Called the 'Sikh National Conference: Taking Heritage into the 21st Century,' the event was organised by the Kaur Foundation in Washington in collaboration with the division of the library and the Asian Division Friends Society. It featured a series of lectures, panel discussions, film screenings and photo exhibits.
In the wake of the killing of seven Sikhs at a gurdwara in Wisconsin, United States on Sunday, US Representative Joseph Crowley lamented that Sikh Americans too often become the victims of intolerance and hate.
During the visit to the gurudwara, some pro-Khalistan elements shouted questions about Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, killed in Canada in June this year.
'We are deeply concerned by the allegations referenced by (Canadian) Prime Minister (Justin) Trudeau. We remain in close contact with our Canadian partners'
The family, originally from Harsi Pind in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, was kidnapped at a business in Merced County, California, on Monday.
Amandeep Singh, a general internist at Monroe Hospital in Indiana, recently received the death threat through a text message on his cell phone by the unknown individual who claimed to have murdered the number's previous owner, community leaders said.
The Sikh community in the United States plans to submit a memorandum to President Barack Obama, expressing their commitment to uphold the highest values of the American society and peaceful co-existence in the wake a shootout at a Gurdwara which left six worshippers dead.
India on Friday described a United States State Department report citing alleged incidents of human rights violations including in Manipur as 'deeply biased' and said it reflects a poor understanding of India and it attach no value to it.
The Indian government has announced it will allocate space for a memorial to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, following a request from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. The announcement comes after the Congress party criticized the government for not finding a location for Singh's cremation and memorial, calling it a deliberate insult. Singh, who served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, passed away on Thursday at the age of 92.
There are clear signs that the party is re-starting its journey to relevance by going back to its core Panthic agenda, on the basis of which it was founded over a century ago, reports Sai Manish.
A United States court has issued summons to the Congress in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, acting on a Sikh rights group's petition charging the party with 'conspiring, aiding and abetting' organised attacks on the community. A federal district court in New York issued summons to India's ruling party in a class action lawsuit filed by the Sikh organisation 'Sikhs for Justice' which has offices in New York and India.
The fringe organisation, run by a few radical Sikhs of foreign nationality in the US, Canada, the United Kingdom openly espouses the cause of Khalistan and in that process challenges the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India.
Following an outcry from the Sikh community, the United States Defence Department has decided to review its policy, which prevents Sikhs from joining the country's armed forces. On behalf of Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the Pentagon has informed advocacy group Sikh Coalition that it was reviewing current regulations, which prevent a US Sikh national from serving the army, on the ground that they wear turban.
'We are writing to request that you join us in signing the attached letter that we are sending to Secretary (Robert) Gates regarding a fundamental issue of fairness, justice, and religious freedom: the right of Sikh Americans to abide by their religious articles of faith while serving in the United States Armed Forces,' wrote Congressmen Rodney Frelinghuysen and Carolyn Maloney in a 'dear colleague' letter.
The holy book was retrieved after an over 22-hour rescue operation by Sikh volunteers.
Raising concerns over the harassment of a Sikh student in Georgia for wearing turban and being called a 'terrorist', the United States justice department has rapped the school administration for not taking enough steps to prevent such 'verbal and physical' abuse
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.
Vikas Yadav, a former Indian government official charged by the United States authorities for his alleged role in a foiled plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil, was arrested by Delhi Police in December last year in an unrelated extortion and kidnapping case, police sources said.
Authorities in the United States have made changes in its security procedures at airports to make it non-mandatory for Sikhs to remove their turbans during screening under its new guidelines. The US Transportation Security Administration has announced that it has adjusted its security procedures for headwear, which would include turbans worn by Sikhs, and is now including the screening procedures for headwear within the overall category of bulky clothing.
The AMC Theatres has justified its decision stating that it has banned weapons of any sorts in its 347 theatres across the United States and Canada.
'We've said that we're glad that our Indian counterparts are taking it seriously and doing that. We want those responsible for these attacks to be held fully accountable, but I won't get ahead of an investigation that isn't complete'
Speaking to reporters, Trudeau said, "The news coming out of the United States further underscores what we've been talking about from the very beginning: which is India needs to take this seriously."
A bill to educate law enforcement officers about the religious significance of 'kirpans' has been vetoed by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who found it 'unnecessary', drawing angry reaction from the Sikh community in the United States.
A large car caravan of protesters from various parts of California blocked the traffic on the Bay Bridge on Saturday as they moved towards the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, while several hundreds gathered in downtown Indianapolis.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti drew comparisons between the treatment of Hindus in Bangladesh and minorities in India, sparking criticism from the BJP. Mufti expressed concerns about the alleged oppression of Hindus in Bangladesh and criticized recent surveys of mosques in India. She called for a united front against forces dividing people on religious lines and warned of a potential repeat of 1947-like riots.
Michelle Obama spent a little over 30 minutes with the victims and families.
California Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 2845 also known as the "Safe Place to Learn Act," seeks to address bullying of South Asian, Muslim, and Sikh-American students.
'A less tense US-China relationship would make Beijing less likely to provoke India -- including on the border -- in retaliation for its close defence ties with the US.'
The Election Commission has asked the Union government to enact a law to ban the release of opinion poll results after the notification of elections.
Come mid-October, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is likely to acquiesce to more than two years of pushing by the Sikh-American community and United States lawmakers and finally create a special category for Sikh Americans in the agency's hate crime monitoring form.
More than 20 Sikh delegates from California want the party leadership to give them an opportunity on the stage during the on-going Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. The delegates from California are attending the Democratic National Convention, which has nominated United States President Barack Obama as its presidential candidate for the November elections.
Badal's resignation came days after he urged the Akal Takht Jathedar to pronounce his punishment for religious misconduct charges, saying more than two months have passed since he was declared 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct).
The film, Mistaken Identity: Sikhs in America, made by Indian-American filmmaker Vinanati Sarkar and presenter Amanda Gesine documents the effects of 9/11 on the Sikh community.
India on Friday strongly trashed the criticism against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), including by the United States, and said 'vote-bank politics' should not determine views about a 'laudable initiative' to help those in distress.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj ruled out the possibility of a hate crime.
The Delhi Police are on alert after the United States-based Khalistani supporter Gurpatwant Singh Pannu released a video message threatening to 'shake the very foundation of Parliament' on December 13 -- the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attack on Parliament.
We bring forth the violent predecessors of the Wisconsin gurdwara attack, courtesy Real Sikhism and BuzzFeed.
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.
The Sikh Council on Religion and Education has joined over 500 religious leaders across the US in their demand for the passage of such a legislation.
‘Protecting the civil rights of all Americans remains a top priority for the FBI,’ FBI Director Robert Mueller said.
