NEW YORK: The management committees of 96 Sikh Gurdwaras across America onSunday decided to ban the entry of Indian diplomats and individualsrepresenting Indian interests in the Gurdwaras and their participation inthe annual parades coinciding with the birth of the Khalsa, according to apress release.
The decision was made through a unanimously adopted resolution that citedthe 1984 Indian Army attack on the Golden Temple and the massacre of Sikhsthat followed as well as labeling of Sikhs as Hindus under Aticle (25) ofthe Indian Constitution as some of the reasons for the moveYORK, Jan 8(APP):The management committees of 96 Sikh Gurdwaras across America onSunday decided to ban the entry of Indian diplomats and individualsrepresenting Indian interests in the Gurdwaras and their participation inthe annual parades coinciding with the birth of the Khalsa, according to apress release.
The decision was made through a unanimously adopted resolution that citedthe 1984 Indian Army attack on the Golden Temple and the massacre of Sikhsthat followed as well as labeling of Sikhs as Hindus under Aticle (25) ofthe Indian Constitution as some of the reasons for the move.
The resolution was spearhead and moved by the Sikh Coordination Committeeof East Coast (SCCEC) and American Gurdwara Prabhandik Committee (AGPC),the two largest umbrella organizations of Sikh Gurdwaras and backed bySikhs For Justice (SFJ) a human rights and advocacy group which is seekinga non-binding referendum in the State of Punjab to create an independentSikh country “Khalistan,” the press issue issued by SfJ said.
Supporting the ban, SFJ legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said, “Thediplomats represent the same Indian government which is responsible for thegenocidal violence of Sikhs and has given impunity to Indian policeofficials who have committed torture and extra judicial killings of Sikhs.”
Pannun said that the presence and participation of Indian diplomats inGurdwaras cause the members of the persecuted Sikh community to relive thesame trauma yet again.
“Indian Government is responsible for the June 1984 military invasion ofSri Harmandir Sahib; genocidal violence against Sikhs in November 1984; anddecade long extra judicial killing of Sikhs in Punjab,” states theresolution read by Himmat Singh, the Coordinator of SCCEC, before a Sikhgathering at a Gurdwara in Richmond Hill, New York, according to the pressrelease.
“This historic decision of banning the entry of Indian diplomats will alsoexpose those Sikh community members and organizations who have beensupporting the Indian regime for the last three decades,” Himmat Singhadded.
“Under the cover of “community outreach”, the Indian diplomats are creatingan atmosphere of intimidation among the Sikhs who have taken refuge US,Canada, England and European nations from India’s constant persecution”,Avtar Singh Pannu, member of the AGPC, said.
“After the US, we will campaign to ban the entry of Indian diplomats acrossEuropean nations also as activities of the Indian diplomats have createddisharmony and discontent among the peaceful Sikh community”, Avtar SinghPannu added.
The resolution was spearhead and moved by the Sikh Coordination Committeeof East Coast (SCCEC) and American Gurdwara Prabhandik Committee (AGPC),the two largest umbrella organizations of Sikh Gurdwaras and backed bySikhs For Justice (SFJ) a human rights and advocacy group which is seekinga non-binding referendum in the State of Punjab to create an independentSikh country “Khalistan,” the press issue issued by SfJ said.
Supporting the ban, SFJ legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said, “Thediplomats represent the same Indian government which is responsible for thegenocidal violence of Sikhs and has given impunity to Indian policeofficials who have committed torture and extra judicial killings of Sikhs.”
Pannun said that the presence and participation of Indian diplomats inGurdwaras cause the members of the persecuted Sikh community to relive thesame trauma yet again.
“Indian Government is responsible for the June 1984 military invasion ofSri Harmandir Sahib; genocidal violence against Sikhs in November 1984; anddecade long extra judicial killing of Sikhs in Punjab,” states theresolution read by Himmat Singh, the Coordinator of SCCEC, before a Sikhgathering at a Gurdwara in Richmond Hill, New York, according to the pressrelease.
“This historic decision of banning the entry of Indian diplomats will alsoexpose those Sikh community members and organizations who have beensupporting the Indian regime for the last three decades,” Himmat Singhadded.
“Under the cover of “community outreach”, the Indian diplomats are creatingan atmosphere of intimidation among the Sikhs who have taken refuge US,Canada, England and European nations from India’s constant persecution”,Avtar Singh Pannu, member of the AGPC, said.
“After the US, we will campaign to ban the entry of Indian diplomats acrossEuropean nations also as activities of the Indian diplomats have createddisharmony and discontent among the peaceful Sikh community”, Avtar SinghPannu added.