Fearing defeat, Sheila delaying DSGMC poll: Badal

Jalandhar/Chandigarh, November 18
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today hit back at his Delhi counterpart Sheila Dixit saying that she was deliberately delaying elections to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC). Talking to newsmen at Khiala village near Jalandhar, Badal accused the Delhi Chief Minister of helping DSGMC president Paramjit Singh Sarna whose defeat in the next DSGMC poll was inevitable. He said that as it would have an impact on the Delhi Assembly elections, Sheila wanted to delay elections to the Sikh institution. In a separate statement, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) took a strong note of the remarks of the Delhi Chief Minister asking her Punjab counterpart Parkash Singh Badal to “keep off Delhi gurdwara affairs”. The SAD described her reaction as irrational and indicative of the fact that Dixit was not aware of the history of the DSGMC. The SAD said that it was strange that the Congress leader was asking the founding fathers of the DSGMC to become mute spectators to the denigration of the management committee responsible for the maintenance of historic Sikh shrines in the national capital. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said, “Will someone please go and tell her that Sikh affairs are very much a business of the Sikhs, and of the Sikhs alone, and that she or her government should stay away from the internal religious matters of the Sikh community. “Let her instead use her position to ensure better law and order in Delhi. By openly talking about an issue which concerns our shrines, Dixit has only confirmed Parkash Singh Badal’s observation that the Congress government in Delhi is indeed interfering in the religious affairs of the Sikhs,” he said.
Party spokesman Dr Daljit Singh Cheema reminded the Congress leader that it was in 1970 that the then SAD president Sant Fateh Singh led a ‘morcha’ in Delhi demanding a similar democratic body on the pattern of the SGPC for the management of Sikh shrines in Delhi.
“Parkash Singh Badal, all his senior colleagues and 16,000 other SAD leaders and workers went to jail in this morcha,” added Cheema.
“So the present DSGMC came into being in 1971 as a result of the sacrifices made by the Sant Fateh Singh, Parkash Singh Badal and other SAD workers,” he said.

Immigration: Canada should follow U.S. lead in locking up its borders

It is a truism that we all (except for a statistically insignificant Native American segment) are immigrants. Whether our families came here centuries ago or just deplaned at Pearson International Airport, we are "immigrants." Somehow that sociological irrelevancy is supposed to make citizens more understanding of those seeking to live in our country, regardless of how they got here. We are the fortunate — just lucky to have beaten the rush and consequently should be humble over our sanguine circumstances and more respectful of the "rights" of those arriving without benefit of hidebound visa bureaucracies.
Sorry about that.
What is it that dewy-eyed human comfort stations don't understand about illegal?  That is I-L-L-E-G-A-L, as in having no right to be here — Having broken the law by their presence and having no respect for the designated procedures and regulations of the country whose bounties they seek to receive.  They are trespassers, queue jumpers, and by definition criminals.
The very first requirement for a nation state is to secure its borders.  This is not the 18^th century when unfettered wanderers could blithely cross the North American continent.  Effective border control is the essence for addressing the immigrant issue.  Hence, efforts — that could be much stronger — across the U.S. southern border are imperative not just to thwart economic migrants but more importantly to combat massive drug smuggling. There should be comparable concern in Canada. Having a border sufficiently porous to permit terrorists to enter Canada and then slip/side into the United States benefits neither country. The U.S.-Canada border is no longer a wink-and-a-nod transit zone, but it is still far from secure with illegal drugs and weapons moving south and north respectively.

Nor should Canadians be dismissive about the 12 million (but who's counting?)  illegals in the United States. Were there to be a comparable number, say 1.2 million, in Canada, one expects that Ottawa would not be amused. It is an immense problem in every dimension that has virtually paralyzed California's finances by attempting to provide social services for these illegals.
We need to set aside the anguished cases of illegal immigrant parents facing separation from legal citizens. We need to ignore these "oh so sad" stories of small child-with-life-threatening-illness used as anchors to rationalize permitting parents to stay. Just who asked these individuals to enter our country illegally? And then to have children?
The only "right" those arriving illegally should have is to be taken to the border humanely and returned to their countries of origin.
Indeed, it is very hard to find diplomats that have issued visas who sympathize with "illegals." They have seen the patient efforts of foreign citizens working through the regulations, adhering to mandated requirements, taking medical exams and language tests, and waiting/waiting/waiting for their opportunity to arrive. Every illegal immigrant has done the equivalent of giving a "Trudeau salute" while sneering "Sucker!" to those that have played by the rules. If for no other reason than keeping the faith with legal immigrants, we must be punctilious about finding and expelling illegal immigrants.
It is absurd that the United State should have a "wet foot; dry foot" rule permitting any illegal boater-rafter that reaches dry land to stay. It is absurd that any individual reaching a Canadian customs post can claim refugee status — and accorded government subsidies while the claim is processed — an effort often taking years.
But we need to be honest.  The immigration dilemma didn't explode overnight.  For a generation there has been a silent conspiracy between Republicans that wanted cheap labor for farms and industry and Democrats that wanted these individuals unionized so eventually they would become voters.  But it is a canard that if there were no illegals, economies would grind to a stop.  With over 8 percent official unemployment, there are individuals that can do the "jobs that citizens won't take."  You either pay to get these jobs done; if they are important enough to do, money will be found to do them.  Or if they are not done, so what?  Every California lawn doesn't need its own manicurist.  Every middle-class working woman doesn't need a nanny/housekeeper.  And real labor shortages will prompt greater efficiencies and technological innovation.
Such an approach hardly implies "shutting the door."  But immigrants are a distinct societal expense, and should be accepted only to the degree that they benefit our economies.  It is a rare privilege to gain access to a first world, human rights respecting democracy.  We should not hesitate to limit access strictly.

Read also: New citizens improve Canada and benefit the economy

ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਦੀ ਨਾਗਰਿਕਤਾ ਲਈ ਨਵਾਂ ਨਿਯਮ 1 ਨਵੰਬਰ ਤੋਂ

ਟੋਰਾਂਟੋ 29 ਸਤੰਬਰ - ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਦੀ ਨਾਗਰਿਕਤਾ ਅਪਲਾਈ ਕਰਨ ਵੇਲੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਅਰਜ਼ੀਕਰਤਾਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਦੀ ਸਰਕਾਰੀ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ (ਅੰਗਰੇਜ਼ੀ ਜਾਂ ਫਰੈਂਚ) ਦੇ ਗਿਆਨ ਦਾ ਸਬੂਤ ਅਰਜ਼ੀ ਨਾਲ ਨੱਥੀ ਕਰਨਾ ਲਾਜ਼ਮੀ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ। ਪਹਿਲੀ ਨਵੰਬਰ 2012 ਤੋਂ ਲਾਗੂ ਕੀਤੇ ਜਾ ਰਹੇ ਨਵੇਂ ਨਿਯਮ ਬਾਰੇ ਸਿਟੀਜ਼ਨਸਿਪ ਐਂਡ ਇਮੀਗ੍ਰੇਸਨ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਜੇਸਨ ਕੈਨੀ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਹੁਣ ਤੱਕ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ 'ਚ 18 ਤੋਂ 54 ਸਾਲ ਦੀ ਉਮਰ ਦੇ ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ੀਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਕੈਨੇਡੀਅਨ ਸਿਟੀਜ਼ਨਸਿਪ ਲਈ ਦਿੱਤੀਆਂ ਜਾਣ ਵਾਲੀਆਂ ਅਰਜ਼ੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਪੜਤਾਲ ਮਗਰੋਂ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਅਤੇ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਦੇਸ਼ ਬਾਰੇ ਆਮ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਦੀ ਇਕ ਟੈਸਟ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਪਰਖ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਹੈ ਜਾਂ ਸਿਟੀਜ਼ਨਸਿਪ ਜੱਜ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਇੰਟਰਵਿਊ ਲੈ ਲਈ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਹੈ ਪਰ ਹੁਣ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ 'ਚ ਕਾਮਯਾਬ ਹੋਣ ਲਈ ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ੀ ਵਿਅਕਤੀ ਕੋਲ ਅੰਗਰੇਜ਼ੀ ਜਾਂ ਫਰੈਂਚ ਦੀ ਮੁਹਾਰਤ ਹੋਣਾ ਬਹੁਤ ਜ਼ਰੂਰੀ ਹੈ, ਜਿਸ ਕਰਕੇ ਅਰਜ਼ੀ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਹੀ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਬੋਲਣ ਦੀ ਮੁਹਾਰਤ ਦਾ ਸਬੂਤ ਲਿਆ ਜਾਇਆ ਕਰੇਗਾ। ਇਹ ਸਬੂਤ +2 ਤੱਕ ਦੀ ਅੰਗਰੇਜ਼ੀ/ਫਰੈਂਚ ਨਾਲ ਪੜ੍ਹਾਈ, ਆਇਲੈਟਸ ਜਾਂ ਕੈਨੇਡਾ 'ਚ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਸਿੱਖਣ ਲਈ ਕੀਤੇ ਗਏ ਕੋਰਸ ਦੇ ਸਰਟੀਫਿਕੇਟ ਵਜੋਂ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਜਾ ਸਕਦੇ ਹਨ। ਇਸ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਸਿਟੀਜ਼ਨਸਿਪ ਦਾ ਟੈਸਟ ਆਮ ਵਾਂਗ ਲਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਰਹੇਗਾ। ਉਪਰੋਕਤ ਨਵੇਂ ਨਿਯਮ ਲਾਗੂ ਹੋਣ ਨਾਲ ਵਿਦੇਸੀ (ਅਨਪੜ੍ਹ) ਬਜ਼ੁਰਗਾਂ ਲਈ ਕੈਨੇਡੀਅਨ ਬਣਨਾ ਅਸੰਭਵ ਹੋ ਜਾਵੇਗਾ।

Former Cong minister Henry loses citizenship

Jalandhar, September 19
The Ministry of Home Affairs (Foreigners Division) has ceased the Indian citizenship of senior Congress leader and transporter Avtar Henry.

In a communication to Principal Secretary (Homes) DS Bains, Undersecretary, Union Government, SN Garg has said the Centre, while exercising powers under Sections 9(2) of the Citizenship Act-1955, had ceased Henry’s Indian citizenship from the date he acquired British citizenship and passport in 1969.

Henry, however, is at liberty to acquire Indian citizenship by following the procedures laid down under the law.

In the letter, Garg stated that an inquiry report forwarded by the Additional Director General of Punjab Police specified that the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar, was not in possession of any record that could be used to ascertain whether Henry had submitted an application to acquire Indian citizenship or not. Henry had acquired an Indian passport in 1981 and subsequently in 2004. The passport can be issued only to an Indian citizen.

But the records of the Foreigners Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed that the division had not granted Indian citizenship to Avtar Henry from 1981 onwards.

The letter sent by Garg to Bains stated that the fact that he had acquired a British passport conclusively proved that he had acquired British citizenship and thereby automatically ceased to be an India citizen under Sections 9(1) of the Citizenship Act-1955 from the date of the acquisition of British citizenship.

Case history

Henry had landed in a trouble following allegations of dual citizenship levelled by his son Gurjit Singh Sanghera. The Union Home Ministry had summoned him to Delhi to clear his stand.

Henry was asked to appear before the ministry on July 10, 2012. Henry had appeared before SM Garg and recorded his statement.

In November 2009, Sanghera had accused his father of possessing two passports. In his complaint, Sanghera had alleged that Avtar Singh ‘Sanghera’ had been to England on an Indian passport, which he had procured from the passport office in Delhi by posing as Lakhbir Singh Sanghera’s son. Lakhbir Singh Sanghera is, in fact, Henry’s elder brother and his father’s name is Joginder Singh.

The complainant had further alleged that Henry had made a false averment in the British passport that his “father”, Lakhbir Singh Sanghera, had died in 1905. Lakhbir Singh had actually died in November 2006.

The complaint further read that Avtar Henry (‘son’ of Lakhbir Singh) took British citizenship on the old passport issued by the Indian Government. He later managed to get a passport from the British government and returned to India in September 1969. He yet again got a passport prepared from the Jalandhar passport officer, showing himself as the son of Joginder Singh (the real father) and born in Pakistan.

The complainant had sought charges under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471 and 494 of the IPC against Henry. The Jalandhar police acted on the complaint, but the files were gathering dust at the SSP’s office.

The case was later reopened by the city police after Sanghera, through his friend Ajay Sehgal, an RTI activist, moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The court had directed the Union Home Ministry, Punjab Chief Secretary and the DGP to complete an ongoing probe into a complaint against Henry in four months.

Son relieved

Gurjit Singh Sanghera has expressed satisfaction at the union government’s decision to cease Henry’s Indian citizenship. Talking to The Tribune, Sanghera claimed that he would move an application before the city police Commissioner seeking his arrest.

BJP veteran Bakshi Ram Arora is Amritsar Mayor

Amritsar, September 19
The BJP high command today appointed veteran leader Bakshi Ram Arora as the city Mayor, putting to rest the tussle between two factions of the local unit lobbying hard for respective candidates.
The three-time BJP councillor’s name was proposed by SAD Chief Parliamentary Secretary Inderbir Bolaria and seconded by BJP Cabinet Minister Anil Joshi during the first meeting of the fifth Amritsar Municipal Corporation House at Town Hall.
SAD councillors Avtar Singh Truckanwala and Avinash Jolly were unanimously elected Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor, respectively. Their names were proposed by Joshi and seconded by Bolaria.

The presiding officer, Jalandhar Divisional Commissioner SR Ladhar, administered the oath to the newly elected councillors.

ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਇਯਾਲੀ ਨੇ ਵਿਕਾਸ ਕਾਰਜਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਹਲਕੇ ਦੀ ਨੁਹਾਰ ਬਦਲੀ

ਐਡਮਿੰਟਨ, 19 ਸਤੰਬਰ (ਵਤਨਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਗਰੇਵਾਲ)-ਨਵੇਂ ਨਰੋਏ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੀ ਸਿਰਜਣਾ ਲਈ ਅਕਾਲੀ-ਭਾਜਪਾ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਵਲੋਂ ਪਿੰਡ-ਪਿੰਡ ਵਿਚ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਕੀਤੇ ਗਏ ਵਿਕਾਸ ਕਾਰਜਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਪ੍ਰਵਾਸੀ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਪੂਰੀ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਸੰਤੁਸ਼ਟ ਤੇ ਖੁਸ਼ ਹਨ। ਸ: ਸੁਖਬੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਾਦਲ ਦੀ ਅਗਵਾਈ ਹੇਠ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਅੱਜ ਤਰੱਕੀ ਦੀਆਂ ਮੰਜ਼ਿਲਾਂ ਵੱਲ ਵਧ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ। ਸ: ਬਾਦਲ ਤੋਂ ਸੇਧ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਹਲਕਾ ਦਾਖਾ ਤੋਂ ਨੌਜਵਾਨ ਵਿਧਾਇਕ ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਇਯਾਲੀ ਨੇ ਵਿਕਾਸ ਕਾਰਜਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਹਲਕੇ ਦੀ ਨੁਹਾਰ ਬਦਲ ਦਿੱਤੀ, ਜਿਸ ਕਰਕੇ ਹਲਕੇ ਦੇ ਵੱਡੇ-ਵੱਡੇ ਕਾਂਗਰਸੀ ਲੀਡਰ ਸ: ਇਯਾਲੀ ਦੀ ਪ੍ਰੇਰਣਾ ਸਦਕਾ ਸ਼੍ਰੋਮਣੀ ਅਕਾਲੀ ਦਲ ਦੀਆਂ ਨੀਤੀਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਜੁੜ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ।

British PM hails role of Indian immigrants

London, September 12
Prime Minister David Cameron today said the thousands of Indians and other Asians who arrived in Britain after being expelled from Uganda 40 years ago had made an "extraordinary contribution" to the fabric of British life.

Responding to a question from Indian-origin Conservative MP Shailesh Vara in the House of Commons, Cameron said those in Britain who had opposed their immigration in 1972 were "completely wrong", and also lauded Vara's contribution to parliament.

Vara, MP from north-west Cambridgeshire, was born in Uganda and migrated to Britain with his family in the early 1970s.

Vara recalled that the then Conservative government had allowed the Uganda Asians to migrate here after being expelled by Idi Amin despite much opposition at the time in Parliament and other parts of the country.

In August 1972, the Uganda Indians were not welcome in the east Midlands city of Leicester, where over 10,000 of them migrated, and went on to prosper in one of the most remarkable success stories of the Indian diaspora.

The Leicester city council had then paid for advertisements in the Uganda press, informing that it was "in your own interests and those of your family... not come to Leicester".

As the community of Uganda Asians mark 40 years of their expulsion and immigration to Britain, the Leicester city council is planning to publicly thank them for transforming the city and region after facing racism and other hurdles as they rebuilt their lives.

Sundip Meghani, son of one of the many Indians expelled from Uganda, has proposed a motion in the same city council thanking the Indians and other Asians from Uganda for their contribution to the city.