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Horrific attack on Mr Mukker in US: How Sikh Coalition fought for justice

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Sonia Chopra
Sonia ChopraSep 17, 2015 | 12:44

Horrific attack on Mr Mukker in US: How Sikh Coalition fought for justice

When I saw the heart-wrenching picture of Inderjit Singh Mukker, the 53-year-old Sikh who was assaulted in Chicago, I saw beyond the black eye, the bruises, the cuts and the bloodied shirt, I saw his pain.

I felt his sadness and helplessness at not just being a victim of a vicious hate filled assault and I understood his burden of being a man in brown skin with the additional burdens of having a beard and turban.

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Those symbols of ethnicity were hard enough to live with before but after the September 11 attacks, 14 years still, there are still Americans who think Sikhs are Muslims.

The story of Mukker, an Uber driver, on a trip to a grocery store on his day off, was driving with the windows of his car down as it was a beautiful day, heard the taunts of another driver as he yelled, "Terrorist!", "Bin Laden" and "Go back to your country" is disturbing.

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Mukker who has lived in the United States for 27 years now, calmly pulled over thinking the other driver would pass him by.

Instead, the 17-year-old, who I seriously believe should undergo a mental evaluation, got out of his car and reached into Mukker's car, repeatedly punching him in the face.

According to Mukker, he lost consciousness for about 15 minutes. Later at the hospital, he received treatment for a fractured cheekbone, bruising, blood loss and six stitches for lacerations on his face.

The story resonated with me because I am a journalist, who believes in standing up for victims and being their voice and because my father is a Sikh.

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We survived the Sikhs riots of 1984 and if my father had been injured the way Mukker was, it would have broken me forever.

I didn't waste any time trying to find a way to write a story on Mukker. As a freelancer, I never know which editor will be interested in my story but that didn't stop me.

I reached out to them. I talked to Mukker's son Kanwar, 20, about his father.

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Picture of Mukker family from the family with permission granted.

"I was angry. I was sad. It hurt seeing my father like that. I never thought something like that would happen to us," he told me on the phone and he sent me a picture of his family in happier times.

I wrote my story. I filed it and I should be done now.

But here's what was amazing and different about this story. Mukker refused to be a victim.

What's more incredible is the work of a little-known organisation called The Sikh Coalition which helped empower him.

Within hours of the attack, this small band of dedicated activists began their work. They went on social media, they reached out to journalists all over the world and they talked about the crime.

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This journalist alone exchanged 36 emails all throughout the weekend from The Sikh Coalition and finally an interview was set up with Mukker's family on the phone.

They expressed their outrage and their anger with dignity and professionalism.

Hundreds of people reacted on social media, sharing and tweeting the story resulting in an outpouring of support, kindness and compassion and in more coverage.

The story went viral due to their hardwork.

They were especially disappointed in the fact the DuPage County State attorney's office had not charged the juvenile with a hate crime.

Prosecutors, to be fair, did, however charge the suspect with assault charges.

But that wasn't enough and they were right.

The legal team of The Sikh Coalition, which began as a volunteer organisation, after September 11, spent two hours in a meeting with prosecutors.

They laid out the detailed case for the state attorney Robert Berlin, proving beyond a reasonable doubt, that "hatred was the primary reason for the crime".

The Sikh Coalition demanded that the hate charges be added to the case. And they told Berlin that the next day, they were going to hold a rally and a press conference where they would seek support from the public in their request.

Already, they informed Berlin that they had hundreds of signatures from people who wanted the hate charge added. The petition had been circulating online for days now.

They were forceful, they were focused and they were determined.

And hours before their planned rally, they received the news that the hate crime charge would be added. Berlin's office sent the press release out to inform them of his decision.

The case still has to go to court and the prosecution has to still prove the charge to the jury but that's a story for another day.

It was a triumphant moment. A victory for the little-known organisation that mainstream America is just getting to know.

This is a case that will set a precedent for not just Sikhs but for Indians and for all immigrants.

It's also a powerful message: Stand up for your rights. Ask for justice and it will be given to you.

Last updated: September 17, 2015 | 15:27
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