US Sikhs welcome Obama message on Diwali

The Sikh community in US has welcomed Obama`s Diwali greetings praising their resilience in the August shooting at a gurdwara in Wisconsin.

Washington: The Sikh community in America has welcomed President Barack Obama`s message of Diwali greetings praising their resilience in the wake of the August shooting at Oak Creek gurdwara in Wisconsin. "This inspirational message reflects President Obama`s compassionate heart and his commitment to create a harmonious society in America where all are respected and each faith is honoured," said Rajwant Singh, chairman of the Washington based Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE).

"Recognizing Diwali, which is sacred to almost all faiths originating from Indian subcontinent, sends a message that America provides an opportunity for each faith to flourish and all faiths can truly enjoy the religious freedom," he said. "We are confident America will continue towards `perfect union` as envisaged by the US constitution under the able leadership of President Obama for another four years," Rajwant Singh said. The community leader said the Sikh community prayed for Obama "and his family as he leads a difficult road of bringing political leadership together to face the challenge of financial solvency of this country". "We also pray for the victims of Hurricane Sandy and all the volunteers and officials who are trying their best to bring comfort to those who have lost so much in this natural disaster," Rajwant Singh said. "Sikh community is thankful to President Obama for his prompt actions to support the community in wake of Wisconsin Gurdwara tragedy and looking forward to assisting him in his agenda to lead this nation in the right direction," he said. Referring to the Oak Creek shooting, President Barack Obama said in his Diwali message: "In the wake of that horrible tragedy, we saw the resilience of a community that drew strength from their faith and a sense of solidarity with their neighbours, Sikh and non-Sikh alike." IANS