Chandigarh, January 3
“We feel let down and ignored,” lament Punjabis of Kenya, accusing the Punjab government of being apathetic towards lesser “affluent Punjabis in general and Sikhs in particular.”

“The Indian High Commission has finally woken up and offered to help the community in distress. This help from the Indian mission has come largely because of the intervention of the Gujarat government. Typical of its style, the Punjab government is still in a slumber,” remarked Yitender Singh Binepal, a senior leader of the 7,000-strong Sikh community in Kenya.

“What to talk of inviting us to the NRI sammelans and conferences, the state government has never ever bothered about our welfare,” he added. “We learn that they are holding a convention of NRIs in Chandigarh and Jalandhar during the next two days but have no time to even condemn attacks on us.”

“Thanks for the concern shown by The Tribune for the welfare of Indian community in Kenya, it is really nice to know that people care,” says another Punjabi NRI in an email to the newspaper.

“The Indian community, largely comprising owners of shops and up-market homes, have been targeted in areas such as Kisumu and Eldoret. A local organisation, called the Hindu Council of Kenya (of which I am a member), has managed to airlift two plane loads out of Kisumu to Nairobi, where situation is relatively better,” says Yitender Singh Binepal, an active member of the Kenyan Hockey Association.

He said Punjabis and Sikhs had contributed immensely in the development of Kenya. As many as 2,463 Sikhs had died in building the great rail line of Africa. After Uganda upheaval, most of the Punjabis started moving out of Kenya in the late 60s and early 70s. In 1964, total strength of Sikhs in Kenya had crossed 21,000 mark.

At one stage, many of hockey Olympians from Kenya used to be of Punjab origin. One of them, Hardial Singh, rose to be the vice-president of the International Hockey Federation besides heading the African Hockey Federation.

“No Indian has died so far though some were beaten up by protesters. But, the loss of property has been extensive,” he adds.

As of now, of total strength of Indians in Kenya, 27 per cent are Punjabi Hindus, who are basically in business and trade.