Sikhs across the world have expressed outrage about the killing of three Sikh men aged from 25-18 by Uttar Pradesh (UP, India) police this week, in a case which carries all the hallmarks of a classic “fake encounter” murder.
Varinder Singh alias Ravi (23), Gurwinder Singh (25), and Jashanpreet Singh alias Partap Singh (18) were pictured seemingly under arrest shortly before they were shot dead in the same clothes they were pictured in in mugshots shared by authorities, all on 23rd December by Puranpur Police officers in the Pilibhit district of UP.
Pilibhit police superintendent Avinash Pandey detailed how officers acted on a tip-off and confronted the suspects around 5am before “the men opened heavy fire” at the police. At the time the men were allegedly “intercepted while attempting to cross the Nepal border on a bike”, whilst carrying two ak-47s and a glock pistol.
No explanation was given as to how the men were photographed in the same clothes before they were later killed, in pictures used by authorities to detail the men. Sikh PA will not be sharing images of the men after they were shot, but they can be seen wearing the same clothes in what are now viral images in Sikh circles.
Punjab Police senior Gaurav Yadav made a statement that the arrest was part of a joint operation with Punjab authorities and the trio, all from Gurdaspur (Punjab), were members of the Khalistan (free Sikh homeland movement) Zindabad Force (KZF), responsible for an alleged grenade attack on the Bakhshiwala Police Post in Kalanaur, Gurdaspur, on December 19th. However, the alleged attack on Bakshiwala – described as a “low-intensity blast” which seemingly had few witnesses or any casualties – was not reported as a Khalistani attack by India’s mainstream media at the time, as seen in the report below.
No reports prior to the killing associate the men with any Khalistani activism and no prominent Khalistan lead figures have stated the three have association to the movement. Instead, the killings have been condemned as a modern fake encounter.
Speaking to BBC News Punjabi, family members of Gurwinder Singh said they were not being allowed to see his body, whilst also expressing wider disbelief about the police allegations about the boys, even to the extent as to claiming he would not have been able to travel to Uttar Pradesh from his home in Gurdaspur (district of Punjab, approximately 800km from Pilibhit). Jashanpreet Singh’s mother also stated her son was not involved in the Khalistan movement. The men were said to have been pursuing attempts to get truck driving licenses to improve their financial situations. Others close to the boys were unwilling to come forward to speak, likely for fear of police reprisal. Jashanpreet Singh had been married just three-months, with his wife saying to media the accusations against him were “utter lies”.
Contrastingly, police in the state of Uttar Pradesh have a long history of fake encounter murders of Sikhs. Just this week three were sentenced on the same day as the killings, whilst an officer involved in the “disappearance” (murder) of revered Shaheed (martyr) Jaswant Singh Khalra was also sentenced, underlining the longtime issue of India’s fake encounter Sikh killings. Another notorious 1991 killing of 10 Sikhs (including children) in the area saw over 57 police officers implicated in the massacre and its cover-up, with a similar incident also occurring in 1994.
Furthermore, Uttar Pradesh has become a hotbed of anti-Sikh activity under the leadership of chief minister Yogi Adiyanath, a fanatical proponent of Hindutva (Hindu extremism) and leading BJP figure, the in-power far-right nationalist party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sikh groups are concerned about increased violence towards Sikhs in India, usually based on “Khalistani” allegations, used to stoke up communal tensions and bring support to the Hindu Rashtra (Hindu nation) ideology which the BJP government wins support with, whilst also suppressing the Khalistan movement for a free Sikh homeland.
See examples of global Sikh outcry from respected figures and activists below-
On 3rd November, Canada experienced an outbreak of anti-Sikh hate, culminating in mobs surrounding Gurdwaras.
Since that Sunday chaos, more has come out about Hindutva (Hindu extremist) hate networks targeting Sikhs across Canada. Read on for more, including plans to petrol bomb Gurdwaras, reactions to Hindu hate preachers and Sikh org reactions.
After attendees of the Indian nationalist protests were arrested in both Surrey (BC) and Malton (Ontario), various provocateurs enflamed the situation by suggesting police were “infiltrated by Khalistanis”, leading to yet another call for a Indian nationalist gathering in Brampton, to stand against both police and Khalistanis (free Sikh homeland supporters).
A Canadian Jewish organization joined calls to support the gatherings organized for Mandirs in Brampton and Surrey.
The gathering in Brampton soon turned violent, with crowds again approaching Malton Gurdwara.
The crowds were kept back by police, but still carried out random acts of violence, including attacking several passing cars and throwing objects towards police and the Gurdwara.
Within the crowds, the genocidal level of hate within the largely Hindu crowds towards Sikhs was evident, when crowds cheered after known Hindu Canadian extremist agitator Ron Banerjee screamed into a megaphone “storm those f*cking Sikh temples”.
Mass sightings of people going into the Mandir with weapons suggested a coordinated attack was incoming, leading to police in riot gear storming the Mandir area to seal off the violent mob.
Meanwhile, at Malton Gurdwara, footage came out of an Indian nationalist assailant caught in the premises acting with intention to cause conflict. Sevadaars (selfless servants) ensured the man was safely handed to police.
The Brampton mob gathering on Monday night ended with police yet again clamping down on the mob tactics amid a growing Hindutva problem in Canada.
However, the level of hate which was brewed up against Sikhs only became clear the next day, when worried whistleblowers began releasing statements from Hindu extremists sent through Canadian community networks. This include calls to “petrol bomb” Sikhs and more.
Efforts to have those behind the anti-Sikh violence face justice are now in action.
Meanwhile, Mandir employing hate preacher Rajinder Parsad, seen leading chants to kill Hindustan’s opponents on Sunday, released a statement saying they had suspended him.
Baaz News also revealed new footage of Hindu hate preachers saying they would hand out swords, and that extremist group Shiv Sena were present in Canada and would not “spare anyone”.
Why the sudden peak in Indian nationalist violence in Canada? Community figure and respected head of BC Press Club Gurpreet Singh gave his take.
Speaking on the situation, Sikh PA Senior Press Officer Jasveer Singh said:
“Sikh leaders were calling for India’s Consulates to be shutdown months ago, and because they were not, we are now at a stage where Hindutva (Hindu extremist) mobs are turning up at their events, with intention to attack Sikhs.
“This is documented on video. Now, also documented on video, is a long list of hate from Canadian Hindu community figures calling for violence against Sikhs. However, Sikh groups are remaining steadfast in their efforts against foreign interference, whilst also now taking extra measures to ensure Gurdwara security, as is appropriate.
“But this situation will only further press home the need for action on Sikh community demands for India’s Consulates to be shutdown.”
Mob of 400 Indian nationalists surrounding a Gurdwara to intimidate and provoke underlines the ongoing threat of Hindu nationalist extremism in Canada, an issue puppeteered by Narendra Modi’s government.
A Sikh activist who was the target of an assassination attempt earlier this year was aggressively confronted by Hindu nationalists during a protest outside a Brampton Mandir (Hindu temple), leading to a now viral skirmish, in one of several anti-Sikh incidents across Canada (03.12.24).
Inderjeet Singh Gosal, a sevadaar (selfless servant) of the Sikhs For Justice group running the Khalistan (free Sikh homeland) Referendum campaign was targeted whilst demonstrating with dozens of others outside an Indian Consulate event at Hindu Sabha Mandir (Gore Road, Brampton, Ontario). A Hindu nationalist group are seen on video approaching him before a skirmish breaks out, resulting in the Hindu nationalists fleeing into the Mandir carpark.
Watch a video of the incident, along with the Sikhs For Justice statement on it here.
Gosal’s home was the target of a shooting in February, whilst he has also previously been given a “duty to warn” notice by Canadian authorities for a “threat to life”, something which over a dozen Sikh activists have received in recent years, including Shaheed (Sikh martyr) Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar before he was assassinated last year in Surrey.
After Indian State propagandists released one-sided video footage of the skirmish which only showed the Hindu nationalist side running to hide into the Mandir, mass condemnation from Canadian political and media figures followed, including Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative Party leader running for Prime Minister. Peel Police have confirmed three arrests since.
Despite footage now showing a different story, Poilievre has not retracted his statement or addressed the incident again. However, evidence that the attack on Gosal was preplanned by Hindu counter-protesters must prompt retractions and apologies from those accusing Sikhs, as it clearly shows Hindu counter-protesters initiated the violence.
In a brazen display of anti-Sikh hate, Hindu extremists are caught on video on a stream shared by one of their own mob members discussing how to provoke violence by using “sticks” and “bricks” to attack the Sikhs. The same group were also seen leading chants promoting the Bishnoi Gang, the Indian nationalist global crime network which is behind anti-Sikh violence in Canada.
Watch a video of the preplanning to attack Sikhs here. It was also later revealed in footage released by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of Sikhs For Justice that Sikh protesters were being pelted by stones from within the Mandir complex in Brampton, before the preplanned attack on Gosal took place. Watch the stone pelting here.
Later that day, as more Hindus gathered at the Mandir, a radical Hindutva (Hindu extremist) preacher attended and led mobs to chant “kill them” in reference to their critics, seemingly the Sikh protesters from earlier in the day.
In a sign of the severity of the threat to Sikhs, later that evening a mob of over 400 Indian flag waving hooligans surrounded nearby Malton Gurdwara,
As local Sikhs began arriving, the mob quickly dispersed, but not before police were in attendance in the area.
Malton Gurdwara have since released a statement, calling for an investigation by Canadian authorities and more action regarding Sikh safety.
Meanwhile, the same protest in Surrey (BC), where local Indian Consulate staff also held an event at Surrey’s Lakshmi Naryan Mandir, saw Hindu counter-protesters mass arrested after breaking out into violence towards police, whilst once again another nationalist mob attempted to provoke a situation by surrounding the local Guru Nanak Gurdwara, where Shaheed Nijjar was killed.
Due to the presence of the Khalistan supporting protesters, agitated counter-protesters began aggressively haranguing police, before turning on them completely with threatening chants of “Surrey Police murderbad” (kill Surrey police) and accusations of them being “Khalistani”. At some point the Hindu protesters got physical with police, resulting in at least three arrests.
A video later showed Surrey’s Guru Nanak Gurdwara sangat (congregation) also confirm that an Indian nationalist mob attempted to provoke a situation by surrounding the building that evening.
The day of Hindu violence towards Sikhs across Canada and toward Canadian authorities is certain to trigger even more effort to tackle India’s transnational repression in the country.
Speaking on the incidents, Sikh Press Association Senior Press Officer Jasveer Singh said:
“The incidents on Sunday show there are clearly Indian mobs in Canada driven into a fervor to attack both Sikhs and even Canadian authorities, based on the Indian nationalist rhetoric all over their media and coming from their political commentators.
“Indians are being fed information en masse that Khalistanis hate them and Canadian authorities are against them and this was always going to provoke a serious situation at a community level. I think we are lucky things did not escalate, which is largely due to the sound-minded actions of Gurdwara committees and Sikh leaders across Canada.
“As is evident on camera, Sikh protesters have been clear they do not stand against the Hindu faith or Hindus, but only the Indian government which is persecuting Sikhs through its consulates in Canada. It is incredulous of these consulate staff to then think they can hold public events after recent revelations around their role in anti-Sikh transnational repression.
“Sikh leaders have made demands clear about how to resolve this. They are asking for India’s Consulates to be shutdown to start, and if that advice had been taken already, we would not have seen an awful day of anti-Sikh violence across Canada yesterday.”
The ongoing geopolitical fallout stemming from the June 2023 assassination of Shaheed (Sikh martyr) Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar saw Canada expel six Indian diplomats from the country yesterday (14th October).
Here we share ongoing reaction and new information regarding Canada’s attempts to hold India accountable for its transnational anti-Sikh repression campaign.
UK Foreign Office demand India’s “cooperation”
In response to the news, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office led by Labour Foreign Secretary David Lammy released a statement: “We are in contact with our Canadian partners about the serious developments outlined in the independent investigations in Canada. The government of India’s cooperation with Canada’s legal process is the right next step.”
Furthermore, it was confirmed that the issue had been taken up with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, by Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office, saying:
Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer, discussed recent developments related to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Government of India.
The leaders discussed the need to ensure the safety and security of their citizens and the importance of upholding and respecting the rule of law. Prime Minister Trudeau underscored Canada’s continued interest in co-operation with India to address this serious matter.
Prime Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister Starmer agreed to remain in close and regular contact.
These responses were welcomed by UK Sikh activist groups, amid a belief that previous UK regimes under the Conservative Party have not adequately responded to clear evidence of Indian interference in the UK. Fresh from launching Sikh Federation International, Sikh Federation UK were coincidentally holding a parliamentary briefing on transnational repression and foreign interference when the news broke, leading to SFUK rep Dabinderjit Singh saying the UK must challenge India’s “bully-boy tactics”.
The Liberal Party PM made the statement whilst being questioned at the foreign interference inquiry, which includes community figures like Prabjot Singh, who also questioned Trudeau. The statement by Trudeau specifically mentioned foreign interference in the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC), which triggered mass introspection by political commentators of the country, who dug out various examples of shady connections between India and the CPC.
However, CPC leader Pierre Poilievre has responded by demanding Trudeau release the names, a sentiment many Sikhs will agree with. Questions around his own lack of security clearance – meaning a pass to allow him to hear more intelligence briefings – and why he has placed himself away from being involved in examining issues like foreign interference have also been raised.
During the interference inquiry, Prabjot Singh grilled Justin Trudeau regarding whether Canada would suspend intelligence sharing agreements with India, to which Trudeau said India’s actions were a “mistake” which Canada would “respond” to, in order to “keep all Canadians safe“.
Follow Panth Punjab for regular updates from a Sikh perspective regarding the inquiry.
Along with this, further information coming out from Canadian media about the exposure of India’s transnational repression includes:
More Indian officials may be forced to leave Canada due to the fallout of the uncovering of India’s transnational repression
The highest level of the operation is in New Delhi and includes senior figures in the Indian government, sources said — individuals who are, of course, completely beyond the reach of Canadian law enforcement
Manipulation via visa issuing reported by Indian officials towards targets, extending into threats of physical harm through being able to pattern family-ties
Some have also highlighted how India were undeterred by Canada even after the assassination of Sikh leader Shaheed (Sikh martyer) Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar, continuing to attack Sikhs as recently as weeks ago.
Amid Canada’s revelations about the wider anti-Sikh campaign of India, the murder of Sukhdool Singh Gill was referenced. Last year in September Sikh PA reported on the incident with focus on how Indian nationalist influencers and media had intricate detail of the murder – which was celebrated by nationalists – hours before any police or local media released info.
NDP lead Jagmeet Singh, who has long been a target of India’s anti-Sikh campaigns, released a statement which included a call to ban Hindutva (Hindu extremist) groups like RSS in Canada, to help clamp down on avenues which support India’s interference in Canada.
Meanwhile, the Surrey Guru Nanak Gurdwara also held a press conference (15th Oct) to address the issue, with management and supporting activists such as respected community figure Gurkeerat Singh answering questions. Within the conference, a call for India’s consulate offices – which have been hubs for anti-Sikh transnational repression – to be shut down were raised, a call which has wider Sikh support by groups like Sikhs For Justice.
USA launch manhunt for Indian agent turned terrorist
On 17th October the USA officially released a statement and notice for the arrest of Vikash Yadav, an Indian RAW (Research and Analysis Wing- intelligence services) agent who was involved in the planned assassination of Khalistan activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun last year, which was meant to happen around the same time as the hit on Nijjar.
Prior to this, various Sikh orgs were pressing on the US establishment to act against India to safeguard American Sikhs.
The US State Department appeared critical of India’s stance on the allegations and said New Delhi has not taken the allegations seriously.
“We have made clear that the allegations are extremely serious and they need to be taken seriously, and we wanted to see the government of India cooperate with Canada in its investigation. Obviously, they have not chosen that path,” spokesperson Mathew Miller said in a regular briefing on Tuesday.
Yadav worked alongside Nikhil Gupta who is imprisoned in the USA facing trial for his anti-Sikh transnational terror for India. In one hearing, Gupta outright said he was “assigned by India” to carry out the terrorism.
Amid the revelations, news that Hindutva lobbyists working to further India’s nationalist agenda tried to get a respected Sikh community figure followed by authorities has been leaked by the Sacramento Bee, a newspaper which has been praised for recent insight into the anti-Sikh transnational repression.
Along with a basic statement of support from its foreign office, Australia also saw its Green Party led calls of “solidarity” with its Sikh community, who have also been targeted.
New Zealand’s foreign minister Winston Peters Wellington has been briefed by Ottawa about the “investigations into violence and threats of violence against members of its South Asian community.”
New Zealand, where a national conference on transnational repression was held last year, also hosts a Khalistan (free Sikh homeland) Referendum on 17th November, which is expected to attract negative comment (as all referendum events have done) and possibly disruptive effort from Indian nationalists.
India airline threats come from Indian boy, Khalistan allegations again proven FAKE
Finally, amid many major updates, allegations Khalistanis (free Sikh homeland supporters) had issued bomb threats against Indian airlines was proven false. However, this has not impacted the reign of fake news Indian nationalists are allowed to spread on social media sites such as X (Twitter).
The fallout of the assassination of Shaheed (Sikh martyr) Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar continued as the Canadian government announced the expulsion orders of six Indian State diplomats connected with the 2023 murder of the Sikh leader, as well as other crimes (14th Oct).
The announcement by Liberal Party Prime Minister Justin Trudeau affirming India’s involvement in the street crime targeting Canadian critics of India’s Narendra Modi regime came after India refused to waive diplomatic immunity of diplomats, including now expelled High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, preventing authorities from investigating them regarding homicide, extortion and more.
All the expelled six (thus far unnamed) are considered persons of interest in ongoing investigations. The assassins behind the Nijjar killing remain on trial as a wider investigation on the June 2023 assassination continues, with it believed to be uncovering senior Indian Government involvement in the Guru Nanak Gurdwara shooting.
In response to Canada’s move, India simply copied the act to also expel six Canadian diplomats. India’s ministry of external affairs also announced that it is withdrawing its envoy, High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, along with “other targeted diplomats and officials” from Canada, in a clear face saving exercise.
As well as the press conference by Trudeau’s government, the RCMP also held a press conference on the issue where they expanded about the well-known involvement of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as street enforcers for the Indian nationalist regime, whilst detailing a “wider campaign” being carried out to target Sikhs.
See reaction from Sikh orgs to the momentous news below.
A mass community demonstration by Sikhs from across the New York (USA) area forced a couple to return Guru Granth Sahib Ji after they kept the Sikh scriptural Guru from a local Gurdwara.
The mass demonstration involving hundreds of Sikhs took place through the evening and into the night of 3rd October, which came after four previous days of efforts and demonstrations to press a non-Sikh couple of the Hyde Park (Nassau County) area into returning Guru Granth Sahib Ji, after obtaining Guru Ji from a local Gurdwara under false pretenses.
Sikhs treat Guru Granth Sahib Ji with regal, formalized protocol and Guru Ji is not to be handled by anyone accept those trained in this protocol. Failure to do so is viewed as beadbi (religious sacrilege).
With a criminal investigation into the situation still ongoing, The Sikh Press Association cannot repeat much of the information surrounding the situation online. However, we can confirm the following:
The incident started approximately in mid-August when a woman of Sikh background requested a saroop (form) of Guru Granth Sahib Ji for a paht (scripture recitation) at home for funeral prayers
The woman is married to a Muslim man and is known by locals to be a Muslim convert
For reasons still unclear, the woman refused to return the saroop when due
When the Gurdwara came to collect the saroop of Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the couple refused
Wider community intervention came in the last 4-5 days
Within days of the situation, the Gurdwara’s concerns were leaked to wider sangat, which is when more direct action took place, including the intervention of law enforcement (by both Nassau County Police and the New York Police Department), resulting in the saroop finally being returned, during which it also became evident the home was a place unfit for Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Reports of violence from the non-Sikh couple directed towards the sangat (Sikh congregation) demonstrating outside the residence where Guru Granth Sahib Ji was being kept was also reported.
Congressman Adam Schiff introduced the bill (19.09.24) in Capitol Hill (Washington, DC) whilst referencing India’s attempted assassination of New York lawyer Gurpatwant Singh Pannun as reason for the need for the act, which ensures reports on transnational repression will be heard by Congress.
A range of Sikh community representatives from organizations including The Sikh Coalition, SALDEF, Sikh Assembly of America and Human Rights Watch attended the hearing as official supporters of the bill.
“The Transnational Repression Reporting Act is a major step forward in protecting the freedom of speech and civil rights of Americans,” said Kiran Kaur Gill, Executive Director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF).“When foreign governments infringe upon American sovereignty, there must be full transparency around the violation for the safety of our communities. Through this bill, Congress sends a strong message to both allies and adversaries that violating the constitutional rights of Americans will not be tolerated. SALDEF and the Sikh American community thank Congressman Schiff for his leadership in protecting the rights of all Americans.”
“We are deeply grateful to Congressman Schiff for proposing this legislation and taking the continuing threat of all transnational repression, including India’s recent targeting of Sikhs, seriously. It is essential for our national security that the United States is not seen abiding such egregious violations of democratic values or international norms–including India’s harassing, harming, and plotting to kill U.S.-based Sikhs–without consequence. We hope that others in congress will join Congressman Schiff to support this significant step forward,” said Harman Singh, Executive Director of the Sikh Coalition.
“India must be made accountable for transnational repression on Sikhs and this bill helps combat the oppression and intimidation Sikhs are facing in America,”said Swaranjit Singh Khalsa, City Council Member from Norwich, Connecticut and one of the Directors of Sikh Assembly of America.
“The California Sikh community applauds the steps taken by the U.S. Congress to safeguard fundamental rights of all American citizens. Transnational repression has gone on for far too long,” said the California Sikh Youth Alliance.
Ironically, the bill preceded the arrival of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi into the USA, where the formerly banned BJP Party lead was met with vehement protests from a range of groups, including Sikh Khalistan (free Sikh homeland) supporters, gathered from across the east coast. The group not only demonstrated outside his stadium event at the Nassau Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum, but they even followed Modi to his stay at the Hotel Lotte NY Palace.
The Religion News Service reported:
Signs with “MODI=HITLER, RSS=KKK,” referring to the Hindu nationalist paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh seen as formative to Modi’s rise, and “Hindu Dharma is Justice for All,” could be seen among the crowd.
Across a police-installed barricade, a separate protest of almost 300 Sikhs advocated for the creation of Khalistan, a would-be break-away Sikh nation-state in India. There, some took turns using shoes to hit a life-size effigy of Modi. Some held signs with the slogan “Modi: Face of Hindu Terror.” The Modi government has killed several Sikh and Kashmiri separatist activists, whom they label terrorists and extremists, including fatally shooting a Sikh activist in Canada and attempting to assassinate a Sikh activist, an American citizen, in the U.S.
Pannun, the American Sikh central to the ongoing geopolitical fallout between Sikhs and India, issued a summons for India in the US district court for southern New York last week, based on both the attempt on his life and also India’s assassination of Canadian Sikh leader Shaheed (Sikh martyr) Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year. The attempt to sue the nation often ironically called “the world’s biggest democracy” is based on the “Murder for hire plot” India ran across North America last year.
Despite the legislative moves which support Sikh attempts to counter India’s transnational repression, many may be left disappointed that the “murder for hire plot” has not yet been referenced amid Modi’s meetings with senior US officials, nor has he faced any pressure on the numerous human rights abuses within India as the Democratic Party cosy up to India’s leader, who was once banned from entering the USA.
The council of Derby City (Midlands, UK) unanimously approved a motion referring to the #1984SikhGenocide. However, the Sikh Federation UK (SFUK) have backed an “amended and better worded motion” since, but also requested more amendments.
The motion by Ajit Singh Atwal, a Lib Dem Councillor of the city of Derby was welcomed by SFUK for its sincere effort to relay Sikh community sentiment, with Atwal saying “This isn’t political” during his speech. Since then, SFUK have backed an amended motion put through by Labour Councillor Gurkiran Kaur.
Watch a video of Ajit Singh getting the motion passed here.
The new motion, also backed by fellow Sikh Labour councillors Balbir Sandhu and Hardayal Dhindsa, requests a timeline from the Labour Party to fulfil a promise of an independent inquiry into the UK government’s role (than under Conservative Party Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher). Read it in full via an SFUK statement.
Along with support for the motions, SFUK, a community advocacy NGO, have also highlighted how neither motion used the word “genocide”, something the group is working on. Dabinderjit Singh, spokesperson of the SFUK, was quoted in the statement, saying, “We will be pushing for the wording of motions to be improved so the 1984 Sikh genocide is properly acknowledged”.
Speaking on why the motions did not reference the word genocide, Sikh Press Association Senior Press Officer Jasveer Singh said:
“There is still an Indian nationalist lobby which aggressively pushes back against terming what happened to Sikhs in 1984 genocide, despite the fact senior Indian political figures and establishments have branded what occurred genocide, echoing what Sikhs group have said for 40-years.
“This is perhaps why there is still some effort within political circles to avoid using the word genocide. However, it would be wise for all UK politicians to know that the 1984 Indian State facilitated massacres of Sikhs have been ratified as genocide by various North American legislatures, and UK Sikhs will no doubt expect the same of their representatives, both individual and organisational.”
The actions of two Kaurs (Sikh women) in helping push forward the impending prosecution of a politician who led mobs to kill Sikhs during the #1984SikhGenocide has been celebrated this month.
Nirpreet Kaur and Lakhwinder Kaur had family who were killed in separate incidents involving Hindu lynch mobs randomly killing Sikhs during the 1984 Sikh genocide. After finding each other in 2007 to work on seeking a form of justice for their families this week their efforts finally result in a genocidal former-MP going on trial.
Their efforts are being honoured prior to the trial of former-MP and senior Congress Party figure Jagdish Tytler beginning in approximately two weeks.
Jagdish Tytler last week (13th Sept) pleaded not guilty to charges based on the murders of three Sikh men who were killed as Pul Bangash Gurdwara in Delhi was set alight on 1st November 1984 by a Hindu mob he led. Tytler, 80, faces charges of murder, provocation with intent to cause a riot, unlawful assembly, and defiling a place of worship, among others.
Nirpreet Kaur’s father was murdered by rampaging Hindu mobs in Delhi, during the peak of India’s #SikhGenocide (November 1984), a tragedy which motivated her to pursue justice, culminating in working with respected community figure HS Phoolka. Before taking this legal route which has taken over 20-years of effort, Nirpreet Kaur also supported Sikh resistance against the genocide, which her late husband (Hindu man turned Sikh Gurdev Singh, formerly Roshan Lal Bairagi) was reported to be part of, leading to police killing him in a “fake encounter”.
After serving eight-years in prison for supporting the Sikh resistance against genocide, Nirpreet Kaur sought legal ways to pursue justice against some of the well-known figures who led mobs to kill people like her father.
Countless people saw then-MP Jagdish Tytler lead mobs to murder Sikhs, targeting Sikh homes listed on voter registry lists and Gurdwaras. However, Indian authorities told Nirpreet Kaur that she could only pursue charges against him if she could find individuals who were directly impacted by his genocidal charge. In 2007 authorities recognised there was enough evidence to link Tytler to the burning down of the Pul Bangash Gurdwara and the deaths of three Sikhs with it, which included the Gurdwara’s kirtani (player of Kirtan, devotional Sikh music).
It was the murdered kirtani’s wife Lakhwinder Kaur who was cited by authorities as a surviving family member who could take the case forward. Within 24-hours of learning about this, Nirpreet Kaur found Lakhwinder Kaur and together the two went to HS Phoolka, a Sikh lawyer pursuing justice against Hindu extremists who were involved in the #SikhGenocide. Finally, a case was put together which would guarantee Tytler would be taken to trial. Yet, in a sign of India’s flawed-by-design justice system, Tytler has been allowed another 17-years before trial. Tytler remains free and the trial will likely go on for years, allowing him to dodge prison for years longer and possibly for his whole life, given his elderly age.
During that 17-year period between now when his trial starts (scheduled to begin 3rd October) Tytler was supported by a corrupt judicial system which kept dismissing attempts to have him charged. Similarly, fellow genocidal MP Sajjan Kumar who also led Hindu mobs to kill Sikhs also was not made to face jail, until HS Phoolka managed to finally enforce the law in 2018, seeing Kumar imprisoned.
Many still note though, upper-caste Indians – especially politicians and celebrities – are often given special treatment whilst imprisoned which include leaving regularly, bringing in their own food, regular visitors, massages and more.
Sikhs around the world will be waiting on updates regarding the Tytler trial, whilst also noting the strenuous efforts it took from the likes of Lakhwinder Kaur and Nirpreet Kaur to have him face legal consequences for his role in the 1984 Sikh Genocide.
Following arrests of his mother, brother and uncle earlier this year, yet more relatives of elected MP and Sikh political prisoner Bhai Amritpal Singh have again been targeted by Indian authorities in recent raids.
Family residences of his brother-in-law and uncle in Batala and Amritsar (both in Punjab) respectively were targeted in the raids which began on the morning of 12th September. A tweet from Bhai Amritpal Singh’s official X account said“it is absolutely wrong to harass his family again and again”.
The independent MP of Khadoor Sahib (Punjab), elected with over 400,000 votes in June, remains imprisoned in Dibrugarh (Assam), approximately 3000km away from his constituency. Bhai Amritpal Singh became target of one of the biggest manhunts in history last year, during the #PunjabUnderSiege situation which saw thousands of activists, politicians and other critics detained, interrogated and worse. His work as lead of social reform group Waris Punjab De in challenging corruption, police torture and drug dealing in Punjab whilst promoting Sikh sovereignty saw him become a target for Indian authorities.
Amarjot Singh, brother-in-law of Bhai Amritpal Singh (married to his sister) who lives in Canada, learned the homes of his parents and his own sister in Chowk Mehta (Batala) were subject to dawn raids. The official reason for the raids is cited as Amarjot Singh’s involvement in the ridiculous and verifiably false allegation of a “grenade attack” on India’s High Commission in Ottawa, a fake incident pushed by Indian media to justify the harassment of families of critics of India like Amarjot Singh.
A furniture shop owned by Amritpal’s uncle Pargat Singh Sandhu at Rayya (Amritsar), which is near the MP’s native village of Jallupur Khera, was also raided on the same morning. The raids were conducted in collaboration by both Punjab Police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and reported to be ultra-aggressive, needlessly drawn out and as mentioned by Bhai Amritpal Singh’s official statement, harassing “particularly elderly women”.
The raids are viewed as part of ongoing attempts to intimidate Bhai Amritpal Singh and his supporters, aiming to have him relinquish his influence on the Sikh kaum (nation).
In recent years India punishing families of Sikh activists has reached a new level of brazenness, underlining longtime concerns of the anti-Sikh repression in the country, where Sikhs are just 2% of the nation.
