India-China Opt for Border Conflict Resolution, US Raises Concern on Pannun Plot

On 23 Oct, in an interview to a media house, the US Ambassador Eric Garcetti reminded India of the failed Gurpatwant Singh Pannun assassination plot saying, ‘The US won’t be fully satisfied until there is meaningful accountability. This sort of behavior … unacceptable to us as Americans. That’s a red line, coming from an enemy or a close friend.’ Garcetti also addressed concerns about the potential impact of the issue on India-US relations, expressing optimism that both countries can resolve the matter without jeopardizing their partnership. When asked if the US expects India to arrest him, Garcetti reiterated that US authorities expect accountability (SDW Vol 2 Issue 43, Story 1). Yadav is still out on bail after his arrest last year on charges of robbery and kidnapping. He has not been re-arrested. His extradition is possible only after he is sentenced, which in both cases is 10 years each. The US views India as a counterweight to China in the Indo-Pacific region. Ambassador Garcetti’s statement came as soon as Indian PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the BRICS  – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – summit in Kazan, Russia. Together, BRICS has about 50% of the world population and controls 35% of the world’s Gross Domestic Product and their ‘strongmen’ are challenging the Western order. The meeting came after the two sides announced they had reached an agreement on ‘disengagement and resolution of issues in these (border) areas’. On 21 Oct, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said both nations agreed to resume border patrols and return to the situation that existed before the 2020 clash.

In an interview aired on CTV News on 14 Oct, outgoing Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma in Canada vehemently denied any involvement of Indian agents in criminal activities in the country (SDW Vol 2 Issue 42, Story 1). Verma specifically refuted allegations linking the Indian govt. to the murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia in June 2023. He criticized Canadian authorities, asserting, ‘Unfortunately, not a shred of evidence has been shared with us.’ Verma also accused Canadian intelligence of cultivating Sikh separatists as ‘assets’. However, The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) maintains that it possesses ‘clear and compelling evidence’ of Indian agents engaging in activities that threaten public safety, as stated by RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme on 14 Oct. Since 22 Oct, the interview on CTV News website became inaccessible to users with Indian IP addresses. The interview is still available on CTV News’ YouTube channel. Concurrently, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar criticized Canada’s double standards in treating Indian diplomats, noting that while Indian diplomats are expected to endure threats due to freedom of speech, Canadian diplomats accuse Indian journalists of foreign interference. Amid the developing diplomatic row between Canada and India, Panjab Police via the Govt. of India allegedly shared a pinpointed location of gangster Goldy Brar in Canada in May 2022, and claimed Canadian authorities did not respond. Verma also claimed Canada removed Goldy from their ‘Most Wanted’ list. The RCMP does not post a ‘Most Wanted’ list. Verma is referring to a not-for-profit organization called BOLO, that lists wanted criminals in Canada.

On 22 Oct, India and Pakistan extended the validity of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor agreement for another five years, said the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The agreement, originally signed on 24 Oct 2019, facilitates Indian pilgrims’ visits to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan’s Narowal district via the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, which connects Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Panjab, India, to the Gurdwara across the river Ravi. The corridor holds significant importance for Sikhs as in the later part of his life Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhi, spent over 17 years farming and composing hymns at Kartarpur Sahib. While the community sees the opening of the corridor as a blessing of the Guru, politicians try to promote themselves or their leaders. Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and BJP leaders, including Panjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, praised PM Narendra Modi for his commitment to facilitating Sikh pilgrims’ access to their holy sites. The MEA stated that the extension ensures uninterrupted operation of the corridor, but reiterated India’s request for Pakistan to waive the $20 service charge levied per pilgrim per visit. Pakistan has collected approximately $6.1M from this fee since the corridor’s inauguration. However, Panjab govt. in Pakistan, led by CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif, announced on 25 Oct that it will provide $35 to 2,200 Sikh and Hindu families in the province ahead of Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary and Diwali (1 Nov) as part of a new ‘festival card’ programme. A new visa automation system has also been introduced to ease the visa process for foreign pilgrims. The next batch of Indian pilgrims are expected to enter Pakistan via the Wagah border on 14 Nov. 

On 19 Oct, thousands of devotees from India and abroad converged at Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) to celebrate the Parkash Purb (birth anniversary) of Guru Ramdas, the fourth Sikh Guru and founder of the holy city Amritsar – originally known as Ramdaspur. Amritsar is known as the spiritual and political center of Sikhi. Devotees took dips in the Amrit Sarovar (holy pool) and paid their respects at the sanctum sanctorum. Exhibitions showcasing historic, religious, and rare artifacts were displayed at Darbar Sahib, Akal Takht (Eternal Throne; AT), and Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai. Langars (free community kitchens) were organized to mark the occasion. This year again, Kuljit Singh’s family from Himachal Pradesh airdropped a quintal of flower petals but supposedly followed the maryada (code of conduct) (SDW Vol 1 Issue 8, Story 6). The larger question on flowers and fireworks to celebrate such an occasion remains. Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami and AT Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh congratulated the sangat (community) on the occasion. Earlier, on the 450th anniversary of the Jyoti Jyot Divas (death anniversary) of the third Sikh Guru, Guru Amar Das, and the 450th year of the Gur Gaddi Divas (Guruship anniversary) of Guru Ramdas, the SGPC's Dharam Prachar Committee organized a seminar at Sri Guru Angad Dev College, Khadoor Sahib on 5 Sep. Scholars presented research papers on Sri Guru Amar Das — Life and Bani. However, a group of shopkeepers, descendants of traders from the era of Guru Ramdas, felt neglected by the SGPC for not being invited to the recent celebrations. Previously in 2018, the SGPC had publicly recognized those descendants.

Paddy procurement in Panjab has been significantly delayed this year due to a combination of logistical, bureaucratic, and political factors. Despite favorable weather, only 22% of the paddy crop has been harvested as of 23 Oct, which is about 20% less than 2023. The delay is attributed to lack of storage space leading to slow procurement and lifting of crops in mandis (grain markets), causing farmers to stall or slow down harvests, which may affect timely wheat sowing scheduled to begin this week. Instead of owning up to the delay, on 26 Oct Panjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann criticized farm unions for protests, stating that ‘excess of everything is bad.’ He assured that the state govt. has addressed concerns of arhtiyas (commission agents) and has raised issues of rice millers with the Center. Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) leader Sarwan Singh Pandher accused the Central govt. of attempting to eliminate paddy and wheat procurement and the Minimum Support Price in Panjab, citing this as the reason for the crisis. Amar Singh Boparai, MP from Fatehgarh Sahib, attributed the crisis in Panjab to the Central govt.’s alleged ulterior motives and the AAP govt.’s mismanagement. Farmer groups under Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM-non-political) and KMM have been protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders between Panjab and Haryana since 13 Feb (SDW Vol 2, Issue 31, Story 7). The current procurement crisis is the largest since a similar situation unfolded 25 years ago under Parkash Singh Badal’s SAD govt. At that time, procurement issues became a major concern before the 2002 state assembly elections, which the SAD-BJP alliance lost.

On 25 Oct, the Supreme Court of India reprimanded the Panjab and Haryana govts. for inadequate efforts to curb stubble burning, calling their actions ‘mere eyewash.’ The court noted the lack of prosecutions and low financial penalties imposed on farmers violating anti-pollution laws. The court also criticized the Central govt. for ‘toothless’ environmental laws, particularly the Commission for Air Quality Management Act of 2021, which lacks administrative mechanisms for implementation. The court questioned Panjab’s claim of prosecuting 44 individuals, noting that only $13K had been collected in fines from 417 violators. The Haryana govt. has reported only 32 cases despite acknowledging 400 fires, collecting $244K in penalties under Section 15 of the Environmental Protection Act. Despite the court’s condemnations, Panjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian claimed the state has registered a 16% decline in farm fire’s recorded up to 23 Oct compared to the same period last year. The state has seen 1,638 farm fires so far this year, with 1,946 in 2023. He noted that the decline is significant, considering the neighboring state of Haryana has only managed to reduce stubble burning by 8% in the same period. At the same time, Delhi CM Atishi claimed on 20 Oct that farm fires in BJP-ruled Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are responsible for the air pollution in the National Capital Region, stating that farm fires in AAP-led Panjab have reduced. Data shows little scientific link between Delhi’s air pollution and Panjab fires (SDW Vol 2, Issue 28, Story 4).

On 24 Oct, a Delhi court concluded final arguments in the 1984 Sikh genocide case against former INC MP Sajjan Kumar. The case is about the deaths of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh, who were killed in Saraswati Vihar on 1 Nov 1984. Senior Advocate Harvinder Singh Phoolka, representing the victims, emphasized that the 1984 genocide was not isolated incidents but part of a larger, orchestrated massacre. Judge Kaveri Baweja scheduled the case for clarification on 8 Nov. On 20 Sep 2023, Special Judge Geetanjli Goel had acquitted Kumar, giving him the ‘benefit of doubt’. On 3 Oct, the Delhi High Court deferred to 29 Nov a petition filed by INC leader Jagdish Tytler challenging the framing of charges against him in the 1984 anti-Sikh genocide case (SDW Vol 2, Issue 41, Story 7). On 21 Oct, Justices Prathiba M Singh and Amit Sharma granted ‘leave to appeal’ which is a formal permission granted to challenge a decision in a higher court to the Central Bureau of Investigation against the trial court’s decision on the Sajjan Kumar case dated 20 Sep 2023, scheduling the matter for further consideration in December. The appeals also concerned acquittals dated 26 Apr 1995 and 29 Jul 1995, where individuals were acquitted of charges including rioting, murder, and unlawful assembly, based on First Information Reports in 1984. Previously, both Justice Singh and Sharma noted that the delays, exceeding more than 36 years, made it untenable to condone the lateness. The state attributed the delays to the Justice S N Dhingra Committee, constituted in 2018 to review Sikh genocide cases, which submitted its report on 15 Apr 2019, criticizing the police and administration for hushing up cases.

On 23 Oct, The Akal Takht (Eternal Throne; AT) Jathedar (leader) Giani Raghbir Singh halted Sukhbir Singh Badal’s plans to lead the SAD campaign in the 13 Nov assembly By-Polls in Dera Baba Nanak, Barnala, Chabbewal, and Gidderbaha. The Jathedar stated that a tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct) remains so until tankhah (religious punishment) is awarded by the Panj Singh Sahiban (five loved ones), who are expected to meet after Bandi Chhor Diwas (Free Prisoners Day) on 1 Nov. The SAD announced on 24 Oct that it will not contest the 13 Nov By-Polls in Panjab. This is the first time the SAD will boycott elections in 32 years, with the SAD boycotting the elections in 1992. At the same time, Simranjit Singh Mann, president of SAD (Amritsar), announced his grandson, Govind Singh Sandhu, as the party’s candidate for the Barnala By-Poll. The INC also announced two of its candidates on 24 Oct fielding Amrita Kaur Warring, wife of state unit chief and Ludhiana MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, from Gidderbaha, and Jatinder Kaur, wife of Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, from Dera Baba Nanak. In Wayanad, Kerala, Seetha Kaur, a Tamil-speaking Khalsa woman from Bahujan Dravida Party, an outfit of Tamil Sikhs inspired by social reformers Periyar and Kanshi Ram, is up against INC leader Priyanka Gandhi in the MP election (SDW Vol 2 Issue 15, Story 2). Meanwhile, Raja Warring recently came under fire for comments made about the AT being ‘under control of the Badals’. AT Jathedar Raghbir Singh strongly condemned his statements. Warring immediately apologized, ‘bowed his head’ to the AT, and stated that he cannot speak wrongly about the AT and the Jathedar even out of forgetfulness. 

On 19 Oct, the body of Gursimran Kaur, a 19-year-old Sikh woman originally from Panjab was discovered by her mother inside a walk-in bakery oven at a Walmart store in Halifax, Canada, where they both worked. Balbir Singh, secretary of the Maritime Sikh Society, confirmed that the victim and her mother arrived in Canada two to three years ago, and the local Sikh community is deeply distressed by her death. Constable Martin Cromwell stated, ‘The investigation is complex. We encourage the public to be patient and mindful of the involved family members and co-workers.’ The Maritime Sikh Society organized an online fundraising campaign, which has raised over $139K CAD by 26 Oct, to help bring Kaur’s father and brother from Panjab to Nova Scotia for her funeral. Emergency dispatch recordings revealed that first responders were informed of a female locked in an oven, which was on and staff were unsure how to turn it off. The incident has raised workplace safety concerns, with Craig Walsh, president of the eastern provinces council of the United Food and Commercial Workers union, calling for a thorough investigation into the store’s safety practices and equipment inspections. Kaur’s death raises concerns about the perilous conditions students and immigrants from India are often forced to face abroad. Meanwhile, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau announced on 24 Oct that his govt. will reduce immigration numbers starting in 2025 and introduce stricter rules requiring companies to justify why they cannot hire Canadian workers before employing foreign temporary workers. This move follows a prior decision a month ago to limit the number of study permits for international students by 35% (SDW Vol 2, Issue 36, Story 7).

Begum Munawwar-ul-Nisa, the last heir of Malerkotla’s royal family, passed away on 27 Oct 2023 at the age of 103 without naming a legal successor, leading to the transfer of the historic Sheesh Mahal (glass palace aka Mubarak Manzil Mahal) to the Panjab govt. The Sheesh Mahal, built in 1845 by Maharaja Narinder Singh of Patiala, is in a state of disrepair. Residents have been urging the govt. to adopt and restore the palace as a heritage monument under the Department of Culture and Heritage. The administration had initiated the process to transfer her wealth, including the Sheesh Mahal and a fixed deposit of $146K, to the Panjab govt., with a meeting scheduled on 5 Nov to discuss the procedure. Begum Nisa, who had no children, had previously handed over the palace to the govt. in Jan 2021 during former CM Amarinder Singh’s govt., expressing her wish to see it restored to its former glory before her death. She was allowed to live out her life in the palace. The palace holds significant historical importance, as Begum Nisa was the successor of Nawab Sher Mohammad Khan, who protested against the execution of Guru Gobind Singh’s younger sons in 1705. The Sheesh Mahal, covering 32,400 sq ft, reflects a blend of Mughal elegance and Panjabi aesthetics, featuring arched entrances, ornate balconies, and elegant cylindrical columns. Despite its historical value, Begum Nisa had been living in poverty for many years, with valuables from the palace being sold off over time. In one of her last interviews, she stated ‘my motive behind handing over the palace to the govt. was that I wanted it to be brought back to the condition it was during our ancestors.