Community Relations - SALDEF

At ‘Kaur Power Hour,’ Sikh women get out the vote

Read the full article by Richa Karmarkar

(RNS) — On National Voter Registration Day, Sikh women leaders spoke at ‘Kaur Power Hour,’ a webinar dedicated to raising up ‘the minority within the minority’ to recognize their voting power in this upcoming election.

The Sikh faith has a long history of political activism in India. On National Voter Registration Day Tuesday (Sept. 17), Sikh women drew on that legacy to encourage their community in the U.S. to vote in the upcoming presidential election.

Amrita Bamrah, executive director of Dasvandh Network, a nonprofit fundraising platform based in the Sikh value of giving, spoke to more than a hundred “Kaurs,” or Sikh women, for “Kaur Power Hour,” an online event hosted by the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund.

“Our ancestors didn’t wait for change, they made it,” Bamrah told those gathered online. “And today, in that same spirit, our vote is one of the most powerful tools that we have to really continue that legacy.”

Kaur, the surname or middle name taken by many Sikh women as a symbol of equality and spiritual empowerment, was as much of a catchy webinar title as it was a call to action. Sikhism, also called Sikhi, is an Indic faith native to Punjab, India, that teaches scripture from the Guru Granth Sahib.

“We are a part of a history just woven with angles of those who stood up for justice, equality and the rights of individuals,” Bamrah said. “Our faith is built on these principles of courage and compassion and time and again, when we look at history, our community has risen to confront oppression, to uplift those who were silenced, and to create change where it was needed.”

The organizers of Kaur Power Hour said in the U.S. there is still work to be done to politically motivate the community. Though Sikhs can be found “truly everywhere,” reaching out to women is especially crucial, said Jaslin Kaur, Sikh organizer and former Queens City Council candidate.

Jaslin Kaur addresses the “Kaur Power Hour” virtual event, hosted by the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund. (Video screen grab) — Jaslin Kaur addresses the Kaur Power Hour virtual event, hosted by the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund. (Video screen grab)

“Unfortunately, campaigns already don’t reach out to Sikhs enough, but they sure don’t reach out to Sikh women,” she said to the audience. “I think it’s our job as fellow sisters to reach out behenji (sister) to behenji and ensure that our fellow Sikh women are registered and ready to vote.”

The Power Hour, said SALDEF’s executive director, Kiran Kaur Gill, had a twofold objective: getting as many Sikh Americans as possible registered to vote and emphasizing how important Sikh women are in the national conversation.

As the oldest Sikh advocacy organization in the nation, SALDEF has led a voter education program called SikhVote for over a decade. Directly after 9/11, many Sikhs — especially those wearing turbans and other outward signs of their faith — were racialized and attacked over their misperceived Muslim identity. That galvanized many Sikh Americans to get involved in the political sphere. Sikhs organized especially for issues of religious freedom, hate crimes and workplace discrimination, including the protected ability to carry a kirpan, or Sikh sword, and the right to wear a turban in the U.S. military.

But according to Gill, while Sikh women are incredibly involved with their cultural, social and religious leadership, they have not necessarily been at the forefront of political engagement.

“We noticed that with phone banking, one of our volunteers mentioned that when he would call and ask about voter registration, sometimes, you know, women would hand the phone over to their husband,” she said. “And so, we are trying to say: ‘No, you know, this conversation is for everyone. Everyone has the right to vote and should exercise that right.’”

There are an estimated half a million Sikh Americans in the U.S., and the number continues to grow, according to the Sikh Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy group. But civic participation has been hampered by language, citizenship status and a feeling among some members of the religious minority that their voice doesn’t matter.

Kush Kaur, top left, speaks during the SALDEF “Kaur Power Hour” virtual event. (Video screen grab)

Reaching the largely immigrant sangat, or Sikh fellowship, at their gurdwaras has been a key mission of SALDEF. Connecting U.S. political engagement with the Sikh value of seva, or service, has been especially rewarding for grassroots organizers such as Kush Kaur, Texas native and Sikh American National Youth Council Southern chair.

“I remember when an elderly uncle approached my table who had been a U.S. citizen for over a decade, but had never voted, believing his voice wouldn’t matter,” she told the audience. “But after a conversation about the power of each vote and the importance of Sikh representation, he was eager to begin his voting registration process and to tell his grandchildren about our conversation.”

The organizers believe that with this presidential election, the stakes are especially high.

“When Donald Trump won, I was really concerned for the future of this country, because we had just elected a man who brags about sexually assaulting women, a man whose rhetoric has resulted in having some of the most increases in hate crimes in our country, and a man who made fun of people with mental health issues,” said Manka Dhingra, the first Sikh woman elected to the Washington state Legislature. She started her career as a prosecuting attorney, overseeing issues of domestic violence and sexual crimes that she said more commonly affect women of color.

“For our national election, I am concerned that misogyny will rear its ugly head, and we cannot let it,” she said. “We have to make sure we trust women, we believe women, and we are going to follow the lead of women, because we know that when women are elected, they elevate everyone.”

More Sikh women than ever have been elected to political offices, noted Manpreet Kaur, the city councilwoman of Bakersfield, California, where Punjabi is the third most spoken language and the economy mirrors the agricultural society of Punjab.

“Kaurs are leaders, both in the home and clearly in governance as well, and that’s very important, because I also watched Kaurs lead within my own household and within my gurdwara,” Manpreet Kaur said, telling the story of her nani, or grandmother. “I don’t know anyone who was as excited to vote as my nani when she obtained citizenship. But it was more exciting to see my nani actually be able to read her own voter information ballots and information packets in Punjabi.

“That was a moment that will always stand out to me, because it really built on the history about the Kaurs before me and the Kaurs that are going to come beyond me,” she added.

Mayor Neena Singh of Montgomery Township, New Jersey, is the first Indian and Sikh woman elected to that post in her state. She spoke about the excitement she sees among Sikh youth. Finding a place of belonging, especially amid hateful rhetoric and ignorance, she said, is easier when there is representation in place.

“I think when we are in leadership, we have such an opportunity to empower not just our own community, but to let others know who we are and what we stand for, because I think that helps not just us, but our kids, and that’s the reason representation matters,” Singh said.

Indian Americans, after passing Chinese in U.S. population, are awakening to their political power

Read the full article on NBC News by Sakshi Venkatraman

After Indian Americans surpassed Chinese Americans as the largest Asian-alone population in the U.S., experts say they’re solidifying themselves as a political force — and a group politicians can’t ignore in 2024. From grassroots activism to voter registration to running for office, Indian Americans are a burgeoning presence in U.S. politics.

“This is a community that’s waking up to the power they have in the electoral space,” said Chintan Patel, executive director of the voter engagement organization Indian American Impact.

Those who identified as “Indian-alone” — or 100% Indian — on the 2020 U.S. Census number 4.4 million, overtaking the “Chinese-alone” population, which was previously the highest. When multiracial Americans are considered, Chinese is still the largest Asian group in the country, but the milestone pointed to how the Indian population has rocketed over the last decade.

In many states and counties where races are tight, winning a sizable portion of the Indian American vote could make the difference for many candidates, Patel said. In states like Arizona, where the number of Indian Americans is bigger than President Joe Biden’s margin of victory in 2020, their turnout could be decisive.

“What’s really important is to not take our communities for granted, not think of them as simply turn-out voters who will show up and vote, as they’ve always done,” Patel said. “But also to consistently talk to them and persuade them and listen to the concerns within the community. Because, again, they make up the margin of victory now.”

One of the most heavily Democratic-leaning groups in the country, at 68%, Indian Americans are beginning to ask tough questions of both parties, he said.

2016, 2018 and 2020 all saw record voter turnouts for Asian Americans, including South Asians. But experts say many are beginning to question Biden’s record on issues like Gaza.

Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder and executive director of AAPI Data, says that Biden’s presidential approval rating has dropped among AAPI communities. For Indian Americans specifically, it now sits at 43%.

But Ramakrishnan says he doubts this dip will mean less Indian voters showing up at the polls or refusing to vote Democratic. He says issues like abortion, racism and discrimination, which are key issues for the demographic, are much more likely to sway their vote.

“Indian Americans are disappointed with Biden,” he said. “But if you look at Biden’s favorability versus Trump’s favorability and unfavorability, it’s unlikely that Trump is going to make a lot of headway among Indian American voters.”

While Indian Americans have flourished in many industries, politics has been an area in which their representation is sorely lacking, Patel said. But he sees the tide changing. Issues of the day are sparking an interest in voters and potential candidates both old and young, immigrant and U.S.-born, he said.

Like other Asian Americans, their top priorities include inflation, immigration and climate change. They’re strong supporters of reproductive rights and gun control, experts said, and they’re unlikely to support a candidate who doesn’t align with them on issues of racism, a report from AAPI Data/AP-Norc showed.

“Our concerns, while they align broadly with the American population and the national discourse, our lived experiences also lead us to places that add particular emphasis on anti-AAPI hate, discrimination and what we need to do as a nation to fight that — particularly with the rise of Islamophobia right now,” Patel said.

What two first-time SA voters think

Kirti Moteka, 20, a student at the University of Texas at Austin, says that, as a young adult voting in her first presidential election, she’s formed some clear thoughts on what’s driving her to the polls.

“The main issues that are most important to me, both as a student in Texas and also a South Asian and an immigrant daughter, would definitely be reproductive rights,” she said. “I want to be able to know, decisively, where I have the freedom to choose what I want to do with my body and where I don’t, especially because it’s so up in the air.”

Post-Covid, she says access to health care is a major priority for her, and so are educational equity and student loans. She also said that, though there is a large South Asian population in Texas, she hopes to see more people in her community register to vote and get involved.

“I’m sure a lot of immigrants are afraid at times to publicly express their opinion or to go out and vote, or they think their vote doesn’t matter,” she said. “I’d love to see how that could be changed.”

For Sri Vedachalam, 40, this November will also be his first presidential election as an eligible voter. Vedachalam immigrated to the U.S. in 2005, and though he’s always closely followed U.S. politics, he only became a citizen in 2021.

The Virginia resident says he was deeply disappointed with Donald Trump’s handling of Covid, as well as his demeanor during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. He’s leaning toward voting for Biden, who he says has worked to grow the middle class, mitigate inflation and bring jobs back.

But one major stain on Biden’s presidency for Vedachalam is his handling of Israel’s war in Gaza.

“I think the U.S. has a lot of leverage to stop the ongoing war in Gaza, but we are failing to do so,” he said. “The daily casualties and the relentless bombing is hard to see.”

Gaza is igniting young South Asian voters

Experts say Gaza is a major issue that’s been on the minds of South Asians and other Asian Americans this election cycle. In a survey from March, two thirds of AAPI adults said they disapproved of Biden’s handling of the war.

Among young voters, this is even more pronounced, with the same report revealing 77% of AAPIs from the ages of 18 to 29 disapprove of how the president has handled things.

Antony Gnalian, 30, who is an Indian American from Pennsylvania, voted for Biden in 2020 and has voted Democratic since he was eligible to vote. This year, he says he won’t be doing that.

“Donald Trump is just not even someone I want to even consider as a person for that seat in office, after the insurrection and all of the blatant Islamophobic policies,” Gnalian said. “But I’m even more disappointed in the Biden administration. Where my disappointment lies is obviously the situation in Gaza.”

Gnalian describes himself as a single-issue voter this cycle, saying his support for candidates depends on if they support a permanent cease-fire. He plans to vote uncommitted in the primary, and either vote Green Party or write-in for president.

“The Biden administration continues to provide political cover, they continue to present money over, they continue to send weapons over, for Israel to continue to inflict harm on innocent civilians,” he said. “So I’ve just found that lack of human rights to be really appalling.”

Sumer Shaikh, 30, who is Indian American and Muslim, says she’s grappling with the election as she’s watching Islamophobia rise in the U.S. She’s always seen a Democrat in the White House as a positive thing, she said, but this year, she feels Muslim Americans are going unheard.

“All this bad stuff is happening right now with a Democratic president,” she said. “What is going to be different come November if our leaders really just don’t listen to voters and the communities that put them in office in the first place, which is very true of President Biden.”

One voter pushing the Trump-Modi connection in her canvassing

New Jersey Republican voter Priti Pandya-Patel, 54, says one reason she plans on voting for Trump is his friendship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and how it has strengthened the relationship between the U.S. and India.

“He is so proud of India and he is so proud of the Indian community,” she said. “I feel like we were so much better off when he was president.”

Patel leads the South Asian Coalition of the state’s Republican Party, and she says she’s traveled all over New Jersey trying to bring more Indian Americans to the polls. She’s disappointed by Biden for many reasons, she said, including that she feels inflation is out of control. She says homeless people in neighboring cities aren’t getting the resources they need, and she worries about undocumented immigrants getting them instead.

“The cost of living has gone up triple, everything is up, but the salaries aren’t there,” she said.

As a health care consultant, she says she also sees these shifts in the medical field. Underfunded hospitals, poor quality of care and rampant drug addiction all concern her.

“Hospitals are not making money, physicians are not making money,” she said “Health care providers, facilities, we’re not able to take care of patients the way that we need to.”

Sikh Americans engaging, running for office

Kavneet Singh, acting executive director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, says he sees concerns in his community on issues ranging from AI to voting rights to religious profiling.

Many Sikh Americans work in fields that aren’t normally associated with the Indian American diaspora. Their long history in the U.S. includes Sikh railroad workers, truck drivers and small-business owners. Singh says they’re concerned about getting fair minimum wages, gas prices and the automation of their labor like self-driving cars.

The community is taking these matters into their own hands by running for office, he said.

“I think you’ve seen this generation realize the responsibility that they have to give back through public service as well as for us to begin to really take leadership in shaping the policies of the states or localities that we live in,” he said.

The rise of the South Asian American candidate

Over the last few years, Patel says he’s noticed an explosion in South Asian Americans launching campaigns for office. Last year saw a historic number of Indian Americans serving in Congress. They’re emerging at all election levels, he said, from City Council to state office to presidential.

“The candidates reflect their communities,” he said. “The shared South Asian values really do come through. These are candidates who care about giving back to their communities. They care about a strong economy, strong education, climate and safety.”

Community members are divided on the most prominent Indian American in public office, Vice President Kamala Harris, whose approval rating among Indian voters dropped from 62% to 56% from 2022 to 2023. But Patel says there’s no doubt her presence on the national stage has propelled people to put forth their own campaigns.

“That really thrust into a national scene that South Asians can be involved in politics and can be successful in politics at such a high level,” Patel said. “I think that really did inspire a lot of South Asian volunteers and activists; folks in the community who had been engaged, but never really imagined themselves on the ballot.”

The two most prominent Indian American candidates this year — Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy — didn’t make much of an impression on the South Asian community. But experts said it proves that, while representation can drive engagement, voters want someone who aligns with their values. For Indian Americans, those values tend to be progressive.

“Our community knows what they want,” Patel said.

But 2024 means fresh faces in the arena, and the new candidates range from young, second-generation Americans — like 24-year-old Ashwin Ramaswami who is running for state Senate in Georgia — to immigrants like Anil Kumar, who worked as a doctor for 30 years and is now running for U.S. Congress in Michigan.

“They really are a diverse subsection of the entire South Asian diaspora,” Patel said. “They are candidates who are well ingrained in their communities and responsive to the needs of their communities as well.”

Read the article by Jillian Kestler-D’Amours

Montreal, Canada – Sikh leaders in North America have welcomed recent arrests in the killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, but allegations that the Indian government was involved continue to fuel questions and unease.

Canadian police announced late last week that three Indian nationals were arrested in Canada for their involvement in the June killing of Nijjar, a prominent Sikh community leader in the westernmost province of British Columbia.

Police added that their investigation into Nijjar’s shooting death would continue, including whether “there are any ties to the government of India”.

Moninder Singh, a spokesman for the BC Gurdwaras Council, a coalition of Sikh temples in the province, told Al Jazeera there was “some relief” that arrests were made in the case.

But Singh, who knew Nijjar personally, said the question of Indian state involvement is “looming” over the Sikh community, which numbers about 770,000 people across Canada — the largest Sikh diaspora outside India.

“The foreign interference is real. The assassination plot is real,” said Singh, adding that it is imperative to get to the bottom of what India’s role has been.

“All of that has to be exposed,” he continued. “There [are] numerous reasons why it’s very, very important for public safety in Canada, along with deterring India from carrying out this kind of operation ever again.”

Canada-India tensions

Tensions between Canada and India skyrocketed in September after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that authorities were investigating “credible allegations of a potential link” between Indian government agents and Nijjar’s killing.

Nijjar was fatally shot on June 18, 2023, outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, a temple in Surrey, British Columbia, where he served as president.

India vehemently denied the allegations that it was involved, calling them “absurd”. It also accused Nijjar of being involved in “terrorism” — a claim rejected by his supporters.

Nijjar had been a leading advocate in what is known as the Khalistan movement, a Sikh campaign for a sovereign state in India’s Punjab region.

While largely dormant inside India itself, Sikh separatism is largely viewed as a threat by the Indian government, which has urged Western nations to crack down on Khalistan movement leaders in the diaspora.

Canada has provided shelter to “Khalistani terrorists and extremists” who “continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said as it rejected Trudeau’s allegations in September.

But Sikh leaders in Canada said they have faced threats for years, and they accused the Indian government of trying to silence them.

Nijjar’s killing amplified these longstanding tensions, and new reports have emerged of Indian officials’ involvement in other alleged plots to harm prominent Sikh leaders in Canada and the United States.

Reports of threats

For instance, in late November, the US Department of Justice announced charges against a 52-year-old Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, over a foiled attempt to assassinate Sikh American activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

The plot to kill Pannun, another Sikh separatist leader, was organised in coordination with an Indian government employee and others, according to the Justice Department.

Last week, The Washington Post reported that US intelligence agencies determined that the operation to target Pannun was approved by the then-head of India’s foreign intelligence agency, known as the Research and Analysis Wing or RAW.

The Indian government rejected those allegations as “unwarranted” and “unsubstantiated”, according to media reports.

But rights groups have said India “needs to do a lot more than issue denials” in such cases.

“India’s alleged involvement in assassination plots in the US and Canada suggests a new and notorious leap in extrajudicial killings,” Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in December.

Pritpal Singh, an activist and founder of the American Sikh Caucus Committee, was among the prominent Sikh leaders who were informed of threats against them over the past year.

Agents with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) visited Pritpal, who is based in the state of California, in June to warn him.

In a statement to Al Jazeera this week, Pritpal said he commended “the unwavering commitment of Canadian and American law enforcement agencies” in their investigations into Nijjar’s killing and the surveillance of Sikhs.

“The alleged involvement of the Indian government in these heinous acts is a blatant violation of international norms and human rights. It is wholly unacceptable for any government to engage in extrajudicial killings and suppress dissenting voices abroad,” he said.

Pritpal also demanded accountability for threats against Sikh activists. “We must insist on US justice against those involved in India’s alleged murder-for-hire scheme targeting Americans on US soil,” he said.

“It is imperative that these cases are prosecuted on American soil by the United States Department of Justice to prevent these perpetrators from self-prosecuting.”

India hits out at Canada

Still, India has continued to deny any involvement in the alleged plots, while blasting Canada over its approach to Nijjar’s killing in particular.

The Indian High Commission in Ottawa, the Canadian capital, did not respond to Al Jazeera’s requests for comment on the case.

After news broke on Friday that Canadian authorities had made arrests, the Indian external affairs minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, said the Canadian government had a “political compulsion” to blame India.

Speaking to Indian news outlet The Economic Times this week, Jaishankar also accused Canada of “providing a haven to organised crime”.

“We’ve been repeatedly telling the Canadians that, if you actually allow such forces to set up shop and create networks, this is going to harm their own society. But so far, I don’t think that advice has been well heeded,” the minister said.

Canadian authorities have rejected the idea that they have allowed unlawful activity to proliferate. Experts also argue that many of the individuals India considers “terrorists” are not violating any Canadian laws.

“Canada is a rule-of-law country with a strong and independent justice system as well as a fundamental commitment to protecting all its citizens,” Trudeau said during a Sikh community event in Toronto on Saturday.

“I know that many Canadians, particularly members of the Sikh community, are feeling uneasy and perhaps even frightened right now. Well, every Canadian has the fundamental right to live safely and free from discrimination and threats of violence in Canada,” Trudeau added.

Use of ‘proxies’

Last week, the head of a Canadian public inquiry into foreign interference also released an interim report that accused Indian officials as well as their proxies in Canada of engaging in “a range of activities that seek to influence Canadian communities and politicians”.

This includes efforts to “align Canada’s position with India’s interests on key issues, particularly with respect to how the Indian government perceives Canada-based supporters of an independent Sikh homeland”, Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue said.

The report noted that India “does not differentiate between lawful, pro-Khalistani political advocacy and the relatively small Canada-based Khalistani violent extremism”.

Therefore, “it views anyone aligned with Khalistani separatism as a seditious threat to India”.

Hogue also found that Indian officials are increasingly relying on Canadian and Canada-based proxies and their contacts to conduct foreign interference.

“This obfuscates any explicit link between India and the foreign interference activities. Proxies liaise and work with Indian intelligence officials in India and in Canada, taking both explicit and implicit direction from them,” the report said.

‘Galvanising’ Sikh communities

Ultimately, Sikh leaders have called for a full investigation into all those who may be involved in threats against members of their communities, including Indian state officials.

“I can’t speak to the motivation of the Indian state if it is proven that they are behind these heinous attacks,” said Kavneet Singh, chair of the board of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), a US-based civil rights group.

“But they have had a long history of suppression of freedom of expression and targeting those who speak out in dissent.”

Kavneet told Al Jazeera that the American Sikh community is advocating at the federal and state levels “for improved legislation to better help law enforcement understand, identity and prosecute” instances of transnational repression.

He added that, despite the threats, the Sikh community’s history “has not been one of living in fear”.

Instead, “it’s one of understanding that there are potential threats, and it’s [one of] being vigilant,” Kavneet said. “In fact, I think this is actually galvanising the community and our diasporic allies.

“While there may be political differences amongst communities, ultimately we stand together when members of the community and/or our institutions are threatened by actors either foreign or domestic.”

Singh at the BC Gurdwaras Council echoed that sentiment, stressing that the Indian government is trying to “silence” Sikh voices in the diaspora who are advocating for a sovereign state.

Singh was among five Sikh leaders — including Nijjar — who were warned by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s national security division in 2022 about threats against their lives.

He told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that the Canadian authorities told him within the past two months that the threat against him “is still real” and he should avoid large public gatherings.

“If we speak on this issue [Khalistan] and we’re going to lead the community on this issue in the diaspora, I think those threats will always be there now. There’s no way that we can ever go back,” he said.

“When Hardeep’s assassination happened, that really set some clarity in for some of us that this is real. This is the new real for us and the new reality, that this can happen at any time.”

‘Bringing all communities together’

Read the full Article on Central Jersey

Even in difficult times of division on the world stage, the Arts Council of Princeton and Muslim Center of Greater Princeton – through art – have found a way to bring local people of different faiths together to talk about spirituality and what each share.

This local event called the “Art of Contemplating Spirituality and Art” is part of the Arts Council of Princeton’s “ART OF” series.

“With everything going on in the world and seeing how divided our world was becoming, I wanted to host an event that would bring all of the communities together especially the Muslim and Jewish communities,” said Samira Ghani, chair of the event and a board trustee of the Arts Council of Princeton.

The event took place inside the Muslim Center of Greater Princeton in West Windsor on March 3 and was designed for faith leaders to speak about spirituality and how art resonates with their faith.

“My passion is interfaith and when I’m able to unite us through faith and art, it’s a labor of love for me,” Ghani said. “Seeing all the faiths come together and talk about spirituality, art and love, it truly makes me feel like all the hard work that comes with putting on an event is worth its weight in gold.”

Featuring faith leaders and people from Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh and Buddhist faiths, people in attendance broke bread, listened and had conversations through the Art of Contemplating Spirituality and Art as various works of art were displayed throughout a large multi-purpose room at the mosque.

Faith leaders included Rev. Jan Willem van der Weff from Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church in Princeton Junction, Father Peter Baktis from Mother of God Orthodox Church in Princeton, Amman Seehra, vice chair of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), Beverly Sanford from Princeton Buddhist Meditation Group, Rabbi Andrea Merow from the Jewish Center in Princeton and Imam Safwan of the Muslim Center of Greater Princeton. They each shared art that resonates with their faith, spoke about spirituality and connecting with others.

Seehra shared an art piece, “King without a Crown” by Amandeep Singh, who is also known as Inkquisitive Art. He explained through the artwork’s elements how it describes the Sikh faith and the direction of how people should lead their lives.

“The title of this is a ‘King without a Crown.’ The artist wanted to make a distinction between a crown that is man made and given to people and the turban which is a responsibility you take on,” Seehra said. “It is your responsibility to treat yourself and others with respect, but also help those in need.”

He described the three components of what the turban stands for. There was a time when turbans were only worn by royalty and there was the thought that everybody should be treated as royalty, and everybody is deserving of that type of respect, Seehra explained.

“It was essentially for everybody,” he said. “The second meaning is the process of tying [the turban] which should be something you are doing every day and is a constant reminder to do what is good, what is right, and to help others for yourself.”

And third, the turban symbolizes someone being approachable.

“If you see someone with a turban that means you can go to them if you are in need and need help,” he said. “It is a symbol for others to see you are supposed to stick out in a crowd, you are supposed to be there to help others.”

Sanford shared what faith means to the Buddhist community and how Buddhist implement this in their everyday lives. She described and explained the art of Rene Magritte in “The Key of the Fields” (La Clef des champs), which is a landscape framed by a window that has been broken.

“We live in a world that is very complicated and full of uncertainty, it always has been and always will be,” she said. “It is very [easy to] hide behind our stories and painted windows and not see the world around us which is so much bigger than we are.”

Sanford expressed that if there is any faith common to all of the Buddhist community, it is the “faith or the confidence that we can wake up and that we can break through, that we can see what our minds are doing. That we can open our hearts wider.

“…When we do …what comes through a broken window, fresh air … Something new and different, something magical even,” she added, noting “life is indeed extraordinary, precious and rare.”

Sanford said that in her Buddhist tradition they believe “we can open our hearts and minds in this messy, sorrowful, glorious, amazing world and find the fresh air in any moment.”

Merow, a rabbi from Jewish Center of Princeton, said it was a wonderful process for her to think about art and her spirituality.

“The word spirituality has varied connotations among all our different religions. I define spirituality as an attempt by each of us to encounter the holy one through our actions,” she said.

“The art I want to share with you references and elevates one religious practice, the idea of a Sabbath, a day of rest. For me this painting illustrates spiritual values I want to practice, and my community wants.”

Merow displayed a painting from a series called Hebrew letters by artist Debra Kapnek.

“For me this piece showcases values of universalism, what we share and particularism, our own story,” she said. “Concepts that touch each of us in this room.

“We share the Earth and care for it. We are connected to each other. Each of our religious communities has its own foundational stories. May each of our souls here find the Sabbaths that we need to bring true creativity to this world.”

The Muslim Center of Greater Princeton’s Imam Safwan expressed that “what gives light is the presence of truth inside of it.”

“We live when we make meaning and art brings us closer to those essential meanings and truths,” Safwan said. “That beauty, that love, so what I have chosen for my art is mamluk architecture. Mamluk society was part of the great Ottoman movement within what we could call the golden society of Islam.”

He explained how mamluk architecture created spaces with beauty in every point and function. The art of the building preserves its legacy and function.

“People behold these spaces for us to just ponder on its beauty and beauty of its people,” Safwan said. “Ultimately, the message I wish to close with is that buildings are generally not preserved for function. What makes something a legacy is the meaning that sustains it, not its function.

“The meaning will pay off generationally in the preservation of beauty.”

SALDEF Releases Groundbreaking Report on Transnational Repression and Minority Censorship

Read the full article on India Currents

A pioneering report titled Virtually Vulnerable: Exposing the Human Cost of Digital Harassment was released on February 20 by the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund ( SALDEF ). This in-depth study examines the escalating problem of online harassment and censorship, specifically targeting the Sikh diaspora and allied communities like secular Hindus, Indian Muslims, and Dalits.

“’Virtually Vulnerable’ sheds crucial light on the insidious ways digital harassment is employed against minority voices, including those in the Hindu community who stand for secular and democratic values, said Sunita Viswanath, Executive Director, Hindus for Human Rights (HHR). “This report not only exposes these harmful practices but also provides vital policy recommendations. It’s essential that we come together to ensure that digital platforms are spaces of free expression and not tools of oppression.”

The report offers a detailed analysis of the sophisticated methods used to silence minority voices online. It highlights the troubling practices of Big Tech, specifically social media firms, in censoring content under the guise of preserving national integrity, often resulting in the shadow banning and deletion of community-based social media accounts.

It includes a series of policy recommendations aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, and collaboration between tech companies and democracy-oriented nonprofits. These recommendations are geared towards mitigating international censorship and supporting the rights of free speech for diasporic communities.

This report serves as a clear call to action, said Kavneet Singh, SALDEF Acting Executive Director. “We must urgently address the lack of transparency and accountability in the digital realm to safeguard the fundamental human and civil rights of all communities.”

Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Executive Director of Equality Labs, the nation’s leading Dalit civil rights organization, added, “We are currently witnessing the digitization of caste apartheid, violent disinformation campaigns, and an era of surveillance capitalism exacerbated by right-wing authoritarianism. Caste-oppressed people have a right to advocate for their communities without the fear of being attacked and targeted by foreign state actors. This report is a critical look into the correlations between Big Tech, civil rights advocacy, and repression of dissent, and anyone concerned with free and ethical digital spaces should pay attention to it.”

Some of the critical issues addressed in the report include documenting trends in misinformation and suppression of Sikh voices on significant dates and events, examining the strategic misinformation campaign against various minority groups, including Indian Muslim and progressive Hindu communities–by the Indian-American Muslim Council (IAMC) and Hindus for Human Rights (HHR), and Big Tech’s failure to protect caste equity.

The report is available for download on the SALDEF website.

Sikh Americans, citing ‘Transnational Repression,’ vote for an independent homeland

Read the Full Article from Religion News

(RNS) — More and more Sikh Americans are fearful about an ‘alarming rise’ in transnational repression, according to several Sikh advocacy organizations.

Last Sunday (Jan. 28), more than 120,000 Sikhs of all ages and occupations took part in a historic referendum in San Francisco on the creation of an autonomous homeland in northwestern India. They braved hourslong lines after already long commutes, in many cases from neighboring states, to reach the polling place in the City by the Bay.

These Sikhs, almost all of them U.S. citizens and residents, were voting aspirationally for the creation of Khalistan — a hoped-for but nonexistent “land of the pure” that would stand separate from the nation of India.

Organized by Sikhs for Justice, an activist group that is banned in India, the vote was aimed at raising the profile of Sikh efforts to convince the government of India to allow Punjab, the state where the Sikhi faith was born, to secede.

Though only symbolic, the vote for self-determination, said Harjeet Singh, a Seattle resident who voted in the referendum, was taken to “shake up and wake up” the Indian government to take accountability for their “historical oppression” and hold a binding referendum in Punjab.

“There are people who are proposing a solution to a problem. Now they have launched a peaceful, democratic expression of their will through a referendum,” said Singh. “This is a beautiful way to show that Sikhs as a community, we are not happy with the system, and we want change.”

The vote is especially timely, say Sikh advocates, after recent incidents outside of India of surveillance, intimidation and censorship of dissidents, or what several Sikh advocacy organizations refer to as “transnational repression.”

In June of last year, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of involvement in the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in a Surrey gurdwara parking lot. In November, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed a document revealing an attempted assassination of a Sikh separatist leader in New York — this time the legal adviser of Sikhs for Justice, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who was present at the referendum.

More and more Sikh Americans are fearful about an “alarming rise” in such incidents, which Kavneet Singh of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund said are “indicative of a broader, more systematic threat to the basic human rights of American citizens and residents.”

Bobby Singh, a member of Sikhs for Justice, was reportedly warned by the FBI for his own safety after the organization was informed of a credible threat to his life.

On Tuesday, SALDEF announced that four U.S. House members — including Illinois Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, both Indian-American — are co-sponsoring a bill that would offer greater resources and expanded protections for the minority community.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom published a statement in December denouncing the “severe escalation of India’s efforts to silence religious minorities and human rights defenders both within its country and abroad.”

On Friday, the FBI released a public service announcement in the Punjabi language, warning citizens of the increase in threats.

The FBI “is reaching our community particularly in the language they speak, getting to them at their very core and heart,” said Kavneet Singh. “This is very clearly showing that they see our community, and that this is a legitimate issue.”

While the referendum organizers expected tens of thousands to come out for the vote, the massive turnout in San Francisco meant that some 30,000 voters were turned away. A second vote will occur on March 31.

Karam Singh, a board member for the California Sikh Youth Alliance, says the turnout ”unequivocally” demonstrated where Sikhs in America stand on the Khalistan issue.

“At the end of the day, this is a political grievance,” he said. “It’s a matter of persecution. It’s a matter of a community feeling neglected. Even if it was an advisory vote, even if it was non-binding, it was still a statement that Sikhs are not safe in India, and they firmly believe in independence.”

The 26-year-old graduate student drove two hours to cast his ballot, feeling a responsibility as a Sikh raised in the U.S. to “share the stories of pain and violence” that older generations, many of whom fled political persecution for supporting Khalistan, “didn’t have the tools to tell.”

“Sikhs from a very young age are taught a history of valor and honor,” he said. “That history is always a part of us. Although we are victims of genocide, at the same time, we’re also survivors. Sikhs see this as continuing that lineage of resistance. That history has a big part of Sikh psyche in America and even among young people.”

Tensions between Sikhs and the Indian government can be dated back to Indian independence in 1947, when support for the Khalistan movement gained traction against the backdrop of a division of Punjab into two parts — one in predominantly Muslim Pakistan and one in Hindu-majority India. In the resulting unrest, scholars estimate, 200,000 to 2 million people died, and up to 20 million were displaced.

In the 1980s, India’s then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered an army operation called Operation Blue Star that was meant to silence prominent Khalistani leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his militants in the holy Golden Temple in Amritsar, in Punjab. In retaliation for Bhindranwale’s death and the killing of many innocent civilians at the temple, Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh nationalist bodyguards.

In October of 1984, an anti-Sikh pogrom in New Delhi took the lives of more than 3,000 Sikh Indians. A year later, Khalistani separatists based in Canada bombed an Air India flight en route from Toronto to New Delhi, killing all 329 people on board in the deadliest aviation attack before 9/11.

But activists such as Harjeet Singh and Karam Singh stress mutual Sikh and Hindu tolerance. The strife of the past was never a Hindu-Sikh religious battle, they say, but instead one about political representation. They point to the unity shown in 2020-2021, when hundreds of thousands of farmers, most of them Punjabis of both faiths, demonstrated peacefully against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s agricultural reforms that they claimed would worsen ecological and economic conditions. After months of sit-ins and rallies, Modi agreed to repeal the laws.

Harjeet Singh, an Indian army veteran who moved to the U.S. in 2013, said the general public is flooded with misinformation about the Khalistan movement, including that it is a “terrorist,” “fringe” or “militant” movement that supports a “theocracy.” He calls this propaganda from Indian media and government officials.

“Sikhs have a saying that when good Sikhs sit together, then the Guru himself sits there,” he said, referring to Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhi.

“We Sikhs, we act almost as a nation. Whether it is a gathering for a political purpose or a gathering for a spiritual purpose, you always have a feeling of being with your family,” he added.

For Kavneet Singh, this fight also boils down to the aspects of the Sikhi faith that drive each Sikh’s pursuit of social justice.

“Our tradition has always had a concept of vigilance for justice for all,” he said. “That is a cornerstone of our faith. It is embedded in our DNA that we are to endeavor to stand up for what is right. If we see something unjust, or if we see someone who is being denied justice, it is our job to stand up and stand with them.”

SALDEF Responds to 2023 Hate Crime Statistics Release

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released their national report on hate crimes earlier this week. There were 156 anti-Sikh hate crimes documented in 2023.

“We continue to see Sikhs as one of the top three most targeted religious groups in the country,” said Kiran Kaur Gill, SALDEF Executive Director. “We are proud that the Sikh American community is willing to come forward with these incidents and to advocate for constructive change. Unfortunately, we know these numbers do not account for the true scope of hate around the country. Law enforcement agencies continue to under- and not- report the number of hate crimes in their regions.”

Documented hate crimes against the Sikh American community continue to be among the most reported categories since 2015, when the anti-Sikh category was first included in the FBI’s hate crimes report. The number of anti-Sikh hate crimes reported decreased from 2022, while the overall number of hate crimes increased.

SALDEF continues to urge Congress, policymakers, and law enforcement agencies around the country to take specific action to combat hate and increase resources for victims and community. The organization submitted recommendations to the Senate Judiciary Committee as a part of their hearing, “A Threat to Justice Everywhere: Stemming the Tide of Hate Crimes in America”.

If you are a victim of an act of hate or bias, after you have reached out to law enforcement and are in a safe place, we encourage you to share your experience with SALDEF. You can find more resources on how to respond to acts of hate, including from a community health perspective, on our Resources page.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 19, 2024

Contact: Amrita Kular, SALDEF Director of Communications

(202) 393-2700 | media@saldef.org

Schiff Introduces the Transnational Repression Reporting Act to Track Cases of Foreign Repression in the U.S.

Washington, D.C.— Today, Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) introduced the Transnational Repression Reporting Act of 2024 which would require the Attorney General, in coordination with other relevant federal agencies, to submit a report of cases of transnational repression against U.S. citizens or people in the United States. Schiff’s bill comes after the 2023 attempted assassination against prominent Sikh activist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

“With transnational repression on the rise, the American people deserve to know if foreign governments are working to intimidate, harass, harm or kill individuals within the United States whom they view as hostile to their regimes,” said Rep. Schiff. “My bill will require a comprehensive report on cases of foreign governments targeting individuals here at home and American citizens abroad. I will continue to work with my colleagues to safeguard fundamental rights and freedoms, both domestically and around the world.”

Transnational repression violates the fundamental rights to free speech and privacy granted to all individuals in the United States – including foreign citizens, U.S. residents, and naturalized and U.S.-born citizens. According to the FBI, the most common targets of transnational repression are political and human rights activists, dissidents, journalists, political opponents, and members of religious or ethnic minority groups. Methods of transnational repression may include physical and digital stalking, harassment, computer hacking, criminal threats, assaults, attempted kidnappings, coerced repatriation, and detaining family members in the home country.

“The Transnational Repression Reporting Act is a major step forward in protecting the freedom of speech and civil rights of Americans,” said Kiran Kaur Gill, Executive Director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF). “When foreign governments infringe upon American sovereignty, there must be full transparency around the violation for the safety of our communities. Through this bill, Congress sends a strong message to both allies and adversaries that violating the constitutional rights of Americans will not be tolerated. SALDEF and the Sikh American community thank Congressman Schiff for his leadership in protecting the rights of all Americans.”

“We are deeply grateful to Congressman Schiff for proposing this legislation and taking the continuing threat of all transnational repression, including India’s recent targeting of Sikhs, seriously. It is essential for our national security that the United States is not seen abiding such egregious violations of democratic values or international norms–including India’s harassing, harming, and plotting to kill U.S.-based Sikhs–without consequence. We hope that others in congress will join Congressman Schiff to support this significant step forward,” said Harman Singh, Executive Director of the Sikh Coalition.

“India must be made accountable for transnational repression on Sikhs and this bill helps combat the oppression and intimidation Sikhs are facing in America,” said Swaranjit Singh Khalsa, City Council Member from Norwich, Connecticut and one of the Directors of Sikh Assembly of America.

The Transnational Repression Reporting Act of 2024 is cosponsored by Representatives Daniel S. Goldman (D-N.Y), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), James McGovern (D-Mass.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.).

Schiff’s bill is also supported by Human Rights Watch, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sikh Coalition, Sikh Assembly of America, American Sikh Caucus Committee, International Defenders Council, Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, Middle East Democracy Center, Hong Kong Democracy Council, Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, and Falun Dafa Association.

Schiff has been a consistent leader in protecting Americans from transnational repression. He introduced the Stop Transnational Repression Act which would bolster the prosecution and oversight of transnational repression in 2022 and reintroduced the bill in December of 2023.

Read the full text of the bill HERE.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, July 12, 2024

Contact:

Amrita Kular, (202) 393-2700, media@saldef.org

LOCAL AND NATIONAL SIKH ORGANIZATIONS CELEBRATE THE APPOINTMENT OF RAJ SINGH BADHESHA TO THE FRESNO COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT BENCH

Judge Raj Singh Badhesha Represents a Historic First for the Sikh Community in the United States

FRESNO, CA — In a momentous occasion for the Sikh community in the United States, the Jakara Movement, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), and the Sikh Coalition, are proud to celebrate the historic appointment of Raj Singh Badhesha to the Fresno County Superior Court Bench.

An enrobing ceremony was held Thursday, July 11, 2024, at Fresno City Hall.

Raj Singh Badhesha’s appointment is not just a professional achievement; it represents the culmination of decades of perseverance and dedication by Sikhs in America. He is the first ever Sikh to wear a judge’s robe in Fresno County; he is also the first Amritdhari (fully initiated) Sikh Judge in the United States that wears the Dastar (Sikh turban) or Pagri, per reporting. Badhesha’s presence on the bench symbolizes the rich cultural heritage and the enduring spirit of the Sikh community.

In response to his appointment, Badhesha remarked, “It is my hope moving forward, that the Sikh youth present here today know that they can use this example and aspire to serve this county, this state, and this nation, in any position they wish to pursue.” He added, “As I step into this new phase of service, I am aware of the great weight of the responsibilities bestowed upon me…I will strive to do my best each and every day, act impartially, honorably, and with the utmost integrity.”

The Sikh community has deep roots in California’s Central Valley, with Sikh farmers and laborers having settled in the region over a century ago. Their contributions to agriculture and local industry have been invaluable, and their cultural influence is woven into the fabric of the region. Today, Sikhism is the fifth-largest religion in the world, with millions of adherents who follow its teachings of equality, justice, and selfless service.

Immediately before his appointment, Badhesha served as Chief Assistant City Attorney in the Fresno City Attorney’s Office since 2022 and served in several roles in that office since 2012. He was an Associate at the law firm of Baker Manock & Jensen, PC from 2008 to 2012. Badhesha earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings).

Naindeep Singh, Executive Director of the Jakara Movement, expressed his excitement, stating, “Raj Singh Badhesha’s appointment is a groundbreaking moment for Sikhs in America. It reflects our community’s resilience and our contributions to the broader society. We are incredibly proud of Raj for breaking this glass ceiling and confident that he will bring his unwavering commitment to justice and equality to the bench.”

“Raj Singh Badhesha’s appointment is a proud moment for the Sikh community in the Central Valley, throughout California and across the Country. He has displayed decades of dedication to justice and community advocacy, and serves as an inspiration to all those looking to serve and make change,” added SALDEF Executive Director Kiran Kaur Gill.

Harman Singh, Executive Director of the Sikh Coalition also commented on this milestone: “This appointment is a significant step towards greater representation and diversity within our judicial system. Raj Singh Badhesha’s journey and achievements inspire us all and highlight the importance of inclusion and equality in all spheres of public service.”

The Jakara Movement, SALDEF and the Sikh Coalition, will continue to support and advocate for the Sikh community, celebrating milestones like this that pave the way for future generations.

Pictures of Judge Badhesha’s Enrobing Ceremony are available here.

SALDEF at the Forefront of Protecting Sikh Americans

Faith-based communities in America have repeatedly come under attack.

These attacks not only threaten individual faith groups, such as Sikh Americans, but they also threaten the idea of religious freedom, one of the core principles under which our nation was founded.

At SALDEF, the safety and security of the Sikh American community is our top priority.

We’re proud to share a significant step forward achieved through SALDEF’s leadership.

Since 2022, SALDEF Executive Director Kiran Kaur Gill has served as Chair of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Faith-Based Security Advisory Council (FBSAC). This council plays a vital role in ensuring houses of worship, faith communities, and faith-based organizations have the resources and support they need to stay safe.

Leadership Leads to Action

Under Kiran’s leadership and based on SALDEF research and analysis, the committee has worked to identify substantive and meaningful recommendations to support and enhance faith-based communities’ ability to be able to prevent, respond to, and recover from acts of targeted violence.

In an effort to protect Sikh Americans and others from incidents of transnational repression, the subcommittee has published recommendations that the government should enact.

Not only does the report heighten domestic awareness of this threat, but it also includes recommendations for prosecuting perpetrators of transnational repression, increased victim support services for targeted communities and language-accessible resources and outreach.

The DHS also announced an increase of $390 million in grant funding for faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations, bringing the total FY2024 total to over $664 million.

Earlier this year, SALDEF engaged in successful advocacy to get Congressional funding for our sangats through this program.

The Committee reports and recommendations are on the FBSAC page, and you can find them here: Faith-Based Security Advisory Council | Homeland Security (dhs.gov).

Stay Informed, Stay Safe

We encourage you to visit https://saldef.org/transnationalrepression and https://saldef.org/nonprofit-security-grant-program-nsgp-application/ for the latest updates on security resources and initiatives.

SALDEF’s leadership role in this DHS committee demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the safety and security of all faith-based communities. SALDEF’s work in protecting the Sikh American community never stops. We will continue to advocate for your safety and security at every level.

Religion News – Kaur Power Hour