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By Pardeep Singh Nagra

Approximately over 250 000 Sikhs served in the World Wars. They served and saw action in all the major campaigns of WW1 in France and Flanders Belgium including Ypres, Neuve Chapelle, La Bassee, Somme, and Vimy.  Sikhs also served in campaigns in Mesopotamia, Persia, East Africa, Gallipoli and the Far East. Fighting in the trenches and muddy fields of Europe, in the deserts, among the mountains and on the oceans in these global conflicts, the Sikhs would win unstinting respect for their courage, bravery, patience and fortitude.

Today a Globe and Mail reporter called to investigate rumours she’d heard about a supposed rise in “Sikh extremism.” At first we were confused and then we remembered the Canadian trade mission to India. As is often the case, someone in India was probably whispering in her colleague’s ear.

Wendy Stueck, of the Globe’s B.C. bureau, had no real evidence for this imaginary Sikh extremism in Canada, just hearsay from another reporter travelling with the trade mission. So she called us to see if there was something we might know.

As we’ve said several times in the past, there is nothing to suggest a rise in extremism or radicalism.  If there is, we’d be the most surprised to hear about it.

Gurdwara Baradari Rawalpindi“Please give your Khalsa the gift of free visitation to, and service and upkeep of Sri Nankana Sahib and other Gurdwaras and places associated with the Guru from which the Panth (community) has been separated” – Sikh daily Ardaas (prayer)

The Partition of Punjab in 1947 didn’t just result in the uprooting of hundreds of thousands of Sikhs from their ancestral homes; it also resulted in the separation of the Sikh community from hundreds of historical Gurdwaras and landmarks.  Places like Nanakana Sahib and Panja Sahib which are integral to the Sikh heritage were left behind.   Ironically, several historical Gurdwaras, such as those in Ghavindi, Hudiara, Jahman and Kartarpur Sahib are as close as 5 km from the international border.  Some of these Gurdwaras like Kartarpur Sahib can even be seen in the distance when standing at the border - so close yet so very far.

Today marks the 17th anniversary of the disappearance of S. Jaswant Singh Khalra.

In a handwritten press note dated February 25, 1995, S. Khalra had predicted his 'disappearance' at the hands of the Punjab Police (before his visits to Canada).  He had learned that his abduction had been approved by the Congress government in power at the time.  The press note shows S. Khalra's bravery and spirit of sacrifice. 

As we are all aware, the incidents of Oak Creek almost two weeks ago have been painful for everyone around the world. As a result, the World Sikh Organization is setting up a channel to collect condolence messages which will be delivered to the families of the victims, as well as to the heroic police officer who risked his life and saved countless lives. If you would like to leave messages of condolences and hope and love for the families, you can do so here: http://www.worldsikh.ca/contact Read more »