Another Victory for the Turban: Judge Apologizes to Sikh New Religious Attire and Headwear Policy Goes Into Effect in Michigan Courtrooms

Kalamazoo County, Michigan- UNITED SIKHS is humbled to announce another civil rights policy advocacy victory resulting in the modification of court procedures in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, to recognize the Sikh religious practices.

This has resulted from an incident involving Mr. Hardeep Singh (pictured), a resident of Battle Creek, Michigan, who was accompanying his friend to the latter’s court hearing in the Kalamazoo County Probate Court on October 16, 2012. Suddenly, while seated in the courtroom the judge requested Mr Singh to remove his “hat”. All attempts to explain that it wasn’t a hat but a Sikh turban, an inseparable part of his Sikh identity were halted by the judge. Another couple’s effort to defend Mr Singh failed too.The judge asked Mr.Singh to either remove his “hat” or leave the courtroom. As any devout Sikh would have done, Mr. Singh chose to leave the courtroom.

UNITED SIKHS legal team filed a Civil Rights Complaint with the Department of Justice. After persistent advocacy, positive results have been achieved.

UNITED SIKHS would like to thank the DOJ Civil Rights Division, especially Attorney Michael Mule’ and the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Western District of Michigan for handling this matter.

Mr.Hardeep Singh stated graciously, “I would like to thank UNITED SIKHS from the bottom of my heart. They stood up for my dignity and for the dignity of all Sikhs. My blessings and good wishes will always be with them.”

UNITED SIKHS Staff Attorney Manmeet Singh said, “The Sikh community has been living in and is an integral part of Kalamazoo County for a long time. They believed that by now, their fellow citizens were already educated about who Sikhs were and the importance of their dastaar (Sikh turban). This incident came as a rude shock and Sikhs were appalled at the treatment meted out to one of their own by a giver of justice. The apology letter, the new nondiscrimination policy related to religious attire and headwear, the new complaint form and training for court staff are all steps in the right direction. The new policy and complaint form will benefit not only Sikhs, but also Jews, Muslims and people of other faiths who wear some sort of head covering or religious attire.”

Issued By:
Manmeet Singh
Staff Attorney, International Civil and Human Rights Advocacy (ICHRA)
law-usa@unitedsikhs.org 

Panthic convention at Delhi

9/11 attacks: How turbans instigate hate crime in America

Half of the people surveyed think ‘Sikh’ is a sect of Islam: Stanford research project. CREATIVE COMMONS

America changed after the September 11, 2001 attacks, as did the rest of the world. The post-9/11 attacks inculcated an interest in Islam and world religions – but also skewed concepts and principles.

Sikhs, among other minority groups, have been targeted socially and violently since the attacks on America’s soil. The reason for those committing the hate crimes against Sikhs are mostly attributed to the turban – a religious garb called the Keshki, which is one of the five symbols of the Khalsa (brotherhood) Sikhs.

According to a survey conducted by the Stanford Peace Innovation Lab, a research group based at Stanford University, Americans tend to associate turbans with Osama bin Laden more so than with a named Muslim and Sikh alternatives.

The same survey revealed that nearly half of the Americans questioned believed that “Sikh” is a sect of Islam, while 70 per cent of the respondents could not identify a Sikh man in a picture as a Sikh.

This survey was part of findings of the research project “Turban Myths: The opportunity and challenges for reframing a cultural symbol for post-9/11 America”, conducted by the Stanford Peace Innovation Lab on behalf of the Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund (SALDEF). The purpose of the research project was to study the American perception of the Sikh community in the country, and to develop preliminary recommendations for an advocacy and engagement programme.

This targeting of Sikhs due to ignorance was highlighted more after the tragic Wisconsin shooting in a Sikh temple. On August 5, 2012, Wade Michael Page gunned down six people and wounded four others at the Oak Creek Sikh temple. He took his life by shooting himself after he was shot by a responding police officer.

Taken from : Tribune PK : LINK

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2013.

Two Indians shot dead at US grocery store

Two Indian-Americans running a grocery store in the US state of Indiana have been shot dead by masked men during a robbery attempt, sending shock waves among the Sikh community in the country.

The victims have been identified as 55-year-old Jagtar Singh Bhatti from Preet Nagar in Jalandhar and 20-year-old Pawan Preet Singh from Munnan village in Hoshiarpur, according to the North American Punjabi Association (NAPA).

Two masked men shot and killed store owner Jagtar Singh, and his employee Pawan Preet at Middlebury Street in the northern Indiana city of Elkhart Thursday, NAPA executive director Satnam Singh Chahal said citing information received from the victims' families in India.

Jagtar Singh was running his grocery shop for the last seven years and was living with Palwinder Singh Bhatti.

According to another store employee Bill Sinclair, he was in the store's kitchen when he heard a noise like the pop of a firecracker.

Two girls standing outside told him that two men in masks ran from the store, and when he went inside, he saw Jagtar Singh and Pawan Preet had been shot.

Condemning the deadly attack, Chahal said due to the growing killings, the Sikh community is living under the shadow of fear and insecurity.

NAPA in a statement urged the US government to leave no stone unturned to take all necessary measures to protect the lives and property of NRIs.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK

Hemkunt Sahib Yatra likely to resume later this month

Patiala: The yatra of Hemkunt Sahib, a Sikh religious place in Uttarakhand, is likely to resume by later this month if the situation improves at the ground. 

"The Shri Hemkunt Sahib Management Trust (SHSMT) and the Uttarakhand government have been contemplating to resume the yatra for a limited period of 10 to 15 days," vice-chairman of the trust Narinderjit Singh Bindra told a news agency over phone today.   

Claiming that incessant rains have been delaying restoration work, Bindra said he would accompany Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna to the spot next week to take stock of the situation and take a final call on the yatra. 

Private helicopters could be pressed into service for the yatra so that pilgrims could pay their obeisance, he said, adding the temporary bridge over the Alaknanda river at Gobind Ghat had been constructed and the trek route thereon re-levelled for pedestrians. 

The yatra was stopped in June after flash floods created havoc in the hilly areas of the state. 

Hemkunt Sahib, where Guru Gobind Singh meditated before his incarnation as the 10th Sikh guru, is one of the most revered places in the religion. 

Every year, the doors of Hemkunt Sahib open for pilgrims from June 1 to October 5. 

The Gurdwara located at an altitude of 4,632.96 metres (15,200.0 ft) remains closed during winter as environmental conditions are not suitable for pilgrimage. 

with thanks : Zee News : LINK

Sonia never shielded any anti-Sikh riots accused: Brar

New Delhi, Sep 5 (PTI) In the backdrop of a US Federal Court issuing summons to Sonia Gandhi over the 1984 anti-sikh riots issue, Congress MP from Punjab Jagmeet Brar today said the party president had never shielded anybody involved in the riots.

"Sonia Gandhi never ever shielded party leaders allegedly involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

with thanks : PTI : LINK

Punjab CM to take up Kutch farmers' issue with Narendra Modi

Gandhinagar, Sept 6: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will raise the issue of Sikh farmers in Kutch with his Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi during his visit here on September 9. Badal will take part in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Agricultural Summit where he has been invited as one of the premier guests. 

Sources in Chandigarh said the two chief ministers will discuss the issue at length. Badal's Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government in Punjab had an issue with the Gujarat government's pursuing the farmers' case in the Supreme Court and wanted to settle it politically. The agitated farmers were of the opinion that the Gujarat government should not have appealed in the apex court against the high court's verdict given in their favour. They are now looking forward to the Badal-Modi talks.

with thanks : OneIndia : LINK : for detailed news.

1984 Anti-Sikh riots:US court summons Congress president Sonia Gandhi

A US federal court has issued summons against Congress party president Sonia Gandhi for shielding Kamal Nath, Sajjan Kumar and other party leaders allegedly involved in inciting attacks on Sikhs in November 1984.

The summons were issued after  a complaint was lodged against Sonia  Gandhi by a Sikh group.

The suit under Alien Tort Claims Act (ATCA) and Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA) accuses Gandhi of shielding and protecting Kamal Nath, Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Tytler and other Congress party leaders from being prosecuted for their alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.
   

Almost 29 years after over 3,000 Sikhs were massacred in the Capital in the aftermath of the assassination of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi, justice continues to elude the victims.

with thanks : sahara Samay : LINK : for detailed news.

Shiromani Akali Dal Delhi meet at Talkatora stadium on 15th Sept, 2013

Dhan Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji de pehle Parkash Purab Diyan aap sab nu lakh lakh wadhaiyan hovan ji !!

Punjab selling assets to fight financial crisis : Hindustan Times