NEW YORK, NY: The World Sikh News got a Massive support at the promotional dinner organized by the Sikhs of New York at the Traveller’s Hotel, opposite La Gaurdia Airport, New York on April 24, 1988. Nearly three hundred Sikhs belonging to different walks of life responded to the invitation of the organizers. A special supplement covering the different aspects of the lives of the Sikhs of New York area was also released on the ‘occasion.
The invitees enlisted themselves as the regular readers of the newspaper and made a solemn pledge to enroll five more members as each readers of World Sikh News. The proceedings of the function were initiated with a Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s Shabad “Deh Shiva Var Mohe” rendered by S. Buta Singh. It was followed by some religious and cultural items, presented by famous folk song singers, such as Jagat Singh Jagga, Darshan Singh and Gajjan Singh, who regated the audience with thrilling poems including “The Last Wish of Kanwar Dalip Singh” presented by Mr. Jagga.
Jagjit Singh Mangat, the Chairman of the Organizing Committee and President of the Sikh Cultural Society, New York who is also the Vice President of World Sikh News, welcomed the invitees and introduced the other members of the staff and management committee of World Sikh News to the audience.
He described World Sikh News as the only newspaper in the United States which could rightly claim to be the spokesman of the Sikh community. He called upon the audience to promote the newspaper by supplementing the subscriptions with a pledge from each one of them to make at least five more subscribers to this community paper to put it on solid footing.
Dr. Gurinder Singh Grewal, President of the World Sikh News, thanked the organizers for strengthening the united voice of the Sikhs by helping the World Sikh News. He stressed that the foreign Sikh media is playing a complementary role in supporting the freedom fighters in Punjab. He called upon the Sikhs to remain vigilant to safeguard their interests. He also made an appeal to the Sikhs in general and youth in particular to observe May 13, 1988 as the protest day by A.LS.S.F against the extradition of Gill and Sandhu.
Amarjit Singh Ahluwalia congratulated the World Sikh News for its excellent service to the Sikh community. He called upon the audience to make it a habit of giving World Sikh News as a gift to their near and dear ones on ceremonial occasions. Rabinder Singh Bhamra, vice
President Sikh Cultural Society,
New York, exhorted the people to read World Sikh News as a moral conviction in order to know our heritage. This will also help them in learning about the activities of the Sikhs living in the various parts of the world. Dr. Satnam Singh Dhami complemented the World Sikh News on presenting the true picture of the brutalities against the Sikhs and violations of the human rights by the government of India in Punjab.
Kamikkar Singh Grewal, President Singh Sabha Gurdwara, Glen Rock, N.J., assured his full support in promoting World Sikh News on behalf of the Sikhs of New Jersey.Lakhbir Singh Chima of Los Angeles congratulated the people of New York for organizing a spectacular Sikh Parade on April 23, and a very impressive promotional dinner of World Sikh News. He stressed the importance and need of media to present the true picture of the state of affairs in Punjab to the people in U.S.A.Gurcharan Singh Dhillon congratulated the Sikh Cultural Society for serving the Sikh community. He complimented them for taking the lead in creating a history by organizing Sikh parade and promoting World Sikh News through promotional functions,Amrik Singh Gill, the Management Director of World Sikh News, also thanked the organizers for strengthening the Sikh media in US.A.
Harbajhan Singh Gill, Youth Coordinator of Sikh Youth Federation North America and Harbajhan Singh, President of Sikh Youth Federation, New Jersey, assured full support of the Sikh youth in promoting World Sikh News.
Earlier Prof. Manjeet Singh Sidhu, Editor in Chief of World Sikh News while addressing the gathering said that the Sikhs were fighting to regain the liberty which they lost because they were not vigilant. Eternal vigilance is the Price of liberty, he said and Sikhs had neglected this important duty. For proper vigilance we need media and if the Sikhs fail to respond to this urgent need they would not easily succeed in throwing away the yoke of slavery. Prof. Sidhu told the audience that Bal Thackeray of Bombay was not arrested for making seditious statements against the Sikhs, whereas eminent press correspondent at Chandigarh, Mr. Sukhdev Singh has been arrested without any charge. He told that the Sikhs are being treated as slaves in India. And we have to remain vigilant to remove the clutches of slavery.
After the speeches, Bhai Sahib Bhai Gurdeep Singh of New York, Presented plaques to S. Jagjit Singh Mangat, S. Amarjit Singh Grewal, S. Baldev Singh, S. Gurmit Singh Chattha, Dr. Satnam Singh Dhami, S. Manjit Singh Shukla, S. Pritam Singh Grewal, and S. Wazir Singh Grewal for their excellent services in promoting World Sikh News,
S. Narinder Singh Somal, Secretary of World Sikh News thanked the organizers and the invitees in his characteristic jovial style. The function was followed by a sumptuous dinner,
Article extracted from this publication >> April 29, 1988
