Sikh Sangat of the Greater Toronto Area commemorates the 317th year of the Khalsa

TORONTO, Canada—On May 1, 2016 the Sikh Sangat of the Greater Toronto Area gathered to commemorate the 317th year of the Khalsa at the Nagar Kirtan organized by the Ontario Gurdwaras Committee. This procession is led from Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Malton to Sikh Spiritual Centre in Rexdale.

This years’ Vasakhi celebrations were aimed at reconnecting the Sangat, followers of the Sikh faith, with the true meaning of Vasakhi. The OGC created awareness of relevant current events and called for action on issues of injustice in India and Canada. Recognition was given for noteworthy accomplishments of those from the Sikh community.

The OGC address elaborated on issues ranging from the current plight of India’s minorities to the environmental destruction of Punjab, India’s occupation of Sikh Homeland Khalistan, hate crimes and discrimination against Sikhs worldwide in light of situations such as the Gurdwara attacks and issues with Sikh travelers and the TSA.

OGC is concerned about the recent trend of Indian Politicians, who have been complicate in torture of Sikhs in Punjab, planning on holding political rallies and fundraisers in Canada ahead of the Punjab elections. OGC would like to make it clear that any and all legal and judicial avenues to stop these politicians from entering Canada will be pursued.

This year marks the 102nd anniversary of the Komagata Maru incident, where 376 passengers arrived in Vancouver and were refused entry into Canada due to the discriminatory laws of that time period in Canadian history. The OGC applauds the announcement by Prime Minister Trudeau that on May 18, 2016, Prime Minister Trudeau will make an apology in the House of Commons for the Komagata Maru incident. We recognize the work of the community and work done by previous elected officials such as Jack Layton who called for an apology in the House of Commons in 2007 and former PM Harper who apologized for Komagata Maru in a BC park in 2008. While the Komagata Maru incident occurred over 100 years ago, racist sentiments and anti-immigrant discrimination lives today and we hope this apology will be the foundation of future inclusive immigration education and policies.

November 2015 Sarbat Khalsa was a monumental time in recent Sikh History as the raw celebratory emotion of the Sikh psyche was evident when Jagtar Singh Hawara was announced as Jathdar of Akal Takht. OGC is in complete support of this decision of the Sikh sangat and demand his release so that he can occupy the office of the Akal Takht.

In addition to raising awareness on the many issues that require the Sangat’s attention, the OGC took this opportunity to acknowledge the 300th Shaheedi Divas of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and the 30 year mark of the declaration of Khalistan as proclaimed by the Akal Takht on April 29, 2986. This year, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), which is one of the largest school boards in the Province, also officially proclaimed April as Sikh Heritage Month.  This is a major accomplishment for the community as this further allows us to and create much needed awareness about Sikhism. We would like to thank a friend of the Sikh Community Neethan Shan raising this motion at the Toronto District School Board which was unanimously passed.

1 COMMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here