New Zealand is known for its rule of law. Its governments have always respected all religions and ethnicities.

The incident of stopping the Nagar Kirtan of the Sikh community three days ago in the suburb of Manurewa in Auckland (New Zealand) and raising slogans that the Sikhs participating in it should be sent to India is condemnable. This act was carried out by activists of a fundamentalist Christian sect (Destiny Church). The leader of this sect is Bishop Brian Tamaki, who is from the indigenous Maori community of New Zealand, although due to racial mixture, he does not look Maori. Media reports and viral videos show that the Nagar Kirtan dedicated to the martyrdom of the sons of the Dasam Pita was going on in a peaceful manner when suddenly the activists of the Destiny Church blocked the path of the Nagar Kirtan by raising slogans against the Sikh community. The sloganeering was of a provocative nature.

Despite this, the Sikh congregation maintained restraint and preferred to avoid confrontation. The police intervened before the two sides could get into a fight and allowed the Nagar Kirtan to continue. Despite such a role, the police's failure to take action against the protesters or their leader, Brian Tamaki, seems unfortunate; especially given the fact that Tamaki has already been charged with several crimes.

New Zealand is known for its rule of law. Its governments have always respected all religions and ethnicities. This small Pacific nation is home to about 53,000 Sikhs. This number constitutes 1.1 percent of New Zealand's total population. Although no Sikh is a billionaire, the community has played a significant role in boosting New Zealand's economy through its prosperity and prosperity.

The occurrence of religious ill-feeling and bitterness in New Zealand, known for its racial tolerance and secularism, and that too directed towards the Sikh community, is an indication of the rise of extremist forces. Maori society has generally been free from extremism. The religious rituals of its tribes were once limited to the worship of natural forces, but the propagation of Christianity for two centuries has provided a basis for the growth of some extremist organizations within this society. This basis is being taken advantage of by leaders like Brian Tamaki, who are fundamentally ambitious for political power. According to media reports, Tamaki has contested parliamentary elections several times, but has not succeeded so far. Despite this, major political parties have been reluctant to raise their voice strongly against his extremist activities for the sake of their political interests. Even now, a few MPs and a handful of other politicians have openly condemned his provocative act, many have not tried to go beyond a few words.

In India, the acting Jathedar of the Akal Takht, the President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the Chief Minister of Punjab have condemned the incident of disruption of the Nagar Kirtan and demanded that the Indian government protect the religious rights of Sikhs abroad. This demand is justified in its own right, but the reality is that even the Indian government cannot go beyond verbal condemnation and criticism due to diplomatic limitations. Yes, wherever Sikhs are settled, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs can certainly provide support through its diplomatic missions in efforts to awaken people about their identity, history and socio-economic contribution to the respective country. To make such support possible, the initiative should also be taken by local representatives.

The management committees of 25 Gurdwaras in New Zealand have formed a joint coordination committee and demanded that the government of that country ensure the protection of the religious interests of Sikhs. This is a good initiative. Such coordination should be made permanent. The Ministry of External Affairs can certainly play a guiding role in this work, but that too by refraining from direct or indirect propaganda.