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Sikhs become targets of ire in New York

Tanmaya Kumar Nanda in New York

Following Tuesday's terrorist strikes on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, Sikhs in New York have come under suspicion and attack, for no fault of theirs.

On Tuesday night, the Richmond Hill gurdwara [a Sikh place of worship] was attacked when miscreants in a car who drove by firing what were believed to be rubber bullets at the building.

Ranvir Singh, who was at the gurdwara when the incident took place, told rediff.com that the attackers failed to inflict any damage. The police precinct, confirming the incident, said the miscreants had only thrown rubber balls at the gurdwara.

In a more gruesome incident, however, an elderly Sikh gentleman was attacked with baseball bats and seriously injured as he walked down the street.

Both incidents have left the Sikh community shaken.

According to a member of the Richmond Hill gurdwara management, who did not identify himself, instructions have been sent out to the Sikh community to stay indoors as much as possible and not take any 'unnecessary risks'.

"There is not much we can do except take whatever precautions we can," he said.

The reason for the incidents is believed to be misunderstanding about the appearance of Sikh men. To the lay American, the Sikh with his turban and flowing beard looks very much like Saudi millionaire turned terrorist Osama bin Laden, who is suspected of being behind the attacks on the US and whose images are being telecast regularly on all the news channels.

Confirming the attack on the gurdwara, India's Consul General in New York Shashi Tripathi told rediff.com that one of the miscreants had been arrested when the group went back on Wednesday morning for another attack.

She said she had spoken to the diplomatic police, the New York police department, and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to sensitise them to the Indian community's vulnerability.

"If any Indian(s) feel insecure in their neighbourhoods or if they face any threats, they can alert their nearest police precinct immediately," she said. "But there are a lot of rumours floating, and the Indian community should guard against that."

Tripathi said the consulate was contemplating issuing instructions to the Indian community. "Ideally, they should stay home for a couple of days, or if they have to go out, carry some ID with them," she said. "We are also considering asking Indian women to wear a bindi as a distinguishing mark. Right now, everybody should be careful."

Following Tuesday's attack, the gurdwara management committee called a meeting on Wednesday afternoon to decide a further course of action. At the time of writing this report, they were still in a huddle.

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