TURLOCK: How the Indian Consulate in San Francisco twisted a minor incident of a scuffle between two groups belonging to the Sikh community and made it out as a case of obstruction in the celebrations of Diwali festival by the so called Khalistan Activists, has come to lime light.
The World Sikh News has now learned that the Diwali festival was organized at Turlock in November 88, jointly by the Hindus and Sikhs living in the area. The whole function went up peacefully. But at the very end two groups belonging to the Sikh community had some altercations on some issues. Later, they had some scuffle outside the Armanian Hall Turlock, which resulted in police ‘investigating a case.
But surprisingly, the Indian Consulate gave a communal color to this incident and dubbed it as the! handiwork of the Khalistan Activists, bent upon marring the celebrations. So they reported the matter to government of India to create obstacles for any of those who plan to visit India.
This misinformation on the part of the Indian consulate, came to light, when a police party raided a village in Punjab to arrest Lakhwinder Singh Lakhy of Turlock, where his family had gone to attend a social function. Mr. Lakhy was supposed to join them at a later date, Luckily he could not undertake this trip because of some personal engagements and thus saved himself from the police embarrassment
This is one of the many instances, where the Sikhs are harassed in India by the Indian police on the basis of such like cooked up tales.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 3, 1989
