Sikh beaten up on NY sidewalk

Rediff.com ^ | July 13, 2004 18:21 IST

[CarrotAndStick]

In what is considered to be a hate crime, a Sikh limousine driver was beaten unconscious on a sidewalk in a New York suburb during the weekend by apparently drunken white youths.

At least one person has been arrested and police were on the lookout for two others. The incident occurred in the Richmond area of Queens which has a large immigrant population on Saturday night.

Rajinder Singh Khalsa, 54, suffered multiple cuts, bruises and a broken nose. Speaking from his hospital bed, he said he and his cousin Gurcharan Singh were confronted by the youths who ridiculed their turbans calling them "dirty curtains" and asked them to take them off.

Gurcharan Singh, who owns a restaurant called Tandoori Express, said they had left the car on the street and were walking towards the restaurant where they intended to have tea. But as they were passing by an Italian catering hall, the men, who appeared to be drunk, started using abusive language.

"I told them that it is not a curtain but my turban and a religious symbol," Gurcharan Singh said.

[cyborg]

So... you'd say that to a Jew wearing a kippah? The only thing obnoxious is the ignorance in your post.

[Cultural Jihad]

. . . obnoxious getups.

Whether any yahoo considers them obnoxious or not is immaterial to their 1st Amendment right to practice their chosen faith. Please ping me once you have repealed the Bill of Rights.

. . . political in nature, about power and control.

The only statement I've seen which reflects power and control is yours:
". . . take off their horrible headwraps if they want to be in this country."

[GVnana]

It would be the least these idiots could do to get the difference between a Muslim and a Sikh. Muslims don't wear turbans. Muslims don't wear turbans.

[GVnana]

I live not far from an odd little corner of CA where there are several generations of Hindus and Sikhs. My now deceased grandfather's best friend was an Indian Hindu. If my 19th century grandpa knew how to live with them, maybe you could too.

[xm177e2]

They both may cover their heads but for Sikh person it is to wrap uncut hair. Sikh people are very friendly people.

Verily, thou speakest the truthe.

[jnarcus]

Sikhs aren't Muslims they are in fact folks who are an off shoot of the Hindu religion...hard working decent folks whom I am happy to call friend and neighbor...

[jnarcus]

Stupid drunks....throw the book at them

[jnarcus]

If you have ever been around Muslims and Sikha they are easy to distinguish...Muslims don't wear turbans and they have an entirely different way that they wear beards and facial hair. Plus unless you are dealing with a Muslim from India Sikhs don't look anything like most folks who are Muslim. I just find this to be so very sad and tragic. I hope those responsible are held to the strictest form of justice possible

[jnarcus]

And just for the record...the Persians that I know are nothing like the Muslims who have since occupied Tehran...In fact many Persians are not Muslim at all ....

[jnarcus]

Nope not for the Sikhs...if they are practising their religion they are required to wear their hair long and they wrap it...this is not about power and control. But perhaps you want everyone to throw away ALL of their religious symbols and come into the 21st century...you know crosses, mogan davids, yarmulkes, the religious collar of some sects...all of that stuff

[nuancey]

My son went to a Sikh Montessori School in his youth. When I told the headmaster of the school that I was was a rockribbed conservatve, he replied, "So am I". Wonderful people.

[uglybiker]

That statement gets the award for Ignorant Post of the Day.

[Rebelbase]

"Maybe it's time for the sikhs to take off their horrible headwraps if they want to be in this country"

(silly) I think it would be better if certain segments of society were made to wear their pants covering their butts instead of hanging half off. (/silly)

[decimon]

Sikh Man Attacked By Group Shouting Derogatory Slurs in Queens

An excerpt from: NY1 News Monday, 12th July 2004

Police are investigating an assault on a Queens man whose family says he was attacked because he's a Sikh.

According to family members, 54-year-old Rajinder Singh Khalsa was assaulted Sunday evening when he and his cousin were walking by the Villa Russo Restaurant in Richmond Hill, on the way to another restaurant.

Police say the two Sikh men got into an argument with three white men in their 20's, who Khalsa says made remarks about the turbans he and his cousin wear, and made a reference to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Khalsa says when he tried to explain the religious significance of the turban the men began to assault him.

The victim says other men not originally involved in the argument joined in the beating.

"They were beating me, like five or six people,” said Khalsa. “They were just waiting, waiting, and they had something in their hands. I am sad more. Why an American attacking on an American? This is wrong. Why are Americans attacking innocents? This is wrong. We are peaceful people. If you see our community, all the community, you will see the record. Our Sikh community is so much a peaceful community.”

Video coverage: Rajinder Singh Khalsa attacked Real Video "Those people were drunk and they are hitting him just because he wore a turban. That is so unfair,” said Gurvinder Kaur, the victim’s daughter. “Just look at your age and look at his age you; you should have some respect. We are peace loving people, and our religion teaches us to have peace and love each other, and not to hurt or hit anyone. How can you hit someone like that so cruel? Don't you have any human in you?"

Khalsa, who was knocked unconscious by the beating, was treated for multiple fractures to his nose and eye socket at Jamaica Hospital. He was released from the hospital on Monday morning.

The father of two has earned numerous awards for his community service and volunteer efforts, and he says he even organized a group to donate blood after September 11th.

News of the assault quickly spread through the Richmond Hills community, where many residents are clearly upset.

“Why did this happen so? Because we are very humble people and serve the community,” said one Sikh man. “More than 30 years people are living here, but no such bad situation happened like this. We are very fearful for this.”

Police have made no arrests in connection with the case, which they have classified as a possible bias crime.

Witnesses say they jotted down the license plate of the car the attackers fled in, and that they picked up a cell phone one of the men left at the crime scene. The evidence has been turned over to police.

NYPD investigators are asking anyone with information about the case to call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.

*** Sikh leaves hospital after bias beating NY Newsday Loretta Chao July 12

A Sikh honorary priest returned home from the hospital Monday morning after three men allegedly beat him unconscious in Richmond Hill Sunday night.

Rajinder Singh Khalsa Ji, 54, said he was on his way to have tea in his cousin's restaurant when three unidentified men who were at a party next door began ridiculing his cousin's turban. When Khalsa Ji came to his cousin's defense he said the men, who appeared to be drunk, told them to go back to their country and proceeded to beat him.

His cousin, Gurcharan Singh, 51, said that as he passed the men they said, "This is my curtain, give it to me," referring to the turban that Singh and the Khalsa Ji wear as a symbol of their religion.

"I called 911. When I called they got more angry and they started to abuse [curse] me again," Singh said. "Five to six people came to me, punching me. When they started punching me, my cousin told them, 'Leave him alone' ... They started punching him and pushed him on the floor, punching, kicking, his face was all bloody and he was unconscious."

Khalsa Ji, who regained consciousness in an ambulance, said he will need to return the hospital several times over the next few months to treat his injuries, including a fractured nose and multiple fractures in his face.

"I feel pain, but more than pain I feel very sad ... The people who live in America come from all parts of the world. Anyone living in this country is American," he said.

The attack ocured just blocks away from a Sikh temple where Khalsa Ji served that was burned down a little over two years ago.

[Cronos]

Would you ask a Jewish man to remove his yarmulka (can't remember how to spell it!)

[Vigilantcitizen]

Idiots.

[wtc911]

Maybe it's time for the sikhs to take off their horrible headwraps if they want to be in this country......

_____________________________________________

Sure, then get those Jews to get rid of the yamulkas and those darn Christians to stop wearing crosses, hell this is my country, better wear what I say or leave.

[wtc911]

Many second generation Sikhs have gotten rid of the beards, the turban and the long hair. You can now tell that they are Sikhs, instead of pakis or arabs, by the silver bracelet. That piece has survived, at least for this generation. After inter-marriage takes root who knows if that symbol will last.

[No Surrender No Retreat]

How do you know he was a Redneck, Ambrose? Possibly it could have been one of Kerry's supporters high on ecstasy.

[skeeter]

How do you know he was a Redneck, Ambrose? Possibly it could have been one of Kerry's supporters high on ecstasy.

If they were rednecks, they were the ONLY rednecks in Queens.