Diplomatic Fracas as Canada Names Verma ‘Person of Interest’ in Nijjar Killing

Over 12-13 Oct, Canada named the Indian High Commissioner in Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma as a ‘person of interest’ in its investigation into Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing (SDW Vol 1 Issue 1, Story 1). India swiftly hit back on 14 Oct, saying it, ‘strongly rejects these preposterous imputations.’ After that, Canada ordered six Indian diplomats to leave the country. The Washington Post said, ‘Officials described an official ‘chain’ in which Indian diplomats in Canada collect intelligence on alleged Sikh separatists that is then used by RAW (Research and Analysis Wing, an Indian intelligence agency) to identify targets for attacks carried out by a criminal syndicate led by Lawrence Bishnoi, whose organization has an extensive presence in Canada.’ The article shares how in a 5-hour meeting between Indian and Canadian officials in Singapore, Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval initially ‘pretended not to have any idea’ about Bishnoi – whose hitmen are involved in a recent murder of a politician in Mumbai – but later acknowledged he was ‘capable of orchestrating violence from wherever he is incarcerated.’ The Royal Canadian Mounted Police provided details which Canadian PM Justin Trudeau mentioned in his statement. In India, the Ministry of External Affairs summoned the Canadian Charge d’Affaires Stewart Wheeler who later told the media, ‘Canada has provided credible, irrefutable evidence of ties of the Govt. of India and the murder of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil. Now, it is time for India to live up to what it said it would do and look into those allegations.’ In response, India withdrew its diplomats saying, ‘(it has) no faith in the current Canadian Government’s commitment to ensure their security.’ India also ordered the expulsion of Canadian diplomats and said it had withdrawn its envoys from Canada, contradicting Canada’s statement of expulsion of the diplomats.

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar traveled to Pakistan on 15 Oct to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). This marks the first high-level visit from India in nine years, amidst ongoing tensions between the two neighbors over the Kashmir dispute and India’s accusations of Pakistan supporting terrorism within its borders. Jaishankar is attending talks on economic cooperation, trade, environmental issues, and joining a banquet reception hosted by Pakistan PM Shebaz Sharif to welcome the delegates from the SCO member nations. Neither India or Pakistan have requested a bilateral meeting with each other. Upon Jaishankar’s remark last week that he would attend the meeting as a ‘good member of the SCO,’ Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that the Pakistan govt. plans to welcome Jaishankar with ‘full protocol,’ as is their duty as a ‘good host.’ Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz, the CM of Pakistan’s Panjab province, has called for climate diplomacy with India to mitigate the impact of smog affecting both countries. She emphasized that both Indian and Pakistani Panjab should undertake joint efforts to address the issue of paddy stubble burning, which significantly contributes to air pollution in the region. Lahore and New Delhi regularly feature among the world’s most polluted cities during the smog season from October to February. CM Nawaz stated that ending smog is a matter of children’s health and survival. It is still early in the paddy harvest cycle, but stubble burning data in Indian Panjab, from NASA’s Worldview satellite, shows that this year the incidents have been lowest in the last three years.

On 9 Oct, less than a week before the scheduled gram panchayat elections in Panjab on 15 Oct, the Panjab and Haryana High Court (PHHC) stayed the poll process in several villages. This was upon receiving around 1,000 petitions alleging irregularities and violations of norms during the filing and scrutiny of nomination papers (SDW Vol 2 Issue 41, Story 4). On 14 Oct, the PHHC dismissed the petitions and called for polls in all villages. The Court clarified that only the Election Commission reserves the right to cancel elections. The court mandated that the elections be documented through videography. The elections are being conducted to elect sarpanch (head of village council) and panch (member of village council) in each village. The elections were conducted in more than 19K polling booths in more than 9,398 gram panchayats (village councils) out of over 13K villages in the state. A total of 13.3M registered voters comprising 7M males and 6.3M females voted. In 3,798 gram panchayats, the sarpanches are already elected. 48,861 panch have also been elected unanimously. Tarn Taran district leads the way with 338 panchayats elected in this manner, followed by Rupnagar with 139, SBS Nagar with 136, Fatehgarh Sahib with 104, and Mohali with 65 panchayats each conducting unanimous elections. 77% voters cast their votes in elections marred by incidents of violence. Two govt. employees died from natural causes. Elections in 29 gram panchayats were canceled due to malpractices and will be reheld. 

Panjab is currently facing a paddy procurement crisis as only 4.3% of the procured paddy has been lifted from mandis (grain markets), leading to overcrowding. The issue stems from rice millers’ reluctance to accept fresh produce of rice variety PR-126 and other hybrid varieties due to concerns over a lower than expected out-turn ratio (post-milling yield), which could compel them to buy rice from the open market at their own expense. INC’s Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa criticized CM Bhagwant Singh Mann and the AAP govt. for aggressively promoting PR-126, alleging it led to the crisis and heightened farmers’ distress. In response, CM Mann accused Bajwa of misleading the public with ‘half-baked knowledge,’ asserting that PR-126 saves 20-25% water compared to longer-duration varieties like Pusa 44, and saves farmers about $60 per acre in input costs. Meanwhile, in a rare show of unity, commission agents and rice millers joined the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) to protest against the tardy paddy procurement, reminiscent of the 2020-21 Farmers’ Protest. The three major stakeholders — farmers, arhtiyas (commission agents), and rice millers — coordinated a statewide chakka jam (protest) on 13 Oct from noon to 3 pm, disrupting traffic and trains, highlighting their grievances. SKM leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said the agitation aims to save Panjab’s agrarian economy.

On 8 Oct, two key officials in Panjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann’s media team — Director of Media Relations, Baltej Pannu, and Director of Communications, Manpreet Kaur — resigned from their positions amid a shake-up in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). A spokesperson from the CMO confirmed their resignations and dismissed rumors about the appointment of AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal’s close aide, Bibhav Kumar, as Chief Adviser in the Panjab CMO. The media operations are currently being overseen by Aadil Khan, a close associate of AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, who has been appointed Special Media Advisor to the CM. In a related news, on 9 Oct the Panjab govt. appointed K.A.P. Sinha, a 1992-batch IAS officer, as the 43rd chief secretary, replacing Anurag Verma. This marks the third chief secretary change in two and a half years. The Panjab govt. has also appointed retired Indian Revenue Services officer and International Monetary Fund senior economist Arbind Modi as Chief Advisor (Fiscal Affairs). Arbind Modi  will be required to tackle Panjab’s entrenched fiscal troubles, including soaring debt, inadequate capital expenditure, and the struggle to fulfill basic financial obligations. The mandate is to mobilize resources, rationalize spending and reconfigure fiscal debt (SDW Vol. 2 Issue 39, Story 1).

Various Panjab-based Sikh organizations, heritage lovers, and community members have raised concerns over a renovation and beautification project at the historic Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Anandpur Sahib, Panjab. The project, undertaken by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in collaboration with the UK-based Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha Birmingham and Kar Sewa Qila Anandgarh Sahib, plans to cover the walls of the old structure, adorned with artistic work, with stone or marble. Community members argue that this will compromise the site’s historical integrity and authenticity, as the Gurdwara is considered the oldest structure in Anandpur Sahib. A gathering of Sikh bodies, activists, and historians took place at the Gurdwara on 10 Oct to protest the project and discuss steps to preserve heritage. In response, Malkeet Singh, the Gurdwara manager and Baba Satnam Singh, leader of the Kar Sewa organization, stated that the work has not yet started, and they are seeking advice from heritage and archaeological experts, assuring that they will proceed according to the wishes of the sangat (community). Meanwhile, the SGPC announced the establishment of special counters within Gurdwaras in Panjab where devotees can donate rumala (special cloth) offerings to honor Guru Granth Sahib. SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami stated that this initiative addresses the issues of poor-quality rumalas and their safekeeping due to their abundance, particularly at Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) and other historic Gurdwaras. Devotees are encouraged to obtain receipts at these counters and present them for prayers.

India’s Basmati rice exports are likely to decline due to the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, adversely affecting the industry’s stability. India is the world’s largest exporter of Basmati rice, of which Panjab accounts for 40%. Approximately 25% of India’s Basmati rice exports are directed to Iran. Iran has imposed a two-month import ban from 21 Oct to 21 Dec to support its local crop, disrupting this significant export channel. Additionally, insurance companies have ceased providing coverage for exports to Iran, causing Basmati rice prices to drop by $9.64 per quintal as exporters and millers reduce their purchases, resulting in substantial losses for Panjab farmers. In the fiscal year 2023-24, India exported 5.2M MT Basmati rice valued at $5.84M, with Panjab contributing significantly. The decline in prices from $42.17 per quintal last year to $32.53 this year has left farmers deeply concerned. Ranjit Singh Jossan, Vice President of the Panjab Rice Millers and Exporters Association, highlighted that the import ban and lack of insurance have halted exports to Iran, urging the govt. to intervene. Moreover, the Iran-Israel conflict has led to increased sea freight costs due to threats from Houthi rebels in Yemen, affecting major importers like Saudi Arabia. With Basmati cultivation expanding in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, the anticipated 15% surplus crop this year has created an atmosphere of uncertainty among exporters, threatening the livelihoods of Panjab’s farmers (SDW Vol 2 Issue 33, Story 6).

On 3 Oct, the Supreme Court of India (SCI) struck down the Khalsa University (Repeal) Act, 2017, thereby paving the way for the revival of Khalsa University, Amritsar. The bench, headed by Justice Bhushan R. Gavai and Justice K.V. Viswanathan, ruled that the 2017 Act was discriminatory and violated Article 14 of the Constitution by singling out Khalsa University among 16 private universities in Panjab without any reasonable classification. The Khalsa University, initially established under the Punjab Private Universities Policy, 2010, faced complications after a change in the state govt. in 2017, leading to the repeal Act. The Khalsa University and the Khalsa Society had challenged the repeal, arguing that it was politically motivated by the then INC CM Captain Amarinder Singh’s opposition to the university’s establishment, aiming to protect the heritage character of the historic Khalsa College established in 1892. The SCI found that the 2017 Act lacked substantial justification and was arbitrarily targeting Khalsa University, thereby falling under manifest arbitrariness. The ruling overturned a previous decision by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which had dismissed the university’s plea. The SCI’s decision not only reinstates Khalsa University but also underscores the judiciary’s role in preventing arbitrary and discriminatory legislative actions. Khalsa College will continue its affiliation with Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), ensuring that the Sikh heritage and legacy of the historic institution remain intact while allowing Khalsa University to operate independently and offer modern, job-oriented courses. 

Between 2011 and 2024, Himachal Pradesh (HP) and Panjab have recorded significant rises in their elderly populations, outpacing the national average increase of 2%, according to the State Bank of India’s Ecowrap report. HP’s elderly population grew by 2.9% from 10.2% to 13.1%, placing it fourth nationally, while Panjab’s rose from 10.3% to 12.6%, the sixth highest in the country. In contrast, Haryana saw a smaller increase of 1.1% from 8.7% to 9.8%, below the national average. Kerala recorded the highest jump, increasing by 3% from 12.6% to 16.5%, followed by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam have the lowest proportions of elderly populations. Experts highlight that despite advancements in healthcare leading to increased life expectancy, states must enhance medical and tertiary care services to address the complex needs of the elderly, particularly for chronic conditions. Declining fertility and birth rates have accelerated population aging. Both HP and Panjab face challenges due to acute shortages of doctors, especially specialists (SDW Vol. 2, Issue 40, Story 7). India’s senior living market is expanding in north India as more seniors in their 60s prefer buying independent units in culturally rich areas like Varanasi and other religious spots. A report from 2023 raised alarms that India’s elderly population will double by 2050, overtaking the number of children. 

On 12 Oct 1920, reformist Sikhs successfully ended caste discrimination at Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple), Amritsar, marking a pivotal moment in the Gurdwara Reform Movement that led to the formation of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the SAD a month later. This determined effort involved removing corrupt granthis (custodians of the Guru Granth Sahib) and mahants (managers of Gurdwaras, antithetical to Sikhi) who practiced caste-based discrimination, particularly against so called lower caste Ravidassia and Mazhabi Sikhs, who were often denied prasad (offerings) by the granthis. Reformist Sikhs from upper castes, including Khatris (traders) and Jatts (farmers), collaborated with Ravidassia Sikhs to challenge these discriminatory practices, as detailed in Narain Singh’s book Akali Morche Ate Jhabbar and Teja Singh’s autobiography Aarsi. On the fateful day, Khalsa Brotherhood held an annual event at Jallianwala Bagh, followed by a procession to Darbar Sahib where leaders like Prof. Bawa Harkishan Singh and Kartar Singh Jhabbar confronted the head granthi. This confrontation led to the acceptance of ardas (prayers) from newly converted Sikhs, allowing oppressed caste Sikhs to participate fully in religious practices. Subsequently, the reformists took control of the Akal Takht (Eternal Throne, Sikh Seat of Justice and Authority), formed a committee to manage its affairs, and held discussions with the Panjab governor, leading to the establishment of SGPC in August 1920. This historic event not only eradicated caste discrimination within Sikh religious practices but also solidified the political influence of reformist Sikh leaders, fostering unity and progress within the Panjab Sikh community. Historian Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon emphasizes the significance of rewriting Sikh history to recognize Dalit contributions and combat ongoing discrimination, aligning with Guru Nanak’s egalitarian teachings. Mazhabi Sikhs make up about 31.5% of the scheduled caste population in Panjab.