Another news story to single out Sikhs...


Brampton kirpan attack renews debate over Sikh daggers
Temple president stabbed with kirpan
Published On Tue Apr 06 2010


Raveena Aulakh Staff Reporter (Taken from the Toronto Star)

The crowd of about 150 people was yelling obscenities and threats outside the Sikh Lehar Centre in Brampton when three temple officials stepped out to pacify them.

Within seconds, one in the crowd, clutching a thick steel bangle, punched Manjit Mangat, the 53-year-old president of the Sikh temple, in the face. Witnesses say at least two men brandished unsheathed kirpans, the Sikh ceremonial dagger.

The next moment, Mangat, a prominent Brampton lawyer, was on the ground — his face bloodied and a 5-inch wound in his abdomen.

Brampton’s Sukhwant Singh, in his early 50s, has been charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault, Peel police say. Singh’s next court appearance is on Thursday.

Any weapon could have been used in the attack, but the fact that it was a kirpan alarms Sikh leaders who fear the incident will rouse objections once again over one’s right to wear the religious symbol in public.

“We are fighting for two symbols all over the world — turban and kirpan,” said Gurdev Gill, who witnessed the attack on Mangat. “They have both been misused in front of everyone. Why would people listen to us when we now say that it (kirpan) is ceremonial in nature ... not meant to kill people?”

A steel blade anywhere from 2 to 8 inches long, the kirpan is supposed to be worn by baptized Sikhs at all times, sheathed under their clothes. But debates have raged across the country whether the wearing of the dagger, seen by Sikhs as a symbolic weapon in the fight against evil, compromises public security.

The kirpan is banned in Denmark and France and there have been several court cases in states of the U.S. involving the legality of wearing the kirpan in public places. But it is allowed in most public places in Canada, including at schools. There have been some incidents in the past in the Toronto area where the kirpan was used in an assault, but none as high-profile as the one on Friday in Brampton.

When Amanpreet Bal first heard about the scuffle and the stabbing, he hoped that a kirpan hadn’t been used. Every time, the kirpan comes back into the spotlight, “it means an uphill battle for us to educate people about its spiritual significance,” said Bal of the World Sikh Organization, an agency which has fought for Sikhs’ rights to wear the kirpan.

“Ignorant people have no idea what the impact of this (incident) can be,” he said. “The community will see the impact of this incident for years to come. It presents a tremendous challenge to the Sikhs.”

Controversy over the kirpan first burst onto the national scene in 2001 when Montrealer Gurbaj Singh Multani, then a 12-year-old student, accidentally dropped his 8-inch ceremonial dagger at school. It triggered a five-year-long dispute with the school board over his right to wear the dagger. In 2006, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld his right to wear it to school in a landmark judgment.

A debate erupted in Montreal again about 18 months ago when police said a 13-year-old student had allegedly threatened two students with his kirpan. In April 2009, a judge found him guilty of threatening them, but with a hairpin used to secure a turban.

The issue of the kirpan is a delicate one in the community. Sikhs will voice their concern about its misuse but few will openly discuss what can be done about it. Balraj Deol, editor of Khabarnama, a weekly Punjabi newspaper published in Brampton, says it is time for the clergy to examine the issue of how to make the kirpan safe.

“We have seen from time to time that people have used it as a weapon and it’s very dangerous,” said Deol.

Its size is one issue, he said. “It’s a religious symbol. It can be tiny,” not more than 2 inches long. He also points out that the kirpan — a really small one — can be worn around the neck, which would address security concerns.

Others have bounced the idea of locked kirpans — where they can’t be unclasped.

Harnish Athwal, a 35-year-old mother of two young girls, says Friday’s violence has convinced her that the ceremonial dagger must be made safer. She was inside the temple when the scuffle broke out and was one of the first people to reach Mangat, slumped on the ground.

“My kids saw it happen ... my 6-year-old daughter is still traumatized,” said Athwal, who also witnessed the incident. “She can’t understand why people would first yell and scream and then hurt someone so bad.”

Meanwhile, Mangat is home from hospital, recuperating. “I thank God that I am alive,” he said. One of the wounds, he added, is nearly 5 inches deep and next to the right kidney, others are on his legs and thighs.

But Mangat, who also wears a kirpan, says this abuse of the dagger should not be used against the religion. “These people have used religious emotions and symbols to attack others. It does not mean all Sikhs are violent.”

Manjeet Managat is not liked by many Sikh Ppl in Toronto. Manjeet Managat is a lawyer and started a gurudwara where he himself claimed as the leader of the Gurudwara. Professional he is a lawyer but was promoted to Judge and then later I think demoted to Lawyer. Then he started a law office in Brampton and now own a plaza.
- There were almost 150 protestor who showed up... I think the protest was against the establishment of gurudwara or his leadership and then I believe more than one Sikh got pissed and try to stabbed him. But the actions were not wise (all personal view.. No source)


- Sad story.. Will definately impact all the gurusikhs.. May result in difficulting of getting jobs for a Gurusikh as THIS Was also on CBC (Canadian Biggest Network - where they claiming to ban the Kirpan)

Manjeet Managat is not liked by many Sikh Ppl in Toronto. Manjeet Managat is a lawyer and started a gurudwara where he himself claimed as the leader of the Gurudwara. Professional he is a lawyer but was promoted to Judge and then later I think demoted to Lawyer. Then he started a law office in Brampton and now own a plaza.
- There were almost 150 protestor who showed up... I think the protest was against the establishment of gurudwara or his leadership and then I believe more than one Sikh got pissed and try to stabbed him. But the actions were not wise (all personal view.. No source)


- Sad story.. Will definately impact all the gurusikhs.. May result in difficulting of getting jobs for a Gurusikh as THIS Was also on CBC (Canadian Biggest Network - where they claiming to ban the Kirpan)

Good background. I was looking for this!

Here the news covered by a desi Media.

Like the incidence which occurred at Southall few days back, similar incidence happened here at Gurduwara Sikh Lehar Centre on 2 Apr 2010 where Prof. Darshan Singh was going to perform kirtan, about 200 Kalka panthis attacked the gurdwara.  They had gathered in Glidden road Gurdwara which is just nearby.

Approx. at 6pm these so called Taksaalis started protesting outside the gurdwara.  Management of the gurdwara tried to console them, but they had different plans.  They started quarreling.  As police was outnumbered, fight broke out, more police force was called.  When more police officers came to the scene, police just started cracking those nuts.  5-6 people were wounded and were taken to hospital.  Gurudwara Management committe president S. Manjit Singh Mangat, S. Suchet Singh, S. Gurdev Singh and other members fought very courageously.   S. Manjit Singh Mangat was injured during the fight, his and S. Suchet Singh's turbaned came off during the scuffle with miscreants.

Peel Police officers then came to Prof. Darshan Singh’s residence and informed him about the proceedings.  Police also suggested management to cancel the program and advised Prof. Darshan Singh to not to go there.  With the advise of Gurdwara management and Police, this program was postponed.

But now its clear with these sort of incidences that these Kalka Panthis are now afraid of Prof. Darshan Singh, as 100-200 people come to stop a single man.  What a joke, shame on you Kalka panthi followers.

The major difference between animals and human beings is of Thought (Brain).  When there is no option left animals start fighting, like a donkey always hits with legs (dullatti), so as the people who have lost their ability to convey the message by talk, they start fighting, which shows that those human beings are just like animals.

Same is the case of these Dasam Granthis.  They are just like a donkey with the skin of Lion.  These so called Taksaalis, who follows the so called Brahmgyani leader who shamelessly told lie in front of Sri Guru Granth Sahib for 21 years, at that time they listened like a tame lamb, at that time they didn’t found anything against SGGS.  Now when Prof. Darshan Singh is telling the truth about so called Dasam Granth and is getting the tremendous response, these taksaalis are trying to comeout of their skin.  These Dasm Granthis must fix in their mind, that, kirtan programs will be held, no matter what.

Sikhs are now divided into Shia – Sunni like muslims.  Its very sad to see when one sikh topples another sikh’s turban, oh God, its not your turban, its Guru’s turban.  Have some shame.  People talk that what sort of people are these Sikhs, they don’t even spare their own religious place. When the Sikhs don’t have anyone to fight with, they start fighting with their own brothers.  What a shameless crack head people.

Its said that all over that Sikhs are don’t use their brain a lot, when someone tries to tell them something right to do, they don’t listen, rather start fighting.  When so called lecherous Babas like Dadhri wala, Kamblee wala, Lullon wala, Kar sewa wala, Kaulan wala, Nanaksaria……… name anything……. they start wagging their tails behind them.  But when somebody preaches Gurmat to them, these Dasam Granthis start attacking. God save Sikhs.

Source: http://www.khalsanews.org/newspics/2010/04Apr2010/03%20Apr%2010/03Apr10a.htm#1  <- Link on the Sikh Lehar International Website


Full coverage (but might be baised as all the news from one source) : http://www.khalsanews.org/mainnews.htm

Brampton Gaurdian:
A crowd of approximately 150 had gathered to protest a lecture by Darshan Singh, a Sikh preacher who was banished from the religion three months ago by priests in India. The protest turned violent and some 30 to 40 police officers were called to quell the confrontation.

Thanks Jhanda kamli. I was wondering why the fight broke out in the first place.

Punjabi ch Likhea karo......vaddeo angrejo............

news article haiga from a news paper. Translate kaun karay?