In a major milestone on Capitol Hill for the Sikh American community, a bi-partisan group of United States lawmakers led by California Democrat and Congresswoman Judy Chu and California Republican Congressman David Valadao on Wednesday announced the formation of an American Sikh Congressional Caucus in the US House of Representatives.
Bera's revised statement, three days after he publicly announced to join the Caucus, is considered to allay concerns of the Indian Government that the newly-made Caucus in the United States carries some individuals and groups, who in the past had indulged in anti-India activities including the separatist Khalistan movement.
Thanedar on Friday formally launched in the US Congress the caucus that aims to combat religious discrimination and promote religious freedom for Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains.
Toomey said he has personally witnessed the spirit of Sikhs and has come to better understand the Sikh tradition that is founded on equality, respect, and peace.
Six Indian American leaders were sworn in as members of the US House of Representatives, marking the largest number of Indian American representatives in the US Congress. The group includes Congressman Dr Ami Bera, who has served seven consecutive terms, and newcomers Suhash Subramanian and Shri Thanedar. The six lawmakers, all Democrats, represent a significant milestone for the Indian American community in the US.
Ed Royce, co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans and a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, became an original cosponsor of the legislation introduced on Monday to condemn the shooting that killed six innocent people at the gurdwara Wisconsin, on August 5, 2012 by avowed white supremacist and neo-Nazi, Wade Michael Page.
United States Congressman Joe Crowley, who is the co-chair of Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, has launched a major effort among lawmakers asking the department of justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to track the hate crimes committed against Sikhs, Hindus and Arab Americans.
The United States senate has unanimously passed a resolution remembering victims of the Oak Creek gurdwara shooting on the occasion of the first anniversary of the tragic incident.
United States lawmakers, who attended the annual Sikh American Heritage Dinner on Capitol Hill organized by the Sikh Council on Religion and Education, pledged to support the community's efforts to serve in the armed forces without compromising their religious principles.
A marginalised Sikh group, which in the past had known supporters of Khalistan, has once again gained access to the powerful corridors of the Capitol Hill, raising concerns for India -- this time piggybacking on the issue of hate crime that the community is facing in the US.
US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, newly elected co-chair of the influential Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, discusses her vision for US-India ties with Rediff.com's Monali Sarkar.
The United States House of Representatives on Thursday passed by unanimous consent House Resolution 775, a legislation condemning the horrific massacre that killed six Sikh worshippers and priests at a gurudwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin on August 5.
US lawmaker recalls the sad irony of hearing news about the massacre of innocent Sikh worshippers in Wisconsin while he was on his way to address concerns of the community regarding hate crimes at a gurdwara in Walnut, California.
More than two dozen lawmakers and prominent Indian Americans gathered at the US Capitol for the annual Diwali celebration, highlighting the contributions of the Indian American community and the strong US-India relationship. The event, organized by the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, also featured addresses from several Congressmen and Senators who expressed support for Indian Americans and emphasized the importance of the US-India partnership.
A group of prominent United States lawmakers have urged the Pentagon to end the presumptive ban on Sikh Americans serving in the United States military.
US Congressman Joe Crowley, who spearheaded the campaign for the Federal Bureau of Investigation to create a new separate hate crimes category in the agency's uniform crime reporting programme to track bigoted attacks against Sikh Americans, has now set his sights on fully integrating Sikh Americans in the US Armed Forces
They also slammed the "violent rhetoric" against India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu and said free speech does not mean a license to incite violence or vandalise property.
Thanks to the indefatigable perseverance of Congressman Joe Crowley, New York Democrat and a long-time and time-tested friend of India and the Indian American community, the United States Congress will celebrate it's first-ever Congressional Diwali celebration on October 29 at 6 pm at the Rayburn House Building foyer on the first floor.
Members of the United States Congress break bread to celebrate the contributions of Sikh Americans. Rediff.com's Aziz Haniffa reports
A key United States Congressional committee has called for a public hearing on the rights and freedoms of religious minorities in India to be held early next month.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said he was proud that the State Assembly and the State Senate have passed the bill making Diwali a New York City Public School holiday.
Three years after the horrific massacre of Sikh worshippers at the Oak Creek, Wisconsin, gurdwara by a gunman with ties to supremacist organisations, a federal system to help track hate crimes against Sikhs, Hindu, Arab American communities has been formalised.
Close on the heels of a blistering missive by Congressman Tom Lantos, warning the TSA not to indulge in religious profiling of Sikhs several other lawmakers, both in the House and Senate, have also slammed the agency.
'The diplomat's arrest has led to a major diplomatic spat, the likes of which I have not seen in my nearly three decades of covering the US-India relationship, says Aziz Haniffa. 'The knee-jerk reaction by the powers-that-be in Delhi was myopic to say the least.'
Trump hosted Diwali celebrations in the historic Roosevelt Room of the White House which was attended by prominent Indian-Americans, Indian-origin administration and diplomatic officials.
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