Kapurthala: Post-9/11, Balbir Singh Sodhi became the first victim of racial crimes in the US.
Now, 20 years later, his family wants his photo installed at the Central Sikh Museum, Amritsar.
They also want a lot of effort to be made to create awareness of Sikh’s identity in the US, as well as actions against the message of hatred towards the community in India.
“We tried to see President Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak (SGPC) President Aunt Jagir Kaur recently, but he left.
We wanted to ask him that the picture of Balbir had to be installed at the Central Sikh Museum, because he was the first Sikh victim of racial crime in the US, “Said his brother Jagjit Singh, who lives in the village of their origin of Passiwal in the district of Kapurthala along with his other brother Inderpal Singh.
“We all the brothers settled here.
Apart from agriculture, we have our fabric business in Nadala, a small town nearby.
One of our brothers, Harjit Singh into Sikh activism after Bluestar surgery and to avoid police persecution he emigrated to The US in 1986.
Then, in 1987-88, Balbir also went there and sat in Arizona.
I returned in 2001 and now most families from our village are in the same city, “he said.
“Although some groups and activists of Sikh have worked to create awareness about Sikh’s identity in the US, more needs to be done,” Jagjit added.
“What is more surprising is that while Sikh faces hatred crimes in the US because of the wrong identity, returning home in India, some elements have spread hatred propaganda to Sikh, as evidenced during the agricultural movement.
The Government Government must respond to such propaganda because of a message of hatred Prepare land for racial crimes of violence, “argued.
In the memory of their brother, the family provides scholarships every year for students who are in their studies at Master Nanak Premsar College, Nadala, and also hold volleyball tournaments every year.
‘Need to check the fight in Gurdwaras’sikh, continues to face hatred in the US.
This is not necessarily physical violence, several times delivered through the movement.
Sikh children also face problems.
I know some families tend to ignore it because every time you can’t lock the horn everywhere with everyone.
So, some cases remained unreported, “said Executive Director of the North American Punjabi Association Satnam Singh Chahal, lives in Brentwood, California.” Even though there is an attempt to create awareness, Sikh community groups need to rejust the situation and restraate.
At the same time, the community needs to launch a curly-oriented campaign against the physical battle in Gurdwaras, because it leaves a very bad impression in the local community, “he added.