- Thursday, May 09, 2024
A group of eminent Indian American individuals in Silicon Valley expressed disappointment saying the law enforcement agencies have failed to take action against the guilty.
By: Shubham Ghosh
AMERICAN soil is being misused for terror activities against India, a group of eminent Indian American individuals in Silicon Valley have told officials of the US justice department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and police in a special meeting convened earlier this week on growing hate crimes against the Hindu community in California.
The Indian Americans expressed their dissatisfaction saying the law-enforcement agencies in the US have failed to take action against those who are espousing terrorist activities in India, news agency Press Trust of India said citing multiple persons who were present at the meeting, as saying.
The meeting to address the challenging issue of the rise in hate crimes against Hindu and Jain places of worship was held at the initiative of community leader Ajai Jain Bhutoria and was attended by about two dozen eminent Indian Americans.
Vincent Plair and Harpreet Singh Mokha from the justice department’s community relations service along with FBI officials and those from the police departments of San Francisco, Milpitas, Freemont and Newark also took part in the meeting.
The sudden surge in hate crimes against Indian Americans in general and the Hindus in particular is making the community anxious, said the Indian Americans after the meeting which was closed to the press.
Read: Yet another Hindu temple in US defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti
It was alleged that Khalistan activists park lorries outside schools and Indian grocery stores and intimidate young Indian Americans. The community was upset that the police were yet to penalise those who were behind the plot to burn down the Indian consulate in San Francisco and are openly threatening Indian diplomats and giving open calls for terrorist incidents in India.
Some of the members present in the meeting told PTI that senior law enforcement officials said that they were not aware of the Khalistan movement in the US and wanted the Indian Americans to help them raise awareness about these terrorist groups in the US.
They also said that they have not been able to take action because of a lack of resources and funds and that they have other top priorities.
“This meeting was a crucial moment as we united to confront the recent surge in hate crimes targeting Hindu places of worship. I brought together Indian community leaders, DOJ, FBI, and law enforcement officials from Milpitas, SF, Fremont, and Newark. In the last four months, over 11 temples in the Bay Area alone have been attacked, vandalised, and defaced with hateful graffiti. The fear in our community is palpable, but our collective resolve is stronger than ever,” Bhutoria said.
“We delved into safeguarding places of worship and tackling hate crimes, notably those involving Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) Khalistani supporters targeting Hindu Temples, displaying disturbing banners in front of schools and corporate establishments. In our discourse, we explored the prospect of organising a Protecting all Places of Worship Forum (PPOW) with the DOJ,” said Sikh leader Sukhi Chahal, who added that he personally underscored the significance of addressing the provocative and threatening video messages from SFJ pro-Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Following the meeting, it was agreed that a working group will be formed under the guidance of the justice department that will actively pursue safety measures at places of worship and systemic reporting of any unwanted act.
(With PTI inputs)
