<p>As many as 81 members of the US House of Representatives have introduced a resolution supporting a call to the Justice Department to begin collecting comprehensive data on hate crimes committed against Sikhs.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Introduced in the wake of the Aug 5 shooting at a Sikh gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, the resolution honours the contributions of the Sikh-American community to the United States and condemns the string of attacks against Sikhs and their religious institutions over the past year.<br /><br />In April, 93 members of Congress had signed a letter urging the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to document and quantify the commission of hate crimes against Sikh-Americans.<br /><br />"This resolution recognizes that America is proud of the Sikh-American community, their hundred year history in this country and their countless achievements and contributions to the nation," said Joe Crowley, a Democrat member from New York and a former chair of the India Caucus.<br /><br />"Tragically, the brutal attack in Oak Creek and attacks over the previous year shed light on the ongoing threats faced by Sikh-Americans in the United States," he said.<br /><br />"Unfortunately, this was not a one-time event and what's clear is that there is a disturbing and violent trend that must be confronted and brought to an end," Crowley added.<br /><br />Meanwhile, a diverse group of more than 150 organizations, led by the Sikh Coalition, have applauded a Senate panel's announcement that it will hold a hearing on the threat posed by hate and extremist groups in the United States.<br /><br />The hearing, entitled "Hate Crimes & the Threat of Domestic Extremism," will be held before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights, chaired by Democratic senator Dick Durbin Sep 19.<br /><br />"We commend Senator Durbin's leadership in calling for this unprecedented hearing," said Amardeep Singh, Co-founder and Programme Director for the Sikh Coalition, America's largest Sikh civil rights organization.<br /><br />"We join our partner organizations in bringing light to the issue of hate violence which is on the rise, and in providing policy solutions that can make our country a safer place," said Deepa Iyer, Executive Director of South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT). <br /><br /></p>
<p>As many as 81 members of the US House of Representatives have introduced a resolution supporting a call to the Justice Department to begin collecting comprehensive data on hate crimes committed against Sikhs.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Introduced in the wake of the Aug 5 shooting at a Sikh gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, the resolution honours the contributions of the Sikh-American community to the United States and condemns the string of attacks against Sikhs and their religious institutions over the past year.<br /><br />In April, 93 members of Congress had signed a letter urging the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to document and quantify the commission of hate crimes against Sikh-Americans.<br /><br />"This resolution recognizes that America is proud of the Sikh-American community, their hundred year history in this country and their countless achievements and contributions to the nation," said Joe Crowley, a Democrat member from New York and a former chair of the India Caucus.<br /><br />"Tragically, the brutal attack in Oak Creek and attacks over the previous year shed light on the ongoing threats faced by Sikh-Americans in the United States," he said.<br /><br />"Unfortunately, this was not a one-time event and what's clear is that there is a disturbing and violent trend that must be confronted and brought to an end," Crowley added.<br /><br />Meanwhile, a diverse group of more than 150 organizations, led by the Sikh Coalition, have applauded a Senate panel's announcement that it will hold a hearing on the threat posed by hate and extremist groups in the United States.<br /><br />The hearing, entitled "Hate Crimes & the Threat of Domestic Extremism," will be held before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights, chaired by Democratic senator Dick Durbin Sep 19.<br /><br />"We commend Senator Durbin's leadership in calling for this unprecedented hearing," said Amardeep Singh, Co-founder and Programme Director for the Sikh Coalition, America's largest Sikh civil rights organization.<br /><br />"We join our partner organizations in bringing light to the issue of hate violence which is on the rise, and in providing policy solutions that can make our country a safer place," said Deepa Iyer, Executive Director of South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT). <br /><br /></p>