Several Sikhs in the United States recently met a senior White House official and discussed issues of concern to the community, including hate crimes, and offered their support to the Bush Administration.
During the meeting with Tim Goeglein, director of the Public Liaison Office, the delegation suggested the Bush Administration consider appointing a Sikh to a senior post to help curb hate crimes, the Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE) said in a release.
"We believe the time is right for the Bush Administration to appoint a Sikh to a high ranking position in the government," said Satinder Singh Rekhi, CEO of a consulting company from Sacramento, California.
"There are a large number of qualified Sikhs. The community needs to develop a relationship with the White House and today's effort was a good beginning and it has to be carried on."
During the meeting, the Sikhs asked for the White House's assistance in creating awareness about Sikh contribution to American life.
"We wanted to convey to President George W Bush that we want to participate fully in his efforts to make America strong and to bring this nation together during these testing times," said SCORE national chairman Dr Rajwant Singh.
Harjit Singh Sodhi from Phoenix, whose brother Balbir Singh Sodhi was killed in Arizona in a hate crime following September 11, with tears in his eyes, said, "America is our homeland. We will do whatever to make our community strong wherever we live. We will sacrifice to protect the freedom of this nation."
Although Sikhs have resided and worked in this country for more than 100 years, the aftermath of the September 11 attacks revealed that many Americans are ignorant of Sikh beliefs and their identity.
Because of their distinctive identity due to their turbans and beards, they are erroneously associated with the perpetrators of the September 11 attacks.
Other prominent Sikhs in the delegation included Rajinder Singh Lalli, a prominent Sikh leader from New York and owner of a construction business, Dr Inderpal Singh, physician from Atlanta, Georgia, Gurbax Singh Bhasin, a businessman from Los Angeles, Surinder Singh Raheja, owner of an accountancy firm in Virginia, Navneet Singh Narula, an IT engineer from Georgia.
