By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : Britain’s most senior Indian-origin judge scolded the US for its ‘War on Terror’ while delivering an address at a unique Baisakhi day event at the American embassy in London.
“We are meeting today not in India, but in England, and notionally on American soil at the embassy,” Justice Mota Singh, the first Asian judge in Britain, told a large gathering of Sikhs at the embassy Monday. All three countries were characterised by multi-faith and multi-cultural societies, he said before expressing concern that American Sikhs had been targeted for violence in the aftermath of the terror attacks of Sep 11, 2001.
“No one can quarrel with the Americans’ relentless pursuit of those involved in the perpetration of that tragedy to see that they are brought to justice,” he said.
“At the same time, one cannot ignore the view – being constantly expressed now – that an unfortunate and inevitable consequence…has been the escalation rather than the curtailment of terrorist activity,” Singh said in the presence of the American cultural attaché Michael Macy – a man who is to leave for New Delhi soon on a diplomatic posting.
The outspoken judge continued: “It is that realisation that has, we believe, led to the adoption of the policy aimed at winning the hearts and minds of people who carry out acts of violence. That will no doubt involve consideration of issues such as the causes of violence.”
Ambassador Robert Holmes Tuttle had left the auditorium minutes earlier. A native of California, Tuttle in his introductory remarks pointed out that Sikhs settled on the West Coast of America had made significant contributions to the nation’s social, agricultural and economic life.
Although American censuses didn’t ask for a person’s religion, Sikhs probably numbered about half a million in America, Tuttle said at the event – co-hosted by him, along with the Raj Loomba Trust and Sikh Welfare and Cultural Society of Leicester.
But Judge Mota Singh said Sikhs had been “appalled” by incidents of violence in the aftermath of 9/11.
“Sikhs, with their turban and beard, bear a closer visual resemblance to (Al Qaeda leader and 9/11 mastermind) Osama bin Laden than do the Americans or for that matter British Muslims, who are generally clean shaven,” said Singh – the first British judge to wear a turban.
“There have been incidents of threats, and abuse to individuals and of actual violence resulting in deaths of some. We are pleased to place on record our appreciation of the attempts by state and federal governments in America to ensure that perpetrators of these acts of violence are brought to justice.”
Industrialist Raj Loomba told Tuttle that by hosting the Baisakhi event at the US embassy – the first such – “you have indeed done us Punjabis proud”.
Judge Singh justified his remarks to IANS, saying: “Somebody has to be forthright and say these things. Our boys are being killed all over the place.”
He did not mention it, but the first Indian to have been killed fighting for the Americans in Iraq was a Sikh. Sergeant Uday Singh was killed on Dec 1, 2003, when his patrol was ambushed by suspected insurgents in the town of Habbaniya, west of Baghdad.