Photoshopped image shows Sikh Mayor as Arab dictator in US

Ravi Bhalla, the first ever Sikh mayor of a city in New Jersey, has been allegedly racially targeted after his photoshopped image as an Arab dictator was published on a local website.

The New Jersey-based website, "Hudson Mile Square View", ran an image of Hoboken Mayor Bhalla that resembled the lead character played by British actor Sacha Baron Cohen in the comedy film "The Dictator".

The photo was part of a story titled, "Ravi Bhalla goes to the mattresses... for his tax increase".

It accused Bhalla of "summoning all the powers" of his office to "reinstitute a tax increase" that was not approved by the city council.

According to the website, Bhalla had proposed a 3 per cent tax increase but the council slashed it to 1 per cent. The story said now "the pushback from the Mayor's office to take back the tax reduction is underway".

Sikh activists denounced the image as racist.

Community speaker and activist Simran Jeet Singh tweeted on Tuesday: "Ravi Bhalla is the first-ever turbaned Sikh elected as Mayor in US history. "
"He's endured immense racist abuse, from flyers calling him a terrorist to death threats against him and his family. Now, someone is photoshopping Ravi to depict him as a despot. This is racist and wrong."