Manmohan Singh: Sikh Temple Shooting A 'dastardly Attack'

[JSinghnz]

08/06/12 09:13 AM ET

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh delivers a speech during the platinum jubilee celebration of Assam Legislative Assembly in Gauhati, India, Friday, April 20, 2012. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

NEW DELHI -- India's prime minister said he was shocked Monday by the shooting attack that killed six people at a Sikh house of worship in the United States, and the top Sikh cleric accused the American government of a `'security lapse."

The attack at the temple in Wisconsin on Sunday sent worshippers running for cover in what police called an act of domestic terrorism.

Small protests condemning the violence were held in Indian cities Monday and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, himself a member of the Sikh faith, called the assault a `'dastardly attack."

"That this senseless act of violence should be targeted at a place of religious worship is particularly painful," he said in a statement.

Giani Gurbachan Singh, the head priest of Akal Takht, the highest Sikh temporal seat, called on Sikhs in the U.S. to adopt security measures at the U.S. temples, including installing closed-circuit cameras.

"This is a security lapse on the part of the U.S. government," he said, according to the Press Trust of India news agency. He called for prayers for the victims to be said at Sikh temples across India and ordered a Sikh delegation sent to the U.S. to investigate the attack.

The Indian government rushed its consul general from Chicago, N.J. Gangte, to Wisconsin. India's foreign minister, S.M. Krishna, said the government was awaiting the results of the U.S. investigation and he criticized the gun culture in the United States.

`'The U.S. government will have to take a comprehensive look at this kind of tendency which certainly is not going to bring credit to the United States of America," he said.

U.S. Ambassador to India Nancy Powell paid her respects at a Sikh temple in New Delhi and assured the worshippers there that her government stood with them.

In the northern city of Jammu, dozens of Sikhs gathered to protest the shooting, shouting slogans and carrying placards that read, "Ban open sale of weapons in U.S.A." and "Shame Shame Shame."

"It is very shocking. A country like the U.S.A., which says it is a superpower, could not protect its own people," said T.S. Ahluwalia, a marketing executive, as he walked into a Sikh temple in New Delhi.

"To attack a religious place of any religion in the world is very bad," he said.

[JSinghnz]

[RebelSingh]

"To attack a religious place of any religion in the world is very bad," he said.

LOL yea, thats y he sees no shame in representin a party that attacked our most holiest place in a stage n pre-arranged hamla, gadhaar, he can do 1 , with his crap comments. he gives promotions 2 known politicians involved in delhi genocide of sikhs.

Even that bandhar amitabh bachchan has come out with tatti today on his twitter, some1 feelin remorse r they?....

"Not in a mood to tweet any more after learning of the shooting inside Gurudwara .. let us all pray !!!

"What is happening in US ..? another shooting of innocents..!! And inside a temple, a Gurdwara .. !! Pained and shocked beyond words"

"Terrible news of shooting in Wisconsin, USA, inside Sikh Temple .. O ! Lord ! may all be safe ! This is terrible news !"

good 2 c a lot of apnay r givin it back 2 him 2, regardin his role on doordarshan tv in 84.

[Singh559]

JSinghz, those people holding those signs have been swayed to defame Sikhs in general.

Why would Sikhs say US Govnt shame shame? I'm American and proud. The fault lies in the shooter and what fuels the hate/ignorance - partly the media and mostly our own (Sikh's fault) for not being able to tell about our own identity.

We're waking up now though faster than ever. A lot of people are doing good job creating awareness.

[TheFancyBanana]

i think the images of our people ripping american flags in india will do more harm than good. :s

[Harjeet]

That picture of the sikh holding up a sign "ban open sale of weapons in usa", that is exactly what the government wants. We should support people having guns. Criminals will always get hold of a gun whether it is legal or not. If someone was armed there, they could have stopped the shooter themselves. I mean doesn't Guruji want us to be armed?

Surely a sikh should know its not guns that kill people. Its people that kill people. It doesn't matter what the law is, if God wants something to happen it will happen. The question is what are we going to learn from this?

Manmohan Singh is a controlled fraud aswell. What significant change has he done for Sikhs? The reality is it is our own fault, for letting governments get away with corruption, its time to arrest them. Take matters into our own hands.

“Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”

- Benjamin Franklin

[gurdssingh]

JSinghz, those people holding those signs have been swayed to defame Sikhs in general.

Why would Sikhs say US Govnt shame shame? I'm American and proud. The fault lies in the shooter and what fuels the hate/ignorance - partly the media and mostly our own (Sikh's fault) for not being able to tell about our own identity.

We're waking up now though faster than ever. A lot of people are doing good job creating awareness.

Exactly how is it the govt.'s fault. No nation on earth can police all of is citizens 24/7. Please Singho/ Singhniho please portray our faith in a positive light. We need to condenm the shooter and him alone. He acted of his own accord. Both the US govt officials and wider US population have come together and condenmmed the shooter and offered condolences.

paji no one has been swayed to defame Sikhs, it's just the mentality in the sub continent. Don't be so paraniod.

My heart goes out to all families affected and the wider sangat who had to witness this henious crime.

Also did the gurdwara sahib not have CCTV? As that would help to answer many questions. It's a given here in UK gurdwareh have CCTV so whats the score in US or Canada?

[singher23]

This has nothing to do with the US government...they can't stop everyone. Also, no point protesting for banning gun sales in America. The government would be overthrown before that happens

[Shamshere]

What is it with people in India burning flags and tyres during protests? Can't they protest in a civilised manner? It doesn't give a good image at all, especially if those images are beamed back to America.

[HKaur16]

JSinghz, those people holding those signs have been swayed to defame Sikhs in general.

Why would Sikhs say US Govnt shame shame? I'm American and proud. The fault lies in the shooter and what fuels the hate/ignorance - partly the media and mostly our own (Sikh's fault) for not being able to tell about our own identity.

We're waking up now though faster than ever. A lot of people are doing good job creating awareness.

I am an American Sikh also and very proud of it. These sorts of protest will just spread more ignorance in the American population. What does the government have to do with this attack? Yes I do agree that they should maybe revise their gun laws and make them more strict. But US Government is not to blame for this incident it is the shooter and himself alone. I believe that every Sikh in American should take it upon themselves to educate people about our religion.