Akali Dal leader dragged, beaten up outside a gurdwara in US; attack caught on camera

Akali Dal leader and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee member Manjeet Singh GK was on Saturday attacked outside a Gurdwara in California in the USA. Manjeet's face was also blackened in the attack.

Three people have been arrested in connection with the attack. 

Recalling the incident, Manjeet said that despite the attack, he urged his aides not to disrupt peace at the gurudwara. "I was attacked by more than 20 people, these people have not even kept the dignity of a Gurdwara. I told my aides to not say a word and maintain peace. We will not be cowed down by all this," he said.

Condemning the attack, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Gobind Singh Longowal termed it as unfortunate. "It is very unfortunate that in America, Sikhs are being repeatedly targetted. This is the handiwork of such agencies, who want to instigate tensions among the Sikhs. It is the responsibility of the US government to take strict actions against these people behind the attack. I condemn this incident," he said.

Union Cabinet Minister of Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal termed the incident as "cowardly" and tweeted, "Strongly Condemn the Cowardly attack on unarmed @ManjitGK at the Yuba City Gurughar in complete disregard of Maryada and Sikhi! To these agents of ISI, the only way to get referendum is by attacking n intimidating Sikhs. No Sikh will ever be cowed down by your dastardly acts."

Her husband and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal also wrote on the micro-blogging site, "I strongly condemn the cowardly attack on Manjit Singh GK. He was unarmed and paying obeisance at Gurughar where he was attacked by goons backed by ISI. @Akali_Dal_ has never cowed down to terror and will continue to stand strong on the principles of Sikhism!"

Earlier on Monday, the DSGMC chief and his family were allegedly attacked by Khalistan sympathisers at a TV studio in New York, following which he appealed to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for help and demanded action. There has been a spike in hate attacks against the Sikh community in the US.

On August 16, a man identified as Terlok Singh was apparently stabbed to death on Thursday near the deli he owned at North Park Street and Burchard Avenue in New Jersey's East Orange. On August 6, a 71-year-old Sikh man was attacked in California's Manteca by two youths, one of whom was later identified as Union City Police Chief Darryl McAllister's estranged son Tyrone Keith McAllister. Both Tyrone and his accomplice were arrested.