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  1. On the 27th of jan, the bbc asian network invited amitabh bachchan for an interview/show whatever it was. Some time in december early jan, the public could book tickets to be a part of the audience. Did anyone from here go? Bachchan has some serious allegations against him as well as a court case pending in New York regarding his role in the 84 genocide. Namely, inciting genocide on door darshan with slogons of "khoon ka badla khoon". As far as im aware, 4/5 years back sajjan kumar was refused entry into the UK because of his alleged involvement in the genocide. So why is this case any different? Is it because we made a big deal of it back then, contacted our mps etc and therefore the gov under pressure refused him entry? Should we be doing something about this? Complaining to the bbc/ gov/ whoever? I've sent a complaint to the bbc, pretty straight forward simple enough to do. Follow: https://ssl.bbc.co.uk/complaints/forms/?reset=#anchor What are your thoughts?
  2. Indian Government Makes Committee to Analyze 1984 Sikh Victim Cases NEW DELHI, India (December 24, 2014)—On Tuesday the Indian government constituted a committee to look into various grievances of the 1984 Sikh pogrom victims. The statement said, “The ministry of home affairs has been receiving a large number of complaints from various individuals in the matter of 1984 ‘riots.’ The team will look into their grievances.” The committee consists of retired Supreme Court judge Justice G.P. Mathur as the chairman, and J.P. Aggarwal as joint secretary in the ministry as a member secretary. The statement also read that the committee would look over the usage of payment of enhanced indemnity of 5 lakh rupees for every person killed during the 1984 massacres as approved by the cabinet on December 10, 2014. The committee will also look further into the need for the Constitution of Special Investigation Team (SIT) for also investigating the 1984 massacre cases and submit their reports within three months. Source: http://www.sikh24.com/2014/12/24/indian-government-makes-committee-to-analyze-1984-sikh-victim-cases/#.VJrneF4Cbo
  3. The Widow Colony is an award winning 74 minute film (available to buy from http://www.SikhiStore.com) that takes an in-depth look into the lives of the widows of the Sikh men who were killed in the anti-Sikh massacre of November, 1984. The film, directed by Harpreet Kaur, explores the suffering of these women, their battle for justice and their struggle for survival in India. "The Widow Colony – India’s Unsettled Settlement" by Sach productions borrows its name from the settlement in Tilak Vihar, on the west-side of New Delhi, which is locally called the Widow Colony or Vidhva Colony. The film takes the viewer to the areas of Trilokpuri, Kalyanpuri, Sultanpuri and Mongolpuri, the same localities that suffered the major brunt of the Sikh killings in November of 1984. Along with the testimonies of the widows, supplemented with imagery of the killings and destruction that followed after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the film conveys the intensity of the tragedy that occurred 30 years ago. More information can be seen at: http://www.sikhistore.com/product/the-widow-colony-dvd/
  4. http://sikhsiyasat.net/2014/11/01/punjab-bandh-under-pressure-from-hindutva-forces-badal-govt-arrests-sikh-activists-genocide-victims/ Punjab Bandh: Under pressure from Hindutva forces Badal govt. arrests Sikh activists, genocide victimsAmritsar, Punjab: The Punjab police has reportedly launched arrest drive to defuse Punjab Bandh call by AISSF and other Sikh bodies to protest against denial of justice to the victims of November 1984 Sikh Genocide. Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) sources revealed that the Punajb police has arrested Sikh activitsts and victims/ survivors of Sikh Genocide 1984 in wake of 1 November Punjab Bandh (Punjab Shut Down) call. Sources told Sikh Siaysat News (SSN) that around 60 people have been arrested so far in Amritsar alone. Bibi Jagdish Kaur, Karnail Singh Peermohammad and others arrested by Punjab police to defuse Punjab Bandh Call The Amritsar police arrested AISSF president Karnail Singh Peermohammad along with Sikh genocide survivor Bibi Jagdish Kaur and around 40 more persons when they were marching towards Amritsar Railways station. Karnail Singh Peermohammad, Bibi Jagdish Kaur arrested by Punjab police [November 01, 2014] It is notable that BJP leader Lakshami Kanta Chawla had warned Badal government against Punjab Bandh. Hindutva leader had demanded that the Badal government should ensure that no disturbances are allowed in road and railway traffic. The Punjab Bandh or Punjab shut down call was given by All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) and victims-survivors of the Sikh Genocide 1984 as a token protest against denial of justice to the victims of Sikh genocide 1984. The organizers of the Punjab Bandh were appealing to all sections of the society to observe shut down and show sympathy with the cause.
  5. ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਖਾਲਸਾ, ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫਤਿਹ In 1984, India exposed its true nature and feelings towards Sikhs by carrying out Sikh genocide. Since then, hundreds of thousands of Sikhs have been slaughtered. Every day, Sikh injustice continues. Phase 1 of State Terrorism began in June 1984 with the Genocide of Punjab and Sri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar. Five months later, when the Sikh bodyguards delivered justice personally to Prime Minister Mrs Gandhi, Sikh genocide against innocent Sikhs was renewed. This led to mass violence against the Sikh population in Delhi and all over India. Phase 2 began on 31st October when the government used the hindu masses to slaughter Sikhs in cold blood. Hindu killer squads celebrate Sikh genocide. Was Indira Gandhi a corrupt, ruthless and evil military dictator? Yes... Indira Gandhi is most famous for her State of Emergency. On 12 June 1975 the High Court of Allahabad declared Indira Gandhi's election to the Lok Sabha void on grounds of electoral malpractice. The court thus ordered her to be removed from her seat in Parliament and banned from running in elections for six years. Within a few months, the president's rule was imposed on the two opposition party ruled states of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu thereby bringing the entire country under direct Central rule or by governments led by the ruling Congress party. Police were granted powers to impose curfews and indefinitely detain citizens and all publications were subjected to substantial censorship by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Indira Gandhi was dictator of India for two years. Indira Gandhi ended the emergency in 1977. She grossly misjudged her popularity by reading what the heavily censored press wrote about her and proceeded to hold elections, lost them, and was forced to step down. Indira Gandhi would later return to office. Since 1984, the Indian state has continued to carry out extra judical killings, deny Sikh's justice, undermine Sikh institutions, subvert the Sikh youth and back anti-Sikh organisations. We have made much more information available; http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_genocide/1984_delhi_genocide.html http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_genocide/human_rights.html
  6. For want of concrete evidence, a Delhi court on Wednesday acquitted four people, including three retired policemen, of murdering three men during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots here. Acquitting the then station house officer (SHO) of Nangloi, Ram Pal Singh Rana, then assistant sub-inspector Dalel Singh, then head constable Karam Singh, and a man named Satpal Gupta, additional sessions judge Kamini Lau observed: The material and evidence on the record does not bridge the gap between truth and reasonable doubt. The court also noted that the case was based on circumstantial evidence and the investigation had not been conducted professionally in the manner it ought to have been. It further said even the witnesses who should have been the eyes and ears of the court had failed to support the prosecution case. They had retracted from their earlier statements, it observed, adding that there was little that the state or the courts could do; and to shift the entire blame on the prosecution and the investigating agency would be highly unfair when the prosecution witnesses, the alleged victims on whose assertions the case has been registered, are themselves inconsistent and do not support their earlier versions. Noting with regret that there was little it could do in the absence of more proof, the court said it could not cull out a favorable judgment for the victims on the basis that this was a special case. Whether, it is an ordinary crime or a crime emanating due to communal frenzy, law does not make any distinction either in leading of evidence or in its assessment and the rule is one and only one namely, if depositions are honest and true and the witness so examined credible then a conviction can be even based on the sole testimony of such a witness, the court said. The three former police officers and Gupta were facing trial for the alleged murder of Sikh men Swaroop Singh, Amrik Singh and Trilochan Singh on the morning of November 2, 1984, at Nangloi in West Delhi. The case was registered on the recommendation of Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission, based on affidavits and statement that Gurbachan Singh, son of victim Swaroop Singh, had submitted in 1991. Prem Chand Jain and Ram Niwas Tunda were other accused; but proceedings against them were dropped when they died during the trial. http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/chandigarh/1984-anti-sikh-riots-four-acquitted/article1-1268025.aspx
  7. Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh Ensaaf is a nonprofit organization working to end impunity and achieve justice for mass State crimes in India, with a focus on Punjab. Ensaaf is proud to present The Last Killing, an original documentary that chronicles police whistleblower Satwant Singh Manak’s fight for justice for the survivors of ten victims of unlawful killings. May 23 2014, marks 21 years since the Punjab Police filed false cases against Manak to punish him for standing up for human rights. On April 2, Ensaaf helped Manak file an appeal to the Supreme Court. Join Manak and Ensaaf in the fight for justice by promoting the online release of The Last Killing. www.ensaaf.org
  8. Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh. Article from http://asrandhawa.wordpress.com/ (May 2, 2014) Australia made history when it welcomed a mass murderer from India Amitabh is an alleged mass murderer, a perpetrator of 1984 Sikh genocide. Today Australia has announced scholarship on his name, the day is not far when Australia may declare another scholarship to honor Adolf Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin and Goebals. If a mass murderer of India can be honored, why not Nazis? Amitabh the alleged mass murder couldn’t dare to enter in Princess theater but chose back door, made mockery of agitators on stage inside, protesting against him outside in the venue. Kaur, who lost members of her family for no fault of theirs, recollects the incident, “I watched the live relay on Doordarshan and saw Amitabh Bachchan shouting the slogan – ‘Khoon ka badla khoon se lenge!‘. And everyone who saw the live telecast would know how Amitabh Bachchan provoked the riots.” The violence led to huge personal loss for Kaur – her husband and son were murdered as she watched, killed by a frenzied mob inside her house in West Delhi on November 1, 1984. Sadly, she also lost her three brothers, who were burnt to death. Racial vilification is the term in the legislation of Australia that refers to a public act that encourages or incites others to hate people because of their race, nationality, country of origin, colour or ethnic origin. Public acts of this type are illegal according to e.g., the Racial Vilification Act 1996 of South Australia. So, why has Australia chosen to ignore its principles and embrace a man accused of instigating Sikh genocide?
  9. ਸਚੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਸਚੁ ਕਰਣਹਾਰੁ ਸਚੁ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸਚੁ ਟੇਕ ॥ True is the Creator, True is the Doer. True is our Lord and Master, and True is His Support. Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh. Guru Pyare SadhSangat Jio, Registered Charity Seva84 would like to share with you some of our recent work. On 21st December 2011 Akhand Path Sahib was aramb at Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj Sahib, Tilak Vihar for the blessings of: 1. Better standard of living for all victims of genocide and true ensaaf 2. Success of seva84 projects and for genocide survivors in Delhi who are currently living in appalling conditions 3. Ekta and chardi kala of the sikh panth Together with your support, Seva84 strives to provide these poor and needy Sikhs from genocide affected families with the things they need; Education, Healthcare and Employment to enable them to stand on their own two feet, become self sufficient and lift them self out of poverty. Our Seva84 projects are focused on Victims of 1984 Genocide, we are fully aware of their needs, and have had them observed and assessed by professionals – we have been given recommendations for successful projects accordingly. First Batch of Rickshaw Distribution http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs_xN2NIXM0 (Guru Sahib beant kirpa di naal a second batch will be distributed shortly to the most needy families within the colonies to make them self sufficient as they once were). For individual cases of those who were allocated rickshaws, please visit our facebook page (link below). Door to Door surveys and financial assessments was used to select the most needy families for rickshaws. Key persons in Delhi who work with survivors of genocide were also requested to recommend those who are in desperate need of employment, as well as a panel recommendation and selection team. The panel consists of representatives from all communities living within the colonies as this helps to avoid any bias. Education Matters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLOBDiqxWS4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLOBDiqxWS4 When children are not in school, they are exposed to drugs, which has already taken the lives of many first and second generations in the genocide colonies. Since making this video, Seva84 has supported the education of more families in need. The Aftermath – short film on how 1984 genocide survivors are currently living (in appalling conditions) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNGYNM4apOo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNGYNM4apOo Seva84 Projects are not quick and easy. There are deep rooted issues which require specialist help from specialist organisations whom we have, and are forging relationships with. With Guru Kirpa and your support, this seva has been possible. Despite having minimal income, we do our best to maximize output (benefit to the survivors of genocide currently living in deep poverty and squalor conditions). All members of Seva84 UK work unpaid on a volunteer basis to maximise the use of your donations. If you feel you can contribute to seva84 in any way either practically, financially or otherwise please do get in touch. We are a small team of sevadars and welcome any input from the sangat. Seva84 was initially designed to be inclusive, for all sangat contribute and better the lives of those who have already suffered, and continue to suffer below the poverty line. Once again, we thank Guru Sahib and Guru’s Sangat for making this seva possible. Related Links Below. Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh www.seva84.com www.justgiving.com/seva84 www.facebook.com/seva84online (you can join our page by clicking like ! )
  10. Bhai Iqbal Singh Bhatti on Hunger Strike at Jantar Mantar, Delhi for 38 Days now. His demands are 1)Release of Prof. Devinderpal Singh Bhullar 2)Punish those responsible for 1984 Sikh Genocide 3) Open a fast track court for achieving justice for 1984 Victims Show Your Support We support Bhai Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa
  11. Jaspreet Singh’s novel Helium confronts memories of the 1984 pogrom against the Sikhs. http://metro.co.uk/2013/11/26/jaspreet-singhs-harrowing-novel-of-genocide-in-the-wake-of-indira-gandhis-assassination-4201439/ In November 1984, after Indira Gandhi’s assassination, politicians of India’s Congress party directed mobs to burn alive as many Sikhs as possible. Members of parliament and cabinet ministers distributed kerosene oil and white phosphorous. Witnesses talked about the use of rubber tyres to trap the target, create thick clouds of toxins and facilitate combustion. I was a teenager in Delhi. A mob passed our block, attacking Sikhs on the street. We hid in a neighbour’s house. The few hours we were there fill a huge space in my mind. I’ve not been able to articulate those few hours, the burned remains of the books and buildings I saw later and the tiny particles of ash floating in the air. For years I tried hard to forget those moments. Raj, the narrator of Helium, faces a huge predicament. His own father, a senior police officer, facilitated the violence in November 1984. The police were under direct control of the government. Under the watchful eyes of the cops, a mob directed by senior Congress party leaders burned alive Raj’s beloved professor. Later, Raj asks a question, which may be significant to younger generations in India: How do sons and daughters deal with the crimes of their fathers? I wrote my first story, Arjun, in 2000. I had flown to San Francisco for a conference but skipped most of it and finished the first draft in 14 straight hours. Arjun is told from the point of view of a Sikh boy travelling with his mother and grandfather on the day of Indira Gandhi’s assassination. My plan was to allow Arjun to grow into a novel but when I picked it up, I felt a narrative crisis. Most known models were inadequate to narrate November 1984. I had to figure out a new way to write. Helium was a resolution of a creative crisis. In 2008, after finishing my first novel, I was invited to Delhi to work with HIV-positive orphans. They wanted ghost stories. After storytelling, I took long walks through the city and it was then the ghosts of 1984 returned. As I processed those Delhi experiences, walking with the ghosts, I started writing. Helium has a hybrid form to better access the pogroms of November 1984 and the years that followed. It let me reveal traces of the horrific. To do it otherwise – as in a human rights’ report – is a paralysing affair and affects our capacity as humans to engage fully with the crime of crimes. Helium’s hybrid form allowed me to pose questions such as: ‘What happened?’ and ‘What could have happened?’ It also allowed me to create distance. Despite all this, it was not easy to write. Helium involved a lot of research and is informed by survivor and relief-worker testimonials and is based on oral histories and private archives. These are stories of complicated grief and collective trauma. Unfinished mourning. Not just memory but post-memory and the transmission of trauma. It was not easy. Several times I tried to abandon the project. Helium (Publisher:Bloomsbury) is out now by Jaspreet Singh Books
  12. Some community leader apparently SUPPORTED Ron Leech comment, and threw in several remarks about SIkhs as well SEE http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=6e452021-c216-47ef-9701-da22ec1b9617&p=1 Last month, hundreds of Sikhs went to Parliament to demand that the government of India grant clemency for a convicted terrorist Balwant Singh Rajoana, who was the backup suicide bomber in the assassination of an Indian political leader. NDP justice critic Jagmeet Singh demanded the same thing in Ontario's legislature. Rajoana belonged to the banned Babbar Khalsa terrorist group, which fought in the 1990s for the establishment of a pure Sikh nation called 'Khalistan.' The movement called for the ethnic cleansing of the Hindu minority in India's Punjab state and was responsible for the bombing of an Air India jet which slaughtered 330 mostly Hindu Canadians. An Ontario MPP should be commenting on justice issues in Ontario, not using his status to stand up for convicted terrorists in a faraway land. Hundreds of Sikh Canadians happily protest in favour of this terrorist, but when have we ever seen large numbers of these people picketing on a purely Canadian issue? Shockingly, Pardeep Nagra, manager of employment equity at the Toronto District School Board, admits to having numerous discussions with youth about 'Khalistan' and sees nothing wrong with the concept. This may explain why some second generation Sikh Canadians are becoming brainwashed into supporting a genocidal ideology which is dead in the land of its origin. And ultimately, we Canadians are responsible for the presence of not insignificant numbers of people who reside here but dream of slaughtering people overseas.
  13. http://www.rediff.com/news/report/case-filed-against-manmohan-singh-as-individual-not-as-prime-minister/20130926.htm US court issues summons against the prime minister for crimes against Sikhs ahead of his arrival to meet US President Barack Obama. The Sikhs for Justice, a New York-based organisation, has filed a civil case against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who arrives in the United States today, 'for his role in crimes against humanity perpetrated upon the Sikh community in India' at the US District Court for the District of Columbia, which issued a summons to appear before it within 21 days after receiving the summons. The suit alleges that Singh's culpability begins in 1991, when he took over as India's finance minister: 'Singh approved and financed the infamous practice of "cash rewards" to members of security forces for killing Sikhs through extra judicial means often in staged and fake encounters to curb the Sikh rights movement in Punjab,' the SFJ alleged. More than $200 million was disbursed as cash rewards for the extra judicial killings, the SFJ claimed. The 24-page complaint then targets Singh's tenure as prime minister since 2004, saying he 'has actively shielded and protected members of his political party who were involved in organising and carrying out genocidal attacks on the Sikhs in November 1984 resulting in the death of more than 30,000 Sikhs.'
  14. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-24012420 Indian army soldiers have been deployed in Muzaffarnagar in northern Uttar Pradesh state after 28 people were killed in religious clashes. Several villages are under curfew after violence between Hindus and Muslims. Officials say the death toll is likely to rise as more than 50 people were injured in the rioting. The clashes were sparked by the killing of three men after they protested against the alleged harassment of a local woman. Later the circulation of a fake video showing two men being lynched led to more violence, which spread to neighbouring villages in the district. Among those killed in the weekend clashes was a TV journalist. A total of 800 troops have been deployed in the area to bring the situation under control and more than 100 people have been arrested on charges of inciting violence. "A curfew has been imposed in three riot-hit areas of Muzaffarnagar. The situation is still very tense, but under control,'' senior Uttar Pradesh official RM Srivastava told the Associated Press news agency. The clashes broke out on Saturday after Hindu farmers held a meeting to protest against the killing of three men who had spoken out against the alleged harassment of a local woman. Reports say a few participants made provocative speeches at the meeting. Some of the farmers were attacked when they were returning home after the meeting, senior police official Arun Kumar said. "The attackers seemed well planned. Some were armed with rifles and sharp-edged weapons," Mr Kumar said. Within hours clashes broke out in neighbouring villages, officials said. Uttar Pradesh experienced some of the worst religious clashes in India after a Hindu mob razed the 16th Century Babri Mosque in the holy city of Ayodhya in 1992. This prompted nationwide rioting between Hindus and Muslims in which more than 2,000 people died. India has seen a rise in religious violence this year with 451 incidents reported so far compared to 410 for all of 2012, a federal minister has said.
  15. By giving Sonia a summons in the US for her role in the Sikh Genocide , SFJ have managed to get international coverage of the Genocide. Well don to them. Sonia Gandhi: US court issues summons to Sonia over anti-Sikh riots as she ... Daily Mail - ‎6 hours ago‎ A federal court in New York has issued summons to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for shielding and protecting the leaders of her party who were allegedly involved in the anti-Sikh riots in India in 1984. The summons was issued by the US Eastern District ... 1984 anti-Sikh riots: US court issues summons to Sonia Gandhi Times of India - ‎5 hours ago‎ JALANDHAR/WASHINGTON: Respectful of her privacy, the media may have given Sonia Gandhi a wide berth on her private trip to the US for medical treatment, but a Sikh group wants to serve court summons on the Congress president for shielding party ... Sikh Group files Case Against Sonia Gandhi Wall Street Journal - ‎13 hours ago‎ A U.S. federal court on Wednesday issued a summons to Sonia Gandhi, the president of the ruling-Congress party, for allegedly protecting members of her party whom the group says were involved in anti-Sikh riots in Delhi in 1984. Ms. Gandhi is currently in ... 1984 anti-Sikh riots: US court summons Sonia Gandhi Zee News - ‎1 hour ago‎ New York: On a complaint by a Sikh group, a US federal court has issued summons against Congress party president Sonia Gandhi for shielding party officials allegedly involved in inciting attacks on Sikhs in November 1984, an attorney said. In a class action ... Pro-Khalistan group files lawsuit against Sonia in US The Hindu - ‎7 hours ago‎ A day after she landed in the U.S. for a medical check up, a federal court in New York issued summons to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for “shielding and protecting” leaders and workers of her party who were allegedly involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. November 1984 Sikh Genocide – Sonia Gandhi summoned by US Court SikhSiyasat.Net - ‎15 hours ago‎ New York, United States (September 03, 2013): A US Federal Court has issued summons against Sonia Gandhi, President of Indian National Congress the ruling political party of India, for shielding and protecting the leaders, officials, members and workers of ... US court issues summons to Congress President Sonia Gandhi NDTV - ‎16 hours ago‎ New York: A federal court in New York has issued summons to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for allegedly shielding and protecting the leaders of her party who are accused of being involved in the anti-Sikh riots in India in 1984. The court had been ... Amarinder Singh condemns complaint against Sonia Gandhi in US Economic Times - ‎10 hours ago‎ ... Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today condemned the move of a rights group and two victims of 1984 riots to approach a US court accusing Congress chief Sonia Gandhi of "shielding and protecting" party members allegedly involved in the anti-Sikh riots. US court summons Sonia Gandhi in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case indiatvnews.com - ‎17 hours ago‎ New York: A US US federal court has issued summons to Congress party president Sonia Gandhi after a Sikh group filed a complaint alleging that she was protecting Congress leaders involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi. According to SFJ attorney ... 1984 riots: US court summons Sonia for 'shielding' party leaders IBNLive - ‎37 minutes ago‎ A federal court in New York has issued summons to Congress President Sonia Gandhi for 'shielding and protecting' party leaders allegedly involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The Sikhs For Justice group had filed a lawsuit on Tuesday seeking compensatory ... US court summons Sonia Calcutta Telegraph - ‎6 hours ago‎ 4 (PTI): A US court has issued summons to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for “shielding and protecting” party leaders allegedly involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The US Eastern District Court of New York issued the summons on a complaint by Sikhs ... US court summons to Sonia Gandhi Nagaland Post - ‎9 hours ago‎ A federal court in New York issued summons to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for allegedly “shielding and protecting” leaders of her party accused of being involved in the anti-Sikh riots in India in 1984. The court had been petitioned by a rights group ... Sonia gets US court summons The New Indian Express - ‎2 hours ago‎ A US Federal Court has issued summons on Congress president Sonia Gandhi “for shielding and protecting leaders, officials, members and workers of her party who had organised, committed, aided, abetted and incited genocidal attacks on Sikhs during ... Notice to Rahul Gandhi for 'defamatory' remarks Times of India - ‎5 hours ago‎ CHANDIGARH: A local court here issued summons to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for hurting the sentiments of people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in a speech he delivered two years ago. The petition was filed by a city-based lawyer, accusing ... US court issues summons to Indian ruling coalition President Sonia Gandhi GizmoCrave - ‎14 hours ago‎ 4, 2013, that a U.S court has issued a summons to Indian ruling coalition President Sonia Gandhi petitioned by the rights group named Sikhs For Justice. U.S. court issues summons to Indian ruling coalition President Sonia Gandhi. US court issues summons ... Online sentiment: Modi most mentioned, Rahul hit by 'dynasty' Firstpost (blog) - ‎14 hours ago‎ While India's netizens might account for only 10-12 percent of the total population of the country, the fact is that this section has been very vocal online about airing opinions on key political candidates such as Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and ... US-Court issues summons against Indias ruling Coalition Chief Kuwait News Agency - ‎14 hours ago‎ NEW DELHI, Sept 4 (KUNA) -- A US-Court has issued a summons against Sonia Gandhi who heads the ruling coalition in India, loca lNDTV news channel reported Wednesday. Gandhi, who is also president of the ruling Indian National Congress, was ... 1984 Sikh massacre: US court summons Sonia NitiCentral - ‎22 hours ago‎ 1984 Sikh massacre: US court summons Sonia. A federal court in New York has issued summons to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for ”shielding and protecting” the leaders of her party who were allegedly involved in the anti-Sikh riots in India in 1984. Modi most mentioned online, claims survey Mizo News - ‎15 hours ago‎ ... out of the top 20 for the first time since January 2013, the survey showed. Cinema Cover Ads! In other instances, speculation around Telagana contributed to the highest mentions under law, order and internal affairs for Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. Chandigarh court issues summons to Rahul Gandhi over 'beggar' remark Newstrack India - ‎20 hours ago‎ Chandigarh, Sept.4 (ANI): A judicial magistrate in Chandigarh has summoned Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to present himself in court in connection with a 21-month-old case, wherein he has been accused of allegedly hurting the religious ... Sonia Gandhi US Summons Avoidable-Indian Overseas Congress Watch List News (press release) - ‎6 hours ago‎ Sikhs for Justice class action suit on Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, President of All India Congress Comm., on September 3, 2013 in the district court of Eastern District of New York, for the 1984 violence by the alleged Kamal Nath, Jagdisg Tytler, Sajjan Kumar and ...
  16. Haryana adds to list of Indian states that want Sikhs out. Having used them to convert barren lands into productive farms, they are told to go. Tarlochan Singh urges PM to help Sikh farmers in state Tarlochan Singh, former chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, on Friday sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's help in ensuring that Sikh farmers in Haryana were not "ousted" by the state government, following the end of their 50-year lease for tilling. In a letter to the Prime Minister, he urged him to step in and convince the state government against ousting them. "We are thankful to you for showing concern for the Sikh farmers in Gujarat, who, after 50 years of farming, have been ousted," Tarlochan wrote. "The plight of Sikh farmers in Haryana is much more serious and painful. You remember sir, when you visited Pehowa during an election tour, this particular case of the Sikh farmers in that area was brought to your notice and you, very graciously, announced that they will not be ousted and the Haryana chief minister will take necessary action to protect their rights," he wrote. Tarlochan said 3,500 Sikh families in Kurukshetra and Kaithal districts, who were occupying and tilling the land for the past 55 years, have been ousted forcibly. "As you are aware, on the advice of the central government, Sikh farmers were given barren lands on lease for making them fully fertile in Uttar Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar, Haryana and Gujarat," he explained. "After the expiry of lease in Haryana, the Sikh farmers were forcibly told to quit. For years, they were fighting in court, and ultimately the Supreme Court decided that legally they can't be owner of that land, but the Haryana government shall make provisions to allow them to cultivate the lands," said Tarlochan, who is also a senior sports administrator. "I may bring to your notice that only last month at Krah Sahib village, Sikhs were made landless with the help of police. Some villages where the Sikhs are still occupying the land, the authorities have cut the power supply to harass them," he said. He said: "But, these poor farmers are denied protection under the existing law that says that any farmer who has been occupying the land for 15 years cannot be ousted. But, these farmers, who were there for 50 years, are not being given any help." "I request you to kindly advise the Haryana government to show magnanimity to those who have turned barren land into to a prosperous and fertile area," he added. http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/1105812.aspx © Copyright © 2013 HT Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.
  17. "Killings of Sikhs in 1984 was need of the hour." Tweet by Mr. Azhar, Congress leader and Gen. Sec. of NSUI (Student wing of Congress party) North West Distt. Mumbai. Shameless creatures, do not deserve to be called human. They will definitely pay for their sins. सिख दंगों को जरूरी बता कर फंसे कांग्रेस नेता नई दिल्ली ।। इशरत जहां एनकाउंटर केस के बहाने नरेंद्र मोदी को घेरने की कोशिश में एक कांग्रेस नेता ने न केवल वरिष्ठ बीजेपी नेताओं को समाजविरोधी करार दिया बल्कि 84 में हुए सिखों के नरसंहार को भी वक्त की जरूरत बता दिया। हालांकि, बाद में उन्होंने इस बयान पर सफाई देते हुए माफी भी मांगी। इशरत एनकाउंटर केस को लेकर सोशल साइटों पर भी माहौल गरमाया हुआ है। इसके पक्ष और विरोध में तीखी बहस चल रही है। इसी बहस के दौरान ट्विटर पर अजहर नाम के एक शख्स ने मोदी, आडवाणी, राजनाथ और सुषमा स्वराज का नाम लेते हुए उन्हें समाजविरोधी तत्व बता दिया। इसके जवाब में उनसे पूछा गया कि आप 84 में होने वाले 4000 सिखों के नरसंहार पर क्या कहेंगे जिसे राजीव गांधी ने 'जब बड़ा पेड़ गिरता है...' वाले बयान से सही ठहराने की कोशिश की थी? इस पर आईएम अजहर ने पूरी बेशर्मी से कहा, 'सिखों को मारना उस वक्त की जरूरत थी।' गौर करने की बात है कि यह अजहर कोई आम शख्स नहीं बल्कि कांग्रेस के एक नेता हैं। उनके ट्विटर अकाउंट पर दिए गए परिचय के मुताबिक वह एनएसयूआई के नॉर्थ-वेस्ट डिस्ट्रिक्ट मुंबई इकाई के महासचिव हैं। बहस में कांग्रेस के यह नेता यहीं नहीं रुके। जब उनके इस बयान की प्रतिक्रिया में उन्हें लोगों ने घेरते हुए कहा कि 'आपने अपना असली सांप्रदायिक, आपराधिक और हिंसक रूप दिखा दिया' तो उन्होंने जवाब में दलील दी कि स्वर्ण मंदिर में बैठे सिख कोई स्वतंत्रता सेनानी नहीं थे। वे सत्ता के लिए अपने ही देशवासियों से लड़ रहे थे।' बाद में जब उन पर चारों तरफ से हमला होने लगा और उनके लिए अपना बचाव करना मुश्किल होने लगा तो उन्होंने यह कहते हुए अपना बयान वापस ले लिया कि 'मैं 84 के सिख नरसंहार को गलती से ऑपरेशन ब्लू स्टार समझ बैठा था। माफ करें।' बाद में उन्होंने वे विवादास्पद ट्वीट भी डिलीट कर दिए। लेकिन तब तक मामला काफी आगे बढ़ चुका था। http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/photomazaashow/20945510.cms http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/india/national-india/Congress-leader-apologises-after-defending-84-sikh-riots/articleshow/20945082.cms#gads
  18. Sajjan kumar ----> mother's name: Mee Kaur And is married to: Ram Kaur (married to a Sikh woman?) (one of the main congress party leaders incited mobs to rape, kill Sikhs in 1984) Jagdish tytler --->>mother's name: Dayal Kaur (one of the main congress party leaders incited mobs to rape, kill Sikhs in 1984) One of the alleged villains of 1984 Amitabah Bachan --> mother's name: Teji Suri (alleged to have called "blood revenge for blood" on TV after news of death of Indira Gandhi)
  19. In a jolt to pro-Khalistan groups in the US, the Obama Administration today refused to declare the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India as genocide, but noted that grave human rights violations had occurred. The White House response in this regard came months after a section of the Sikh community in the US launched an online petition campaign urging the Obama Administration to recognise the 1984 riots as genocide. The petition created on November 15, 2012, had generated more than 30,000 signatures within weeks. Each petition that crosses the threshold of 25,000 signatures is reviewed and receive a response. "During and after the 1984 violence, the United States monitored and publicly reported on the grave human rights violations that occurred and the atrocities committed against members of the Sikh community," the White House response said. It noted that the US State Department's Official Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, for example, covered the violence and its aftermath in detail, with sections on political killings, disappearances, denial of fair public trials, negative effects on freedom of religion, and the government's response to civil society organizations investigating allegations of human rights violations. "We continue to condemn and more importantly, to work against - violence directed at people based on their religious affiliation. US government efforts to protect the rights and freedoms of all people have long been a feature of our foreign policy. Our diplomats regularly report on and speak out against violence against minorities around the world," the White House said in response to the online petition. Expressing disappointment over the response, the proponents of the petition in a statement said that the Obama Administration "fails to take position on Sikh genocide". "The response ignores the recent discoveries of mass graves of Sikhs killed during 1984 and falls short of taking a position on the issue of Genocide," said a statement issued by Gurpatwant S Pannun, who heads the New York-based 'Sikh for Justice' group. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/us-refuses-to-declare-1984-antisikh-riots-in-india-as-genocide/1096573/0
  20. BHAAR - Unthinkable burden - Toronto Screening A story of a blackcat A real life story through the eyes of a young Sikh male depicting the dark chapter of state-sanctioned violence in Punjab. This story takes you through the life experiences of Punjabi's who were subjected to torture at the hands of the Indian police. Description Trailer: Showtimes: Albion Cinemas Saturday March 23 - 1:30pm Sunday March 24 - 11:30am, 1:30pmTickets $10 Please contact daas for further info
  21. Source: http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/02/welcome-to-my-world/ The article sheds some light on the dealings of Jason Kenney, Canada's Minister of Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism, with the Sikh community. It also gives insight into what Minister Jason Kenney really thinks about the 1984 Sikh Genocide and the Sikh movement for Khalistan. Some parts of the article innacurately describe the details of the Vaisakhi "celebration". There were no people dancing, the "traditional Indian beat" is likely referring to the dhol used for gatka, and there was definitely no chicken present. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Last year, L’actualité, the sister publication to Maclean’s in Quebec, got unprecedented access to Canada’s Immigration Minister Jason Kenney. Chief political reporter Alec Castonguay was given a rare behind-the-scenes look at the man who is arguably most responsible for delivering the Conservatives a majority in the last federal election and who is remaking the nation’s immigration policy. This is an edited, translated version of the story that appeared in the magazine and as a L’actualité ebook. Jason Kenney scans the dense crowd of roughly 20,000 Sikh Canadians in traditional dress and multicoloured turbans here to mark Vaisakhi—the annual celebration commemorating the foundation of this community originally from India’s northeast. Sitting cross-legged on the thin grey carpeting covering the enormous stage, the minister is inwardly cringing. He doesn’t like what he sees. In front of him, a dozen yellow and blue Khalistan flags are splitting the crowd near the podium, held by men fighting the hot early May sun in T-shirts. The man at the mic, speaking Punjabi, suddenly speeds up and radicalizes his tone. He speaks of genocide, of violent clashes and of the independence of Khalistan—a country that a faction of Sikh nationalists would like to carve from India. It’s too much. Kenney, who’s picked up some Punjabi since becoming minister of citizenship, immigration and multiculturalism in 2008, stands mid-sentence, crosses the room and exits as three baffled Conservative MPs look on, unsure whether or not they should follow. At the bottom of the steps, Kenney puts his shoes back on and raises his hand as if to rip off the orange bandana that all visitors wear inside Rexdale’s Sikh Spiritual Centre. He takes a deep breath, and restrains himself. A Sikh organizer approaches, looking contrite. “You are trying to exploit my presence here,” Kenney shouts, his stare fixed on the man in a white turban. “This is not a civilized way to behave. I warned you, and you did it anyway. I am aware that you would like to entertain the Prime Minister next year. You can forget it. He won’t be coming.” The minister makes his way to the exit, the Sikh organizer fast on his heels, apologizing profusely. It had all started so well 25 minutes earlier. The party was in full swing. People sang and danced in all corners to a traditional Indian beat. Hundreds of children played in inflatable games erected along the four-lane street. Smells of spices and roast chicken tickled the nostrils. Kenney took the stage with compliments reserved for a guest of honour. At the microphone he shouted a well-timed greeting: “Bole sonai hai? Sat siri akal!” Thousands of people responded: “Sat siri akal!” (The Sikh greeting roughly translates to: “Who stands up for truth?,” to which the crowd responds, “We stand up for truth, God is the ultimate truth!”) The minister had bragged of the government’s achievements, including the creation, at the heart of the ministry of Foreign Affairs, of an office of religious freedoms to promote and defend all faiths. He highlighted that Vaisakhi is now a Canadian tradition because it is celebrated every year on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. It was after his speech, once he was seated, that the Khalistan flags suddenly appeared. At the entrance, several long minutes pass before the minister’s driver pulls up in his black Nissan SUV. As we sit down, Kenney turns to me. “I am so sorry,” he says in French. He finally pulls off his bandana and explains that Sikh nationalists are now waging their war in Canada. They hope to convince the roughly 450,000 Canadians of Sikh origin, the majority of whom live in the suburbs of Toronto and Vancouver, to put pressure on their families still in India, but also on the Canadian government, to support their demands. They want Ottawa to recognize a genocide in which Sikhs were victims, in 1984 in India. “It was an extremist speech,” he says. “I had to leave the room, otherwise the community would think I endorse such a campaign. Certain groups have sometimes tried to wield my prominence to advance their cause. I have to be vigilant at all times. They shouldn’t be encouraged to reproduce, in Canada, the tensions of their homelands.” It’s a message he reiterates to new immigrants from China and Tibet, Greece and Turkey, Israel and Iran. He glances out the window and sighs. “Welcome to my world.” He could just as easily have said “my worlds,” given how dramatically Canada’s new immigrant and multicultural canvas is growing and diversifying—it now includes almost 200 languages. More than 250,000 new immigrants arrive in Canada every year; in 2010, that number hit 280,000, the equivalent of 0.8 per cent of the population—the highest proportion of any industrialized country, followed by Great Britain and Germany (at 0.7 per cent each). Inevitably, this has brought profound political change. Kenney is at the forefront of these changes. His objective: understanding, seducing and attracting ethnic communities to the Conservative party, an electorate once taken for granted by the Liberal Party of Canada. He has shaken thousands of hands, put away hundreds of very spicy meals and pulled off his shoes an incalculable number of times in entering mosques, temples or integration centres to give speeches. His methods are old school, far removed from social networks, where human contact, proximity and the fight for values undertaken by the Conservative party have gradually won over a large number of new Canadians. In the halls of government, it is plainly acknowledged: Kenney is the architect of the Conservative majority, having worked discreetly, yet tirelessly, for the past five years to build bridges with Canada’s ethnic communities. It’s a success that Britain’s Conservative Party would like to replicate, and that the U.S. Republican party, after its electoral drubbing in November, is cautiously eyeing. It’s meticulous work, long and complex. With the patience of a Buddhist monk, the minister has had to figure out the subtleties of every community and learn its traditions in order to navigate competing demands and interests. It was no accident that after Justin Trudeau formally declared his intention to run for Liberal leader last October, his first destinations were Richmond, B.C., and Mississauga, Ont., two cities with heavy immigrant populations. Both had been Liberal ridings conquered by the Conservatives. In their way, Kenney, 44, and Trudeau, 40, represent the future of their parties. And as they fight on this same battlefield, Kenney is putting everything on the line . He could become the next leader of the Canadian conservative movement. Kenney’s longevity and the scope of his reforms have surprised experts. “Immigration generally gets inherited by a junior minister with no real presence, anxious to trade up for a better cabinet post,” says Stephan Reichhold, director of an immigrant support network in Quebec. “Kenney is practically a deputy prime minister. He has been there for four years and has undertaken an unending number of reforms. Some are good, others are very ideological.” Not bad for a guy who was barely interested in the politics of immigration before 2006 and wanted nothing to do with that role in cabinet. The young Alberta MP had even refused the role of immigration critic when the Tories were in opposition. “I saw the enormous pressure and the very delicate handling of complex politics the job required. Even when we took power, I wanted to run screaming when the Prime Minister talked to me about it,” Kenney recalls. Stephen Harper convinced him with an argument that resonated: the very future of the conservative movement in Canada depended on it. Just before forming his first cabinet in early 2006, Harper met with Kenney in a hotel suite in Ottawa. “Do you remember the conversation we had in October 1994?” he asked. Kenney remembered it perfectly. On that chilly fall day, the Reform party congress had just wrapped up in the capital and Harper, a newly elected MP of just 35, was sipping a beer at the Royal Oak Pub on Bank Street when Kenney went over to him. The two men knew each other because Kenney, despite his 26 years, was already heading the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. Kenney laid out his theory: the division of the conservative movement between the Reform party and the Progressive Conservative party wasn’t the right’s only problem. “Even with a united right,” he said, “conservatism has peaked. Votes are becoming stagnant.” Conservatives, he added, would have to cross the “final frontier”: that of immigrants. “Look at demographic trends—it’s the future. Immigrants have the same values as us, we have to talk to them, to convince them.” Harper, skeptical, responded that this very liberal segment of the population would never vote Conservative. Better, in his opinion, to focus on native-born Canadians. When, 12 years later, Harper took power at the helm of a minority government, he proposed that Kenney pursue the mission that he had defined, without quite realizing it, beer in hand, in an Ottawa bar. “Prove to me that I was wrong,” the Prime Minister challenged him. He named him prime minister’s parliamentary secretary and secretary of state for multiculturalism, with a double mandate. The first, more political role requires that he make sure new immigrants integrate well. “People have to be able to conserve their identity as they are becoming integral parts of Canada,” Harper told him. “Multiculturalism cannot lead to the ghettoization of immigrants.” The other mandate is partisan: becoming the link between the government and cultural communities in order to increase the party’s odds of success in the next election. Kenney came to understand the magnitude of the task in March 2006, during one of his first meetings in his new role. A leader from the Korean community of Vancouver, a respected doctor, squarely asked him why Conservatives are racist and anti-immigration. Surprised, Kenney shot back that it was former prime minister John Diefenbaker who eliminated racial discrimination in the selection of immigrants, in 1962. Then he launched into a speech about the values they share: family, a strong work ethic, the fight against criminality. The Korean listened to him for a few minutes, then interrupted him. If the Korean community had voted for the NDP and the Liberals in Vancouver, he said, it was because those MPs helped immigrants settle and find housing. They became the face of Canadian authority. “Elected officials take part in our celebrations, they’re present in our media.” For Kenney, a light went on. “It woke me up,” he says. “I understood that I would have to be everywhere at all times. Personal contact is crucial for new immigrants.” Ever since then, the minister has been on the road three weekends out of four. Some Sundays, in Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal, he takes part in as many as 20 cultural activities, starting at dawn in a temple and ending in darkness at a partisan reception. “In the last election campaign, I’d done so many that I became confused: I bowed to the wrong God in a church. I looked completely ridiculous,” he admits, laughing. He only spends one day a month in his home riding of Calgary Southeast, which he’s represented since 1997. That didn’t stop him from being re-elected in 1997 with 76 per cent of the vote and a crushing lead of 42,000 votes—one of the country’s best results. “My voters understand that I work for the Conservative cause and that I have a full schedule,” Kenney says. It’s a rhythm he manages to maintain, but it doesn’t stop him from bottoming out from time to time. “When I see the weekend arrive with 20 or 25 scheduled events—not counting travel—I sometimes feel a profound fatigue take over. I have to motivate myself by thinking that every gesture will count over the long term,” he says. It’s also a physical challenge. “People from the communities like to touch you, to embrace you, to hug you, and physical contact isn’t my strong suit.” The minister has neither wife nor children. He shares his home in Alberta with his mom, Lynne, and has little time for friends or a love life. Those closest to him, however, don’t describe him as a loner. And he makes it a point to organize one or two receptions per year at his condo in Ottawa for his colleagues in government and Tory staffers. Building a trusting relationship between the government and immigrant communities has fast become Kenney’s priority. Six to 10 times per year, his team organizes “friendship days” on the Hill, where leaders from cultural communities—spiritual leaders, heads of community centres, presidents of ethnic chambers of commerce, etc.—can arrange to meet ministers of their choosing. “It gives a chance for the communities to be heard at the highest level in Ottawa, and they appreciate the gesture,” says Agop Evereklian, who was Kenney’s chief of staff from 2008 to 2010 and, until recently, chief of staff to former Montreal mayor Gerald Tremblay. That access, however, makes teeth grind on the Hill. “They receive unfair treatment—effectively unofficial lobbying,” says one civil servant who requested anonymity. The Kenney team has established itself as cabinet’s go-to brain trust on ethnic communities. They coordinate all the Prime Minister’s press releases to highlight different cultural holidays (Diwali, Vaisakhi, Yom Kippur, Chinese New Year). The apology and financial compensation for the Chinese head tax and the official recognition of the Armenian and Ukrainian genocides were also handled by Kenney. “He acts as a conductor to correct historical wrongs,” says Evereklian. “It might not seem important to the majority of the population, but for the concerned communities, it’s huge.” In 2008, Kenney put in place the Community Historical Recognition Program, with a $13.5-million budget to finance commemorative projects and the erection of statues to honour key historical figures. Italian, Jewish, Indian and Chinese communities have all profited abundantly from it. Kenney insisted that all his cabinet colleagues integrate into their inner circles Canadians of immigrant stock. His own staff is one of the most multi-ethnic, with political assistants in all the big cities who make connections with community leaders. It’s a veritable spiderweb that captures information in the field and transmits it to Ottawa every day. The minister follows news first-hand by closely following the ethnic media, which he has translated and reads every morning as he wakes up. “I look at it before I read the national papers,” he says. Kenney flips through a Chinese-Canadian newspaper he bought at a corner store en route to an event in Toronto. He asks his driver, who is of Chinese descent, to translate a few headlines and practises saying in Mandarin: “Hello, I am the minister of immigration.” His driver gives a full-throated laugh and tries to correct the accent of the minister, who is also enjoying himself. “Don’t you go making me look like an <banned word filter activated>,” Kenney says. “I’m counting on you.” The minister’s car stops in front of the Lucky Moose Food Mart on Dundas Street. A two-foot-tall pink moose guards the entrance. In 2009, the store made headlines when its owner, David Chen, took justice into his own hands when he caught a shoplifter red-handed. After a scuffle, he tied him up before calling police. The thief filed assault charges. The NDP and Conservatives took the opportunity to draft a bill to permit store owners to use “reasonable force” against intruders without facing charges. Today, photographers and journalists from the community wait for Kenney. He greets them in Mandarin, and buys a bottle of water and two more Chinese papers. He shakes Chen’s hand. Flashing cameras capture the moment. “We have kept our word,” he says. “We passed your bill into law.” Chen, who speaks broken English, contents himself with a smile. Later, Kenney tells me: “That story made a lot of noise in the Chinese press in Canada. That’s where I first heard about it.” From 2006 to 2011, the number of Canadians who speak Mandarin jumped 51 per cent. There are now three daily papers published in the language in the country, not to mention TV news programs, weekly magazines and websites. There is similar growth with every ethnic community, be they Indian, Korean, Ukrainian or Filipino. “Previously, the Conservative party was completely absent,” Kenney says. He turns the page of the newspaper, where he sees a photo of NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair at an event with the Chinese community in Richmond, in suburban Vancouver. “He seems to understand that this is important,” Kenney notes. In the downtown Toronto riding of Trinity-Spadina, with its significant immigrant population, the minister is greeted by honking horns as he walks the sidewalk. People stop to talk to him. A woman in her 20s insists he is as well-known in the Chinese community as Justin Bieber. “I can walk for hours in Calgary without being recognized, but not here,” he says. Olivia Chow, the local New Democrat MP and widow of Jack Layton, admits that Kenney’s work forces MPs from other parties in ridings with sizable immigrant populations to “watch their backs.” “He’s a political animal,” she says. “He’s always there at the right moment, and his photo winds up in the papers.” In Kenney’s office, everything is carefully planned. Less than a month before the last election campaign, his director of multicultural affairs, Kasra Nejatian, sent a letter to MPs and Conservative operatives asking them to quickly collect $200,000 for an ethnic media ad buy. With a total value of $378,000, it had to launch March 20, 2011, the date of the first match in the Cricket World Cup, a popular event in Asia. Attached to the mailout was a 21-page document titled: “Breaking through: Building the Conservative brand in cultural communities.” Aimed at the Chinese, Jewish, Ukrainian and South Asian communities, the document outlined the Conservative strategy. “If Greater Toronto’s South Asians formed their own city, it would be the third-largest city in the country,” it read. The take-away points were neatly summed up: “There are lots of ethnic voters. There will be quite a few more soon. They live where we need to win.” Once charmed, the document added, ethnic communities could stay loyal for a very long time. Ten “very ethnic” ridings—where immigrants represent more than 20 per cent of the population—were targeted in pre-election Conservative advertising: four in Ontario, four in B.C., one in Quebec and one in Manitoba. On election day, May 2, the Conservative party won seven of them. The partisan document was printed on the official letterhead of Kenney’s ministry office—a point that drives New Democrat MP Pat Martin crazy. In this, he sees the perfect example of a government that has forgotten its neutrality and has thrown itself into serving the party’s political machine. “They violated all the rules in using government resources to solicit money for a party campaign,” says Martin. “It’s shocking. The minister should have resigned over it.” Certain colleagues compare Kenney to a beaver, not just because of his slightly round frame or his patriotism but because he never stops working. By the time his assistants get to the office at 7 a.m., the minister is already there. And at 8 p.m., when they head home, Kenney leaves the Hill and heads to Laurier Street in downtown Ottawa, to his second office at the Immigration ministry. He heads to the 21st floor, closes the door, plugs his iPod into the stereo and listens to classical music or Gregorian chants as he reads his files, which are sometimes delicate—notably cases where a person is being deported from the country and he has the power to authorize a reprieve. It’s generally during this second phase of his workday that he receives a call from 24 Sussex Drive. The Prime Minister often takes a few minutes, late in the night, to consult with Kenney (neither man sleeps much). The minister rarely heads home to his condo before midnight. Devoted to his work, at ease with media (he is one of few anglophone ministers to give interviews in French), Kenney has gradually become one of Ottawa’s most influential ministers, along with John Baird at Foreign Affairs and Jim Flaherty at Finance. He sits on the cabinet committee on priorities and planning, the only committee to meet weekly to formulate government strategy. “He is one of very few ministers to command Harper’s total faith,” says a source close to them both. The Toronto Marathon is paralyzing traffic this day, annoying Kenney, who likes to keep his schedule rolling. “Push back all appointments by 20 minutes, otherwise we’ll never make it,” he tells his assistant. The car moves at a snail’s pace as we cross Parkdale-High Park, one of Hogtown’s most important immigrant landing grounds. Through the window, the minister takes the time to show me around the disadvantaged riding represented by New Democrat Peggy Nash. He knows these communities, and their habits, by heart. There, a Vietnamese community centre; here, a Polish Catholic Church; there, two Romas pushing a shopping cart. All along King Street, it’s a Canada belonging to new immigrants and refugees, often disoriented and troubled. He pulls out the previous day’s Globe and Mail, which launched a series on immigration. The article states that Canada should be admitting one million new immigrants per year—four times what it now admits—to fuel economic growth. “That’s insanity,” says Kenney. “You need to allow people time to integrate. They need good salaries, good-quality jobs, not just quantity.” Above all, you need to consider perceptions, he adds, citing a recent Angus Reid poll that showed nearly one Canadian out of two (46 per cent) believes that immigration has a negative effect on the country—a five-point jump in a year. Almost 39 per cent of respondents believe immigration should stay at current levels, and 38 per cent think it should be reduced. “I need to assure myself that Canadians continue to have confidence in the system,” he says. “Immigration is an asset, but prejudices run deep. Opening the floodgates won’t help new Canadians.” Does Kenney have ambitions to succeed Harper? Among Conservative activists and party faithful, there is no doubt: Kenney will be waiting in the wings. His bilingualism and the formidable network he’s built at the heart of ethnic communities will be his greatest assets. Another indication of his intentions: he’s established a vast database to keep in contact with activists. A few times a year, they receive an email from Kenney outlining his achievements. Evereklian wouldn’t be surprised if Kenney took a run at the top job. “But he will never talk about it,” he says. “If anyone brings it up in his presence, he gets angry and puts the person in their place.” In an interview, Kenney carefully qualifies his answer, without closing the door. “I’m too busy to think about it. In Stephen Harper, we have the most efficient leader the conservative movement has ever seen, and he will be there a long time. It’s not possible for me to be good at my work if I think of that.” On a hot afternoon, in an industrial park in Mississauga, Kenney has been listening for more than 30 minutes to a dull speech from a Buddhist priest, sitting on the ground in the tiny Mahadhammika Temple of the Burmese community—which welcomes 500 refugees to Toronto every year. The minister finally gets up, a knowing smile spreading across his face. He starts by highlighting that Canada spent $35 million in 2010 to help Burma rebuild after a horrific typhoon. He repeats that Aung San Suu Kyi, celebrated figure of Burma’s democrats, was named an honorary Canadian by the Harper government. And then he delivers the goods: in his car, on the way to the temple, Kenney approved the refugee status of Burmese opposition leader Ler Wah Lo Bo, who arrived in Canada in 2002, but whose status was uncertain because of his contentious past in Burma. Screams and clapping shake the small prayer room, which is better used to Buddhist calm. Later, back in the car, Kenney notes the Conservatives won 24 of 25 suburban Toronto ridings: “Without the support of the ethnic communities, we could never have done that.” The Conservatives estimate that they captured 42 per cent of the country’s ethnic vote last election—more than 30 per cent of their total vote, and more than any other party. “I have no intention of stopping now.” A source close to the Prime Minister admits that the day after the election, many believed Kenney would change ministries and be given a promotion for his service to the cause. But the idea never crossed Harper’s mind. “He had too many important reforms under way, and the message sent to the cultural communities would be all wrong. After having courted and then obtained their vote, we take away their champion? No.” Although he sometimes wishes for a change of scene and a new challenge, Kenney refuses to complain. The minister feels the Conservative cause needs his efforts. After 15 minutes on the road, the car nears yet another event. Multicoloured turbans are more and more numerous. He starts listing the cities in suburban Toronto and Vancouver: Brampton, Mississauga, Richmond, Surrey, Etobicoke. A big part of the 30 seats that will be added to the House by the next election, in 2015, will come from these rapidly growing, increasingly multi-ethnic regions. He smiles. “It should be very good for us,” he says, taking a step toward the turbans.
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