Khalistan “deradicalisation cells” prompt concern, whilst Punjab Police corruption goes unpunished

Punjab Police have been detaining Sikhs through “deradicalisation cells” aimed at stopping support of Khalistan, prompting further concern about Indian state fascism.

News of the actions of these cells was detailed by the Indian Express this week. In the news report, officials claim around 400 Sikh youths were deradicalised by these police cells. However, others have claimed the cells are simply picking Sikhs up based on “racial profiling”.

Empty, false headlines on the lines of western media to create a rhetoric and improve police image in mainstream.

Reality is abuse, torture and harassment of Sikhs in police stations.

— । ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ । ਪੰਥ ਵੱਸੇ ਮੈਂ ਉੱਜੜਾਂ । (@_khalistani) August 23, 2020

NOTE – The Sikh Press Association do not recognise the accuracy of all the information and statements shared in the Indian Express article we have taken quotes from.

As well as concern about the “harassment” of Sikhs in this way, questions have been asked about why Hindutva extremism is not being targeted in the same way, given regular acts of nationalist terrorism across India. Meanwhile, support for the Khalistan movement (a push for Punjab to become a free independent Sikh homeland) is most attracting attention through the Sikhs For Justice campaign for a 2020 referendum.

It is claimed the deradicalsation cells are focusing on stopping support for the 2020 democratic referendum, to the extent that Sikhs have been jailed for liking Facebook posts associated with it. Perversely, Indian Express journalist Kamaldeep Singh Brar quoted a police officer saying one deradicalisation cell detained a young Sikh man even though “He is not involved in any crime”. Furthermore, Ranjit Singh (29-years-old), a Sikh activist of the highly respected DamDami Taksal Sikh seminary and senior vice president of a body called Sikh Youth Federation Bhindranwala, claims the Punjab police have been harassing and threatening him to such an extent he has had to move out of his home, despite stating he has no ties with and showing no support for the 2020 referendum. This policing of thought has been compared to Nazism by some.

This disturbing nazi-esque development continues the pattern of the indian state of criminalising Sikh *expression* – no ‘crimes’ have been committed, even by repressive indian standards – what the indian state is criminalising is the *idea* of Khalistan.https://t.co/EXaen6q0oB https://t.co/GRRl8zDapy

— NSYF (@theNSYF) August 23, 2020

Despite the conflicting statements and actions by Indian authorities about policing of Khalistani support, it is has been made clear to Sikhs in India that any social media support for Khalistan can lead to charges for sedition. However, some of those picked up by these cells have claimed police are asking for bribes or charges will be brought forward, something Punjab Police are notorious for.

Prompting further concern about the rule of law in India, a police officer involved in “corruption on a large scale” served less than a month of an eight-year sentence after being found guilty of “abetment of suicide, criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy, forgery and extortion by threatening”. Kultar Singh, a retired Punjab Police deputy, has seen his crimes exposed by the Punjab Human Rights Organisation and a even Punjab Police director general AA Siddiqui . A lawyer that helped convict Kultar said there was “an entire system protecting Kultar Singh”.

After eventually being found guilty and imprisoned, officer Kultar Singh was selected to be released due to concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic spreading in prisons in March this year. At that point he had spent less than a month in jail. Since then, he has repeatedly been given parole allowing him to remain free.

Read more on this story here via Caravan India.

This reoccurring evidence of complete police impunity for their crimes has cast further doubt on how much – if any – justice will be taken from another high-profile recent case of a Punjab Police officer being charged for “fake encounter” murders.

Sikhs around the world and especially those in the diaspora have long been vocal about these continuing issues faced as a minority community of India.

Speaking on a recent glut of coverage from Indian media about the corrupt and oppressive actions of police and state judiciary, Sikh Press Association Senior Press Officer Jasveer Singh said, “There are two reasons we are seeing so much recent news coming from India about the vast human rights breaches of Indian authorities charged with imposing so-called Indian law on citizens.

“Firstly, there is a growing voice within India of people that are opposed to the ever increasing Hindutva fascism rife in the country. This was always inevitable when trying to impose tyrannical methods of governance on a people that have more access to information thanks to the internet and recognise what is going on in India.

“Secondly, there is more fear than ever among the general population that literally anyone is just one mistaken click away from being picked up by police and tortured, extorted and detained for any length of time. This has led to even mainstream outlets covering this issue, both as a warning to the public and also to highlight this issue that could impact anyone. It must be recognised though, that there has been violence directed towards the media covering these topics by nationalist goons and it is only a matter of time before this free journalism is more aggressively clamped down on.

“The Sikh Press Association will continue to highlight this oppression which greatly impacts not just Sikh individuals, but the very practice of Sikhi itself.”