FRESNO: Over 300 Sikhs packed the elegant Gurdwara Sahib here Sunday Feb 3 to seek the blessings of the Almighty for American and Allied troops now engaged in the liberation of Kuwait in the Persian Gulf.
The Bhog of the path was followed by kirtan for two hours.
Dr Mohinder Singh Poonia a prominent Sikh of the area spoke at length on the Sikh religion. He emphasized that Sikhism had stressed liberty equality and fraternity 500 years ago and ever since Sikhs had done their utmost to uphold these principles. He spoke also of Sikhism’s struggle against tyranny and oppression. President Bush he said was following a Sikh percept. Sikhism advocates that when all means to end injustice fail it is just and pious to pick up the sword.
President Bush had tried all peaceful means available to reverse Saddam Husseins forcible occupation of Kuwait He said the Sikh community was behind Bush and supported the US troops in the Gulf.
Dr Poonia also spoke of the oppression of the Sikhs in India and the need to address that wrong. He said though the Sikhs had come from half way round the world they were proud and happy to be American citizens. It was only in America that their dreams had been fulfilled He said of the 50000 Sikhs in the area over 60% were US citizens.
He said that our prayers and our hearts were with the US servicemen and their families in this just war.
The congregation was given a letter to send to President Bush expressing full support for the action in the Gulf “Freedom is a God given right of all nations Those forces which oppose such principles are a detriment to the entire human family and must be stopped.”
“Mr. President I beseech you to extend moral support to the Sikh struggle for freedom You have made perfectly clear to the community of nations your firm conviction that freedom and justice must be the essential elements of the new world order. I ask that you apply these same principles to the grave situation facing the Sikh nation today by demanding the complete withdrawal of the occupying Indian forces” the letter adds.
S Sohan Singh Sufi managed the stage. Dr Harcharan Singh Chan said that it was a coincidence that Mr Bush called for nationwide prayer services of on Feb 3 as they had decided to hold this function a week before the call was made from Washington.
Later a procession of 50 cars flying US flags was taken around the town by local Sikhs.
It is noteworthy that the Gurdwara Sahib is doing a great service in teaching over 50 children Gurmukhi and Sikh religion on Sundays. This noble task in being performed by Mrs Sharanjit Kaur Ranuand Dr Tejinder Singh Sandhu Thanks to them several children are proficient in Shabad kirtan also.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 8, 1991
