Sikhs still victims of hate crimes post 9/11: North American Punjabi Association

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 10

Sikhs are still victims of hate crimes post 9/11 in the US. Satnam Singh Chahal, executive director, North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), said, “Some hate crimes are in the record of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),but others go unnoticed as victims choose not to register their case in order to avoid harassment.”

Chahal said this has been happening due to the identity crisis. He said community leaders were so busy with infighting that they had no time to think about it.

He said, “In my day-to-day life, I have also become a victim of hate crime, but I always prefer not to register with the law enforcement agencies hoping that change will happen. Parents of school going kids are also sailing in the same boat.” He said members of the Sikh community were living under fear and feeling insecure.

Chahal said Simratpal Singh, who belonged to Tarn Taran, died in custody of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at La Paz County Jail on May 3, 2019, but no Sikh organisation other than the NAPA followed up this case.

He urged the Sikh organisations in the US and managing committees of all gurdwaras to start result oriented campaign to spread the ideology of Sikh Gurus.