Washington: The US Congress has rejected a bill aimed at punishing those responsible for hate crimes based on race, colour, religion or national origin, disappointing the Sikh community, which has been the target of such violence in the country of late.

When the Senate-approved proposal was presented at the House of Representatives on Thursday (Oct 7, 2004), Republican negotiators rejected the bill, aimed at strengthening the hate crime law.

The hate crime bill called Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act (LLEEA), co-sponored by Senators Edward M Kennedy and Gordan Smith, was viewed to help in prosecution of hate crimes by removing unnecessary impediments in the prosecution procedures.

It proposed to bring about changes in existing provisions to expand protection to all victims of hate crime including gays and lesbians and financial support for State and local investigations and prosecutions of hate crimes.

National Chairman of Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE) Rajwant Singh had joined 19 other religious leaders to send a letter to US House of Representatives pressing upon them to pass a national legislation on hate crimes.

Expressing disappointment over its rejection, he said, "Passing this legislation was an opportunity that was lost, to send a clear and strong message that America and its people will not tolerate any hate crime."

Many Sikhs were attacked and there was increasing level of hate crime and religious intolerance since the 9/11 terror attacks on the US, he pointed out.