GURUDWARA SHOOTING: WE ARE CONCERNED NOT SCARED, SAY SIKHS
A distraught women is helped to a car outside of the Sikh temple in Oak Creek
Ritu Jha in California
The Sikh community in the United States has condemned the attack on the gurudwara in Wisconsin that left seven dead; some say it’s a hate crime. Ritu Jha reports
Community people of Wisconsin as well from California condemned the shooting at the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin on Sunday morning that left seven people dead including the gunman.
Bob Chima, that said he was still not sure whether his brother -in-law Satwant Singh Kaleka, who is the president of the gurudwara, was shot. “We all are worried and trying to reach him,” said a nervous Chima to rediff.com.
Gurcharan Grewal, president of the Sikh Religious Society of Wisconsin said, “The community is concerned about what happened but not scared.” On being asked what could be the motive behind the shooting he said, what happened looks like a hate crime. “But we cannot rush to the judgment that this is a hate-crime,” he added.
“It never happened in the past and this is a direct attack on the Sikh community,” said Amar Singh who runs a grocery shop in Milwaukee. He sad, “This is crazy.” Many people who are visitors to the newly built gurdwara in Oak Creek are his regular customers.
Bachan Singh, who talked from the Oak Creek Gurdwara reiterated that this is a hate crime.
“The Sacramento Sikh Community, like our brother and sisters across the country, is dismayed to learn of the horrible tragedy unfolding in the Milwaukee area,” said Darshan Mundy, public information officer of the Sacramento Sikh Temple.
“The Sikh community has been the subject of many attacks over the years and since 9/11. At times like this, we must rely on our faith and join hands as a community to deal with this tragedy.”
