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Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States hasn’t been all rosy with a Sikh group protesting his visit and also securing a summons against the Indian PM in the 2002 Gujarat riots case.
However, in the face of these protests, a group of Sikhs in New York met with the PM and expressed solidarity with him on Saturday.
“The PM spoke very well and pointed out the good relations he shared with the community. He also assured us that he would look into the grievances of the community,” said Singh, founder of Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Lobana in Queens, New York.
At the function, Singh also said that he had asked the PM to look into providing equal protection of the law to all. Explaining, he said, “Nobody can question the integrity and loyalty of the Sikhs. They have made sacrifices right from the beginning to the freedom struggle and even suffering in Andaman jails. After independence, the community was in the forefront to fight Pakistan and China. However, the Sikhs still don’t feel a sense of belonging in India.”
He added that certain steps needed to be taken to create a feeling of belonging and ensuring that the law applies to all. “We are all Indians and the laws should benefit all,” added Singh.
The founder of Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Lobana also shared with PM Modi the problems the community faced at embassies and consulates. “It is unjustifiable to deny Indian passports to Indian citizens to which they have a right,” he said about those who were applying for visas or renewal of passports, particularly by those who had applied for political asylum in 1980s.
The lack of services being provided to asylum seekers was also raised during the interaction. “Most of the people applied for asylum for economic reasons in the’80s. Very few people applied for asylum based on political reasons. Yet they are treated like enemies,” he noted.
When asked about the Sikhs who were protesting Modi’s visit, Singh said they had opinions of their own. “We share in their concerns, but we have to make a beginning somewhere.”
Image: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a delegation of American-Sikhs. Photograph: MEA/Flickr