Assault on US Sikh: Action and apology provide healing touch

CHANDIGARH: The US state of California saw two incidents of Sikhs being targeted in the span of a week, but the response to the traits that adopted the August 6 attack on Sahib Singh Natt (71) has been very different. Natt was once kicked, abused and spat at in a residential boulevard in Manteca, California, by way of two teenaged boys, with an aim to rob him, leaving people aghast.

Acting hastily, two days later, California police arrested a 16-year-old, whose name was once withheld as a result of his age, and Tyrone McAllister (18), the estranged son of Darryl McAllister, the manager of the union city police division, south of Oakland, California. The latter was once charged on Saturday.

Following his son’s arrest, Darryl posted an apology on his division’s Facebook web page. "A 71-year old Sikh man was accosted by two young men as he innocently walked down a Manteca sidewalk next to a park. The greater Sikh community is devastated (by the incident). Violence and hatred is not what we have taught our children; intolerance for others is not even in our vocabulary, let alone our values," Darryl said in his apology to the Sikh community.

In the real spirit values of Sikhism, the Punjabis in California have pop out in give a boost to for Darryl and brought this apology from a distraught father in a very supportive way.

"If he (accused) did that crime, he will pay for it. My prayers are with your (Darryl’s) family and Sikh man Sahib Singh Natt … Once again thanks for being transparent and sharing the post," wrote Makhan Singh Bains, president of Raja Sweets & Indian Cuisine and a resident of Fermont, California.

Bains also urged some participants of the Sikh community, who're giving threats to Darryl and his family, to refrain from such activities.

Harjot Hundal, owner of Gabroo TV that promotes Sikh and Punjabi culture in the USA, said, "This post is re-assuring and heartfelt. Though I despise your (Darryl’s) son for what he did, but I hope you, and we (the Sikh community) show him love and compassion to help bring him back on the right path."

Jaswinder Singh Jandi, in his post, presented prayers and give a boost to to Darryl McAllister on behalf of the Sikh community of the Bay Area and Union City, saing that Darryl has always been there to face with the Sikh community, particularly in matters of hate crime and discrimination.

Hundreds of people thanked the police chief for the apology. "Sometimes the actions of our kids are inevitable. I am proud of chief McAllister for being upfront and forthright. I request the Sikh community to put themselves in the chief’s shoes and support him for making the right decision," said Rana Kahlon, a resident of Turlock, a city in stanislaus county in California.

Manteca city council member Gary Singh said Sikh community of the world has come together against this horrendous crime. Police have also reacted fast, adding that the incident has hit all people in Manteca hard.

Frequent objectives

Though the Manteca police didn't brand the attack as a hate crime, Sikhs have continuously been objectives of racial attacks in the USA, particularly after the September 11 assaults. According to to be had figures, there are greater than 25 million Sikhs globally, with around 500,000 primarily based in several portions of the USA.