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After Surrey, Sikhs make their
point in Toronto too
WSN Network
TORONTO:
Neither was the
minority-muffling Indian nation state expected to gulp the issues
raised by the Sikh community in Surrey through the massive parade
and floats, exhibition on genocide of the Sikhs and the fiery
slogans on T-shirts, nor was it expected to stay silent. So New
Delhi
kicked a lot of ruckus, its ministers and acolytes worked overnight
to give a bad name to the
Sikh parade and there were many efforts at torpedoing future
endeavors of the community.
No wonder when
it came to the Sikh Parade at Toronto on April 28, some of the
effect was seen. But the more than 60,000 Sikhs (even by the
conservative estimates of the agents of the Indian state) who
converged on downtown Toronto to mark the Khalsa Day sent a clear
signal with their massive and enthusiastic presence. The parade left
Exhibition Place, went along Lake Shore Blvd. and ended at Nathan
Phillips Square in the country where the first of the faith
community members landed only a 100 years ago. The Ontario Sikh and
Gurudwara Council was the main organizer of the 29-year-old event
that saw the sangat arriving from as far as
Quebec
and New Jersey.
There was a TTC
strike but the Sikh sangat refused to be affected by it as some 00
buses, along with many carpools, ferried the Sikhs from across the
GTA. Uninterrupted Langar has by now become the hall mark of the Sih
parade and even many local non-Sikhs keenly tried the Punjabi
delicacies. The institutions of Langar and Pangat in Sikhism went a
long way in breaking down the brahmanical practices of caste
hierarchies and untouchability.
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No float, but point still made
THE organizer
Ontario Sikh and Gurdwara Council had some objections to a
particular float which was later withdrawn. The brouhaha created
by Indian nation state has caused some confusion and many Sikhs
did not want to give any excuse to agents of the undemocratic
Indian state to twist and misuse the facts. However, some
activists did walk with the parade with a huge banner that read
“Sikh Homeland Khalistan” and unfurled it at the Nathan Phillips
Square in the heart of Toronto. Many speakers took turns to
describe the injustices meted out to the Sikhs in India. |
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The founding of
the Khalsa in 1699 by the Tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, put an
end to such discrimination for once and all. The Vaisakhi is
celebrated to mark this great event in the history of the mankind.
As Nathan Phillips Square came alive with gurbani hymns, religiosity
and the wafting aromas of curry and lentils, the occasion was the
Sikhs way of telling the world that they intend to make their
collective voice heard above the din created by the Indian protests
over the Surrey parade. Many prominent politicians showed up to pay
their respects, including Premier Dalton McGuinty, Progressive
Conservatve Leader John Tory, provincial NDP Leader Howard Hampton,
federal Liberal Leader Stephane Dion and federal NDP Leader Jack
Layton.
Toronto
Police Chief Bill Blair turned out, along with a number of Sikh
officers and members of the recruitment unit. Children surrounded
the chief clamoring for a photo and a chance to examine his dress
uniform.
30
April 2008
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