US delegation pays obeisance at Golden Temple and Akal Takht : The Tribune India

Tribune News Service

GS Paul

Amritsar, April 22

A delegation of four US Senators and a Congressman paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and Akal Takht on Friday.

The Senators included Kirsten Gillibrand, Cory Booker, Sheldon Whitehouse and Mark Kelly, and Congressman Mondaire Jones.

The delegation also included family members of Senators and chargé d’affaires, US embassy, New Delhi, Patricia Lacina; and political officers, US Embassy, Dane Robbins and Travis.

Some of the delegates were attired in Punjabi dresses. They saw langar preparation and arrangements at the community kitchen of the shrine. SGPC’s information officer Jaswinder Singh apprised them about the “maryada” (code of conduct) of the langar.

Speaking on the occasion, Gillibrand praised the Sikh community’s langar tradition and spoke of supporting the Sikhs living in the US.

“We have come to worship. We have not only been inspired by what we have seen here, but were amazed to learn the generosity of the (Sikh) community to work together to make sure millions of people can be fed right here from the community kitchen and to allow millions of people from across the world to worship in this most sacred and special place. We are honoured to be here and we are grateful,” she said.

About the Sikhs in the US, she said, “With regard to America and Sikh people over there, we support them. I serve the armed forces committee there and we made a provision that all Sikhs can wear their religious head coverings (turban) while they serve.”

Booker also participated in the cooking process.

Showing solidarity with the Ukrainians, Gillibrand said all God-loving people of the world should support those who were being unfairly attacked.

Meanwhile, SGPC additional secretary Partap Singh, shrine manager Sulakhan Singh, additional manager Satnam Singh and Jaswinder Singh honoured the leaders by presenting them “siropas”, a replica of the shrine and literature related to Sikh faith.

Earlier, Punjab Cabinet Minister Harjot Singh Bains and MLA Bibi Baljinder Kaur received the delegation at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport.