Indian Consulate officials attempted to prevent the cremation of a Sikh man in Italy due to his children supporting Khalistan (free Sikh homeland movement).
Italian officials had to step in to allow Brescia resident Jasvir Singh (63-years-old) a cremation this August after he passed in a local hospital due to a heart attack. India’s Milan Consulate refused to give consent for the cremation, as is required in Italian law for Indian citizens in the country.
India’s petty attempt to ruin the standard Sikh funeral process for a grieving family was based on Jasvir Singh’s sons’ involvement in Sikh activism which criticises India and promotes Sikh sovereignty.
Gurpal Singh and Jagroop Singh who lived with their father Jasvir in Brescia, were threatened with having their India passports revoked for flying out to Canada to carry out seva (selfless service) for 2022 Khalistan Referendum events in Ontario. The threat was made via a letter sent to the family from India’s Milan Consulate, who accused them of anti-India activity.
This past August the brothers were in Vancouver (BC) to support Khalistan Referendum events in Surrey when they received news of their father’s passing.
Upon flying home to arrange funeral arrangements, the brothers found Indian officials were refusing to give Italy permission to carry out the cremation of their father, which was required for Jasvir due to his Indian citizenship. In another letter to the brothers, India’s Milan Consulate stated the brother’s needed to come to the Consulate to rectify the issue. However, the brothers noted the danger they would be in should they step onto sovereign Indian territory (as all Consulates are) and refused.
Fortunately for the family, Italian authorities stepped in to bypass their own laws to allow them to cremate Jasvir Singh.
The actions of India’s Milan Consulate will only reinforce ongoing tensions between Indian officials and Sikh groups.
Speaking of the issue, Sikh Press Association Senior Press Officer Jasveer Singh said:
“These petty actions of India are examples of the ongoing attempts to disrupt the lives of diaspora Sikhs. On this occasion it was a callous attempt to deny a family a Sikh funeral, but by refusing to go to the Indian Consulate, Gurpal Singh and Jagroop Singh prevented a possible Jamal Khashoggi type situation, which cannot be ruled out after the assassination of Shaheed (martyr) Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
“Pressure is clearly mounting on various foreign governments to seriously challenge Indian interference in their nations.”
For the past few weeks ‘Unstruck Melody’ has been showcased at the V&A, and you have just a few more days to check it out!
The exhibition is a collaboration between Nirbhai (Nep) Singh Sidhu, a British-born Canadian artist, and the UK arts organisation Without Shape Without Form. It features tapestry, sculpture, and film which explore concepts of Sikh spirituality.
The exhibition artistically presents simran (Sikh mantra meditation) in a way which is true to the Sikh faith but also understandable to those from other backgrounds new to the practice. The explanation of simran revolves around how meditation (also entwined with mindfulness, internal exploration and more) can help prevent external factors affecting oneself. The exhibit also highlights how the creation of artwork can also be seen as just another form of meditation, reaffirming a growing understanding of “meditation through movement”, or what it means to “be in the zone” or in a “flow-state”, modern terms for long taught Sikh practices and beliefs.
Many Sikhs are delighted to see authentic expression of Sikh spirituality in such an established British institution. The exhibition shows real depictions of simran and Sikhi, through examples like that of Sachkand Sri Hazoor Sahib Gurdwara (Nanded, India) for example, taking these things to a new audience but still staying true to Sikh history and beliefs.
The exhibition is showing at the V&A until the 15th of October and is free of charge. Without Shape Without Form also have lots of work to look forward to in the future, including the touring of their previous exhibition ‘Journey of the Mind’ which will be in London from the 21st of February to the 3rd of March 2024.
A demand for a “formal independent investigation” by the New Zealand government into Indian interference in the country has been issued by Sikh community advocates after a national assembly this past weekend.
Over 200 Sikhs from across New Zealand gathered in Auckland for the assembly to address concerns of Indian State interference, an event which was swiftly organized after recent revelations from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of India’s involvement in the assassination of Canadian Sikh leader Shaheed (martyr) Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The assembly took place at at Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib on the afternoon of 8th October. Prominent community figures from both New Zealand and Canada addressed attendees. Representatives of national groups New Zealand Sikh Youth, Sikh Aspirations and Gurdwara sevadaars (selfless servants, volunteers) spoke, along with virtual appearances by Canadian speakers, British Columbia Gurdwaras Council spokesperson Bhai Moninder Singh and legal advocate Bhai Prabjot Singh, editor of Panth Punjab.
With locals affirming concerns of India’s targeting of New Zealand’s Sikh community through real life experiences, a community advocacy panel was established on the day and assigned to immediately lobby for:
“The initiation of a formal independent investigation by the New Zealand Government into foreign Indian interference in New Zealand, which violates the sovereignty of New Zealand and poses a safety risk for Sikhs advocating for the right to self-determination (Khalistan).“
Along with the community advocacy, there was also consensus at an individual level to:
Encourage and support Sikhs who are capable of sincerely representing common Sikh interests, to participate in the governance and media of New Zealand.
Counter the defamatory and prejudiced disinformation against Sikhs, stemming from Indian media.
Confront vilification of the term ‘Khalistan,’ which translates to the ‘place of the Khalsa,’ a commonly used name in the honour of the Khalsa to refer to a sovereign Sikh homeland.
Place loyalty to Guru Granth and the Sikh panth, in alignment with the collective aspiration of the Sikh nation, continuing the endeavour of Shaheed Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Media who attended on the day were handed basic guidelines to help with balance and accuracy. New Zealand sangat (Sikh congregation) have raised various concerns about unfair media coverage which demonizes support for Khalistan (free Sikh homeland movement).
For more information or to speak with local community representatives about the meeting and related issues, email media@sikhpa.com.
Leading Sikh body the SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee) have fired back against anti-Sikh propaganda and demanded an apology of a columnist, based on a recently published article by The Indian Express.
Through an open letter released last week (06.10.23), the SGPC specifically called out false claims made by columnist Tavleen Singh in an article titled “India’s Canadian problem” she wrote for The Indian Express, (published 24.09.23), which made false claims about the Sikh faith and Sikh Saint Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale.
Rebuttal to @IndianExpress for publishing article by @tavleen_singh with highly objectionable and false propaganda material about Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru and Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, 14th head of Damdami Taksal. The national daily has been asked to give… pic.twitter.com/4fz2osesCz
— Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (@SGPCAmritsar) October 8, 2023
The SGPC responded to two main statements that Tavleen Singh made in her article (which we will not share).
The first was that the “Khalsa was created by Guru Govind (Gobind) Singh with the specific purpose of fighting the repression of the Moghul Emperor” and “the army he built was an army of Hindus and that he was a Hindu himself”.
Such statements are viewed by Sikh educators as propagation of Hindu extremist ideology. Sikh groups have long worked to challenge rhetoric coopting Sikhi into Hinduism, which is partly an Indian nationalist attempt to subjugate Sikh activism and freedom movements.
The SGPC responded in their letter by affirming that Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10th Guru of the Sikhs, was not a Hindu, and that no Sikh is a Hindu. They also pointed out how the Khalsa (collective army of initiated Sikhs) was created to fight against all oppression, a doctrine which is a continuation from Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s focus on challenging tyranny.
The second of Tavleen Singh’s statements which offended countless Sikhs was a baseless claim that Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale “ran a reign of terror”. This sentiment has long been used to justify India’s Sikh 1984 genocide which was portrayed as targeting Sant Jarnail Singh, who was one of the most popular Sikh leaders in history, having started as a parcharak (educator). At no point in his life was an arrest warrant for any specific crime issued against him.
The SGPC highlighted the context of the political, economic and water issues in Punjab at the time and the atrocities committed by the Indian state and police authorities which Sant Jarnail Singh stood against. For a summary of Operation Blue Star and the events of June 1984 read: https://www.sikhpa.com/campaigns/sikhgenocide84/.
Sikhs have long faced propaganda which attempts to erase the faith’s identity and claim the faith is part of Hinduism, in line with RSS ideology, the leading Hindu extremist group behind much of the coordinated anti-Sikh efforts stemming from India.
Tavleen Singh has long been noted as a pro-India nationalist columnist, whose pseudo-Sikh expertise has been used to lead efforts to absorb Sikhi into Hinduism, and validate baseless allegations of Sikh extremism.
Just a month ago (03.09.2023) SGPC President Bhai Harjinder Singh Dhami had to make a statement emphasising the distinctness of Sikhs after the RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat claimed that “All Indians are Hindus”. Read more about this here: https://www.sikhpa.com/7324-2/.
Since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement calling out India for the assassination of Shaheed (martyr) Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar, there has been an increase within Indian media and on social media of rhetoric that conflates Khalistan (free Sikh homeland) support with extremism. The false claims made by Tavleen Singh are just one example of the increase in this rhetoric in recent weeks. The SGPC also had to make a statement condemning the increased hate propaganda against Sikhs and Punjab more generally a week after Trudeau’s statement.
Sikh leader turned political prisoner Bhai Amritpal Singh has cosigned a letter stating that he will partake in a protest whilst incarcerated against authorities “mentally torturing” him and “denying permission” for lawyer visits.
Bhai Amritpal Singh and nine of his fellow Sikh political prisoners stated they will not allow prison guards to lock their barracks in protest, whilst also starting a hunger strike according to recent reports, including a video plea from his mother, requesting support for the prisoners to be brought to Punjab jails, rather than 20,000miles away in Assam.
UPDATE | Amritpal Singh's mother raises an appeal to all Sikhs that confirms the content of a letter signed by Amritpal Singh disclosing that the D.C. Amritsar is refusing family and lawyers from meeting them. The arbitrarily detained Sikh prisoners have started a hunger strike. https://t.co/xXjcERzlb8pic.twitter.com/sIOTDQZGmX
The news came via an open letter released by Waris Punjab De (Heirs/Custodians of Punjab), the social reform group previously headed by Bhai Amritpal Singh, until he was the focus of the biggest manhunt in history, leading to him having to hand himself in for arrest in April this year. Over the last two years, Bhai Amritpal Singh became a globally respected Sikh leader for his efforts to both encourage people to follow Sikhi and also challenge issues such as Punjab Police torture of citizens and the drug mafia corruption in the state, whilst promoting Sikh sovereignty, including the idea of Khalistan (free Sikh homeland movement).
Whilst many critics highlight Bhai Amritpal Singh’s participation in a broad daylight mass raid on Ajnala police station in February as an example of his criminality, many Sikh orgs have highlighted how that raid was based on freeing detainees from a place of known torture, where many were arbitrarily taken based on perceived affiliation to Sikh activism and criticism of the state.
The letter, released on 28th September, was also signed by fellow Sikh political prisoners Gurinderpal Singh Aujla, Bhagwant Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Papalpreet Singh, Basant Singh, Daljeet Singh, Kulwant Singh, Varinder Singh and Harjit Singh, all of whom were targeted during the #PunjabUnderSiege mass operation targeting Sikh activists, journalists, academics and more last March, which was focused on bringing in Bhai Amritpal Singh.
The letter highlights how their legal rep advocate Rajdev Singh Khalsa has been continually denied permission from DC (Deputy Commissioner) Amritsar to see his clients in Dilbrugarh Jail, which has left the prisoners without any update on their status and no opportunity to work for their freedom. Rajdev Singh, who is from Punjab, was in the area for two days but was not allowed to see his clients, with authorities claiming that they had given previous clearance to a different legal advocate and would not allow a different one to see the prisoners.
Bhai Amritpal Singh also announced a previous hunger strike in June due to torture, including authorities placing tobacco – the use of which is against Sikhi – in his food. That hunger strike ended within days after it led to better treatment for him and the other Sikh prisoners.
Shaheed (martyr) Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a big supporter of Bhai Amritpal Singh, leading protests in British Columbia (Canada) regarding his arrest just months before he was assassinated in Surrey. Similarly, Shaheed Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda was also very vocal on support for Bhai Amritpal Singh, months before he died in suspected poisoning in June in Birmingham, days before Nijjar was murdered. Bhai Amritpal Singh was also close with actor turned activist Deep Sidhu, the previous head of Waris Punjab De, who died in a suspicious car accident last year.
An official demand for a judicial inquiry into the suspected poisoning of Shaheed (martyr) Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda was launched yesterday, led by renowned human rights focused barrister Michael Polak.
A press conference, held jointly with the Sikh Federation UK, was held in Church Court Chambers in London, UK, (02.10.23) where Polak, acting on behalf of the family of Shaheed (martyr) Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda, said an official request for an inquest into the sudden passing of Khanda had been submitted to the UK Chief Coroner.
MUST WATCH special coverage from the PRESS CONFERENCE requesting a Public Inquest into the death of Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda.
“Its vital that the UK authorities ensure that the safety of British Sikh activists is protected as well as their right to freedom of expression.Given the timing of the death,the fact that death threats had been made before his death,his case is at the very least suspicious."(2)
The request also asked this investigation be held external to West Midlands police, as there is a “lack of trust” between Sikh communities and West Midlands police, leading to a belief they may be involved in covering up the murder of Khanda.
A judicial inquiry would be the opening to hold an official inquest, which would give the confidentiality necessary for the UK’s intelligence network partners of Five Eyes (USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia) to give evidence concerning their security services that may relate to the case.
Polak said at the press conference:
“We are calling on the chief coroner to direct an inquest into Mr Khanda’s death and whether his right to life was properly protected, given the public threats which were made. We hope that a senior judge will be appointed to carry out this inquest given the serious issues that it must consider.”
Many aspects of the case were discussed at the press conference, including the way Khanda was demonised by Indian media, how he was a constant target for Hindu extremist Indian nationalist threats to his life and the way Indian Intelligence Agencies portrayed him due to his association with the Khalistan movement.
The Indian targeting of Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda peaked after a protest in London on the 19th of March 2023 where the Indian flag was momentarily pulled down outside the Indian embassy. Although video evidence shows otherwise, Indian media shamelessly propagated a narrative that Khanda was behind the flag incident and was arrested for it (also false). The false allegations were followed by police arresting Avtar Singh’s mother and sister in Punjab, causing great concern in Sikh communities across the world due to a history of female detainees being subjected to sexual abuse by Indian police being a well known issue.
After the passing of both Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda and Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar within a week of eachother in June, a news report by Aaj Tak, an Indian news channel, showed Khanda’s picture alongside Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s, stating both had now been “eliminated”, seemingly admitted India were behind the murders.
Khanda’s fast deterioration in hospital, after doctors believed there was a high chance of recovery, was also discussed. Khanda had met many members of the British Sikh community at the 1984 remembrance event in Trafalgar Square on the 4th of June 2023 and was in good health. Just days later, on the 11th of June, he was admitted to Sandwell Hospital where he was diagnosed with Leukaemia. Doctors believed that there was a high chance of recovery according to the family. However, on the morning of the 15th of June 2023, after a steep decline in his health, Khanda was pronounced dead.
The West Midlands Police and the coroner to investigate Khanda’s death at the time were also accused of serious failures during the press conference. West Midlands Police made no effort to investigate the case, they did not search his house or interview his associates. Those supporting Khanda’s family during the time after his passing revealed that the mortuary staff were reportedly told by the NCA (National Crime Agency) to seal up the body and not allow anyone access. Despite requests from the family, just hours after Khanda’s passing they were told that there would be no investigation into the circumstances around his death.
Sikh Federation UK spokespeople also revealed that Birmingham hospital refused to conduct a post-mortem, and when a private post-mortem was arranged, the senior coroner in charge of Khanda refused to allow this. However, there are still blood samples from Khanda during his last days that could be tested in this coming investigation.
Read more about the suspicious circumstances around Shaheed (martyr) Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda’s death here.
The press conference underlined that the threats made to Khanda’s life were not taken seriously by authorities. The way that the investigation was handled calls into question whether the British authorities and security services have undertaken collusive activity with the Indian authorities, according to Sikh Federation UK.
Dabinderjit Singh from the Sikh Federation (UK) said:
“You’ve got a situation where in the last two weeks, hand on heart, several sources told us that they’ve spoken to British intelligence sources who say that there’s been foul play.”
Concern was also relayed about the fact that the UK authorities have not warned any Sikh community figures of a potential threat to their lives, as has been done by the US and Canadian governments, again calling into question whether the British authorities have properly acted to protect the British Sikh community. Various Sikh community figures in the UK are still targeted by Indian threats.
Because of all of this, Polak believes that the legal threshold to open an investigation into Khanda’s death is not just met but exceeded, with Polak saying this should have already been carried out.
Polak stated:
“Given the timing of Mr Khanda’s death, and the fact that death threats had been made by those with connections to Indian politics before his death, his case is at the very least suspicious.”
There are several cases, such as that of Alexander Perepilichnyy who died in 2015, where evidence of poisoning was only found in a private post-mortem. Polak worked on the case of Alexander Litvinenko who was poisoned by Russian agents in London in 2006. At the conference Polak simply stated that:
“When you put it all together it’s quite possible that we’re looking at a Litvinenko part two case here.”
In a sign of Indian media’s ongoing unprofessional nature (which sees it ranked below the Taliban’s Afghanistan for press freedom), Sikh Federation UK also highlighted disappointment that outlets including The Hindu broke embargo rules to reveal information about the request for an inquiry before the press conference took place.
Demand for inquest into Khalistan activist’s death in Birmingham likely on October 2@the_hindu & @ashiscray have most unprofessionally not respected the embargoed press release relating to tomorrow’s press conference at 11am and included some details. Further information will…
A Scottish Gurdwara have admitted a “mistake”, after an incident which saw Sikh sevadaars (selfless servants, volunteers) enforce a ban on Indian State official events in Sikh spaces this past week.
The “mistake” statement (made in Punjabi) was made two days after the incident on 29th September, which saw Indian diplomat Vikram Doraiswami set to be the central figure for a formal event hosted by Glasgow Gurdwara (not to be confused with Singh Sabha Glasgow Gurdwara), which was said to be based on discussing visa services.
Sevadaars (selfless servants) of UK based educational and activist group National Sikh Youth Federation, including Scottish residents, turned up on the day to protest after being given inside information by Glasgow sangat (Sikh congregation) about the event, in effort of protesting against it.
A video of the incident shared by NSYF went viral on Friday 29th September, with it depicting the protesters filming a set-up put in place to welcome the ambassador, before later approaching a car that turned out to be the diplomat. Upon being approached by a Singh (Sikh man) protester, the car containing Indian State officials quickly drove away.
Sikh Press Association Senior Press Officer Jasveer Singh said of the incident:
“Calling such acts ‘extremism’ is to use the same terminology tagged on Jihadi suicide bombers and Nazi murderers for what was clearly a simple protest. Anyone can disagree with what the NSYF did in Glasgow, but they cannot categorise it within ‘extremism’ by any definition.
“This desire to label it this way both seems to stem from and also be for the benefit of the desperate Indian State agenda to portray Sikhs as violent extremists to justify the draconian human rights abuses carried out on the community across the world; from extrajudicial murders in Canada to arbitrary imprisonment in Punjab.
“From a Sikh community perspective, the reaction of various community groups shows the actions were widely supported. This is also why a Glasgow Gurdwara committee member admitted setting up an official Indian ambassador visit like that was a ‘mistake’.”
Local community group Glasgow Sikhs quickly released a social media post in support of the protest and ban enforcement, as later did national community group Sikhs in Scotland. Scottish community figure and activist Dr Sharandeep Singh also spoke vocally against depictions of the protest.
STATEMENT – Indian High Commission Visit to Glasgow Gurdwara
Misinformation & fake news has been spread regarding a Peaceful & legal protest objecting to @VDoraiswami holding an official visit at #GlasgowGurdwara. This event was held secretly from the Sikh Gurdwara membership
A statement from Sikh Youth UK and the Sikh Human Rights group was also issued on behalf of various Sikh groups, which stated such protests are a “minimal obligation” after evidence of India’s ongoing targeting of Sikhs. NSYF spokesperson Shamsher Singh who was among the protesters released a video statement for Sikhs, addressing false claims the protest was stopping someone coming to worship at a Gurdwara.
Despite the large amount of support the protest got, Glasgow Gurdwara committee reps released statements condemning the protest on social media and directly through Indian nationalist media. Glasgow Gurdwara became the largest in Scotland when opened in 2016.
Yet, these statements were later contradicted by an admittance by a committe member the invitation of an Indian State official in formal capacity was a mistake, particular given recent revelations about India’s interference in Sikh diaspora spaces. The statement also said they were deceived about the reason for the visit, with earlier claims suggesting it was just a “personal visit”, despite a clearly formal set-up evident in the video of the incident.
Various MPs joined Indian nationalists to tweet about the incident as “unacceptable” and endangering safety of the Indian representative. Of these MPs, tweets from Labour Party’s David Lammy and the Conservative Party’s Priti Patel were particularly criticised.
“The reaction of Indian media and there go-to Western speakers like Colin Bloom is to be expected. However the reaction from UK MPs among other Western political representatives is an example of the serious lack of understanding within government when it comes to connecting grassroots Sikh actions to wider issues of India’s well-known human rights abuses.
“After intelligence network Five Eyes have found evidence of Indian diplomat’s involvement in the murder of a Sikh activist in Canada, to then act surprised and shocked about Sikhs protesting against an Indian diplomat being hosted at a Gurdwara shows an issue of cognitive dissonance.”
A national Sikh meeting saw community figures from across Canada come together to submit a series of demands to the Canadian government in light of recent revelations of India’s involvement in the assassination of Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The four demands (detailed in full at the bottom of this article) will be sent in an official letter from BC Gurdwaras Council, Ontario Gurdwaras Committee and Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Surrey to the office of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and various political representatives, with the aim of immediate action against India and for the safeguarding of Canadian Sikhs, following the June murder of community leader Nijjar.
In summary, the demands are:
an immediate suspension of intelligence cooperation with India
a public independent inquiry on the assassination
expulsion of senior Indian diplomat Sanjay Kumar Verma
establishment of a foreign agent registry
The demands were issued at a national meeting at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Surrey (30th September), where Shaheed (martyr) Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar was President at the time he was killed by gunmen in the Gurdwara carpark. Nijjar was gunned down after years of facing threats from the Indian State for his advocacy for Khalistan (free Sikh homeland movement), which he spoke about openly and was warned about by Canadian authorities.
Sikh community figures and leading activists from Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary and even from the USA attended in support of the demands, which were issued before a crowd of approximately 300 Sikhs from across the British Columbia province. As well as BC Gurdwaras Council, Ontario Gurdwaras Committee and Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Surrey, representatives of Sikhs For Justice, Dasmesh Darbar Gurdwara Surrey, social reform group Waris Punjab De, activist group North American Sikh Alliance, World Sikh Parliament, USA’s East Coast Gurdwara Coordination Committee, sangarsh (Sikh struggle/resistance) educational outlet The Panth Punjab Project and various other Sikh orgs were in attendance.
The event saw panel speakers Gurkeerat Singh (Waris Punjab De, Sikh educator), Moninder Singh (Khalistan Centre, community leader and activist), Prabjot Singh (legal advocate and activist) and Jatinder Singh Grewal (Sikhs For Justice, legal advocate and activist) give insight attendees insight into the current situation and ongoing fallout of Canada’s recent confirmation of India’s involvement in Nijjar’s assassination. The demands were read out by senior Gurdwara sevadaar (selfless servant) Bhupinder Singh. Wide consensus support for Khalistan was advocated by both speakers and audience members, coming on the back off the Khalistan Referendum event at the Gurdwara three weeks prior, which saw 130,000+ attendees take part in the non-binding democratic vote campaign.
Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal (Surrey-Newton) also spoke, reiterating his longtime effort to authentically reflect the grassroots Sikh community movements that are a prominent part of his constituency through his political representation.
Speaking of the event, Sikh Press Association Senior Press Officer Jasveer Singh, who also moderated the panel discussion, said:
“Prominent members of Canada’s Sikh community came together in an organized fashion to issue these demands in an effort to shape the future of all Canadian Sikhs.
“The demands made here today will help protect all Canadians whom choose to use the country’s freedoms to criticize the human rights abuses of a foreign nation, whether that be India or any other nation. They will also help make it safe for Canadians to advocate for freedom movements such as that of Khalistan, without possibly having to give their lives to do so, as Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar so courageously chose to do.
“One of the most standout things from today’s event was the direct support so many different Sikh organization reps reaffirmed for the Khalistan movement. This support is at the core of a new geopolitical perception of India, and the changes that are coming with that will continue to unfold for a long time from now, and today’s event shows the Khalistan supporting Sikh community want to be involved every step of the way.”
Media inquiries- media@sikhpa.com
Sikh community rep demands to the Canadian Government in full:
We call on the Government of Canada to immediately suspend all intelligence, investigative and prosecutorial cooperation with India in order to uphold Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms and international human rights obligations. This includes any and all agreements or informal mechanisms involving intelligence sharing, mutual legal assistance, extradition, training exercises, consultation or any other forms of cooperation in the areas of security, intelligence and prosecution.
We call on the Government of Canada to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure a public inquiry is established to review the circumstances leading to Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s assassination. This independent inquiry must be able to examine and publicly disclose the full range of threats posed by Indian foreign interference in Canada, as well as the failure of Canadian security and intelligence agencies in stopping the murder despite prior knowledge of an active threat.
We call on the Government of Canada for the immediate expulsion of the High Commissioner of India to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma and conduct a thorough and continuous review of all Indian diplomats and consular officials in Canada, as well as any Indian nationals with links to Indian security or intelligence agencies. Those found to have been involved in interference, surveillance, espionage, or human rights abuses must be prosecuted where possible and immediately expelled from Canada. Such individuals should no longer be permitted to enter this country.
We call on the Government of Canada to establish a foreign agent registry that ensures transparency and includes meaningful enforcement mechanisms.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement last Monday exposing Indian authorities in the assassination of Shaheed (martyr) Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar sent shockwaves through global political circles and within Sikh communities too.
Here we share our latest update on the ongoing mass fallout around this situation.
According to the New York Times, it is confirmed that US intelligence agencies were the Five Eyes partner that gave Canada context which allowed them to conclude that India had been involved in Nijjar’s murder, implying their support of the accusations. The Canadian authorities received intelligence from multiple countries in total but the USA has been singled out for their involvement.
In late June 2023, after Nijjar was murdered but before Trudeau’s statement, several Khalistani activists in the US were warned by the FBI that their lives were also at risk. In a statement earlier this week, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that India does not have “special exemption” to carry out actions like extrajudicial killings, for which the US criticises rival countries like Russia and China.
The US is India’s largest trading partner, yet it is evident that they are behind Canada’s accusations, prompting questions about where things will go from here. For decades a belief within Sikh circles that the Canadian government put their trade relationship with India over Sikhs, it is becoming increasingly possible that alliances between the countries will soon break. This is specifically being pushed for regarding an intelligence sharing agreement between Canada and India signed in 2018, a move supported by various Canadian Sikh groups.
Liberal’s MUST end the intelligence sharing agreement they signed in 2018!
Shared info about Hardeep Singh Nijjar likely resulted in the public shooting assassination of a Canadian on 🇨🇦 soil.
The UK government is still quiet on the matter, disappointing various Sikh communities that there is no further comments than those made immediately after Trudeau’s statement, pertaining to their support of an investigation, and urging India to cooperate.
In the eyes of much of the British Sikh community, PM Rishi Sunak has shown that he stands with Modi’s government, with a prioritisation of trade over the release of Jagtar Singh (Jaggi) Johal. There was hope among some groups, however, that the Labour opposition would push for the UK government to support Canada’s accusations, but this is yet to be seen.
As part of an ongoing response to the situation, Indian authorities have reportedly adopted a “two-pronged plan”, where they identify the properties of those who are wanted in India but living abroad, and also revoke the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards of anyone viewed as a supporter of Khalistan (free Sikh homeland movement).
Acting upon this, India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) has seized the properties of Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, a lawyer living in New York (USA), who is also the head of Sikhs For Justice, the advocacy group behind the Khalistan Referendum campaign. The shocking act to punish the family of Pannu (also spelled Pannun) has highlighted India’s draconian measures to counter criticism.
Under British Colonial Rule, Colonial British rulers used to – 1. Attach and confiscate properties of who talked about freedom for people of this region. 2. Send those freedom for people of this region to exile away from their motherland.
Overall, India’s response to the allegations, both from the government and media, has been called out for being dismissive, comical, and insensitive. There are several examples of Indian media making up stories unfit for their own purpose.
Another Indian National News Channel.
A retired Indian Diplomat says – there are “credible rumours” that Trudeau’s plane had cocaine when he landed in India & he was overdosed for 2 days thus he couldn’t attend all G20 programs.
In a statement, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), a governing body which manages Gurdwaras in India, called out and condemned the hate propaganda against Sikhs and Punjab that is being propagated by Indian media as a response to Trudeau’s statement.
-SGPC executive passes special resolution on India-Canada issue -Statement of Prime Minister is not considered common in Parliament of any country: SGPC -Hate propaganda against Sikhs and Punjab strongly condemned Amritsar: The executive meeting of the Shiromani Gurdwara… pic.twitter.com/xa20x1XzNg
— Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (@SGPCAmritsar) September 25, 2023
Since Trudeau’s statement a spotlight has been shone on issues that the Sikh community has had to deal with for decades on their own. A BBC article acknowledged the “undue pressure” that the British Sikh community has faced from the Indian and UK authorities, specifically referencing the treatment of Jaggi as well as the excessive and unwarranted focus on “Khalistani extremism” in the Bloom report.
There is also attention on individual cases such as that of Kulwant Singh Mothanda who told The Times about how he found his name in the main Indian news and on an intelligence hit list after he attended a protest.
In this newfound Western acknowledgement of Sikh issues, calls for the cases of other suspicious deaths abroad, such as those of Avtar Singh Khanda and Satwinder Singh Bhola, are being amplified.
Detailed article by @Telegraph exploring the similarities between the killing of Avtar Singh Khanda in the UK and Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, both suspected at the hands of foreign Indian authorities!https://t.co/Z99reBbhae
Let us not forget that in August 2015, "Bapu Surat Singh’s son in law… Satwinder Singh Bhola was murdered at 11:45PM by unknown assailants under mysterious circumstances" on USA soil. The murder has never been resolved.https://t.co/LElFm6L9bP
The case of the WestMidlands3 which the UK authorities allowed to be tried, even though there was no evidence and the case had to eventually thrown out of court. In hindsight, many feel shocked that Sikhs were being treated this way by their governments.
2 years ago the extradition case of the #WestMidlands3 was thrown out by the judge. Here’s a reminder of an extraordinary case of political collusion, misuse of police powers, Home Office intrusion, attacks on civil liberties and foreign interference which MSM largely ignored.⬇️ https://t.co/zFgTzX8v4d
Meanwhile, there have been statements globally from different Sikh organisations in support of Trudeau’s statement and calling for more to be done.
*GLOBAL SIKH OUTCRY*
Sikh orgs from across the globe continue to react to groundbreaking news about India's involvement in the murder of a Canadian Khalistan (free Sikh homeland) activist. Here we share four statements from prominent Sikh orgs released in just the last 24-hours. pic.twitter.com/0sw5Zxjli4
The Canadian Sikh community urged all Canadian political parties to present a united front against India through a statement from BC Gurdwaras Council and Ontario Gurdwaras Committee.
There are plans globally for protests outside Indian embassies. Protests on Monday the 25th September outside the Indian General Consulate inn Vancouver and San Francisco take place today, and outside India House in London (UK) on Monday the 2nd of October.
On 20th September around midnight (PST) Indian news outlets took to social media to report the murder of a Winnipeg (Manitoba, Canada) based man called Sukhdool Singh Gill.
The reports varied between calling Sukhdool a “gangster” and a “Khalistani terrorist” and came out before any Canadian media or authorities had released information on the incident, including Winnipeg police and local press.
However, as is often the case with Indian media accusations towards Sikhs, Sukhdool Singh is not a known affiliate of any pro-Khalistan group, and even Punjab police say he is not a terrorist.
Sikh Press Association Senior Press Officer Jasveer Singh said of the Indian narrative around Sukhdool:
“Over the last year we have seen the biggest Sikh gatherings in Canadian history, with the Khalistan Referendum events and also the first Nagar Kirtans since the pandemic. Support for Khalistan was prominent at all these events, with community figures from across Canada in attendance. Sukhdool has shown no connection with any of the multiple pro-Khalistan groups doing prominent community work during this period.”
Confirming this, a CBC News statement from a Punjab Police officer said Sukhdool was “a criminal, not a terrorist”.
News of his killing came less than 24-hours after his profile was included in a list India’s National Investigative Agency (NIA) released of wanted criminals both in the country and overseas.
NOTE- The NIA tweeted the list featuring Sukhdool Singh after his murder. However, as evident from Indian media and also social media, the list had already been released publicly.
Indian media coverage of a Winnipeg murder coming much before any local coverage may raise further questions about interference, given the information relayed by outlets such as India TV News included police-like detail.
The NIA list Sukhdool was featured on prior to his murder resembled previous lists released by the intelligence agency through Indian media, some of which in the past included Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda, the respected activists (of Canada and the UK) who both passed in suspicious circumstances this June. Some of these lists both use the words “terror” and “gangster” (and sometimes “Khalistani”), creating a blur between criminality and alleged terrorism. In India the group Sikhs For Justice have been designated a terror outfit, even though their sole focus is a democratic referendum campaign.
A Canadian Sikh community source with knowledge of underworld activities, who asked to remain anonymous, spoke to Sikh PA about the murder, saying:
“It seems the Indian State are trying to conflate Punjabi gangsterism with the Khalistan movement, when there is no real connection beyond a common background. What Sukhdool was involved in is unclear, but what no Sikh has said about him is that he is a known Khalistani.
“India’s tactic of labelling criminals as Khalistani just to tarnish the movement is well known. They exposed themselves when they fabricated a link between a random but tragic Vancouver Starbucks murder and Khalistan just months ago.
“The most suspicious thing about this incident is how Sukhdool was publicised as ‘wanted’ by India just hours before he was killed, and Indian sources seemed to know about his death first.”
The body of 39-year-old Sukhdool was found at an apartment in a northwest neighbourhood of the Inkster Industrial area of the remote city of Winnipeg around 10am by police. No arrests have yet been made. Sukhdool is not believed to have been known to Canadian authorities, who routinely release information on known gangsters to help investigations and provide public warnings. Sukhdool has never been mentioned by authorities in any such way.
In a further twist, neighbours reported to local media they did not recognise the image of the man appearing with name Sukhdool Singh on the NIA hit list. The only confirmation it is the same man on the NIA list comes from Indian media, which is ranked 161st of 180 countries for press freedom according to the latest Reporters Without Borders rankings.
More info from Punjab Police alleged Sukhdool had 18 registered criminal cases against him in India, leading him to flee the country with false documents. Winningpeg Press highlighted that six bullet holes were found in Sukhdool’s apartment, whilst Hindustan Times went further to claim Sukhdool was shot 15 times. Yet, a neighbour home at the time did not report hearing any gun fire.
Our community source further explained on police allegations towards Sukhdool:
“UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) is a law which basically allows Indian authorities to place charges on anyone to prevent criminal actions before they happen. They use the word ‘terror’ very casually so they can cast a wide net and get to whoever they want by any means necessary, whether Sikh activist or Punjabi gangster.
“The fact that the NIA issue this list that is sent around the globe accusing Sukhdool of ‘terror’, and then a Punjab officer literally says ‘he is not a terrorist’, tells you everything about these types of operations.”
Ramandeep Grewal, head of regional group the India Association of Manitoba, commented to media that Sukhdool is unknown within the local community. Both local and national police have not commented on India’s allegations but have acknowledged the murder, which remains under investigation.
Adding yet more drama to the story, India’s revered nationalist gangster figure Lawrence Bishnoi of the Bishnoi gang took responsibility for the killing via Facebook. Bishnoi is currently imprisoned in an Ahmedabad state facility for a drugs smuggling case and the infamous shooting of music star Sidhu Moosewala, which is being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Bishnoi has been given freedom to do media interviews where he portrays himself as a proud nationalist who takes up conflict with anti-state figures. Sidhu Moosewala’s respect towards Sikh freedom fighters in his music saw him deemed an anti-state Khalistani by many Indian extremist nationalists.
However, on this occasion Bishnoi’s confession about being behind the murder included no reference to Sukhdool being Khalistani.
“This is yet another example of Indian media falsely associating acts of criminality with the Khalistan movement. The sad part of it is Canadians believing what is patently fake news, especially it is manipulated by far-right commentators like Kirk Lubimov and Mark Slapinski on social media, who use it to build up negativity towards Sikhs in the country.
“This Sukhdool murder raises a lot of questions related to India. Is it coincidence he was killed so soon after being named as wanted by the NIA? How did India’s media get so much info on this story so quickly? Now that we know the depth of India’s interference, many Sikhs will be expecting Canadian authorities to investigate.”
