US Senator Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign has taken strong exception to a report that she snubbed the Sikh American community in California by not attending a fund-raising event in Bakersfield, California that coincided with Guru Nanak's birthday celebrations. Clinton's campaign spokesperson asserted that she is a time-tested friend of Sikh Americans and that her non-attendance was due to a scheduling conflict.

Campaign spokesman Jin Chon, in a statement made available to rediff.com, said, 'Hillary Clinton has been a long time friend of the Sikh Community. Unfortunately, the campaign had to postpone the fundraiser in Bakersfield due to scheduling reasons."

Chon said that Clinton "has been one of the most visible and vocal senators on issues important to the Sikh community." He added, "She personally met with the Sikh community after several hate crimes occurred in the aftermath of 9/11."

"She has also attended many events hosted by the Sikh community, including the Sikh Council on Religion and Education's annual dinner," he said, and added, "Hillary Clinton is proud of the support she has within the Sikh community and will continue to work with all Americans to bring about the change that this country needs."

On November 19, the New York Sun, in a report titled 'Sikhs seethe over a snub by Clintons,' had stated that the Clinton campaign's abrupt cancellation of scheduled appearances had left members of the Sikh community dismayed and demanding an explanation.

The report said that Senator Clinton, who was billed as the guest of honour at the Guru Nanak birthday, "was a no show and she scuttled a fund-raising breakfast at a nearby fairgrounds where Sikh leaders had hoped to raise $1 million for her presidential campaign." Her husband and former US president Bill Clinton [Images] was also expected to be present at the fund-raising event. 

The Sun said that some organisers had cited security reasons for Clinton's sudden withdrawal, while others said that some of those planning the fund-raiser failed the campaign's vetting process or a Secret Service review.'

The staunchly conservative newspaper, known for its long history of  acrimony with the Clintons, said, "Many of those who attended yesterday's festival and parade were upset, underscoring the risks of a backlash against Clinton as her campaign tightens its standards in an effort to avoid another fund-raising scandal."

It extensively quoted one of the planners of the fund-raiser, Bob Virk, as sounding bitter about the campaign's decision to put off Clinton's attendance, saying, "I'll take $1 million from our Sikh people and give it to people who are going to work with us�not somebody who says they are going to work with you and desert you at the end."

The Sun said that Virk did not believe the visit was put off for security reasons. "We're a minority group. We wear turbans. They don't want to see Hillary Clinton with people wearing turbans and stuff," he was quoted as saying.

"I don't think it was right to commit yourself to come to this programme, and then not going," Virk added.

The newspaper said local Democratic Party chairwoman, Candi Easter, had said that the 'security issue' was the fact that Virk, one of the main organisers of the event, had recently traveled to Pakistan.

Virk said that he had traveled to a religious site in Pakistan for two days on his recent visit to India. .

The Secret Service refused to comment, saying its policy was not to comment on the schedules of candidates and others under its protection.

Dr Rajwant Singh, founder and president of SCORE, told rediff.com, "It is quite unfortunate that Senator Clinton was unable to attend this auspicious event in California. It was an opportunity to meet and share her vision with a large new emerging voting block in the United States."

While saying he was sure that there will be another opportunity for her to visit the Sikh community in this election cycle, he stoutly defended Clinton, pointing out that "she has never hesitated being close to Sikhs or other members of the Indian community. She admires the contributions made by Sikh Americans to America."

Dr Singh added, "This incident in no way gives the signal that her closeness to us has lessened or she feels otherwise."

"I have met her numerous times and have been invited by her several times to events, and besides a personal relationship that I have with her, she always expresses well being for the community," he said.

He asserted, "I am not convinced that she is hesitant to be seen with Sikhs or people with turbans. In fact, her very struggle is to fight against such prejudices. She and her husband have always been with people of diverse backgrounds and have such people in their inner circle."

Dr Singh went on to say, "She has come to a Sikh dinner on Capitol Hill (organised by SCORE two years ago) and stayed there for a long time to be greeted by each one of us, and she attended a large fundraising event in New York, which in fact was organised by one of her biggest Sikh supporters, Sant Singh Chatwa."

He said that while he did not know the details of how Clinton's appearance got canceled at the event in Bakerfield, he "certainly will not read too much into this. Presidential election is a dynamic process and there are always unforeseen circumstances arising everyday."

"So, this must be one of those moments but there is no way we can assume that Senator Clinton discounts the Sikh community's strength and its place in the American political scene," Dr Singh said.

He added, "Sikhs and other members of the Indian community have become a group, which no longer can be ignored by any presidential hopeful and Senator Clinton and her advisers are quite well aware of it and they always seek the support of Indian Americans."