans after the public outcry. The department approved the necessary road closure permit after discussions with organizers and local Singh, a representative of the Maritime Sikh Society, said they had been working closely with officials from the beginning. 'We had proper traffic control plans in place, with volunteers and safety officers ready,' he said. He added that the event promotes peace and Read: Canadians, don't travel to the US before reading this, new measures could ruin your travel plans Public Safety Minister Kris Austin also commented on the issue. He said that while cultural celebrations are welcome, public safety must always come first. 'When concerns are raised, it's our duty to look into them seriously,' he event is expected to draw more than 2000 people across the region. Organizers say they are committed to holding a safe and respectful celebration.
