Bangladesh Regime Threatens Minorities

On 5 Aug, upon a huge student and citizen march to national capital Dhaka, former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina who ruled for 15 years, fled the nation. While she is in India’s capital New Delhi, from 8 Aug, Bangladesh has adopted an interim govt. headed by the founder of hugely successful microfinance-based Grameen Bank and Nobel prize winner Mohammad Yunus. The anger against Hasina’s govt. and her Awami League (AL) party was such that protesters also brought down the statue of the father of the nation Mujibur Rehman who was Hasina’s father, torched museums and cultural centers, and killed AL leaders and members. The concern was about the rise of Islamist right-wing political party Jamaat-e-Islami which – under Hasina – Bangladesh declared illegal in 2013 and banned on 1 Aug. Indian visa centers are closed indefinitely. Hindus make up 8% of the nation’s population. Initial misinformed reports suggested massive attacks on Hindus and temples. However, by a day or so, images emerged of Jamaat and students protecting the temples. While Hindus remain on edge, Gobinda Pramanik, the general secretary of the Bangladesh National Hindu Mohajot, praised efforts by Jamaat leaders and criticized Indian media for exaggerating the situation. The Sikh population in Bangladesh is almost negligible but there are Gurdwaras associated with Guru Nanak and Guru Tegh Bahadur’s visits. The president of the Gurdwara Management Committee Bangladesh (GMCB) has said that Sikhs are safe. The GMCB team is protecting the Gurdwaras. Chief advisor Mohd. Yunus has appealed for peace and raised the issue of attacks on minorities by rhetorically asking, ‘Are they not citizens of this country?’ Shakhawat Husain, the newly appointed adviser for home affairs, has apologized to minorities.

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has written to the Panjab govt., raising safety concerns of its officers working in Ludhiana and Jalandhar for the construction of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway (SDW Vol 2 Issue 29, Story 7). Following NHAI’s letter, Panjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma has written to Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, asking him to take necessary action for the safety of NHAI officers and contractors’ personnel. Flagging alleged attacks on engineers and contractors working in Panjab, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has communicated to Panjab CM Mann, ‘If the situation does not improve, NHAI will have no other option but to terminate eight severely affected projects with a total length of 293 km costing $1.7B. These are mainly greenfield corridors and even canceling one package will render the entire corridor useless.’ This is how an essentially land acquisition issue has been turned into a law-and-order issue and once again Panjab is being demonized. NHAI has not been able to acquire agricultural land from farmers for its projects because there is no clarity on the price of land to be paid to farmers. The District Commissioner (DC) is authorized to convert agricultural land for non-agricultural projects, such as highways. The rates of the land are called DC rates. Since the DC rates vary a lot based on distance from human settlements, the solution is to define a Base Rate for the land. Yet, successive governments in Panjab have yet to define the Base Rate. Ranking 20th in crime rates, Panjab is seen as having 'disturbed law and order.'

In the recently concluded 2024 Paris Olympics, India won one Silver and five Bronze medals, finishing 71^st on the medal table. Though the score is tiny, the drama in the country was immense. All six medals came from areas which were active during the Farmers’ Protest 1.0 (2020–21). Manu Bakhar (2 shooting bronze), Sarbjot Singh (shooting bronze), Aman Sehrawat (wrestling bronze), and Neeraj Chopra (javelin silver); all from Haryana. Swapnil Khusale (shooting bronze) from Maharashtra is also from a farming family. Over half of the Indian hockey team that kept its bronze from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics comprises players from rural Panjab. Vinesh Phogat, the wrestler from Haryana – who in 2023 protested against sexual harassment of players against then chief of the Wresting Federation of India, Brij Bhushan Singh – gallantly entered the 50 kg freestyle wrestling finals, beating the four-time world champion Yui Susaki from Japan. However, on the day of her final she was found 100 gms overweight and was disqualified. The Indian Olympic Association was eager to let the news out so PM Modi could commiserate instead of negotiating with the International Olympic Committee. In 2023, the union govt. trampled upon the protests, and now, when Phogat was on a winning streak, the system did not support her. From both sides of pre-1947 undivided Panjab, Arshad Nadeem from Pakistan won the javelin Gold and India’s Neeraj Chopra won Silver. After the event, Chopra’s mother said, “Nadeem is like my son.” Nadeem’s mother added, “Chopra is my son’s brother.” Their words pierced the animosity felt between India and Pakistan.

The Akal Takht (Eternal Throne, Sikh Seat of Justice and Authority) has made public SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal’s apology letter (SDW Vol 2 Issue 31, Story 5). The letter was in response to allegations made by rebel SAD leaders who criticized Badal and his party for controversial decisions made during their governance from 2007-2017. The Sikh clergy led by Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh will meet 30 Aug to decide on ‘forgiveness’ sought by Badal for ‘mistakes committed by the party and its government.’ Meanwhile, SAD rebels have appealed to the Akal Takht that a Sikh convention should be called before making any decision on the existential crisis that emerged in the SAD. The rebels urged the global Sikh community to help the party overcome its crisis and regain its leadership, following the Sarbat Khalsa tradition (Plenary Meet of the Khalsa). Though the community believes in the institution of the Sarbat Khalsa, due to Badal control on other institutions like the political party SAD, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the Akal Takht does not considered the previous Sarbat Khalsa on 10 Nov 2015 legitimate. The parallel jathedars (leaders) nominated in that Sarbat Khalsa warned that the SGPC decision on the complaint filed by rebels may not be acceptable to the Sikh community due to the existing differences among Sikh high priests over their authority. Meanwhile Badal has reconstituted the SAD core committee and inducted SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami as a member.

Panjab experienced 27 heatwave days in 2024 so far, marking the highest in the past decade. The data was revealed by Union Minister of State for Earth Sciences Jitender Singh in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) on 31 Jul 2024. In 2022, Panjab recorded 22 heatwaves and in 2023 only 7. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) defines a heatwave as occurring when the maximum temperature in the plains reaches at least 40℃ or 30℃ in hilly areas. Additionally, Panjab received 44% deficit rainfall in Jun 2024 compared to the long-period average, exacerbating the heat. Surender Pal, director of IMD Chandigarh, attributed the high number of heatwave days to El Niño and the absence of strong western disturbances, which usually bring cooler winds. The state received only 117 mm of rainfall against the expected 209.9 mm. This shortfall is the highest in the country, followed by a 41% deficit in Jharkhand and a 40% deficit in the Haryana-Delhi-Chandigarh region. The lack of rain has adversely impacted agriculture, particularly affecting cotton growers in the Malwa region, who are now facing the possibility of a Whitefly infestation. Lack of rain and increased temperatures create conditions for whitefly infestations to spread among cotton plants, decimating farmers and destroying crops. Also, Panjab is experiencing a significant groundwater crisis, with nearly 70% of its wells showing a decline in water levels as of Nov 2023. Some wells have seen a drop of over four meters. Interestingly, groundwater levels in 12 districts in adjoining Haryana have gone up by over one meter through schemes to promote water conservation and recharge.

The Punjab Rice Millers and Exporters Association (PRMEA) has urged the Indian govt. to promote the cultivation of aromatic basmati rice over the more water-intensive paddy to address the state’s severe groundwater crisis. In 2022-23, the total production of basmati rice in India was 6 million tonnes, and the total national production of non-basmati rice was 135.54 million tonnes. In a letter to Finance Commission Chairperson Arvind Panagariya, the association emphasized that basmati rice, which requires less water, offers higher returns, and can be sown later, and should be prioritized. The association pointed out that basmati rice is a heritage produce of Panjab and cultivated on approximately 1.5 million acres annually, mainly in the riverine belt. PRMEA is also concerned about losing business to Pakistan in the Middle East due to the Minimum Export Price (MEP) imposed by the Indian govt. PRMEA raised the issue with the Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Jitin Prasada, during his recent visit to Amritsar, urging for a complete waiver of the MEP. The MEP, which was initially set at $1,200 per ton and later reduced to $950 per ton, is still considered too high by exporters, especially when compared to Pakistan, where the price can be as low as $750 per ton. In addition to pricing concerns, Panjab’s basmati exports have also been impacted by issues related to pesticide residue, with several countries, including the USA and European Union lowering the Minimum Residue Level (MRL) for imports. Exporters have urged for farmer training centers, quality seed production, and advanced pesticide labs in Amritsar, funded by the Basmati Export Development Foundation (SDW Vol 2 Issue 18, Story 8).

Panjab generates approximately 4,376.6 tonnes per day (TPD) of solid waste, but less than half of this waste is processed. Answering an unstarred question by Patiala MP Dharamvira Gandhi in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament), the Indian govt. released the information citing Punjab State Pollution Control Board (PPCB) from the year 2022-23. Amritsar produces 520 TPD waste of which only 252 TPD is processed and 5 TPD is disposed of in a secure landfill. Ludhiana, the state’s most polluted city, produces 1,100 TPD waste but processes only 165 TPD. Panjab’s overall waste processing rate stands at around 41%. The report highlighted the lack of adequate waste processing facilities and mentioned the initiation of bio-mining operations at several dumpsites. Despite efforts like bio-mining at dumpsites and city-specific clean air action plans by the union government’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), significant gaps remain in waste treatment and air pollution control. Measures to manage paddy straw burning include the establishment of paddy straw-based pelletization and torrefaction plants, with 13 such plants sanctioned in Panjab, which aim to utilize 248K tonnes of paddy straw annually. Across Indian states, Gujarat is the biggest polluter with 1.64 Metric Tonne (MT) of plastic waste generated between 2016 and 2021. According to data presented by Minister of State (MoS) Kirti Vardhan Singh based on the CPCB annual reports Gujarat, Karnataka (1.35 MT), Tamil Nadu (1.34 MT), and West Bengal (1.02 MT) collectively contributed nearly 37.64% of the total plastic waste in the five-year period 2016-2021. According to the CPCB data, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Tripura contributed least to plastic pollution.

A few days back, SAD leader and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal raised the issue of alleged ‘substandard panjiri’ (fried wheat flour mixed with sugar and dry fruits) being given to lactating mothers, pregnant women, and children in Panjab. Anganwadi workers (paid helpers to infants and mothers) have also alleged corruption in the panjiri scheme when it was taken away from state body Verka and given to a ‘private company.’ The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development Minister, Annpurna Devi, asked Panjab why these allegations were surfacing over the Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) program. The ICDS program is funded by the state and the national govt. in a 60:40 ratio. Under the scheme, every beneficiary is to be given nutritious food items at the rate of ₹8 each. These include ready-to-eat porridge packets with powdered milk, millet khichdi (stew) and panjiri. There are 1.3M beneficiaries of the scheme at 27,000 anganwadi centers in Panjab. Panjab’s Women and Child Welfare Minister Baljit Kaur responded to the letter on 1 Aug stating Panjab had not given the contract to a private company but to Markfed, the Panjab State Co-op Supply and Marketing Federation Ltd. Verka was supplying desi ghee (clarified butter) panjiri at ₹110 per kg, while Markfed now supplies panjiri at ₹71 per kg. Kaur said, ‘The panjiri being supplied is highly nutritious but looking at the feedback we are working on replacing panjiri with some other food item with an equal calorie count and nutritional value.’ The controversy had started when Hargobind Kaur, president Istri Akali Dal (Women Akali Dal) and of an anganwadi workers’ association, was dismissed from service for campaigning for SAD in the 2024 general elections.

The Sikh Youth Alliance of New Jersey has introduced a groundbreaking bill aimed at including Sikhs as a protected class under bias intimidation laws and defining anti-Sikh hate within the state’s legal framework. The bill, by Representatives Carol Murphy and Angela V. McKnight, seeks to address rising incidents of hate, bigotry, and discrimination against Sikhs in the U.S., which have been exacerbated since 9/11. Jasmeet Kaur Bains, a California assembly member, introduced a bill addressing transnational repression, focusing on threats faced by the Sikh community in the U.S. due to actions allegedly linked to the Indian govt. Bains, who is Sikh, has spoken out about the intimidation and surveillance many US-based Sikhs face, including doxxing and harassment. Her bill aims to protect individuals targeted by foreign govts. and seeks to hold those responsible accountable. Meanwhile, Canada is witnessing a disturbing rise in online hate speech directed towards South Asian and Sikh Canadians, as far-right groups shift their focus to these communities, with far-right narratives blaming immigrants for issues such as unemployment and housing shortages. In the US, the FBI’s 2022 hate crime report showed that Sikhs were the second-most targeted religious group in the U.S., with 198 recorded incidents – the highest ever for Sikhs. This reflects a 17% rise in religiously motivated hate crimes compared to 2021. The Sikh Coalition emphasizes the need for improved hate crime reporting and stronger federal initiatives to combat this ongoing threat.

On 13 Mar 1940, Udham Singh, a survivor of the 1919 Jallianala Bagh massacre, assassinated former Panjab Lieutenant Governor Michael O’Dwyer. On 31 Jul 1940, the British executed Singh at the Pentonville prison in London. Singh has since become an iconic figure in Panjab. Singh was born Sher Singh on 26 Dec 1899, in Sunam, Sangrur. In 1974, Singh’s remains were exhumed in the UK and repatriated to India and a formal cremation took place 2 Aug 1974. Singh’s one-room accommodation ancestral house in Sunam has been converted into a museum, now maintained by the archaeology department. It houses literature on him and other revolutionaries, along with a few of his photos. The city has a few of Singh’s statues but all of them depict a different face, a different gesture. Some have a gun in hand, some have a book, some have both. On 31 Oct 2021, a memorial for Singh was inaugurated in Sunam. Despite a dedicated space to keep the urns with Singh’s ashes, they are placed in the town’s college library and are brought to the memorial only when functions are held. Historian Rakesh Kumar, who has also written a book on Singh, says after the inauguration of the memorial, we have been seeking Singh’s letters from the Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar but nothing has been done. There has been a long-standing demand to bring back Singh’s pistol and other belongings from London. Last year, paying his tributes at the Udham Singh memorial, Panjab CM Mann said, ‘The government will make strenuous efforts to bring back the personal belongings from London.’ Singh’s 85^th death anniversary just passed but there has been no effort to bring his materials to his memorial.