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Tejinder Singh Bhullar fights to save his brother in India

August 22, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

“I’m really proud to be an American, because I know I could get justice over here,” Bhullar said. “But in India, if you are a Sikh, there’s a good chance you won’t see justice.” — Live Oak, California resident Tejinder Singh Bhullar is quoted in a local article about the fight to save his brother – Devinderpal Singh Bhullar – from being executed on questionable grounds in India.

Categories: News Bits • Tags: California, Capital punishment, Davinderpal Singh Bhullar, Devender Pal Singh Bullar, Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, India, judicial murder, Live Oak, Tejinder Singh Bhullar

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Sacramento Valley Charter’s first day of school

August 15, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Today marked the first day of school for many children. For most kids and parents, there’s always a sense of nervousness and excitement as students take on the next year of their education. For the Sacramento Valley Charter School – the first Punjabi charter school in the United States – the excitement coming from the side of staff and administrators would be understandable. It was their first day, too.

Categories: News Bits, Picture of the Day • Tags: California, Sacramento Valley Charter School, West Sacramento

Elk Grove, California Diversity Pledge ad (source: elkgrovecity.org)

Scene of suspected hate crimes, Elk Grove, CA to promote its diversity

August 3, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The California city of Elk Grove has been the scene of two notable and suspected hate crimes this year: the shooting deaths of Sikh seniors Surinder Singh and Gurmej Atwal during their evening walk, and the beating of a gay man at a local bowling alley. In response to these tragic incidents, the Elk Grove’s City Council is launching its Diversity Awareness Campaign to promote the diversity of the city which is centered around its “Diversity Pledge“. According to Elk Grove’s Mayor: […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, News Bits, Politics • Tags: California, Diversity Pledge, Elk Grove, Gurmej Atwal, Sacramento, Steven Detrick, Surinder Singh

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Police officer cleared in shooting death of Jagtar Singh Kang

July 27, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

As previously mentioned on this blog, 72-year-0ld Jagtar Singh Kang was shot and killed by police in Yuba City, California, after driving his car at individuals in his neighborhood who were celebrating July 4th with fireworks. The Sutter County District Attorney in California has now completed his investigation of the shooting and has cleared the officer involved of any wrongdoing: Deputy Zachary Berg shot Jagtar Singh Kang during a “course of bizarre and dangerous behavior” by Kang, including driving his […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: California, Jagtar Singh Kang, Yuba City

"Some of the Hindus driven from the United States to Canada", from "The Hindu of the Northwest" (1907) - http://saadigitalarchive.org/item/20110714-238

The Sikh diaspora: Sikh history doesn’t end in India

July 20, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

When one refers to “Sikh history”, quite often we take that to mean the history of Sikhs from our inception with the birth of Guru Nanak (the founder of Sikhism) in 1469 through to the near-present, but of that which occured in India. The history of the Sikhs who began leaving India around the end of the 19th century for farther eastern and western lands is not as commonly known or acknowledged. The Sikh diaspora tends to be spoken of in broad terms, but […]

Categories: Literature, Sikhism • Tags: Bellingham riots, Bruce La Brack, California, Sikh diaspora, Washington State

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Southern California ACLU recognizes law firm for pro bono work on behalf of Sikh rights

June 17, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The law firm Alston & Bird has been awarded the 2011 Religious Freedom Award by Southern California’s chapter of the ACLU: “Alston & Bird was pleased to assist the ACLU in this important case to protect religious freedom in the California prison system. This settlement, approved by the court, will protect not just the right of one individual to practice his faith while in prison, but the rights of those to follow,” said Jonathan Gordon, Alston & Bird Los Angeles […]

Categories: Civil Rights, News Bits • Tags: ACLU, Alston & Bird, American Civil Liberties Union, California, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Cassandra Hooks, CDCR, Jonathan Gordon, Leib Lerner, Religious Freedom Award, Sukhjinder Singh Basra

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Police release suspect sketch in Balbir Singh Dhami murder case

June 17, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Police in Sacramento, California have released a sketch of the suspect in the murder of Balbir Singh Dhami and new photos of the suspect’s vehicle. The victim in this crime was the third Sikh murdered in Elk Grove, California in a span of three months. Balbir Singh Dhami reportedly had a dubious drug-related past and (unlike the murders of Surinder Singh and Gurmej Atwal in Elk Grove in March) his is not considered a hate-motivated crime. His wife, who was […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, News Bits • Tags: Balbir Singh Dhami, California, Elk Grove, Gurmej Atwal, hate crime, Sacramento, Surinder Singh

Sacramento, California Gurdwara contributes reward in search of attacker of gay man

June 14, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

“The Sikh Community condemns this disgusting attack motivated by ignorance and hate,” Sikh Temple spokesman Darshan Singh Mundy, said in a written statement announcing the reward. “In light of the recent murders of two Sikhs in Elk Grove and the hate crime conviction in Yolo County (of two men who attacked a Sikh taxi driver), we are especially sensitive to such crimes. We hope that our reward will help bring these criminals to justice.” — The Gurdwara in West Sacramento, […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, News Bits • Tags: Balbir Singh Dhami, California, Elk Grove, Gurmej Atwal, hate crime, Joel Olivarez, Surinder Singh, West Sacramento

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Sikh’s rights protected in California prisons

June 10, 2011 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

As I wrote about three months ago, the United States Department of Justice filed a legal suit against the State of California for violating the civil rights of Sikh inmate Sukhjinder Singh Basra – a Canadian citizen serving time for a drug-related offense – at a state prison in San Luis Obispo. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation was enforcing a policy that required inmates to shave their facial hair. As uncut hair is a religious article of faith for […]

Categories: Civil Rights, News Bits • Tags: ACLU, American Civil Liberties Union, California, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, prison, Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, San Luis Obispo, Sikh Coalition, Sukhjinder Singh Basra, United States Department of Justice

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Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Tag: California

Tejinder Singh Bhullar fights to save his brother in India

Sacramento Valley Charter’s first day of school

Scene of suspected hate crimes, Elk Grove, CA to promote its diversity

Police officer cleared in shooting death of Jagtar Singh Kang

The Sikh diaspora: Sikh history doesn’t end in India

Southern California ACLU recognizes law firm for pro bono work on behalf of Sikh rights

Police release suspect sketch in Balbir Singh Dhami murder case

Sacramento, California Gurdwara contributes reward in search of attacker of gay man

Sikh’s rights protected in California prisons