By Geeta Sikand
California Senate Bill-509 (SB 509) is now with Gov. Gavin Newsom until October 12th! As expected, the CA legislature passed the highly problematic SB 509, a bill that will discriminate between certain groups by privileging one group over the others. It will arbitrarily assign labels of ‘dissidents’ to the pro-Khalistani extremists and ‘agents’ to Indian Americans, especially Hindus. We Californian Hindus are defeated by the pro-Khalistani extremists. The attacks on Hindu temples by the ‘dissidents’ will be considered a ‘freedom of political expression.’ Hence, the police will not take any action against the perpetrators. Eight Mandirs were attacked over the past one year by these pro-Khalistan extremists, leaving their signature behind. Has there been any investigation? Absolutely Not!”
How do Hindus feel about their defeat of SB 509? Dismayed? Fatigued? Shall we quit the battlefield? Or, shall we continue our fight? Shall we make a Call to embrace the Dharma of Advocacy? “The true teaching of the Bhagavad Gita is not to retreat from the battlefield but to act righteously without attachment to the outcome.”
The bill appears innocuous, but isn’t the devil in the details? With NO shred of evidence, India is now listed in the top three most transnational repressive governments (China, Iran, India). Supporters of the bill have misled the CA legislators to believe that India is hiring us Hindus in CA as its paid agents. Thus, the bill will target American Hindus.
If Gov Newsom signs SB 509, it will pass. It will bias the police against us Hindus. We won’t be able to raise our voices against these pro-Khalistani terrorists when they attack our Hindu Mandirs. If we protest, we may get accused of transnational repression by the police prompted by the pro-Khalistani radicals. India is now listed in the top three most transnational repressive governments (China, Iran, India). Without a shred of evidence, the pro-Khalistan supporters of the bill have convinced the CA legislators that India is hiring Hindus in CA as paid agents. Thus, the bill targets us, American Hindus. See Module 3 curriculum outline for first responders (Police) below my signature line. The bill has not even passed, yet the curriculum for training the Police against us is ready.”
CA state is already in debt of $40 billion dollars. And SB 509 will cost millions of dollars to the CA taxpayers to train the police officers on how to recognize Indian Americans, especially Hindu Americans. Already, a curriculum to stereotype Hindu Americans has been developed, making this bill duplicitous and redundant. See Module 4 curriculum outline below my signature line. C. India a. Case Study: Khalistan Referendum.
Who is the lead Sponsor in the CA Assembly of SB 509? A pro-Khalistan Supporting Assemblywoman, Jasmeet Kaur Bains (D-Bakersfield). She also sponsored the anti-Hindu bill SB 403 last year. This anti-Hindu legislator has penetrated the CA legislature. Yet, 21 Assembly members abstained from voting for SB 509.
Who has partnered with Ms. Bains to introduce SB 509? Senator Ann Caballero introduced it in the CA Senate. She ignored all our proposed amendments. Instead, she added an amendment that increased protections for the Pro-Khalistani extremists, at the expense of California’s Hindus.
Who has partnered in support of the bill and will gain financially* with the passage of SB 509: 1) The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF*), 2) The Sikh Coalition, 3) The Indian-American Muslim Council (IAMC), a proxy organization of radical muslims from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and 4) Hindus For Human Rights ( a fake Hindu organization). These organizations are complicit because of their shared ideology to break up India.”
Could we still defeat SB 509? Yes, if Gov. Newsom vetoes it. We must call Governor Gavin Newsom once daily M-F during business hours. (916) 445-2841 Option 6 to leave your message.
Sample script “I am (name) from (city). Calling to urge Gov. Newsom to veto SB 509. It is a divisive bill. We Hindus will be looked at with suspicion under the pretense of supporting another diaspora. CA should treat all Californians as equals.”
Who is opposed to SB 509? The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said that it had “concerns regarding the bill’s potential implications, particularly its impact on law enforcement practices and the inadvertent targeting of diaspora communities in Riverside County”. There are many more groups opposing SB 509: Americans4Hindus, Hindu American Foundation, Coalition of Hindus of North America, Bay Area Jewish Coalition, even a Sikh group, ‘The Khalsa Today’, The Santa Clara Attorney’s office, and The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, and many more. While California has the highest per capita income of Hindus in the world, yet they have little to no lobbying power. It’s a lesson on how a small group of Khalistanis and Islamists can destroy the economically richest, academically smartest, and politically dumbest community in the USA.
In totality, many Hindu temples have been desecrated in recent months with pro-Khalistan slogans. The Hindu American community does not feel safe and secure reporting these incidents without fear of being accused of being a foreign agent. SB 509 will further enable law enforcement to downplay the attacks on Hindu Mandirs. Let’s not endanger one diaspora group and privilege another diaspora group. This lack of equity is the perfect reason to VETO SB 509! We implore Governor Newsom to veto SB 509.
About the Author
Geeta Sikand is an Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, and VP, Communications for Americans4Hindus, and a Media Analyst with the Hindu Lens.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Voice of Hindus. Any content provided by our contributors or authors is their opinion.
About Author
