“The passing of this bill is a testament to all the Sikh Americans in New Jersey who have worked so hard to make this happen,” said SALDEF Executive Director Baldev Singh.“We are also especially proud of SALDEF SikhLEAD Alum Karanveer Singh Pannu who led the charge for the passing of this bill and actually developed its language during his time as a SikhLEAD intern. We hope that this momentum will lead to greater awareness and acceptance of Sikhs throughout New Jersey, and in legislatures across the US.”
SikhLEAD Intern Karanveer Singh Pannu wrote the resolution AJR 93 last year during his internship at Majority Leader Louis Greenwald’s office. Mr. Pannu worked for seven months on this resolution which unanimously passed this last week.
“This is an incredible victory for the Sikh American community in New Jersey and across the country,” said Mr. Pannu., After the community efforts and countless hours working with Assemblyman Greenwald’s office this past summer, I am beyond ecstatic that it was voted on Monday and successfully passed. This is the first step in teaching citizens of our great State of New Jersey that Sikhism represents the core values of equality, freedom, and social justice. Not only are Sikh Americans a critical component of American society but our faith follows the same core values that America was founded on and make us a great nation.”
The passing of the joint resolution AJR 93, “Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month” also was a step towards creating a united front of Sikhs. Eight Sikh organizations came together to promote the resolution including:
American Sikh Council
Let’s Share a Meal
Sachkhand Express
Sikh American Chamber of Commerce
Sikh Coalition
Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund
Sikh American Veterans Alliance
United Sikhs
The passing this joint resolution in the New Jersey legislature with unanimous support is a testament to the States effort to stand for acceptance of all residents and stand against hate, by acknowledging the contributions and community service made by their Sikh American constituents.
If you are interested in finding out more about how to create a similar resolution in your state please email us at info@SALDEF.org.
SALDEF is dedicated to our mission which is to empower Sikh Americans by building dialogue, deepening understanding, promoting civic and political participation, and upholding social justice and religious freedom for all Americans.