We contacted every Sikh elected official and candidate we could identify in California and asked them five questions no one else was asking. Their responses will be published here.
Five direct questions sent to every Sikh official and candidate we could identify in California. Responses published verbatim. Non-responses noted.
California is home to more Sikh elected officials than any other state — yet no public record exists of where they stand on the issues that matter most to Sikh communities.
We're changing that. The questions below were sent directly to every Sikh official and candidate we could identify. The report publishes responses in full — and names everyone who chose not to respond.
Do you believe the anti-Sikh violence of 1984 in India constitutes a genocide? If so, do you believe governments and institutions should formally recognize it as such?
The November 1984 pogroms — in which thousands of Sikhs were killed in the days following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi — remain one of the most charged questions in Sikh civic life. No major Western government has formally recognized these events as genocide.
Do you believe Sikhs, as a distinct people and nation, have the right to political sovereignty and self-determination under democratic and international principles?
The question of Sikh self-determination is one of the most politically sensitive in Sikh American advocacy — and among the least asked by mainstream political media. We put it directly to every candidate on our list.
Many Sikh and Punjabi American truck drivers have been affected by increased scrutiny involving non-domiciled CDLs and immigration-related licensing policies. Advocacy organizations including the Sikh Coalition, UNITED SIKHS, and Jakara Movement have raised concerns. What is your position on these policies and their impact on Sikh and Punjabi American communities?
The commercial trucking industry employs tens of thousands of Punjabi Americans across California's Central Valley. Recent enforcement actions around Commercial Driver's License regulations have drawn alarm from multiple Sikh advocacy organizations.
In your opinion, what are the single biggest issues currently facing Sikh Americans today?
We asked each respondent to name the issues they consider most urgent for the Sikh American community — without a provided list and without any prompting.
Do you believe Sikh elected officials have a responsibility to publicly advocate on specifically Sikh or Panthic issues, or should their role remain limited to broader civic concerns?
The tension between 'universal' representation and community-specific advocacy is one every minority elected official navigates. We asked Sikh candidates to name their own position, on the record.