SGPC creates committee to address racial attacks on Sikhs living abroad

:dateline:SGPC President Avtar Singh Makkar created a 21-membered committee�to collect information about the factors responsible for�racial attacks on Sikhs abroad. The committee will work to ascertain the reasons behind racial attacks on Sikhs and prepare a report to recommend strategies to control such attacks.

Eco-Sikh Chairman, Dr. Rajwant Singh, warmly welcomed the SGPC�s move. He said�that his organization was already running a campaign across the U.S.�to raise�awareness about the Sikh identity.�Rajwant Singh said�that his organization has approached President Barack Obama and appealed to�him to�take action regarding this matter.

A�30-second advertisement�will be prepared for�national TV channels to inform the American public�about the Sikh identity. “A total of 1.2 million dollars are required to complete the advertisement plan, for which most [of the money] has been collected, while the SGPC is expected to contribute the rest,� said Rajwant Singh.

There has been a sharp increase in hate crimes on the Sikhs living abroad. �Earlier in January, Gurcharan Singh Gill, a 68 year old store clerk was shot day. �Since then, there have been at least 3 hate crimes in Fresno alone. �In March, a Sikh teenager was attacked and bullied whilst on his way back to home from school. �Just a few days ago, Supninder Singh Khehra from Quebec, Canada, was physically abused. �Similar attacks on Sikhs have taken place all over the world in recent months.