Jarnail Singh: Difference between revisions
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==Honour== | ==Honour== | ||
==Jarnail Singh Honoured by SGPC== | ==Jarnail Singh Honoured by SGPC== | ||
[[File:Jarnailmakkarh.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Avtar Singh honoured jarnail singh with robe of honour and a Potrait of harimandir sahib]] | |||
ikh Journalist from Delhi was cordially invited to Harmandir Sahib for a private meeting with Avtar Makkar the president of the SGPC. | ikh Journalist from Delhi was cordially invited to Harmandir Sahib for a private meeting with Avtar Makkar the president of the SGPC. | ||
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After receiving a Siropa, Singh, who was accompanied by his wife and two children, paid homage to the holy place of Harmandir Sahib where the injustices of 1984 began. | After receiving a Siropa, Singh, who was accompanied by his wife and two children, paid homage to the holy place of Harmandir Sahib where the injustices of 1984 began. | ||
===Other awards=== | |||
{{p|File:Jarnailsingh2.jpg |No no, don't speak the truth, Jarnail}} | |||
*'''Several Sikh organisations pledged a Rs 2 lakh "reward" for Jarnail Singh for his "heroism". "He has represented the agony and resentment of the community. For this, Sikh organisations have decided to honour him with Rs 2 lakh," said Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Akali Dal leader and municipal councillor. The Delhi unit of Shiromani Akali Dal, which initially said it would give Rs one lakh to the scribe as legal aid, later said it would "felicitate" him for the act. .''' | |||
The Damdami Taksal Amritsar has also announced the reward and the 1984 riots affected people has put an amount of 5 lac on the shoe which was thrown. | |||
==In the news== | ==In the news== | ||
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==Award Pledged to Journalist== | ==Award Pledged to Journalist== | ||
==Jarnail Singh Sacked== | ==Jarnail Singh Sacked== | ||
Revision as of 15:50, 6 July 2009
Jarnail Singh, is a famous Sikh journalist from the Hindi daily Dainik Jagran. He has become famous due to the fact that on 7th of April 2009, he hurled a shoe at Home Minister P Chidambaram at a press conference over his lack of response to questions that Mr Singh had put concerning the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) clean chit for the Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. He wass responsible for the fall of the Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, who is convict of 1984 anti sikh riots..
The Incident
Mr Chidambaram was addressing a press conference at AICC Headquarters at Akbar Road, New Delhi, where he announced the party’s decision to start a campaign against terror.
Responding to a question on the clean chit to Tytler in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots by Jarnail Singh, Mr Chidambaram said: "First of all let me make it clear that CBI is not under the Home Ministry. To my knowledge neither the Home Ministry nor any Ministry of the government had put any pressure on the CBI. CBI has only given a report to the court."
"It is for the court to accept or reject or ask for further investigation by CBI. Let us wait for the court decision," he added.
As the 36 year old journalist, Jarnail Singh persisted with his questions and said 'There is no justice for Sikhs even after 25 years', Chidambaram told him "no arguments, you are using this forum...."
Following this the journalist lobbed his shoe (A white colored Reebok 'Trainer') saying 'I protest'. Thrown underhand with little force, the shoe narrowly missed hitting Chidambaram. (there is a view that it was never intended to hurt him anyways) The action caused a flutter in the hall.
Mr. Chidambaram responded to the situation in a composed manned and even said that the journalist should be "removed" from the press conference hall "gently".
"I forgive him...let not the action of one emotional person hijack the entire press conference. I have answered his question to the best of my ability," Mr. Chidambaram said.
Jarnail Singh was asked a few questions by the media as he was being led away by the police, and he said he apologized for his actions, but also added that he was upset that justice had not been done in the 1984 anti Sikh riots. The newspaper he worked for also apologized.
The journalist was taken to Tughlaq Road Police Station where he was let-off after questioning because the government decided not to press charges.
Asked if he could have used some other manner to protest..."For the last 25 years this has been happening. So what other method is left (to protest)," Jarnail Singh said.
The police said that no complaint was lodged with them, and Chidambaram said that the journalist should be forgiven. A few Sikh bodies came out in support of Singh and even offered an award. The man has made his mark and shown the might of Punjabi Jutti. It is time for the other politicians to wag there tails to realise that interference in investigation, justice and road rolling the witnesses of crime will not help him, Even after 25 years. If the fate of attackers on religion is to be seen to be believed. See this.
Jarnail Singh on this incident
Several men then moved to take hold of both of the Sikh Journalist's arms and rushed him out of the meeting, with Chidambaram telling them, "Gently, Gently". Interestingly enough Mr. Singh seemed to be just as shocked at his action, as were the rest of the people in attendance.
Those who knew Singh were quick to express their surprise, describing him as a clam person of deeply held religious beliefs. Mr. Singh was quick to say, “I admit my method was wrong, but the sentiment was right. I do not wish that any journalist should behave in this manner.”
No doubt the scene brought to mind the recent 'shoe toss' that was 'heard 'round the world', when an Iraqi journalist tossed both his shoes at Pres. George Bush while he was on a State visit to Iran in his last few days as the US President.
However the brief bit of astonished anger, resounded with many Sikhs and others around the world who have waited through many years for some of the 'king pins' of those days of bloody murders to be brought to justice. One group even offered a princely sum for the shoe.
After painful wait of 25 years for Justice some kind of protest was needed to remind them that hearts of victims are still bleeding. mere compensations can not heal their wounds, justice needs to be done. but in contrast the preparators were rewarded with ministries and even after nanavati commissions report they got tickets. not only that cbi decided to close down the cases. they were pouring salt on our wounds and thinking sikhs are weak and dont have courage to stand against it. my shoe was not against Home Minister P. Chidambram but against the denial of justice. its true chidambrams remarks of happiness on tytler’s exoneration triggered the passion in my heart but later on he himself accepted that ‘enough people have not been punished’. its very honest acceptance. if the oldest party woke up after my shoe and booted them out then its not my fault. politically a right step has been taken but still guilty needs to be punished by court.
Personal Life
Jarnail Singh was 11 years old, playing cricket outside his house at Lajpat Nagar in Delhi, the day looting and killing started after former prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh body guards.
His mother promptly locked him and his siblings in a room. The family scraped through the three days of rioting without any major incident except for his brother being manhandled.
Later while in college, Singh looked up old newspaper files for stories on the riots. He says that only one English newspaper and its Hindi sister publication had done any thorough reporting on the riots of 1984. He decided to be a journalist as he felt there was need for one among the Sikhs. He enrolled himself in a course at the YMCA. This he blurts out when asked if he was happy with the way the media has covered the delay in justice to the riot victims in the past decades.
The father of two little children, is an alumnus of YMCA. Singh has been with various newspapers for the last 15 years, beginning with a six-month internship with the Sandhya Times in 1995. Then he freelanced for some time before he joined a multilingual daily called Aksharbharati which has since ceased publication. He has been with the Dainik Jagaran since 1999 and is today a special correspondent, covering mainly defence [4].
The father of two little children, Singh has been with various newspapers for the last 15 years, beginning with a six-month internship with the Sandhya Times in 1995. Then he found himself freelancing for some time before he joined a multilingual daily called Aksharbharati which has since ceased publication. He has been with the Dainik Jagaran since 1999 and is today a special correspondent, covering mainly defence. A colleague says that Singh may have had some painful link with the riots, though feels that his act was impulsive that day.
He has been covering defence, agriculture, and Election Commission, besides states like Punjab and Himachal Pradesh for his paper. He recently did stories on the nuclear deal. As far as the 1984 riots are concerned, Jarnail says he wrote whenever he could.
Singh started off as a reporter in Amar Ujala after a diploma in journalism from the YMCA. The 35-year-old has been a correspondent with Dainik Jagran for over a decade. Friends and family say the agression Jarnail showed is unlike him.
“He is a very calm person and a very religious one too. He goes to Gurdwara every day. Must have been something that happened that place and time, that he was angered,” said Aman, a friend of the journalist, now mired in controversy. Jarnail Singh too felt he could have reacted differently. “I admit my method was wrong, but the sentiment was right. I do not wish that any journalist should behave in this manner,” said the journalist by his own admission.
Honour
Jarnail Singh Honoured by SGPC
ikh Journalist from Delhi was cordially invited to Harmandir Sahib for a private meeting with Avtar Makkar the president of the SGPC.
The private meeting between Singh and Makkar took place at the Information Centre at the Harmandir Sahib Complex. During this meeting, Makkar presented Singh with a job position as media advisor to the SGPC. However, Singh felt committed to his current duties and could not accept the job. Singh felt a great sense of honor to be offered a Panthic position, but decided to decline because his present employer has not let him go from his present duty. In a written statement addressed to the public he wrote that he would like to continue his profession as a Journalist for the Dainik Jagran.
In addition to refusing the job position by Makkar, Singh stated he would not accept any cash-reward or funding for doing his duty as a Sikh and as a Journalist. He mentioned that if anyone wants to offer money they should do so to the 1984 riot victims and their families. Many skeptics have stated that Singh's actions were pre-meditated for political purposes. But Singh has stated, “My act was not pre-meditated as it was [an] emotional outburst and protest against injustice meted out to the victims of [the] 1984 anti Sikh riots.” It was this shout for justice which has given Jarnail Singh immense honor within The Panth.
After the meeting, Singh was presented with a robe of honor (Siropa) due to his courageous efforts to highlight the plight of the 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms that were orchestrated by Tytler, a congress select for the upcoming elections
After receiving a Siropa, Singh, who was accompanied by his wife and two children, paid homage to the holy place of Harmandir Sahib where the injustices of 1984 began.
Other awards
- Several Sikh organisations pledged a Rs 2 lakh "reward" for Jarnail Singh for his "heroism". "He has represented the agony and resentment of the community. For this, Sikh organisations have decided to honour him with Rs 2 lakh," said Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Akali Dal leader and municipal councillor. The Delhi unit of Shiromani Akali Dal, which initially said it would give Rs one lakh to the scribe as legal aid, later said it would "felicitate" him for the act. .
The Damdami Taksal Amritsar has also announced the reward and the 1984 riots affected people has put an amount of 5 lac on the shoe which was thrown.
In the news
News reports on the subject:
- Jarnail Singh, a journalist of the daily Dainik Jagran flung a shoe at Home Minister of India Mr P Chidambaram and made the Indian nation sit up in alarm.
Jarnail Singh, a Sikh himself says that his act may have been wrong but the cause remains real. Singh was upset like many in his community that the Congress Party had given a poll ticket to the accused of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The CBI had given a clean chit to Congressman Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, and this was followed by the court’s acquittal of the two.
- That makes many people ask: Who is Jarnail Singh? Is he a firebrand journalist, a staunch Sikh or the new poster boy of the Sikh community's campaign for justice? Just who is Jarnail Singh? Long before he made headlines as the man who hurled a shoe at the Home Minister, Jarnail Singh has cracked many stories on his beat - defence.
Award Pledged to Journalist
Jarnail Singh Sacked
Jarnail Singh was sacked on July 2, 2009 Wednesday, about three months after he threw a shoe at Union home minister P Chidambaram. His PIB(Press Information Bureau) card had been seized by government. This is a conspiracy to destroy his journalistic career. Singh said the newspaper was under pressure from the United Progressive Alliance government and the Congress. "Why is Jagran terminating my services now?
The incident is three months old. They should have fired me then," said Singh. "They were waiting for the election results. Now, after the Congress came back to power, they have terminated me," he said.
