ASC attends the Religious Leaders meeting for Mayor Parker at the Inaugural Prayer Service at the Cathedral Basilica, Philadelphia, PA on February 20, 2024.
Religious Leaders with Mayor Parker (in green) of Philadelphia
On Tuesday February 20, 2024 American Sikh Council representative Kavneet Singh, attended the inaugural prayer service for newly elected Mayor of Philadelphia, Mayor Cherelle L Parker. She is the first Afro-American woman to become a mayor in the history of Philadelphia.
This event brought out a large contingent of religious and civic leaders from the greater Philadelphia region together to celebrate the incoming mayor. Religious leaders from the three semitic faiths read prayers from their respective traditions. The mayor’s speech mentioned the need for genuine support by the religious leaders to strengthen the functioning of the city council. Mayor Parker’s vulnerability seemed genuine while asking for a candid relationship with faith leaders, so as to even keep her office on the right path. Her message resonated with all those present at the venue.
Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez, Archdiocese of Philadelphia; The Rt. Rev. Daniel Gutiérrez, Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania; Imam Anwar Muhaimin, Quba Masjid; and Rabbi Shawn Zevit of the Jewish Community, led the gathering.
There were over 200 attendees and the local news media covered the event. The event was organized by the Catholic diocese of Philadelphia in conjunction with the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia.
Kavneet Singh attending the inaugural prayer service for Mayor Parker of Philadelphia
Sikh Farmers of Panjab lead the Protest 2.0 again starting on February 13, 2024!
Protesting farmers stand facing the police barricade near Shambhu border (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
The American Sikh Council (ASC) is deeply concerned about the thousands of Sikh farmers who have assembled 125 miles outside the capital of India since February 13, 2024 and are being attacked by the Indian paramilitary forces.
Teargas shells being dropped by drones, to being continually shot by rubber bullets and other live ammunition, which have seriously injured hundreds of protestors, with some losing their eyesight. On Feb 20, one young Sikh farmer died who was shot in the head. Further, over a dozen Sikh farmers sleeping in their tractor trolleys were abducted, tortured and had their legs and arms broken by the Indian paramilitary. The completely unarmed peaceful Sikh-Indian farmers are being treated like an invading army by PM Modi, instead of important citizens whose woes need to be addressed with urgency, especially when they represent the overwhelming vote bank. PM Modi has reneged on all the promises made to the farmers in late 2021.
Millions of farmers, farm workers and others participated in the over year-long Farmers Protest in 2020-2021. The Indian Prime Minister Modi capitulated then by rescinding the three illegally formed, anti-farmer laws but only gave verbal assurances on the other long list of grievances. None of those legitimate demands by the protesting farmers were addressed, except pushed down the road.
The 2024 Indian farmers' protest started on the morning of 13 February 2024 to demand the government's guarantee on assured floor prices or Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crop production in a repeat of the 2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest. The farmer leaders have continued the negotiations with the Modi government even before the actual protest started and held at least four meetings, but yielded nothing.
Instead of allowing the farmers to vent their genuine frustrations by listening to them the Indian PM has erected massive cement boulders with spikes on top, barbed wire, metal blocks, loaded trucks, road rollers, bulldozers, sonic weapons such as ‘sound cannons’ and much more, used to barricade the border points. Every day, new (il)legal impositions with severe penalties are being circulated through social media in order to curtail the right to assemble and protest.
On February 19, 2024, The Modi regime offered price support for some pulses, corn, and cotton in an attempt to end the deadlock and reach an agreement with the protesting farmers.
The actual demands of the protesting farmers currently are as follows:
Financial Security:
Guaranteed Income: Farmers above 60 years of age, are demanding a monthly pension of $120.
Minimum Wages under MGNREGA: Protesters are seeking fixed daily wages for agricultural work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The proposed wage is $8.50 per day with a guarantee of 200 days of work annually.
Agro-Industry Integration: Farmers seek better integration with the agro-industry to bypass intermediaries and secure direct market access. They aim to establish farmer-producer organizations, enabling collective bargaining power, fair pricing, and reduced dependency on middlemen.
Market Support:
Legal Guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for All Crops: The central demand of the protest is a legal framework guaranteeing MSP for all agricultural produce. Currently, the government announces MSP for only a select few crops, leaving others vulnerable to market fluctuations and potentially lower prices. A legal guarantee would provide farmers with more stable and predictable income.
Implementation of Swaminathan Committee Recommendations: The protestors seek the implementation of the recommendations made by the M.S. Swaminathan Committee; a committee formed in 2006 to address agricultural issues in India. The committee's report proposes various measures to improve farmers' income and welfare, including improved infrastructure, investment in research and development, and market reforms.
Pensions for farmers, loan waivers, and withdrawal of India from the World Trade Organization.
Other Demands:
Along with this demand, farmers also ask for the withdrawal of cases registered during the last agitation in 2020-21.
Justice for Lakhimpur Kheri Violence where a sitting Hindu member of parliament (BJP) purposely ran over and killed several Sikh farmers.
The farmers also insist that the government ensure at least fifty percent profit over their overall cost of production.
The farmers also want the government to honor a promise to double their incomes, complaining that costs of cultivation have jumped over the past few years while incomes have stagnated, making farming a loss-making enterprise.
Even though the national elections are in April 2024, the Indian PM does not seem perturbed to lose over 60% of the national vote bank by his belligerent attitude towards the farmers, unless of course he is going to use the infamous ‘electronic voting machines - EVMs’ to do the magic trick and get himself in office again. The farmers and the common Indian citizens are aware of the sleight of hand being performed by the emperor of Delhi to remain in power. Even the electoral commission is now controlled by the PM to skew the process in his own favor.
Every civil right, right to assemble, right to protest peacefully, right to speech, etc., are all being curtailed violently in the world’s largest democracy. This mockery of a thriving republic must be called out vociferously. If PM Modi wins the next election in April, the last vestiges of democracy will disappear and the religious minorities will be permanently relegated to second class citizens with little chance of justice. Farmers are and have been treated very unfairly during Modi’s ten-year tenure.
It is critical to uphold the rights of the farmers to peaceful protest, hold accountable those responsible for the various violations and engage in honest negotiations to address their demands.
As of February 22, 2024 according to news outlets, the Modi regime is planning to use the draconian National Security Act (NSA) laws which would enable the state to detain a citizen preventively, which could include all the protest leaders by threatening to seize their bank accounts, properties, etc., in order to scuttle and stop the massive peaceful dissent.
The American Sikh Council (ASC) implores the State Department, The US Congress and the White House to intervene and condemn the abuse of international laws and the ongoing human right violations against the peaceful farmers on the outskirts of the capital of India. ASC stands steadfastly for the rights of all farmers who continues to raise their voices in their struggle for equitable agricultural renumeration.
ASC exhibits at the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Convention in New Orleans, LA on Feb 15 – 17, 2024!
School Psychologists at the NASP exhibit hall
American Sikh Council (ASC) representatives Zoravar Singh, Amolak Singh and Kavneet Singh participated in the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Convention which was held at the Marriott, New Orleans, LA for three days, February 15 - 17, 2024.
Over 6,000 School Psychologists, graduate students, specialists, educators, professors and many other experts attended this conference. There were over a 125 exhibitors, recruiters and hundreds of educational sessions covering, bullying, racism, bias, neuropsychology to suicide prevention, and more.
ASC representatives interacted with the convention attendees by having conversations and answering many interesting questions posed by the psychologists and educators. Hundreds of brochures covering the History of Sikh Americans, The Sikh Genocide, Bullying of Sikh American Children, Sikhs and Scouts and The Sikh Turban were displayed and distributed. The landmark book published in late 2015 and supported by the American Sikh Council, ‘Bullying of Sikh American Children – Through the Eyes of a Sikh American High School Student’, www.bullyingasikhamericanchildren.org was displayed, as this is another resource tool which can be used by professional school psychologists to help mitigate the rampant bullying and victimization of many minorities groups like the Sikh American children. This book has been personally attested by President Barack Obama on April 29, 2016 and currently being used in over 41 school districts on the Eastern seaboard.
Many complimented the ASC representatives on the interactive exhibit and had multiple requests to hold presentations at schools across the country including providing even more resource material.
Kavneet Singh with an attendee
Ms. Melissa L from Kentucky stated, “I came away with much better understanding of Sikh Americans who are a victim of misplaced bias and micro aggressions. This one-on-one interactive method of educating others is very important especially in the current environment.”
The networking and the result of ASC’s collective work was a categorical success. In order to sustain this ongoing effort ASC requests all, the gurdwaras, but especially member gurdwaras to continue their support of these very important educational initiatives to help our next generation thrive for a better future.
Kavneet Singh with School Psychologists
Interfaith event at the Archdiocese, Philadelphia on Feb 12, 2024!
Members of the Religious Leaders Council – Interfaith Philadelphia
Kavneet Singh representing the American Sikh Council (ASC) participated in an interfaith event as part of the ‘Religious Leaders Council’ held by the ‘Interfaith Philadelphia’ (ICGP) hosted by the representatives of the Catholic Diocese at the main headquarters in Philadelphia on Feb 12, 2024.
The ICGP has a very active group of interfaith participants who meet regularly for meetings but also informally. It is also one of the larger interfaith organizations in the country which is active not only in the City of Philadelphia but also the outer suburbs of the tristate area. Over thirty-five representatives from the Sikh, Jewish, Muslim, Bahai and Christian including various denominations were present.
Msgr. Hennessy who represented the Catholics spoke of walking together with other faith communities by building bridges to positively impacting local communities.
Rev Robert Collier representing the ’57 Blocks Strategy’ again spoke passionately on the issue of violence in neighborhoods of Philadelphia and impressing upon the faith leaders to help support the de-escalation of guns, as eventually it could spread outward to the suburbs, negatively impacting many more.
Kavneet Singh in conversation with members of the Buddhist, Christian and Jewish representatives.
During the discussions Kavneet Singh shared his views regarding the ongoing transnational repression which started earlier with the ’Sustained Sikh Genocide 1984 – 1998’ and the importance of others knowing about the impact and the continuing trauma through generations within the Sikh community.
Representatives from the American Sikh Council (ASC) have been actively participating in the interfaith meetings and many outreach events in conjunction with the Interfaith Philadelphia for over 19 years.
IRF Summit Conference at the Hilton, Washington, DC Jan 30-31, 2024!
Vice President Mike Pence in the main ballroom on religious rights.
American Sikh Council ASC) representative Kavneet Singh attended and participated in the annual International Religious Freedom Summit held at the Washington Hilton in downtown Washington, D.C., from Jan 30 – 31, 2024.
Over 1,000 attendees from over fifty countries attended this important conference. The entire focus of the conference was the impact on religious rights by various ruling regimes across the globe. Also, to energize faith groups, civil society and governments to identify the importance of religious freedom and religious plurality. More or less every major religion to the most obscure minority faith were represented at this forum.
Religious bigotry, erosion of religious rights, freedom of expression, surveillance of ethnic minorities, human right violations, transnational repression, and much more were all covered in the various breakout sessions.
Ambassador Rashad Hussain speaking on IRF victories and goals.
Documentaries on various ongoing issues impacting different religions were screened in the evenings. Dispersed between the breakout sessions were networking gatherings being held by various groups to build bridges and allyship in order to make positive change.
There were around twenty exhibits, which were overwhelmingly focused on religious freedom and human rights, from all across the world.
Former Congressman Dan Burton and the former Congressman and Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich were also speakers at a special luncheon. Vice President Mike Pence spoke in the main ballroom on the issue of religious rights and its importance in today’s world.
The topic for the morning plenary session on Wednesday was, ‘Challenges for India for Non-Majority Faiths’. The speakers included Muslim, Hindu, Chrisitan and Sikh representatives who highlighted the ongoing pervasive human rights violations in India, with barely any justice, rather an increase in the repression across the board.
Harbir Kaur speaking about corporate responsibility for religious freedom.
No wonder today, the Indian regime is so brazen that it has started to assassinate leading Sikh activists in the diaspora, particularly in the western hemisphere. Their modus operandi is very similar to Russia and China which are primarily autocratic in nature, and have carried out similar assassinations on their own kind, living in the diaspora.
ASC continues to work with various civil society groups and interfaith organizations while collaborating on many issues common to communities of faith and especially impacting minorities. It was heartening to see an increase in attendees and newer faces working toward making a better tomorrow.
The American Sikh Council is the umbrella organization representative of Sikhs in the United States. It is an elected body of Sikh Gurdwaras and institutions. Currently 74 Gurdwaras and other Sikh institutions across the nation are members of ASC. The major governing purpose of the organization is to represent the collective view of Sikhs in the United States. ASC works to promote Sikh interests at the national and international level focusing on issues of advocacy, education, and well-being of humankind.
