INDIANAPOLIS–Many of the Sikhs who have come to central Indiana in the last three to four years have come because of the work opportunities. Jaswinder Singh, 68, had just started work at the FedEx Ground Facility when he and seven other people were murdered Thursday night.
“He just started like one week before,” said his son. “He started on April 4. Tuesday and Wednesday he not go to work. Thursday he went and never came back.”
LISTEN: Harjap Singh talks about the FedEx shooting and what Sikhs believe.
Four of the eight people killed were Sikhs. Harjap Singh, a nephew, said many Sikhs left India in 1984 after a genocide there. He said they’ve made it their mission to spread a message of love.
“Whatever needy, we help them,” he said. “The homeless or others, we serve them. We help them a lot.”
Singh said serving others is part of their religion and the mission of United Sikhs, an organization that is also assisting grieving families.
“We always believe to do helping. That’s our first priority every time, to help others.”
Singh said that Sikhs condemn racism.
“We have to know each other. There is no space for hate on this Earth,” he said.
He said that following the 1984 massacre of over 2,000 Sikhs, many came to the United States in search of an accepting society, so it makes sense to condemn violence, no matter the motive.
“USA’s a great country. We came here…to get a good future,” he said. “We are here because the U.S provides…peace and love. We are proud to be American Sikhs and we are all American and we are proud of that and we all have to live peacefully.”
