Indo-Americans should unite in face of hate crimes: Sikh body
Monday, 27/02/2017
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WASHINGTON: The US-based Sikhs Political Action Committee (SikhsPAC) chief has condemned the shooting incident that resulted in the death of an Indian engineer in Kansas, saying there is a need for Indo-Americans to unite.
Mangled remains of the car that crashed into a bus, killing three members of a family, in Abohar on Sunday.
“Our first priority needs to be ensuring safety and security of every Indian and Sikh living in the United States,” Gurinder Singh Khalsa, founder and chairman of the SikhsPAC, said.
The organisation aims to raise awareness of Sikh culture, identities and values, promote diversity through interfaith dialogue and pave the way for the community’s involvement in American politics.
Khalsa announced to organise the community nationwide to work with the states and federal government to ensure that Indians and people of Indian origin no longer become victim of hate crimes.
“The tragic death of Srinivas Kuchibhotla in a hate crime in Kansas is further proof that xenophobic rhetoric can and does have consequences... We all need to work together to ensure that this type of violence is never repeated,” said the community leader from Indiana.
Khalsa also plans to travel to Washington DC in the next few days to meet with members of the Congress and the Trump administration about clarification on the new immigration guidelines.
“While the new immigration guidelines nominally continue the previous administration’s emphasis on targeting criminals, there are significant changes... There is a lot of uncertainty about the rules right now,” he said.
