Sikhs feel vulnerable, join with Muslims to combat backlash

Chicago, Dec 13: Members of the Sikh religion are feeling more uneasy amid simmering anti-Muslim sentiment because many are being mistaken for Muslims.

But instead of distancing themselves, Sikhs increasingly are working with Muslims to combat hateful rhetoric and dispel misconceptions about their respective faiths.

Sikhism was founded in the 15th Century in part of what's now India. About a half-million of the roughly 27 million followers worldwide live in the US. Observant men cover their heads with turbans and refrain from shaving their beards. Pardeep Kaleka's father and five other Sikhs were killed in 2012 when a white supremacist opened fire at a temple outside of Milwaukee.

He says it doesn't matter whether a Muslim or Sikh is being targeted by backlash. He says Sikhs can't remain silent, standing on the sidelines.

AP