SGPC lauds Palbinder Shergill's appointment to Canadian

The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) today said it was a "moment of pride" after Palbinder Kaur Shergill, an Indian-origin Sikh woman human rights activist, was appointed a judge of the Canadian Supreme Court of British Columbia in New Westminster.
Shergill is also the first turbaned Sikh to be appointed to the judiciary of Canada.
"It is a moment of pride and immense joy for all of us. Not only is her feat something to feel proud about, but it is a matter of great pride that today we have the first turbaned Sikh appointed to the judiciary in Canada," SGPC president, Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar said.

The head of SGPC, apex religious body of the Sikhs, said the Canadian government has recognised the contribution of the Sikhs in the country's economy and culture.
"The Canadian government has been giving a lot of honour to the Sikh community settled there. We should also feel proud of the fact that Harjit Singh Sajjan, a Sikh, has been given a sensitive department like Defence to handle by a foreign nation. There are many more ministers of Punjabi origin in the Justin Trudeau government," Badungar told PTI over phone.
He said the Sikh body will request Shergill to plan an early visit to Punjab.

"We will want her to visit the Darbar Sahib in Amritsar. We will give her a rousing welcome," he said.

Notably, Harjit Singh Sajjan had visited Punjab earlier this year.
Meanwhile, the SGPC chief also expressed concern over the hate crimes against Sikhs in some foreign nations.
"Sikhs are a peace loving, hard working community, who are known to make valuable contribution to the progress of any nation where they have decided to settle. Therefore, there is no reason why they should be made a target," he said.
"It is also hard to believe that people in developed countries like the United States and elsewhere would not know who the Sikhs are and would attack them mistaking them for someone else.

"For ten years, India had a Prime Minister in Manmohan Singh, who belonged to the Sikh community and he visited so many nations. People would know Sikhs by their appearance," he said.
Badungar said SGPC has urged the Central government in the past to use diplomatic channels to find out about the "forces behind such incidents of attacks on Sikhs in foreign countries".