California Governor signs bills to promote religious freedom
Monday, 10/09/2012
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Jalandhar : In a major development, California Governor Edmund G Brown Jr on Sunday signed two bills to promote civil rights and religious freedom, following his remarks at the North American Punjabi Association’s (NAPA) Peace and Unity Rally at Sacramento (California). The rally was held to pay respects to the victims of the August 5 shooting at the Gurudwara Oak Creek, Wisconsin.
“Sikh Americans are loyal citizens who have been targeted because of widespread ignorance of their religion and culture. The bills I sign today aim to ensure that Californians learn about our Sikh citizens as well as protect all of us from job discrimination based on religious observances,” said Governor Brown.
The bill AB 1964 by Assembly member MarikoYamada (D-Davis) clarifies that the practice of wearing religious clothing or a religious hairstyle as a belief or observance is covered by protections under the Fair Employment and Housing Act. SB 1540 Senator Loni Hancock (D-Oakland) requires the State Board of Education to consider adopting a revised curriculum framework and evaluation criteria for instructional materials in history-social science.
NAPA president Chahal, while talking to Daily Post over phone, said this bill would authorise the State Board of Education to complete the revision process of the History-Social Science Framework for California schools.
“This would be an important step for the California Sikh community, because the draft framework currently includes information about Sikhs in seven distinct areas. When the law will be enforced then this framework will ensure that California students learn about Sikhism and Sikh contributions, thereby increasing appreciation for diversity and reducing ignorance of the sort that leads to bullying and bias.” “Bill B1540 would authorise the State Board of Education to complete the revision process of the History-Social Science Framework for California schools.”
Expressing his great satisfaction over the passing of bill AB1964, Chahal further said this Law will sharply reduce job discrimination against Sikhs and other religious minorities, and guarantee equal employment opportunity to all workers in California.
He thanked the California Governor on behalf of NAPA and also the people who had put in their efforts to make this happen.
Disclosing about the rally, Chahal stated the participants who included people of Punjabi origin and Sikhs in particular, were holding United States flags in their hands and shouting slogans “We are proud to be Sikh Americans”.
This peace and unity rally was started with national anthem of United States
and prayer by the Sikh priest. Two minute’s moment of silence was observed to pay the tributes to those innocent Sikh members who were killed in the shooting in Sikh Temple Wisconsin.
In this peace and unity rally, there was a homage to Lt Brian Murphy, the police officer who took bullets when stopping the gunman in Oak Creek.
Other prominent dignitaries who addressed the rally include Canada MP Jimmy Joginder Sims, Consular General of India N Parthasarthy and NAPA Chairman Dalwinder Singh Dhoot.
