Multi-school trust found pushing content claiming Sikh org are like “The Taliban” and “Ku Klux Klan”

Following recent examination of “extremism” definitions, an educational institute have been found pushing anti-Sikh curriculum comparing an award-winning UK org with the Taliban and Ku Klux Klan.

Oasis Community Learning, an educational multi-school trust which runs 53 schools serving 32,000 pupils across the UK, have been using a religious education presentation which includes a slide framing Sikh Youth UK alongside the Taliban and Ku Klux Klan. It is unclear how long this slide (which we will not share) has been used.

Sikh Youth UK, whose lead sevadaar (selfless servant) Deepa Singh is pictured in the slide, are a Sikh focused group which provides support networks for the community through events, content and grassroots engagement. In 2015 Deepa Singh was given an Outstanding Volunteer award by Sandwell Council for his work in the local area, which included social support to recovering addicts and newly released inmates.

The Taliban are an Islamic extremist group originally formed in Afghanistan which currently runs governs the country. The outfit are associated with beheadings, stonings and other brutal acts of violence, including the murder of countless Afghan Sikhs. The Ku Klux Klan are a USA based white-supremacist terror outfit responsible for countless lynchings of African Americans and wider persecution of other minority communities.

Meanwhile, not a single Sikh Youth UK sevadaar has ever been charged with any criminal act related to terrorism or extremism in the 11-years of their existence. Whilst some perceive aspects of their activism and safeguarding work as controversial, the comparison to some of the most notorious murderous groups on earth will shock many, and prompt serious examination of the intentions of those behind it.

Read more on some of major stories involving Sikh Youth UK at:

The discovery of the anti-Sikh content now being pushed through UK curriculum comes as India has been proven to be running a transnational anti-Sikh repression program, which includes the assassination of a Sikh leader in Canada. The USA and Canada are conducting investigations with view to prosecuting Indian State terrorists behind this campaign. Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak’s UK government are yet to admit the issue exists.

Speaking to Sikh PA about the libelous comparison, Deepa Singh said:

“For Sikh Youth UK to be compared to groups that have decades of murders and terrorism behind them is not just ridiculous, it is dangerous anti-Sikh bigotry. It puts my life in danger and maligns the entire Sikh community.

“The reason Sikh Youth UK is demonised like this is because of our organising in support of the Khalistan (free Sikh homeland) movement, as well as our exposing of police failures in safeguarding UK Sikhs regarding grooming gangs and more.

“Through our wide-ranging efforts, Sikh Youth UK have become a key organiser for the national community, often bringing together thousands for protests, sports events other Gurdwara programs. This, combined with our advocation of Sikh sovereignty in all areas, seems to concern various UK authorities who want a quiet passive subservient Sikh community, who do not speak out about those failing or targeting our people.”

In recent years, evidence of India’s agenda against Sikh Youth UK can be seen in the social media censorship the group face, having seen their pages (Instagram, Twitter and Facebook) completely banned in India and also repeatedly removed from the site, due to their advocation for Khalistan and content on revered Sikh freedom fighters who fought back against the Sikh genocide. However, the focus on SYUK goes back and beyond recent censorship.

After gaining global attention from efforts against grooming gangs and the interfaith Anand Karaj protests of 2015-16, the targeting of Sikh Youth UK took a drastic turn when Deepa Singh (Kaldip Singh Lehal) was one of five Sikh activists whose home was raided by UK Counter-Terror police in 2018. The raids were quickly attributed by Indian media to the Indian State, with sources quoting a government source saying “diplomatic pressure” on the UK led to the move. The link to India was also all but confirmed when details of those raided – including Deepa Singh himself – went from UK police to Indian media, in what is an illegal leak.

Despite this heavy-handed approach by UK authorities, no evidence of any terror/extremist related crimes were found. After approximately a year, a single charge of a breach of Charities Commission rules was alleged against just Deepa Singh, even though he has never ran nor worked at a charity. After he pled not-guilty, the accusation is yet to be taken to trial by UK authorities nearly five-years since the allegation was made, underlining concern about the actual reasons behind the raids.

This was further underlined when prominent human-rights lawyer Gareth Peirce, who represented Julian Assange, stated there was a “paper trail” connected to the torture of Sikh political prisoner Jagtar Singh Johal in India and the raid on Deepa Singh’s house. Sikh Youth UK have been at the forefront of campaigning for the Scotsman’s freedom since his 2017 incarceration.

Read more on the #FreeJaggiNow campaign at SikhPa.com/FreeJaggiNow.

Due to the suspicious activity of the UK police and links to acting on behalf of India, Sikh Youth UK were one of several Sikh orgs implementing a ban on police presence in a promotional manner in Sikh spaces (recruitment, public relations etc). When the Sikh Youth UK group began enforcing this ban, this further caused Deepa Singh to become a known figure to UK authorities.

A 2019 UK Counter-Terror report on “Sikh extremism” was also forced to remove direct mentions of Deepa Singh, due to the possibly illegal act of naming him in such a document despite him never having faced charges for anything to do with “extremism”.

In 2022, Sikh Youth UK were behind the exposing of an Indian origin UK police officer covertly recording Sikh community gatherings, when Vishal Kapoor was found filming out of uniform at a #WestMidlands3 demonstration organised by the group.

Only this year in January, the targeting of Deepa Singh once again came to light when he was stopped and interrogated by authorities under the controversial and much criticised Schedule 7 anti-terror law when flying into the UK. Once again, no charges were brought forward against him.

Oasis have been contacted about concerns regarding the slide but are yet to respond. The Sikh Press Association can confirm that UK Sikh leadership orgs are also working on having Oasis formally address the anti-Sikh content they are pushing.

The UK’s Conservative government just last week redefined “extremism” in an attempt to target specific groups. However, various commentators have described the definition as “obscure”, allowing Rishi Sunak’s government to implement it as they wish. Previously, the Conservative led government have gone out of their way to claim the UK has “Sikh extremism” problems, despite no evidence showing such a thing exists.

Speaking on the issue, The Sikh Press Association’s Senior Officer Jasveer Singh said “Framing Sikh Youth UK this way – a group which advocates for Khalistan – mirrors Indian State propaganda, which has long sort to demonise such groups in a sensationalist way.

“In 2023, Canada and the USA for the first-time publicly acknowledged India’s anti-Sikh transnational repression program. There have long been concerns about Indian State influence in this way on Western educational outlets, and this act by the Oasis Academy will only further those concerns.

“The fact is, the Taliban are known for beheading people, and Ku Klux Klan are known to lynch people. Sikh Youth UK are known for organising peaceful legal protests. Thus, the comparison can only be viewed as absurd and destructive.

“After the very suspicious death – likely via poisoning – of Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda, a close associate of Deepa Singh, this must be taken very seriously. Prior to this death, Khanda was also being framed as a ‘terrorist’ through Indian State influence. Khalistani activists are being targeted, and it is of serious concern to the panth (Sikh community/path).”

Action demanded after male-on-female anti-Sikh hate crime at Leicester College

Sikh groups from across the UK and beyond are demanding action after a teenage schoolgirl was subjected to a brutal assault last week by a non-Sikh male, which included her dastaar (Sikh turban) being ripped off.

The incident occurred last Thursday (29th February) in Wyggeston Queen Elizabeth I College, Leicester (East Midlands, UK). A video of the attack taken by watching students went viral, showing the shocking incident where a male and at least one other female attacked the Kaur (Sikh female), leading to her defending herself with help from a friend.

Note- This video and images from it will not be shared by The Sikh Press Association, along with any specific details of the individuals involved, to protect their identities as police investigations into the crime continue.

The viral video of the incident triggered a wave of global Sikh reaction which demanded immediate action from authorities, as well as calls for Sikh groups to ensure the girl was supported and the act was outlined as unacceptable.

According to grassroots Sikh sources who are working with the family of the student, police and the school are set to announce outcomes, although delays in acting have made many question how serious these authorities are taking the incident. Wider Sikh community groups are now involved, along with non-Sikh local community groups.

A national meeting was held regarding the incident on Tuesday evening at the local Sri Dasmesh Darbar Gurdwara (Gypsy Lane, Leicester), which was attended by Sikh community figures from across the UK, as well as two non-Sikh local councillors. Anti-Sikh bullying is a common and long-running issue the community has faced in the UK. Viral videos of incidents have triggered mass efforts to address the issue. Currently, martial-arts clubs are run in Sikh spaces across the UK, giving Sikh children confidence and skills. Sikhs are less than 1% of the UK population (and near that figure or lower in every country on earth) and all practicing Sikhs (including children) wear a physical identity which stands-out.

At the meeting, the Kaurs (the student who faced the hate crime and her friend) were given praise for their efforts to defend themselves from the violent attack, underlining the support for self-defence taught within Sikh communities.

Deepa Singh, a senior sevadaar (selfless servant) of award winning community group Sikh Youth UK who are providing support to the student and their family said of the incident:

“Anti-Sikh schoolground bullying has long been in an issue in the UK, particularly in the Midlands and Yorkshire areas. But this incident may be one of the worst incidents of violence towards a Sikh we have seen. Not only was it a male-on-female attack aided by accomplices, there was also clear intention to humiliate the Kaur by ripping off her dastaar.

“As we work to support the Kaur involved, Leicester authorities need to understand they are enflaming the situation with their lack of urgency in handling it. Sikh groups from across the world are waiting for action, and if none is forthcoming soon there will soon be demonstrations at the college and possibly with local police too.

“Sikhs have been continually let down by UK government services when it comes to safeguarding with hate crimes and targeted grooming. This is why we will work to ensure there is grassroots support and pressure in this situation.”

The college and local authorities are still yet to release a statement on the incident at the time of this article’s release.

Media@Sikhpa.com.

Italian Sikh activists allege another Indian State assassination

Members of the Novellara Sikh community (Italy) are alleging a Gurdwara President’s murder earlier this month was carried out in relation to India’s transnational anti-Sikh assassination program.

Harpal Singh, President of Gurdwara Singh Sabha of the town in Emilia-Romagna (north Italy), was stabbed to death in a murder confirmed by authorities on 12th February. Two Pakistani men aged 22-years-old and 30-years-old have been arrested for the killing whilst trying to flee the region. However, associates of Harpal Singh, including his sangat (Sikh congregation) believe the men were carrying out another assassination of a prominent Khalistan (Sikh free homeland) activist for the Indian State.

The allegations have been made public by local Sikhs in interviews with Sikh media and through Sikh organisations connected with the Novellara sangat. Using local criminals to carry out crimes against Sikh activists is a now established tactic of the Indian State, which Indian Army figure Major Gaurav Arya last year said needs to be used against Khalistan supporters.

Harpal Singh, who was married and has three children, was known to support local Sikh efforts to advocate for Khalistan. Italy hosted the Khalistan Referendum campaign by the Sikhs For Justice group in 2022, in what was a completely peaceful demonstration of Sikh support for a free Sikh homeland within India. The Novellara Gurdwara hosted one of the vote events, under the presidency of Harpal Singh.

The killing follows the assassination of Khalistani activists Shaheed (martyr) Parmjit Singh Panjwar (Pakistan, May 2023), along with Shaheed Hardeep Singh Nijjar (Canada) and Shaheed Avtar Singh Khanda (both in June 2023). The killings triggered a fallout which has now seen Canadian authorities confirm India’s role in the killing of Nijjar, whilst USA authorities also confirmed India’s role in the attempted assassination of Sikhs For Justice lead Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The planned assassination was foiled by the FBI and the perpetrator is now in the process of being extradited from Czech Republic to face prosecution in the USA for the attempt to murder New York based lawyer Pannun. Canadian authorities remain investigating the Nijjar shooting.

Harpal Singh was a respected local community leader, who partly founded the Novellara Gurdwara and was involved in various local initiatives in support of the growing Sikh populace in the region. The killers were known to Harpal Singh through his trucking business.

Jarnail Singh, brother of Harpal, is leading efforts to have local authorities thoroughly investigate the killing and possible links to India. The murder has inspired Sikh communities of Italy to continue advocating for Khalistan and speaking out against India’s anti-Sikh agenda.

India Sikh-censorship spree prompts Musk to challenge Modi

A mass overnight censorship campaign of Sikh posts on Twitter (now called X) by India prompted new owner Elon Musk to finally challenge the Indian State’s manipulation of the social media site last week.

On 20th February The Sikh Press Association received dozens of reports of Sikh X users receiving emails from X stating they were being given transparent notice of “a legal removal demand from the Government of India”. In response, within 24-hours Elon Musk’s Global Affairs team issued a statement saying “we disagree with these actions and maintain that freedom of expression and would issue a “writ appeal” to challenge India.

Note- The Sikh Press Association recognise there are thousands of Sikh X (Twitter) users who have been issued with these notices, many of whom may not be aware of it. The Sikh Press Association also recognise there is ample evidence to point to shadow-bans on Sikh accounts, whilst Indian State propaganda (including anti-Sikh rhetoric) is allowed space to grow and spread across the site, making X (Twitter) complicit in India’s transnational repression of Sikhs.

The move carried out under the watch of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s far-right BJP party came amid the ongoing #FarmersProtest2024 stand against his government, whilst countless other critics of India use X to raise awareness of the human rights breaches going on in the country. In 2023, the world also officially recognised India’s anti-Sikh transnational repression program, which sees USA and Canada still leading investigations with the intent to prosecute specific individuals guilty of carrying out terrorism via espionage. The censorship is also viewed as a tool to aid Modi’s run for reelection as PM during this year’s upcoming Indian elections.

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Whilst India’s censorship of critics and also Sikh sovereignty advocates (specifically, the Khalistan [free Sikh homeland] movement) is long-known, the latest effort reveals a particularly concerning focus on diluting, erasing and coopting basic understandings of the Sikh faith (see below).

Celebrity billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk purchased Twitter in 2022, claiming to want to promote freedom of speech. However, Indian State manipulation of the site through use of bots, funded-propaganda, disinformation and censorship has not changed, and arguably even increased under Musk’s watch.

Speaking on the issue, Sikh Press Association Senior Press Officer Jasveer Singh said:

“Sikhs across the world will welcome Musk officially challenging Modi. What India is using Twitter to do to Sikhs is against everything Musk claims to stand for. Whilst bots blatantly amplify Indian State propaganda, which includes attempts to distort the Sikh faith for a nationalist agenda, respected establishments like the SGPC are seeing basic posts deleted. X (formerly Twitter) is becoming a hotbed of Hindu extremist activity, openly. Countless Sikhs will be hoping the writ is just the first step of Musk’s efforts to tackle this issue on his site.

“There are certain to be thousands of Sikh users censored in one-way-or-another on X. This goes way beyond not just the recent censorship, but also the idea that India is only blocking content in India. The wider Indian State influence on Twitter has already been revealed and remains obvious. The question is, is Elon Musk the man to stop it?”

Media inquiries- media@sikhpa.com.

Sikh leader launches prison hunger-strike after discovering spying equipment in his cell

Sikh leader Bhai Amritpal Singh is to go on hunger strike after news of his continued torture and attempts to spy on him were revealed in an audio release from Singh himself.

Bhai Amritpal Singh the Sikh community leader who heads Waris Punjab De, a social reform group that focus on tackling Punjab’s addiction epidemic, is to be joined on the hunger-strike by nine of his fellow WPD members who are also incarcerated, a move which comes after stealth video-audio equipment was found by Singh in his cell this week.

Bhai Amritpal Singh and other members of Waris Punjab De have been detained in Assam’s Dibrugarh jail since March 2023 without trial. Singh famously handed himself in on 16th April 2023 after a month absconding arrest. WPD quickly rose as a popular movement from around 2020 for raising the Sikh voice and encouraging political autonomy in Punjab against oppressive Indian authorities, leading to its lead figures becoming targeted by the Indian State. Its first leader, actor turned activist Deep Sidhu, died in a suspicious car accident in February 2022. Bhai Amritpal Singh found himself targeted for arrest in a mass operation known as #PunjabUnderSiege in March last year, a month after he led a community effort to free falsely detained members of WPD from a police station, where torture was being reported.

In approximately nine-weeks the National Security Act (NSA) which has been used to detain the WPD sevadaars (selfless servants) will become redundant, forcing authorities to create a new guise under which to detain him, suggesting a motive for the attempt to spy on him, where he shares space with some of the WPD members.

On 16th February 2024 staff entered this cell with alleged electricians, under the guise of changing bulbs. After reentering their cells, hidden cameras in the bulb holders were discovered. The WPD sangat (Sikh congregation) summoned the Chief Warden and removed the cameras in front of them. It is believed that the footage from the hidden cameras was being transmitted live to Indian authorities. Use of these cameras is both illegal in India’s own constitution and a breach of human rights.

The next day 300 officers entered Singh’s wing and seized everything they had, including personal belongings and general means of entertainment for the entire wing, including the TV.

Amritpal Singh left a four-minute message for the wider sangat over the phone where he detailed these revelations.

In an attempt to cover their backs, the Indian authorities have released images of the cameras, claiming that they have just discovered them, implying that Amritpal Singh’s wife, Kirandeep Kaur had snuck them into the prison, a story amplified by nationalist media outlets.

Amritpal Singh’s wife Kirandeep Kaur and other relations of the WPD team will participate in the hunger strike according to reports. Kaur has been forced to remain in India since she wedded Bhai Amritpal Singh last February.

Along with the spying concerns, the group are also alerting sangat to a belief that the food being provided to them is poisoned, whilst previously they complained it was tainted with tobacco, a substance Khalsa (initiated) Sikhs are forbidden to touch. Their pending release dates, and fear of what the Indian authorities will do to them in prison
to prevent them from leaving, mean that they want to be moved to a prison in Punjab as soon as possible. In his public address, Bhai Amritpal Singh appealed for a transfer to a Punjab jail or the repatriation of their bodies to Punjab for cremation if necessary.

Papalpreet Singh, another Singh being detained alongside Amritpal Singh, also left a phone call on the 20th of February 2024, relaying to his mother that the WPD team are chardi-kala (high spirits), but some are in poor health due to the hunger-strike. Other groups connected with WPD have also outlined the declining health conditions of the imprisoned group, underlining the reason they are being denied legal visits.

Both Amritpal Singh’s mother, Balwinder Kaur, and Waris Punjab De’s lawyer, Imaan Singh, have released videos to the public detailing these human rights abuses against the Singhs, whilst also pressing for the government to come clean on why they are attempting to spy on Amritpal Singh whilst imprisoned, and who authorised the attempt.

Amritpal Singh’s brother issues a further appeal to sangat via WPD.

The hunger-strike is due to continue indefinitely until conditions improve for the group, whilst efforts to move to Punjab will continue too.

A protest in support of Bhai Amritpal Singh and the ongoing #FarmersProtest2024 movement has been announced for the UK, with more within the global diaspora incoming.

Media inquiries- media@sikhpa.com.

Farmers Protest 2024: Updates

The partly Sikh Punjab led #FarmersProtest movement has set-off for Delhi (India’s capital) again to confront Prime Minister Narendra Modi about unfulfilled promises made regarding the agricultural sector. Learn more about what exactly is being protest against via @SavingPunjab.

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The protest currently is encamped on highways between Delhi and Punjab, mainly at the Khanauri and Shambhu borders around Haryana, with an estimated 25,000+ there daily, and up to double the same amount joining the movement on certain days.

See updates on the situation via our timeline below.

NOTE- All updates have been sourced by panthic (Sikh path/community focused) organizations and/or respected panthic activists. Online links are provided where possible. Sources from Indian media are not linked, ensuring sources known for disinformation in support of govt narratives are not platformed.


14th March

Summary:

  • Five thousand reach one Delhi site for a protest on outskirts allowed by authorities for the first time
  • Kalash Yatra now set for 16th March
  • Haryana govt allegedly trying to prevent High Court inquiry into Shudbhkaran Singh shooting

13th March

Summary:

  • Kalash Yatra (a march with pots held on heads in traditional fashion) announced by Farmer leaders for 15th March
  • Efforts to reach Delhi without tractor convoy continue
  • Farmers “punished” by technology, says reporter

11th March

Summary:

10th March

Summary:

  • Farmer Union leaders still being harassed by police prior to Rail Roko protest
  • Rail Roko carried out, 62 separate protests on various train tracks prevent trains from moving for four hours
  • Various protesters detained by police due to Rail Roko
  • Request for water to be sent to protest sites as local supplies cutoff by authorities
  • Farmer Union figure Baldev Singh Kathgala dies from breathing issues due to tear gas assaults

9th March

Summary:

  • Homes of farmer protesters continue to be raided, even when they are not there

8th March

Summary:

7th March

Summary:

6th March

Summary:

4th March

Summary:

3rd March

Summary:

  • Call made by Farmer Union leaders for every village of Punjab to send at least one trolley to the protest
  • Ajay Mishra BJP politician connected with Lakhimpur Kheri terror incident contesting election position. Move seen as direct insult to farmers still chasing justice of incident against #FarmersProtest 2020 movement
  • Rail Roko (train disruption) protest confirmed for 6th March
  • Farmers outside of Punjab and Haryana told to start converging in Delhi

2nd March

Summary:

1st March

Summary:

  • Standoff continues as farmers continue to join, leaders call for more to come
  • Heavy rain dampens progress but farmers remain resolute
  • Sikh farmer gives impassioned speech about the divide on display by Indian authorities
  • A “Delhi Dabiwali” movement is to begin from 3rd March, with groups to find various other ways into Delhi to the parliament
  • Protest take place across the world in support of #FarmersProtest2024

29th February

Summary:

  • The funeral for Shubhkaran Singh was held today, with thousands in attendance. The young Sikh farmer was shot dead at the #FarmersProtest last week
  • “Firearm injury” headline mocked, as gunshot wound death of Shubkaran Singh reported by Times Of India
  • Decision made to extend prayer events for Shubhkaran Singh until 3rd March, upon which further decisions will be made to move forward

28th February

Summary:

27th February

Summary:

26th February

Summary:

  • More police attacks on medics reported by American doctor Swaiman Singh
  • Protests against WTO convention spread
  • Deaths reported due to traffic and travel issues around Delhi caused by police road barriers
  • Protestors continue tractor convoys amid stand-off

25th February

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24th February

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23rd February

Summary:

22nd February

Summary:

21st February

Summary:

  • 21-year-old murdered by Indian authorities as stand-off within rally to Delhi, more deaths reported but unconfirmed
  • Police begin relentless bombardment from 10.55am prior to rally to Delhi at both Shambhu and Khanauri border camps
  • Protestors in vehicles and on foot attacked, detained
  • Medical camps attacked, medicines taken by authorities
  • Protestors complain of mainstream Indian media refusing to video bullet wounds, injuries
  • Hundreds injured, including a broken leg, and serious eye-injuries from rubber bullets and countless suffering breathing issues due to tear gas
  • More ununiformed “police” found on frontlines of attack on protestors
  • At least six reported “missing”, either seen taken away by police or unaccounted for after chaos of police attacks
  • Local Sikh community open langar to support farmers
  • India’s agriculture minister mocked for finally responding to farmers request to meet…on Twitter
  • Haryana internet ban extended until 23rd Feb
  • No march to Delhi for at least two days, to prevent further causalities say farmer union leaders

20th February

Summary:

19th February

Summary:

18th February

Summary:

17th February

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16th February

Summary:

15th February

Summary:

Post by California Sikh Youth Alliance

14th February

Summary:

Sikh activists were seen leading ingenious methods to fend off state violence.

Activist Bhana Sidhu was seen addressing thousands at one protest site in a defiant act after just this week being released after torture and imprisonment by Punjab Police. See the full video via Shere Punjab UK instagram.

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13th February

Summary:

From the day the protest convoy was to leave for Delhi, police violence began immediately. Areas in-and-around Delhi were completely disrupted by mass police action, including barriers and convoys of large vehicles slowing traffic to look for protestors.

The violence soon brought casualties. The injured included members of the media, some hit with fragments of smoke bombs and tear gas fired by police directly and with drones.

Protestors remained steadfast and stayed into the night, saying in one interview, “Our demands aren’t new; they were commitments made by the Narendra Modi Govt”.

Lies from Indian nationalists (including media) that the protests are akin to a Sikh attack on the Hindu nation are debunked by the ground reality, which shows countless Hindu farmers supporting the movement but facing barriers from authorities in doing so.

Firing toward the protesters that were camped in their trucks continued through the night.

12th February

Summary:

  • Efforts to organize before 13th Feb March begin, tractors and other farmer vehicles gather
  • Authorities begin effort to crush movement. Internet and phone coverage blocked, barriers raised
  • Farmers bypass barriers through canals and dirt fields
  • Modi attempt to turn cricket stadiums into prisons for mass arrests rejected by Indian court
  • Fake and old images shared by Indian nationalists to build resentment against “rich” farmers

The #FarmersProtest movement, which saw thousands of tractors and other vehicles converge from across Punjab and Haryana towards Delhi, was preceded by Indian authorities attempting to derail the movement before it even began. This included raising barriers on various roads that were to be taken en route to Delhi, as well as suspending some communication services and more.

Video by @Free5ab

However, farmers remained undeterred of course, and were simply clear on why they were protesting, before continuing with the organising for the mass movement.

An attempt by Narendra Modi to motion laws allowing for stadiums to be turned into makeshift prisons so farmers can be mass incarcerated was rejected based on basic constitutional rights. However, a Delhi Police Orde to place strict measures allowing harsher actions by police was enacted.

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Fake and old images were spread in Indian nationalist circles about how the farmers would be descending on Delhi, in an attempt to make them seem richer and more dangerous.

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An image from 2020 shared this week to criticise farmers protesting

Brampton shooting latest in Canadian epidemic of Indian State anti-Sikh terrorism

Another attempt on the life of a Sikh activist has been made, as shots were fired into the house of “a close associate of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun”, the Sikhs For Justice lead who was targeted himself in a plot the FBI foiled last year.

The attack on Inderjeet Singh Gosal in Brampton (Ontario) occurred after midnight on 12th February, days after a Sikhs For Justice Indian Consulate protest was announced on 17th February. Within hours of the attack, before any Sikh groups, media or even Canadian authorities had posted information on it, an Indian nationalist account posted about it in a celebratory fashion, claiming Pannun’s “Bodyguard” was “sh0t dead”.

Similar to other incidents, the fact Indian nationalist accounts are first to post information on shootings in Canada indicates a direct connection between the Hindutva (Hindu extremist) movement and the acts.

The Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) group released a statement from General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun about the incident on social media.

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The house targeted is under construction and visited daily by owner Inderjit Singh. It is believed the attackers thought Singh was inside when the attack was carried out.

“No amount of threats and violence can stop me from advocating for the liberation of Punjab from Indian occupation. I have been heading Khalistan freedom rallies in front of the Indian consulate and I have been targeted for the same very reason that Nijjar was assassinated by Indian agents, ie our campaigning for the Khalistan referendum,” Gosal said in a statement, whilst also saying the shooting was carried out by “orchestrated by the Indian Spy Network…by Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma”.

This latest attack comes just weeks after Sikh activist Simranjeet Singh of Surrey (British Columbia) was shot at after playing a key role in organizing a protest outside India’s High Commission in Vancouver. Two 16-year-olds have been arrested for the shooting. They are believed to have been paid to do so based on underworld/dark web contracts put on the heads of Sikh activists by the Indian State.

The teens have both been released pending further investigation for now.

Speaking to Sikh PA, an anonymous source with knowledge of the Canadian underworld and Sikh activism said of the ongoing issue:

“India has decided the best way to pretend they are uninvolved in these targeted shootings is to let them continue, even after they have been caught in the act.

“The open secret of India having nationalist criminal goons targeting Sikh activists is well known. It has happened in Australia and is happening in Canada too, and will happen elsewhere. India’s celebrated nationalist gangster Lawrence Bishnoi has given these criminals licence to attack ‘Khalistanis’ and be praised for it.

The fact Indian nationalist social media accounts are continuing to not only leak info on but outright celebrate these attacks shows that the criminal network of this agenda is vast, and they cannot seem to help but want to brag about their involvement. This is partly a scare tactic but also just ego too.”

India’s transnational repression is to be examined by an inquiry on foreign interference in Canada, with it recently being announced Canadian authorities have accepted “intervener status” of leading Canadian Sikh leadership groups the World Sikh Organization, BC Gurdwaras Council and Ontario Gurdwaras Committee.

Many Sikhs will hope the inquiry will lead to action around the demands set by these organizations after the assassination of Shaheed (martyr) Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year. The ongoing US case around Nikhil Gupta, the Indian nationalist criminal terrorist, will likely also ensure the topic of India’s transnational repression remains a major geopolitical focus. The known trafficker is awaiting extradition from Czech Republic to the USA in what is set to be a groundbreaking case.

Meanwhile UK Sikhs are still pushing for Rishi Sunak’s UK Government to acknowledge concerns around the suspected poisoning of Shaheed (martyr) Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda, who passed in June shortly after Indian military figure Gaurav Arya said he would soon be “eliminated”.

Whilst the overseas targeting of Sikhs For Justice activists continues, so does targeting in India itself. A campaigner for the group has been denied bail in India last week and remains imprisoned using the notorious much criticised Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) law, which is known to be used to silence government critics.

Whilst the Indian State claim he is a terrorist who planned on murders, the Sikhs For Justice team say he was targeted for simply putting up banners in Amritsar.

Indian authorities have previously created Khalistan “deradicalisation cells” where those suspected of harbouring support for Sikh sovereignty could be kept, even if they had not committed any crime, as one officer admitted.

Furthermore, three Sikh men were given life in prison for literature they kept, with even a presiding judge admitting the sentencing was the “first of its kind”. Central to India’s anti-Sikh effort is the idea of Khalistan, with SFJ targeted for running a non-binding global democratic referendum to gauge diaspora support for it. The campaign is currently in the USA, next taking place for the second time this year in California (31st March Sacramento). It has previously seen over 400,000 Sikhs take part in events in Italy, the UK, Australia and Canada.

Global Sikh outrage as Indian Govt coopt sacred Sikh institution

Global Sikh protest has erupted after Maharashtra (India) State authorities took control of one of the Sikh faith’s most sacred institutions, in a move seen as a major power play within India’s efforts to subjugate Sikhs.

On 8th February Indian government amendments to the 1956 Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Act allowed 12 of 17 members of the Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Gurdwara’s management board to be appointed by the Maharashtra State. Punjabi-Sikh diaspora focused outlet Baaz called the decision an example of “government overreach and interference in Sikh institutions in India”.

Takht Sri Hazur Sahib is one of the panj takht (five seats of authority for Sikhs) and is of great historical importance to Sikhs, being the place of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s (the tenth Sikh Guru) joti jot (leaving of this world). The decades old Act allowed Hazur Sahib to be controlled by the Gurdwara Sachkhand Board, meaning that sevadaars (selfless servants) of Hazur Sahib were in control of the sacred institution.

The new amendment would mean that now only three members of the board would be elected from within the Gurdwara itself, and leading Sikh institution SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee) could only nominate two, which has been reduced from four. The remaining dozen board members would be appointed by the State, which would mean approximately 70% of the members would be made up of Indian State representatives, although they are expected to be of the Sikh faith.

The nomination of Chief Khalsa Diwan (faith leader position) of Hazuri Sachkhand Diwan has also been abolished and two Sikh MPs who used to be board members will no longer hold their posts.

This has raised concerns that the government would be able to make important decisions on areas not under the domain of Indian politics, such as the maryada (Sikh Religious Protocols) of Hazur Sahib.

In an announcement in Hazur Sahib by faith leader Baba Ram Singh Ji, under the authority of Jathedar Baba Kulwant Singh Ji (faith head of the Gurdwara) on Friday (09.02.2024), a call was given for a morcha (protest) against the government’s interference.

The peaceful protest by the sangat of Hazur Sahib began immediately, with several thousand people gathering against the BJP (Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s far-right party) Maharashtra government’s actions.

Throughout the protest, chants of “Khalistan! Zindabad!” (long live Khalistan) were heard. Social media has been abuzz with advocation of sovereignty, with many citing this issue as yet another example of interference from the government in Sikh affairs, emphasising the need for Khalistan (independent Sikh state).

As part of the large-scale protest, shopkeepers also kept their stalls closed in Nanded.

Harjinder Singh Dhami, President of SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee), led a delegation to Nanded to join the protest. Other members of the delegation included Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Daljit Singh Cheema and SGPC general secretary Rajinder Singh Mehta.

It is reported that MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to immediately advise the Chief Minister of Maharashtra not to interfere in the management of Gurdwaras.

This is not the first time that Indian authorities have tried to interfere in the running of Hazur Sahib. In 2015, the BJP Maharashtra government curtailed the authority of the Gurdwara Sachkhand Board in Nanded by amending Section 11 of the 1956 Act. This allowed the government to directly appoint the president of the board, a role which board members previously elected.

SGPC opposed this at the time but were unsuccessful and the amendment was imposed. In 2015 BJP MLA Tara Singh became the first government appointee in the president position, in what many Sikhs consider a form of infiltration into the community. The BJP’s alignment with RSS (Hindu extremist) ideology has long been considered a direct threat to Sikhs of India.

As well as the historical prestige and wider influence Hazur Sahib is known to have, the Gurdwara is also associated with the Nihung Singh faction of the Sikh faith. Nihung Singhs are a specific military-faction within the Sikh faith, with a reputation as soldiers across India too. Known to be heavily armed, Nihung Singhs have long actively worked across India to maintain apt protocol in Sikh spaces and beyond.

Various Sikh orgs from across the world immediately expressed complete opposition to the decision.

No state appointed members of the Gurdwara board have yet been announced. Further announcements regarding protests are expected.

Sikh killed in Kashmir in suspected Islamic terror attack

A Punjabi Sikh migrant into Kashmir was gunned down in what is believed to be a terror attack in Kashmir on Wednesday (07.02.2024), becoming yet another victim of Islamic radicalism in the region.

The incident occurred in the Shaheed Gunj area of Srinagar, where carpenter Amritpal Singh had been working for approximately four years. Singh was shot at pointblank range with an AK47, along with his village friend, a Hindu Punjabi man named as Rohit Masih. Both are from Amritsar.

Speaking to the media, Sukhdev Singh, the older brother of Amritpal Singh, said; “Last night, we got the call that terrorists have attacked, then we later came to know that he died. He was my younger brother. He had been working there for 3-4 years. Government should take action against terrorists so that such attack does not happen on anyone else”.

Indian media have also reported that the Jammu and Kashmir Government has sent fifty thousand rupees cash and a one-thousand-rupee cheque to Amritpal Singh’s family, although that is unconfirmed and under what ruling they could compensate the family is unclear.

Although no group have yet taken responsibility for the killing, with a regional version of ISIS – ISIS-K – having done so around the area previously, community groups like the Kashmiri Sikh Project have reported the killing was a result of terrorism, based on knowledge of local issues.


Sikhs have historically been plagued by Islamic extremists in Jammu and Kashmir, such as the murder of teacher Supinder Kour in 2021.

It is also important to note however, that Sikhs have also been targeted in Kashmir by Indian
authorities due to a Hindu nationalist agenda, such as in the case of the massacre of Chittisinghpura in 2000. Even recent Sikh deaths in the area have arisen suspicion of Sikhs being collateral damage amid an ongoing battle between India, Pakistan and Kashmiri separatists.

In the complexity of the situation in Kashmir, where there is both Hindu and Muslim militancy, unarmed outside labourers, like Amritpal and Rohit, are known to be frequently targeted because their murders are able to relay messages to other areas.

In line with far-right Indian Islamophobic political sentiments, countless Indians on twitter have been mocking Amritpal Singh’s murder by sharing pictures of another Sikh man holding an umbrella for a Muslim man praying which previously went viral, claiming it was Amritpal Singh and mocking the idea of Sikh-Muslim unity in the area. The callous Hindu nationalist rhetoric local Sikhs have been quick to criticise the bigoted trolling.

Kashmir’s National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah condemned the killings and added that the continued incidents in the heart of Srinagar city are proof that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is not the same as what the Centre claims. “Earlier they said that guns will fall silent post abrogation of Article 370, but even areas like Srinagar, Rajouri and Poonch which had almost become militancy free are now continuously witnessing incidents of militant attacks,” he said.

The topic of Sikh safety in the regions of Kashmir and Jammu, as well as Pakistan and Afghanistan, will continue to be a point of concern for the wider community, with government action against such attacks seemingly unable to prevent them occurring regularly.

NOTE-
In a shocking update to the story which came out shortly after this article was published, the family of Amritpal Singh have claimed they have seen no bullet-wounds on his body and are demanding an independent postmortem to look into how he died.

USA-India arms deal was placed on “hold” to force Indian cooperation on foiled Sikh assassination

The US government blocked a $3-billion drone sale to India to ensure a “meaningful investigation” into the Indian State’s assassination conspiracy against New York lawyer Gurpatwant Singh Pannun,

In a sign of the increasingly tense diplomatic relations between the two countries, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated (1.02.24) he had placed the deal on “hold”, until he was assured the arms deal will not get in the way of “accountability” of India, regarding its anti-Sikh transnational repression program.

The deal was initially announced during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s June 2023 visit to the White House, at the same time that the Indian Government’s conspiracy to kill Pannun was set in motion. In November 2023 the US Justice Department released an indictment confirming charges against an Indian national working directly with the Indian Government to orchestrate an assassination of a Sikh activist on US soil.

Indian national and noted trafficker Nikhil Gupta has been formally charged with conspiring to kill Pannun and is
currently in detention in the Czech Republic pending his deportation to the US.

Pannun leads the Sikhs For Justice Khalistan Referendum, a non-binding campaign taking place across multiple countries, offering Sikh diaspora the chance to vote for-or-against the creation of Khalistan (an
independent Sikh state), carved out of India. He is known for being vocal about many issues surrounding
the Khalistan movement, and was particularly key in giving insight into India’s assassination of Shaheed (martyr) Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil.

Read more-
https://www.sikhpa.com/drug-trafficker-arrested-for-india-govt-usa-sikh-
assassination-plot-global-reaction/

According to some Indian media reports earlier this week, a highly placed source in Washington said that “the purchase is stuck in the US Congress because of anger over the brazen attempt to assassinate Pannun. US representatives have frozen the legislative movement needed for proceeding with the sale”.

The proposed $3-billion deal will include 15 Sea Guardian drones for the Indian Navy and eight Sea Guardian drones for the Indian Air Force and Army each. Reports suggest other smaller acquisitions were also being held back, such as a proposal to buy six Boeing P-81 long-range maritime patrol aircraft.

This would aid India’s maritime safety and surveillance amid US concerns of growing Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific. It is well known that the US sees India as key to its strategy of countering China’s growing assertiveness in Asia, as well as a viable trade partner, and therefore diplomatic relations between the two countries are important to the US.

However, these relations are threatened by the evidence of foreign interference by the Indian government in the US.

Senator Ben Cardin, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated in full on the situation:

“While I’m fully aware of the significance of this sale for U.S. national security and strategic interests, I have consistently conveyed my concerns regarding the timing of this sale to administration officials in light of the alleged murder-for-hire plot involving Indian officials to attempt to assassinate an American citizen on U.S. soil.

“I have been assured by the Administration that the Indian government is committed to thoroughly investigating the situation and fully cooperating with the U.S. Department of Justice investigation so that there is credible accountability in this case. As the Chairman of this committee, I fully intend to hold the Administration to these commitments.”

https://twitter.com/SFJGenCounsel/status/1753619023109988623?t=aBDMhRouhuo Hcx4lIKAcFA&s=19

Much of the Sikh community has long spoken of western governments prioritizing diplomatic and trade relations with India over justice for Sikhs who have been the victims of transnational repression.

Whilst the UK government has seemed consistently reluctant to acknowledge the injustice faced by British Sikhs and the possible assassination of Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda, this case of US authorities acknowledging India’s transnational repression is welcome news to Sikh groups across the world.

Media inquiries- media@sikhpa.com.