Lifestyle / #SikhLivesMatter Trends On Social Media To Protest The Lack Of Media Coverage Of Punjab Killings

#SikhLivesMatter Trends On Social Media To Protest The Lack Of Media Coverage Of Punjab Killings

Lifestyle Oct 20, 2015

by Rumnique Nannar

#SikhLivesMatter is trending on Twitter and Facebook as Sikhs around the globe alert the world about the lack of media coverage surrounding the deaths of two unarmed protesters at a peaceful protest in Faridkhot, Punjab.

^{Photo Credit: International Business Times}

Sikhs across the Punjab held peaceful protests against the desecration of the holy Guru Granth Sahib, which was ripped up and scattered around the village of Bargari last week. Protesters were demanding the arrest of the people responsible, but police tried to disperse the crowd with hoses before opening fire and killing Gurjit Singh, 27, and Krishan Singh, 44. Police also injured over 100 people in this violent clash. Gurjit was at the protest serving langar, according to his father, in an interview with the Indian Express.

The movement gained more traction in the United Kingdom when Jagmeet Singh, a representative from the charity Basics of Sikhi, appeared as a guest on BBC's Sunday Morning Live to chat about interfaith marriage. He then disrupted host Sian Phillips, saying, "I have to say that Sikhs are being killed in the Punjab and nobody is reporting about it. Please report it." Phillips appeared ruffled and warned that she'd have him removed for not respecting the guests and audience. They then cut to another clip and then a break, after which Singh did not appear at the end of the program. The Twitter outpouring was harsh on Phillips for undercutting Singh's valid disruption.

^{Photo Credit: Twitter}

^{Photo Credit: Twitter}

The hashtag originated with the Sikh Coalition, which used the term as part of its campaign to raise awareness about bullying. In the group's 2014 survey, 67% of turban-wearing children reported being harassed and victimized for their appearance. The group also launched the #ActToChange hashtag, which trended on Twitter as well, broadening bullying awareness within the community.

"The bullying of Sikh children is an epidemic,” said Arjun Singh, law and policy director for the Sikh Coalition, in a statement. “Misinformation and misunderstanding regarding the Sikh faith, coupled with a dramatic increase in bigoted dialogue towards religious minorities, has resulted in intolerance and bullying in our schools.”

This is an admirable cause to get behind, as hate crimes against Sikhs in the United States rose sharply after 9/11. Sikhs have been misidentified as Muslims and called "terrorists" or "Bin Laden" in the many hate crimes that have recently occurred. The origin of the hashtag has been rather elided amid the Punjab protests. Hashtag activism has certainly worked in the past, with the #IStandWithMohammed tag, for example. It's useful in calling out the wrongs and injustices of the world.

Where this campaign gets into sticky territory is its very usage of "Sikh Lives Matter." It assumes the same language as the impactful #BlackLivesMatter tag, which became a talking point after the senseless killings of black teenagers like Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown and Tamir Rice. Poet Rupi Kaur raised a valid point that using a #BlackLivesMatter-style tag for Sikhs is a form of appropriation and that words matter when it comes to protest movements.

^{Photo Credit:}^Twitter

With any protest movement, taking stock of critiques and opposing sides is necessary in order to find the best strategy to raise awareness about an underreported issue. This hashtag has unified Anti-Sikh bullying and the deaths of two unarmed protesters, and it has its own complicated history. We admire the fact that these issues are in the public eye, but when it comes to hashtag activism, we must address ownership and appropriation in any discussion of social justice.

What are your thoughts on the #SikhLivesMatter issue?

^{Main Image Photo Credit: IBTimes}

Rumnique Nannar

Author

Rumnique Nannar is a new journalist with a passion for all things pop culture, film, and art. Rumnique was born in London, with a predilection for devouring English chocolate with her Vogue, ANOKHI, and Glamour magazines in tow. She is currently in her Journalism Masters at UBC. Connect ...

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#SikhLivesMatter Trends On Social Media To Protest The Lack Of Media Coverage Of Punjab Killings

by Rumnique Nannar

#SikhLivesMatter is trending on Twitter and Facebook as Sikhs around the globe alert the world about the lack of media coverage surrounding the deaths of two unarmed protesters at a peaceful protest in Faridkhot, Punjab.

Rumnique Nannar

COMMENTS

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