Admin | On 30, Jan 2020

Protestors challenge Bera’s stance on 1984 Sikh Genocide, Modi

SACRAMENTO, CA: January 30, 2020 — A group of Sikhs attended a January 28 congressional candidate forum in Northern California to denounce incumbent US Congressman Ami Bera’s stance on the 1984 Sikh Genocide and his association with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Bera denies 1984 Sikh Genocide,” read one sign displayed by protestor Aman Singh. “The congressman does not represent humanity,” he said. “So many of our people fled to America for freedom after India committed genocide against us. But Bera denies the genocide and sides with the people who want to wipe out minorities in India.”

In 2014, Bera was approached by the American Sikh Committee with a questionnaire about his stance on Sikh issues. Questions included if he agreed that the Indian government was responsible for the genocide and if he would help pursue justice for the victims. He refused to respond.

“Bera apparently is more interested in protecting the Indian government than he is in speaking the truth about a genocide,” said Amar Shergill, who is now chair of the CA Democratic Party’s Progressive Caucus. “Bera is a holocaust denier,” said Harmeet Kaur Dhillon. Then the vice-chair of the CA Republican Party, she joined Sikh Democrats in leading a campaign to unseat Bera.

The issue nearly cost the one-term congressman his seat. He won re-election by only 1,455 votes — a margin of just 0.08 percent.

The Sacramento candidates forum, hosted by the League of Women Voters at the Rio American Performing Arts Center, featured four challengers. Bera was invited but declined to attend. Two of the four challengers present, however, have engaged with anti-Bera protestors.

“It’s not enough that I recognize the 1984 genocide against the Sikhs in India,” stated candidate Jon Ivy on January 26. “Even if I beat Ami Bera, it isn’t enough. Bera is the longest-serving Indian-American in Congress. His refusal to stand up against genocide deniers and to take part in that denial is so harmful.” Accusing the congressman of “showing support for current fascism in India,” Ivy added, “Ami Bera should get no support from anyone that believes in religious freedom or secular democracy.”

At the forum, candidate Buzz Patterson visited with the protestors. “Buzz supports your community,” his campaign manager Deborah Johns told them. Holding a sign reading “reject foreign interference, reject Bera,” former Organization for Minorities of India director Bhajan Singh told Patterson he is concerned that the illegal campaign financing scandal that put Bera’s father behind bars in 2016 may have foreign origins.

Congressional candidate Buzz Patterson visits with anti-Bera protestors

“Babulal Bera was the fall guy for the RSS’s candidate, Ami Bera,” said Bhajan Singh. “Babulal funneled almost $300,000 to his son’s campaign through straw donors, meaning he gave people money to give to his son to bypass campaign finance donation limits. Where did Babulal get all that cash? Was the RSS so desperate to get their man into a powerful position in US Congress that they used Babulal as their fall guy?”

Prosecutors traced over $260,000 in illegal donations given during Bera’s 2010 campaign against then incumbent Dan Lungren. Inside sources say the early surge in funding positioned Bera as the strongest candidate and scarred off other potential challengers. Bera lost the race but narrowly defeated Lungren in 2012.

In December 2019, Bera was named chairman of the House Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation.

“Congressman Bera’s new committee appointment gives him control over US policy towards India,” warned OFMI spokesperson Arvin Valmuci. “That terrifies minorities of Indian origin considering how Bera has praised Modi’s vision as inspirational. What does Bera find inspirational about Modi? Modi is implementing a Hindu nationalist agenda that has caused millions of Indians to take to the streets in protest since December 2019. He is violently suppressing the protests — even while he keeps Kashmir on an indefinite lockdown. Why is Bera cozying up to Modi?”