New York: While celebrating Gurpurab at Guru Nanak Darbar in Long Island, New York, India’s Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, stumbled into an unforeseen situation. Supporters of Khalistan who were at the gurdwara started heckling, and Sikh community members quickly intervened and led the interruptionists away.
Thinking back on the event, Sandhu expressed his appreciation for being a part of the celebration with the Afghani community and the local Sangat. He was grateful for the spiritual experience that included Kirtan, talks about the enduring values of equality, togetherness, and unity held by Guru Nanak, langar, and blessings for everyone. This occurred in a post on X that emphasized the significance of the event.
In contrast to what one may have expected from Khalistanis, Sandhu was welcomed with open arms at the Gurdwara in Hicksville. Even though a few provocateurs tried to throw off the proceedings, the Sikh community members moved quickly to remove them and maintain some sort of order.
During his speech at the gurdwara, Sandhu promised the Sikh community that Indian diplomats in the US will always be there to support and assist them.
In New York, with Consul General Randhir Jaiswal and Deputy Consul General Varun Jeph by his side, Sandhu emphasized the broad expansion of the India-US alliance. This cooperative path crossed several industries, such as semiconductors, healthcare, energy, information technology, and new technologies.
The gurdwara members and officials acknowledged the Indian Ambassador’s attendance during the occasion by extending honors and plaudits.
Additionally, Sandhu explored the historical connections between Afghanistan, the Sikh community, and the Sikh Gurus. He noted the transfer of three Saroops of the Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, from Kabul to Delhi in August 2021 during the turmoil that followed the Taliban’s takeover as evidence of the Sikhs’ tenacity in the face of hardship.
Pro-Khalistani elements interrupted Sandhu while he was at the gurdwara, asking him about Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani separatist who was killed in Canada in June of the same year, as shown in widely circulated videos of the incident.
Previously, Sandhu elaborated on the everlasting teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji—equality and unity for all—in a different tweet, citing the well-known Shabad of Guru Ravidass. This thought occurred to him the Saturday before when he was paying his respects at the Sri Guru Ravidass Temple in New York.
