Thaindian News

By Arun Kumar
Washington, Oct 22 (IANS) With the White House stressing that President Barack Obama’s India visit schedule is not “finalised”, Sikh American groups are using new age tools like e-mail, twitter and facebook to persuade him to visit the Golden temple.

Disappointed over reports that Obama will not visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar during his visit to India in November, the Sikh Coalition Thursday asked community members to send email messages to the White House.

“If you believe the President should visit the Golden Temple during his visit to India, please send the White House an email message now,” the Sikh advocacy group said.

Earlier, another group, United Sikhs urged the community to post on the White House Facebook page and communicate via Twitter (tweet @whitehouse) to make their voices heard on this issue.

“The Golden Temple has always been an embodiment of the principle of religious pluralism. The Golden Temple’s four doors for each of its four walls represents Sikhism’s openness to all,” The Sikh Coalition said.

“We can think of no better way for President Obama to promote mutual understanding amongst all people during his visit to India than to visit the Golden Temple,” it said.

“In addition given the discrimination many Sikh Americans face, his visit would represent an important teachable moment in which the values of freedom and equality inherent in Sikhism and the US Constitution would be highlighted,” the group said.

“If you would like the White House to hear your voice, please take action now: Send Your Message to the President,” the coalition exhorted.

The United Sikhs also released pictures of the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and British Queen Elizabeth, visiting the Golden Temple.

“If these rumours (of cancellation) are true, this is a tremendously disappointing moment for the entire Sikh community and religious minorities in general.

“What was supposed to be affirmation and recognition of a young, vibrant, and growing religious minority, has devolved into a race to the bottom,” it said in a statement.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)