New Delhi: The BJP has objected to posters used in a US immigration campaign that allegedly portray an immigrant as “Mr Singh”, saying the depiction is offensive to the Sikh community.
In a statement addressed to US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, BJP spokesperson R.P. Singh criticised the use of Sikh identity and the surname “Singh” as a caricature in an official US government deportation campaign.
Singh said the US had every right to enforce its immigration laws and act against illegal immigration, but such enforcement should not involve racial, ethnic or religious stereotyping.
He cited the contributions of prominent Sikh Americans, including Dr Narinder Singh Kapany, regarded as a pioneer of fibre optics; Dalip Singh Saund, the first Sikh and first Asian-American elected to the US Congress; and Bhagat Singh Thind, a Sikh American serviceman who fought for citizenship and religious rights.
“Sikhs did not come to America only to drive trucks,” Singh said, highlighting their contributions as scientists, farmers, entrepreneurs, soldiers, public servants and nation-builders.
He said the portrayal of a Sikh man and the use of “Mr Singh” as a stereotype in a US government campaign was deeply insulting to a community whose members had worked, served and made sacrifices for the country.
Singh urged the US to enforce its immigration laws with dignity, fairness and respect, stressing that Sikh identity should not be turned into a subject of ridicule.
He also tagged Ambassador Sergio Gor on X and urged him to convey the concerns of the Sikh community in India and around the world to the relevant authorities in Washington.
