USA Sword-Wielding Sikhs Attack Praying Rivals At NYC Temple

Chaan Pardesi · Apr 25, 2011

Worshippers wielding swords and cricket bats interrupted a prayer session at a Sikh temple in Queens to attack their rivals in a vicious power struggle, the New York Post reported Monday.

Rival factions at the Baba Makhan Shah Lobana Sikh Center in South Richmond Hill have been bickering for months over control, authorities and members said. The dispute reached a bloody climax Sunday when the infighting turned violent, accompanied by screams, taunts and death threats.

The alleged attackers -- armed with at least one sword about 40 inches long -- were part of the old guard that had been recently voted out of power but refused to accept the decision, even going to court to challenge the election. "We just went to pray," said M.K. Singh, who received stitches and staples to close a head wound. "We walked inside, and they started attacking."

"They cut me. They tried to cut my arm off, but the sword got caught on [something]. I'm very lucky," he added.

New temple president Gurmej Singh said he and his supporters had come to pray despite knowing there could be trouble. Police had been deployed outside the two-story center in case anything happened, but the violence broke out inside.

The attackers brought the long sword and at least one other blade, as well as a hammer, mallet and cricket bats to the temple at 101st Avenue and 114th Street at around 11:00am local time, witnesses and police said. Three people were reported injured, including a cop who tried to intervene.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/queens/queens_turban_warfare_z38HYmJCnTjRUHNStsdYBM#ixzz1KZZtIVGY
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/queens/queens_turban_warfare_z38HYmJCnTjRUHNStsdYBM http://www.my9tv.com/dpp/my9_news/sword-wielding-sikhs-attack-praying-rivals-at-nyc-temple

Chaan Pardesi · Apr 25, 2011

Vesakhi just ended.The message of Vesakhi seems to have not got home to these people....is this the good example of the message of Vesakhi .these are not Sikhs but mad men only hurting the common cause of Sikh religion and causing greater inconvenience and pain to the community.

In 1984, we blamed the Indian Government, in 2011 in New York who shall we blame the US government?..Or was it Indian Government again at it?shame shame upon these people....or are they really humans?

xkatz · Apr 25, 2011

That's so sad and terrible

I hope these people can peacefully settle their dispute and the perpetrators see the error of their ways.

spnadmin · Apr 25, 2011

This is the end of an era. This will be the end of kirpan in gurdwara in the US. There has never been a recorded case of the use of swords/daggers in a religious dispute in a Sikh sangat in the United States. The most recent case of knife-wielding violence occurred in an Ohio sangat, services were not in session, the culprit was a mentally ill man who had been refusing to take his medication, the weapon was a butcher knife. At least 10 civil rights cases in US courts have affirmed the right to bear kirpan, even of children to school. That era is now over. The Gurdwara of Rochester wins by default against its own amritdhari sangat. And this Lobana sangat does not even represent the typical sangat in the US.

Perhaps someone will tell me that I am over-reacting.

Ambarsaria · Apr 25, 2011

Another day another dollar in Gurdwara management.

Question always is who gets to the golak (money vault) first . An aberration in an otherwise normal day. Hit, cut and slash lol. Stupids should be ashamed.

Where is my bat :angryyoungsingh::angryyoungkaur:

Sat Sri Akal.

Gyani Jarnail Singh · Apr 26, 2011

This is a link in the chain (rope)....as they say..
Give the dog a bad name..then HANG HIM...........IF you wnat badly to HANG a DOG that has good standing....then first you have to work hard at giving him a Bad Name....then when you HANG him.....everybody will say Good Riddance.
SPNADMIN has got thumb on the right spot....there will be NO REST until the Kirpan...the Dastaar...and thus SIKHI...is eliminated for GOOD.

spnadmin · Apr 26, 2011

My heart is broken by this story. I fantasize that there will be a trial, and that there will be a sentencing hearing, and that I am there speaking before the judge, pouring my heart out about how much damage this one isolated event has done.

Even the policeman looks profoundly confused by what has happened.

Thread btw moved from Spiritual Articles to United States section. spnadmin

Ishna · Apr 26, 2011

The SRM could do with a section on democratic Gurdwara management to ensure Gurdwaras are managed appropriately or something. Then again, the SGPC probably isn't the best body to write that up.

It is very sad that this has happened in the States.

Gyani Jarnail Singh · Apr 26, 2011

Ishan ji..its a long story......you have to read up books like SOFT TARGET etc etc to get the reason why...its NOT a SRM problem at all....

Kanwaljit.Singh · Apr 26, 2011

Check out the video:

http://www.nydailynews.com/video/in...GL7luj&dCode=RkMDBmMjqUNa5QzjQuvzS2buQkNFU86j

Guru di Hazuri ich eh kafi wadda niraadar hoya hai

Bahadar S · Apr 26, 2011

Good thing I didn't go to the Gurdwara that day. Very shocking it's very peaceful there. May Satguru Ji save us from this fire of krodh

Kanwaljit.Singh · Apr 26, 2011

Krodh + Lobh + Moh + Ahankaar

What else is left?

Such people have lost the message of Sikhi. And they will never be able to impart them to children. Just like Guru warned, even their generations will be lost.

spnadmin · Apr 26, 2011

Bahadur S ji

It is great that you signed on and gave us your first-person description of gurdwara and sangat. My prayers to the sangat. My thanks to you.

CharlesKnuckles · Apr 26, 2011

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Spnadmin

My comments in red font: spnadmin

Belligerent comment deleted. spnadmin

The Gurdwara of Rochester NEVER engaged in any struggle against its Sangat. The GOR banned 4 individuals (and their immediate families) who were on the verge of inciting violence, EXACTLY like these sword wielding fools in New York City, inside of the Gurdwara of Rochester.

Please do not interpret my hesitation to indulge in bellicose words as weakness. Your comment above is a comment that has been made by you and corrected by me several times. Do read the statements of Akal Takht and the World Sikh Organization North American Region. If you have an argument, have it with them, not with me and not at SPN. spnadmin

The difference is that the GOR Management recognized the potential danger and acted BEFORE violence erupted in an otherwise peaceful Gurdwara. Had this Gurdwara in Queens recognized this issue and acted in the same way the GOR did, this incident would have never happened and you would not have to worry about Kirpans being banned in the United States.

Acting before anything happens is "prior restraint" and prior restraint is unconstitutional. Something that no one has missed in the GOR case. spnadmin

The true issue is how does a 17<sup>th</sup> Century third-world mentality coexist, peacefully, with a 21<sup>st</sup> Century first-world culture.

You raise this question as if your opinion, your judgment, is equivalent to facts on the ground. Should we be honored by a visit from such a major social critic of your stature? Frankly you are using patronizing language which barely hides your contempt for traditional Sikhs. spnadmin

The core principles of Sikhism are timeless and translate into any generation or time. However, some practices, that can be considered symbolic in the 21<sup>st</sup> Century, don’t translate well.

Bottom line is that the length of someone’s hair, beard, or Kirpan does not measure how good a Sikh a person is – Their ACTIONS determine what kind of Sikh they are. You continually insert this issue into these discussions. The comment is irrelevant and amounts to a red herring, a diversionary tactic intended to gain audience, coming in from left field. spnadmin

You have already admitted that you are not a member of the GOR Sangat. You continually present a position that is contrary to court documents, in which the judge was misled. You have already demonstrated many times your ambivalence regarding the kakkars and their importance to Sikh Identity. We do not even know if you are a Sikh. This is the last time you will have the opportunity to put observant Sikhs and Sikhi on the defensive. Change your ways, or you will never post at SPN again. Thank you, spnadmin

CharlesKnuckles · Apr 26, 2011

@Spnadmin - You do realize that neither the Akal Takht or WSC-AR have any authority in the United States right?

Kanwaljit.Singh · Apr 26, 2011

Akaal Takht means throne of the timeless God. Do you think being in US you are free from that authority

spnadmin · Apr 26, 2011

CharlesKnuckles said:
@Spnadmin - You do realize that neither the Akal Takht or WSC-AR have any authority in the United States right?

They have moral authority to remind members of the panth of their panthic duties and obligations. And WSC-AR along with United Sikhs has the liberty and the expectation of due diligence to bring legal briefs to the US courts if they believe they have a case. And they do.

Now I am being very patient with you. I saw you were online and realized it was only a matter of time before you would spew forth your "wisdom" all over this thread. So I was ready for it. What you need to do is consider your dwindling venues for personal expression. Consider whether losing your opportunity at SPN to express yourself is important or not. SPN is not obligated to make it easy for you.

CharlesKnuckles · Apr 26, 2011

Usually the root of these types of problems is either money or one part of the Sangat thinks another part of the Sangat is not Dharmic enough and is running the Gurdwara 'improperly'.

It does seem Bahadar S is a member of the Sangat. Perhaps he can shed some light on the root of this problem...

Harwinder · Apr 26, 2011

This is something that need to STOP. words can't discribe how i feel for when my own community is not doing so good.

At first we fight to the justice system and than turn around and abuse the place of worship we fought for..

I hope people realize this and understand that the causers of this will suffer but also bring the community down with them.

As said earlier in the thread "i see our religous rights slowly evoperation in the future" (i.e dastar, karra, kess.)

Not only this inccident but many others. Like the shooting in Saceremnto, ca. which probly so many people are scared to express they are sikhs.

Ambarsaria · Apr 26, 2011

Charles Knuckles ji I don't know you just some comments on the content of your post.

CharlesKnuckles said:


 The Gurdwara of Rochester NEVER engaged in any struggle against its Sangat. The GOR banned 4 individuals (and their immediate families) who were on the verge of inciting violence, EXACTLY like these sword wielding fools in New York City, inside of the Gurdwara of Rochester.

… Are you saying that the people become fools inside the Gurdwara or if they are fools wouldn’t they be fools inside or our! So your concern is Kirpan versus a Black Belt Karate person who can demolish someone with one blow. Your approach and logic is utterly flawed.

The difference is that the GOR Management recognized the potential danger and acted BEFORE violence erupted in an otherwise peaceful Gurdwara. Had this Gurdwara in Queens recognized this issue and acted in the same way the GOR did, this incident would have never happened and you would not have to worry about Kirpans being banned in the United States.
… Can you explain if it is the Sangat at GOR which is scared or just some members of the committee. Why does not the Sangat decide such simple matters. I hope you travel to Texas as you can legally wear/carry Guns. Or everyone is going to unarm for your visit

The true issue is how does a 17<sup>th</sup> Century third-world mentality coexist, peacefully, with a 21<sup>st</sup> Century first-world culture.

… Who are you to be the judge of this? This is a personal decision taken by people. If you want a Panthic decision you should be quite aware of the process. Which 21<sup>st</sup> Century peaceful world culture are you referring to, Ram – Rahim or some other Baba or the like.

The core principles of Sikhism are timeless and translate into any generation or time. However, some practices, that can be considered symbolic in the 21<sup>st</sup> Century, don’t translate well.

Bottom line is that the length of someone’s hair, beard, or Kirpan does not measure how good a Sikh a person is – Their ACTIONS determine what kind of Sikh they are.

… If you are not one you cannot judge one. This is plain ego. You are simply trying to not only reject others respectful rights but ignoring essence of Gurbani with inflated statements and ego regarding others. By the way actions include respecting others ways without imposing your own and promulgating the same.[/FONT]

Sat Sri Akal.

USA Sword-Wielding Sikhs Attack Praying Rivals At NYC Temple

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