Thursday, May 24, 2012

Mind Control

Here are three tips for tuning your mind:
  1. Gratitude and celebration. Be grateful for everything you have in your life, from the biggest to the seemingly insignificant. Celebrate every success. Get yourself a notebook and aim to write a minimum of 10 gratitudes a day.
  2. Focus. Focus on what it is that you really want. Be specific – what exactly is it and when do you want it by, realistically? Make time every day to focus on it. Convince yourself that you will have what it is you want. Leave no doubt in your mind. The how will take care of itself.
  3. Get inspired. Who has achieved what you want to achieve? What did they do and how? Read biographies and talk to people. Collect as much evidence as you can to back up your beliefs.

I WALKED ON FIRE!

I WALKED ON FIRE!

This is not a metaphor – I really walked on fire! I walked across eight feet of burning embers about 1000°C with 6,500 other people. I should have burnt – that’s the law of nature, isn’t it? 1000°C + human skin = burning
The thing is, I didn’t burn. Instead, I celebrated like a lunatic because at that moment I knew that I could accomplish anything I put my mind to.
It turns out that the mind is far more powerful than we ever imagined. If your mind can convince your skin that it’s walking over cool moss instead of 1000°C heat and therefore not burn, what else can it do? Just contemplate the meaning of this; your mind (yes, yours) can control what happens in your body. It can protect your body from harm as well as heal your body from illness and disease. Can you grasp the extent of power your mind has?

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Gurbani cured Cancer

 


Youtube Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxl2x2suK_M
Youtube Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISAirGhhSGI


Video available at http://www.sikhwisdom.com/Video.htm


When recitation of Gurbani cured me of deadly cancer, I experienced God.

If God is with me, who can be against me?

Not even the deadliest disease of cancer can take my life away and that is exactly the divinely inspiring message of the truly miraculous story of my victorious battle against bone
cancer which was medically diagnosed to be multiple myloma.

It was the continuous recitation of Gurbani that not only cured me of bone cancer that had already destroyed most of my bones in my skeleton, but also shattered my will to live. The blessings of Guru Granth Sahib not only triggered and accelerated the processes of complete and total cure in my body, but the Guru also enabled me to experience God. This also inspired me to pursue Nam therapy to totally and permanently get rid of otherwise fatal bone cancer.

Can Shabad-Kirtan and faithful recitation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib save me from fatal clutches of cancer?

Can such a miracle happen?

These were the posers that repeatedly crossed my mind and also dominated my dreams. Initially, I dismissed such ideas and being a science researcher with American educational background, I did not even believe in the existence of god. I have always been taught by my American scientists, teachers and professors that our life and the universe are governed by the irrefutable and irreversible laws of science and that God was nothing but a 'concept' or an illusion invented by timid and non-scientific minds. Hence, I have never been to any place of worship and also never prayed. But not anymore.

It was April 27th 2002 when three different teams of oncologists and hematologists from Mumbai, Surat and Ahmedabad presented me with the unanimous medical investigation reports based on their repeatedly unanimous findings, they passed their judgment with one voice that my life is going to end in a few days as the deadly cancer called multiple myloma has ruined most of my bones that are functionally vital for my survival. On April 29th , I had completed three and half years of painful life as a terminally bed-ridden cancer patient. I was slowly dying of cancer. The bony structures of my right ear had been eaten away by bone cancer that gave me total deafness in my right ear. Repeated audio graphs done by several E.N.T. surgeons proved beyond doubt that the decibel loss was irreversible and so immense that Dr. A.B.R. Desai in Mumbai, who is reputed to be the final authority on E.N.T. ailments, told me that there was something very tragically wrong with the bones in my right year and after trying several treatments, Dr. Desai told me that he has no medicine for my ailment and that I will never be able to hear with my right ear. The reputed E.N.T. surgeon Dr. Farida Wadia of civil hospital was of the opinion that if the loss of hearing in the right year was not due to nerve deafness and was really a symptomatic manifestation of some un-diagnosed ailment then the hearing will return after that un-diagnosed ailment is cured. Is she blessed with 6th, 7th and 8th sense? I guess say so because that is exactly how the events ran their course.

Dr. Farida Wadia was also using her imagination like telescope in time and exactly predicting things which were yet to come. Later, it was Dr. Kiran Shah, the senior most reputed oncologist hematologist in Surat who himself performed bone marrow analysis and gave me the shocking news that I am not only suffering from bone cancer called multiple myloma but the cancer has already destroyed much my vital bones. As per his advise, electrophoresis of the blood and MRI - [ magnetic resonance imaging] - of brain and skull as well as Citi Scan were also done at Mahavir General Hospital which confirmed beyond doubt that I am slowly but surely dying of bone cancer. I had been loosing appetite and had developed dislike for food. [anorexia nervosa] in between, I had also suffered from tumor on the right side of my head which gave me excruciating headache and giddiness. I lost orientation and would fall after walking for 30 seconds. As soon as cancer was diagnosed, I was immediately admitted to government civil hospital and six chemotherapy sessions were administered – one every 28th day. This further destroyed my appetite and all the hair on my head and body were gone. I suffered these agonies for more than three and half years when on April 27th 2002, three teams of doctors and oncologists advised me that I should prepare my will as I had only a few days left.

Now, this was the phase when the divine miracle began to take shape. It was Sardar Kesar Singh, the owner of reputed " Kwality Group of Hotels and Restaurants" in Surat and his son Sardar Manjeet Singh, who suggested to me that I should undertake a pilgrimage to the holy Golden Temple at Amritsar and offer Akhand Paath and Ardaas with complete faith and total devotion and pray before Sri Guru Granth Sahib to cure me of my cancer and bless me with good vibrant health and long life to remain in his service. I initially, took this suggestion very lightly and argued back that I do not understand Punjabi or Gurmukhi and would therefore, not follow any word of Sri Guru Granth Sahib and whatever brief knowledge of Sikhism and Sri Guru Granth Sahib I acquired was in April of 1999, when I wrote six researched articles on the 300 years of Khalsa celebrations published in the Indian press. But, Sardar Kesar Singh, who is also the president of Gurdwara at Udhana-Surat, convinced me that Sri Guru Granth Sahib's blessings are not restricted to those who speak or understand Punjabi or Gurmukhi. It is the faith and sincere devotion to the Guru which makes you worthy of his blessings.

I found Sardar Kesar Singh's advice very much inspiring. Moreover, my sister-in-law Miss Kunti, a staunch devotee of Sri Guru Granth Sahib and a faithful follower of principles of Sikhism since her childhood, was equally instrumental in motivating me to undertake this pilgrimage. She taught me the basic philosophy of Sikhism and brought me a copy of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in English. My mother-in-law Ms.Shanti Hotchand Khatri, have a separate room at their bungalows at Baroda where they offer prayers, Ardaas and listen to Shabad Kirtans every early morning. Their persuasion proved to be decisive.

So we left by Golden Temple Mail express train which departed from Surat at around 1-15 a.m. on April 29th 2002. We were received by the staff of Golden Temple and particularly Sardar Diljeet Singh Bedi who is in charge of liaisons with press and the public. Myself being a leading journalist, foreign-educated researcher and U.S.A. trained science writer, was given a VIP treatment and given accommodation in room no. 16 of Sri Arjan Dev Niwas. Since I had only a few days to live according to my doctors, they quickly made preparations for Akhand Paath and Ardaas after I paid Rs 2100 as fees. My wife Kanta, my daughter Halley and my brother-in-law's daughter Puja also sat with me. I was permitted to photograph and tape-record entire Akhand Paath as well as Shabad Kirtans which I wanted to keep listening till I was to breathe my last on my death - bed.

But I was never to be lying on my death-bed because the moment the Granthi started reciting the Akhand Paath , I began to feel streams of energy entering and flowing thru my body. It rose majestically from the pages of Shri Guru Granth Sahib like a serene cool flame of light entering my body through my fingers. The excruciating pain which I had suffered while struggling to reach the Golden Temple also disappeared. After 48 hours, I got up on my own two feet and began to feel and enjoy such vibrant health that I almost ran with joy towards Sri Arjan Dev Niwas and quickly climbed the stairs to my room no. 16. My appetite returned. I first took bath and then visited Jaliyanwala Bagh and then went to the 'Hotel Cityheart' and for the first time in three and half years I enjoyed a variety of Punjabi and Chinese foods which I had missed like deserts miss the rains.

We returned to Surat on 18th May 2002 and on 25th May again bone marrow analysis and electrophoresis tests were done on my body. No cancer was detected. Hence, to obtain second medical opinion, the samples were sent to Mumbai and Ahmedabad and medical doctors there also confirmed that the bone cancer is gone. My oncologist at Ahemedabad Dr. Pankaj Shah was preparing for stem cells transplant on me which was to have cost me Rs. nine lakhs. The entire medical world was taken by surprise. All doctors agreed that this is, indeed, a miracle because there is no medicine in Allopathy that can cure deadly cancer within 48 hours and effect a 180 degree change. The latest electrophoresis : serum protein test done is dated April 7th 2003 at Abha Clinical Laboratory. The doctors have signed this medical test report with comments: " no myeloma band."

I have preserved all the medical reports and x-rays done before and after the Akhand Paath and Ardaas at Golden Temple and they all tell the true story of my miraculous cure. Ever since this miracle, I am not only experiencing Guru's vibrations within me but also feel God's spiritual energy within me which inspires me and guides me in thought and deed, and vibrate in unison with him. I am joyfully back to " cheers and gears of life.", soulfully sharing my God-Given spiritual energy with those who love and faithfully listens to Guru Granth Sahib and enrich their mind, body and soul with divinely vibrant health.

Now, I am enjoying the life of guru-inspired faith and taking Sri Guru Granth Sahib and God as my constant companion. It is the miracle and the divine magnetic spell of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, which I also realized through Nam therapy that has not only blessed me with healthy life but considering my greatly vibrant health, spiritual strength and new youthful looks and glamorous shining black hair, the same oncologists tell me that I am totally free of all kinds of diseases. I myself feel so close to the Guru that something tells me that I will live for 125 years and remain in Guru's service and bring true love, happiness and inspiration to all my friends.

My life has taken a spiritual turn. I get sound sleep without any sleeping pills. Since 25th April 2002, I am no longer on any medicine. I read Nitnem and get sound sleep and get up early to read Paath and enjoy Shabad Kirtan on Punjabi TV channel. Guru's teachings have gone a long way in dispelling the darkness of ignorance. Guru has not only changed my destiny but made me a devotee with the faith that is not blind but enlightened.

So often, I see and meet Gurus in my dreams and they taught me a new healthy life-style to give happiness to others. I am never angry. I have no bad habits and always remain jovial. Now, my motto is: ' people enjoy the happiness they feel. But I enjoy the happiness I give. Guru's one of the teachings says : " Kirat Karani and Wand Chhakana." - meaning: earn the fruits of your hard work ‘Naam Japana’; and share your fruits with others with love. I believe in the sun even when it is not shining. I believe in love even when not feeling it. I believe in God even when he is silent. There is one God. God is truth. He is the creator of the universe and all beings. He is without fear and without hatred. He is the eternal being and the divine soul, birth less, self enlightened. He is enemy to none. Through grace of the Satguru he is met. Diseases and sins are destroyed by hearing the name of God says Guru Nanak. The Name, revealed to me by Guru's advice, is the breath of my life and the praise of the lord is my life's vocation. "Truth is great but greater than truth is truthful living." says Sri Guru Granth Sahib. The Khalsa belongs to [the wondrous guru ] God; all victory of is the victory of [the Wondrous guru ] Wahe Gurujika Khalsa- Wahe Guruji ki Fateh.


Mr Vasu Bhardwaj
Journalist, Science Writer, Corporate Analyst
701-Chinmaya Apartment, Anand Mahal Road, Behind Bhulka
Bhavan, Adajan, Surat, Gujarat-395009
Tel: 0261 – 2690033, 0261 - 224 00 99
Mobile: 09825113636
E-mail vasuamerica@yahoo.com

Friday, July 1, 2011

In Loving Memory of Shingara Singh





Bhai Shingara Singh (Birmingham) passed away last night. His nephew who looked after him went in to his room this morning and Bhai Sahib had already passed away. He was one the pioneers of Akhand Keertani Jatha UK. I have made an attempt to document his life.

  • He was 88 years old.
  • He was also known as Nihang Singh because he was one of the first people to wear baanaa in the UK.
  • He encouraged everyone to become shasterdharee.
  • He had a shaunk (interest) in shooting bullets and warfare, as he was of strong build.
  • When he was 14 he went to register for the army, they told him that he was too young, so he went back a couple of weeks later and lied and told them he was 16, so that he could join the army.
  • In the army he would go to sleep at 10pm and wake at 1am, without the help of anyone. Then he would recite Bani that he had kantt until sunrise. Banis such as Salok Mahalla 9 and Shabad Hazare.
  • He was always the first ready for army parade in the morning. He still didn't even have a beard then and was very young.
  • He still only slept about 3 hours a day.
  • The pind he was from was very chardi kala, his parents were Akaalis (believers in God) and so was the rest of the pind. When he was young he went to the local Gurdwara and heard some katha on Guru Nanak Dev Ji's coming into kaljug. He explained the Shabad, 'math dhaek bhooloo veesarae theyra chith naa avae naao'. From that day he started making greater efforts in his Sikhi.
  • He came to the UK in 1963.
  • He fought in the war in Burma. Here he said is where he got most of his Bani kantt, he said he got just as much Bani as he had in his previous life kantt very easily, and he even got more Bani kantt.
  • At one point he was arrested because one of the Hindu chiefs in the army was a sly person and got him arrested. He was sentenced to 2 months in prison. But once in prison he was standing in line for food, and one of the officers said something and Shingara Singh spoke back. The rule then was that you must wear full clothes and socks to prevent being bitten by the maccharr (mosquitos), even in the full heat. But he had his sleeves rolled up as it was too hot. So the officer told him to get down and do some press ups as punishment. He said 'No I am Khalsa, do you know what Khalsa is!?', the officer replied, 'I know very well what Khalsa is', Shingara Singh said 'No you don't, ajj pathaa lagoo gaa kee khalsa yaa, today you will find out what the Khalsa is, ajj theyraa sooth karnaa, today we will sort you out'. He chose not to eat until he gave the officer a good lesson. He was backed by another Gujrati who was in jail. That night he purposely wore fewer clothes so that the officer would get annoyed. An argument broke out, and Shingara Singh hit the guy on his back of neck. The guy fell to the ground and then he kicked him twice. They brawled and Shingara Singh ended up breaking his arm, dislocating his shoulder and smashing his skull. Then the other guard smacked Shingara Singh with lanterns on the head, the lanterns broke but Shingara Singh didn't feel anything, the other guards ran. As it was dark he couldn't find an escape route and was caught. He was punched and beaten and hit with stick in his thighs. But he said he didn't feel any pain as he was very strong. He said to me 'meara sareer lohay vangu see' his body was like iron.
  • He was imprisoned for 2 years for this. However, he used to read a lot of Bani and jap naam. He used to use a malaa to jap naam. When he got tired he wouldn't stop, but would stand up and carry on.
  • One night he was japing naam with mala, he fell asleep and the mala fell. That night he said Guru Gobind Singh came on his horse and told him 'ajj mafee milnee ya'. 'Today you will be freed'. So later that day, when there was the list being read out for people being freed, his name was also read out, even though he just begun his 2 year sentence. He told me how Guru looks after his Gursikhs.
  • He said that Guru Sahib never let his money run out, and that he always had too much, no matter how much he spent. His daughter worked in a bank, and she wanted some money from her dad. She checked in his account there was £250. So he wrote a cheque for £2000. Later they checked and there was £10000 in the account. Also in India he bought a tractor for many millions of rupees so that his nephew could start doing some labour and stay away from the drugs in Punjab.
  • His mamas daughter told him that she was very scared whenever she went to sleep. He told her to keep a big kirpan by her bedside to help. But later she told him that when she used to pray she would ask for riddhya siddhya (occult powers). He confirmed that was the reason of her fear, and explained that a Sikh should only pray and ask Guru for naam and the opportunity to get closer to God.
  • When he woke up for ishnaan he started by reciting 'Raamdas sarovar naathay', and 'Thathee vaao naa lagee' and many other shabads.
  • He spoke about the need for Amrit, talking about how a baby in Bhai Sahibs time died after receiving Amrit, and the soul came out and explained to the father that it was a very high sidh but couldn't get into Sachkhand because he had not received Amrit.
  • He explained that there are 3 bodies, the physical one, one that is 1 ft wider and the other 3 foot wider, called sukhsham sareer. He said after the body dies these other 2 bodies go with you. But a Gursikh should destroy all three bodies through japing naam.
  • When he came to England he said there were no Sikhs. They were all monay, and the monay ran the Gurdwaray too. He brought this up with the Gurdwara comitee but they didn't like him for that. And then he used to stand in the serving line for langar and when serving langar he used to do parchar at the same time.
  • He organised the first AKJ Amrit sanchar in the UK. He had brought a baataa over from India and had to hunt down big kirpana for the Amrit sanchar and got together the Panj. In that Amrit sanchar he said there was 2 very chardikala Guriskhs. One called Bhai Paramjit Singh, who when japs naam becomes light and his body floats to the ceiling.
  • He took Amrit in the amry, because to become a member the Sikhs had to be amritdhari. But he said that when he went for pesh at the AKJ Smagam in Jalandhar 'phaer gal banee'. And said the panj pyaray have to be kamayee vaalay. He said the Jathedar of the panj pyaray was Master Sunder Singh. Who was very chardikala. He would sit through keertan programs without moving a muscle.
  • He also expressed how important it is to do Sehaj paat, and that Akhand paats have become a business and there is little point of them. He said that once his daughter completed two sehaj paats and then she rung him and said that now she understands what bani is. He said that is because in a sehaj path it is at a pace were it's easier to understand the bani. He said a Singh of nowadays had Darshan of Guru Gobind Singh, and asked him about akhand paths, Guru Sahib explained that he did not start akhand paths and it was the Singhs afterwards.
  • He also said it is very important to do Ardas after Nitnem and reading Bani. As that way it is recorded. A Singh had Darshan of Guru Ji and Guru sahib told him to do Ardas after. The guy said he thought that it was ok not to because Guru is all knowing. But it is important to do the Ardas after reading Bani.
  • He was a strong believer in the power of aula/amla powder. As he has been taking it for the last 5 years. And said it benefits the eyes, gives strength and makes you youthful and energetic. He said this is one of the reasons why at his age, he still did not need to use glasses to read paat.
  • He explained how people will laugh and mock those that jap naam. And if this happens, accept it as a blessing as they are taking away your paap, and actually helping you. So continue to jap naam even more.
  • He said Gursikhs must live grishti jeevan. And earn living. Never to eat food that has been begged for, as Sikhs should have honour, and work hard for what they have. As Guru Nanak Sahib worked 18 years in the farms with crops, this was used for the langar.
  • He used to work 12 hours a day in factories when he used to work.
  • When in India he went to apply for a printing press job, it was night shift work. He met a mona who worked there and asked him his name. The mona said Gursharan Singh. Shingara Singh, said is that really, and what makes you a Singh, the puraatan Singhs had their scalps cut off and didn't ever cut their hair, and you have cut it yourself! After this Gursharan Singh kept his kesh and got into Sikhi. His family was so happy that they all went to thank Shingara Singh.
  • He said that this Sikhi is not just from this life, but he was also a very high spirit Khalsa in his previous life, that is why he has been blessed in this life.
  • Once some Muslims came to his house, handing out leaflets and religious text. He told them that he has read it; they said were have you read this? He asked them, do you know were God is? They said yes, he's up there, pointing to the sky. He said no, God is inside you, and he explained the character of God. They never came back again.
  • About Bibek, he said that Sikhs should keep some level of Bibek, as in eating from only Amritdharis. But then again he said that the person should be Nitnemi and a kamayee vaalaa Gursikh, otherwise that is going against the point of Bibek. So it is even better to make the food yourself and eat it.
  • When I met him he said that nowadays he was doing sehaj path everday from around 3pm-7pm followed by Rehras Sahib and sukhasan.
  • He had full larrivaar saroop parkaash at his home, and was a very good paati.
  • He stressed to me the importance of correct pronunciation, as to exaggerate the pronunciation in order to get it correct.
  • He also had senchees(in part) of Dasam Granth sahib at his home.
  • He had also read the Hindu scriptures.
  • He used to read a lot of books and was very knowledgeable. He told me that it is important to read everything so that you can make comparisons to Sikhi. And he also encouraged me to read the newspaper every day.
  • He was very much against akhand paths of nowadays, when people pay for them and do not listen to the path. He said it's more fruitful to do a complete sehaj path yourself. An example is one of his relatives in India was very ill. She started listening to full recitation, whenever she wanted to go to the toilet or eat she would tell the granthi to stop. And then continue on her return, so that she would be able to listen to the entire Guru Granth Sahib recitation. After this, all he illnesses disappeared. This being the power of Gurbani.


Written by Gurpal Singh (Bradford)

Monday, June 27, 2011

Religious discrimination: Indirect discrimination is lawful if it can be justified


Just read an interesting article on recent cases of religious discrimination in UK and how the judgement means they can be lawful if they can be justified. In the second case mentioned with regards to Dhinsa v Serco the employee wasn't allowed to wear Kirpaan yet a Sikh Chaplin is? Also the Kirpaan being an article of faith would not have posed the threat which is perceived when words such as knife are wrongly used as the Kirpaan would have been worn discretely concealed under clothing and not have been identifiable.

Religious discrimination: Indirect discrimination is lawful if it can be justified http://www.shoosmiths.co.uk/news/3624.asp

27 June 2011

Two recent cases demonstrate that where an employer can justify its actions and has acted reasonably it will not be liable for indirect religious discrimination.


Legal background

Under the Equality Act 2010 it is unlawful to:
  • treat an employee less favourably because of their religion or belief (direct discrimination); and
  • apply a provision, criterion or practice which puts someone at a particular disadvantage because of their religion or belief (indirect discrimination).
An employer has a defence to a claim of indirect discrimination (but not direct discrimination) if it can show that the treatment was a:
proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim (often referred to as “objective justification”).

Cases

In Cherfi v G4S Security Services Ltd, the Employment Appeal Tribunal upheld a tribunal’s decision that there had been no indirect discrimination where an employer required its employee to remain on site through his shift.
Mr Cherfi was employed as a security guard and, as a Muslim, regularly left the site half way through his shift on Friday to attend a mosque.
This practice was ended by G4S because they were contractually obliged to ensure that a specified number of security guards were present at the client’s site throughout the day.  They risked losing the contract if they failed to observe this requirement.
Mr Cherfi claimed indirect religious discrimination arguing that G4S's policy placed Muslims at a particular disadvantage.

The tribunal dismissed the claim holding that the requirement was a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim, namely the operational needs of the employer’s business: the financial implications for G4S of being in potential breach of contract justified the requirement.
The tribunal noted that there was a prayer room on site and that Mr Cherfi had been offered alternative work patterns which would have enabled him to attend mosque but he had turned these down.
Dhinsa v Serco was an employment tribunal decision concerning a Sikh prison officer who wished to wear a kirpan (a small ceremonial dagger worn in a sheath under clothes as one of the five "articles of faith" observed by Amritdhari Sikhs).

In that case, the tribunal held that a ban on prison officers carrying knives did not amount to indirect religious discrimination.
Although the policy was potentially indirectly discriminatory against Amritdhari Sikhs, it was justified because of the legitimate aim of ensuring safety and security within prisons.
The ban was also found to be proportionate: the employer had investigated the position carefully and confirmed their contractual obligations to their client before acting.

The employer, Serco ran the prison where the claimant worked under contact from the Prison Service.
There was evidence that Serco had not applied the policy "blindly" but had gone to considerable lengths to try and reach a mutually acceptable resolution to the issue.  It had had spoken to other prisons and a police constabulary about their approach to the kirpan and had sought clarification from its client (the Prison Service) as to what solutions (if any) might be available.

The tribunal was satisfied that had Serco breached the no knife policy this would have resulted in a financial penalty as well as undermining their own credibility as a contracted-out provider of prison services.
The employer had attempted to find a compromise, it suggested Mr Dhinsa wear a replica and had offered alternative work in the gatehouse, to which the ban might be temporarily disapplied, but both ideas were rejected.

Comment

In indirect discrimination cases a tribunal will balance the employer’s reason for its policy or requirement (the legitimate aim) against the detrimental impact on the individual.
An employer will also need to show that the action it took was appropriate and necessary in all the circumstances (i.e. it was implemented by proportionate means) and this usually boils down to being seen to be acting as reasonably as was possible.
Both these cases demonstrate how important it is for an employer not to impose any requirement or apply any policy rigidly without at least investigating whether a compromise might be possible.
Although religion and belief discrimination is a relatively new concept (only being introduced in 2003) the case law demonstrates a clear distinction between someone’s right to hold a belief or religion, which is a fundamental right that can not be interfered with and their right to manifest that religion or belief, which is not such an absolute right and may be modified by an employer’s own business requirements, reasonably imposed.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Sikh's in India 1984 speech by Senior Advocate Supreme Court of India Mr. Colin Gonsalves

Senior Advocate Supreme Court of India Mr. Colin Gonsalves speaking at the World Sikh Organizations annual commemoration dinner in Toronto, Canada. 

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

India Congress mixing Faith with Politics

As a Sikh we believe in concept of Saint Soldier, this literally means that faith goes hand in hand with politics. You cant live the life of a yogi in the mountains whilst the tyrants oppress the nation. Faith molds  us to become conscious human beings whom look after nature and each other yet the west in particular the secular media seems to suggest politics and faith should be kept at arms lengths of each other. I often feel if the state truly embraced the essence of faith and its teachings we would have a free and more fair society. 

The following article on The Wall Street Journal looks at the Congress Party of India and how it plays with religion for political gain, it focuses on the recent strife Ramdev yogi has found him self in. 
Until Saturday night, when one of India’s best-known yoga gurus escaped from a Delhi police crackdown in female clothing — setting off peals of laughter across the country — the ruling Congress-led government looked in danger of being caught in the catatonic thrall of saffron-clad godmen and women.
Instead, we can now credit Baba Ramdev with helping the Congress party rediscover its political spine. His use of unparliamentary language against senior party leaders; his welcoming to the stage of Sadhvi Ritambhara, a Hindu nun whose venomous tirades against Muslims climaxed during the demolition of the Babri mosque in 1992; and his accusation of “treachery” against the government’s interlocutors were more than the Congress party could bear, forcing it to reassert its authority, somewhat brutally, early Sunday morning.

http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2011/06/10/political-journal-how-not-to-mix-religion-and-politics/