India Presses Canada, UK for Action

Every four to five years, member nations of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) undergo a peer review in a process called the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). At Canada’s recent UPR, Indian diplomat Mohammed Hussain made three recommendations: prevent misuse of freedom of expression; end structural discrimination against children belonging to Indigenous groups; address disparities in access to services by all children. While the latter two are well-known issues, India’s call for Canada to restrict freedom of expression of its citizens in cases where that expression is perceived to be anti-India does not fit with western emphasis on freedoms. In the UK too, Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar raised concerns regarding pro-Khalistan extremism and urged the country’s leaders to be on guard over the misuse of freedom of expression and speech. This has led Britain's Sikh community to appeal for help to address long-term issues such as racism and a lack of representation in politics and culture. Despite official figures showing a 169% rise in attacks on Sikhs in 2021-22, there is no approved definition for anti-Sikh hate crimes in the UK. Jaishankar and British PM Rishi Sunak reviewed the implementation of Roadmap 2030 and discussed the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA). While the UK is keen on developing trade relations with India, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco, Canadian trade minister Mary Ng said the country won’t resume trade talks with India ‘unless the Modi government cooperates in the Nijjar killing probe.’

Voting for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections took place on 17 Nov and results will be out 3 Dec. A prominent BJP candidate in the fray is union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar. A few days before voting, two videos of Tomar’s son, Devendra Pratap Singh Tomar, surfaced on the internet. In them, he is seen indulging in conversations over illegal money transfers with an unknown person. A third video, released by Congress on 14 Nov has Canadian resident Jagmandeep Singh – originally from Sangrur, Panjab – stating that Devendra is speaking to him in the first two videos. Singh says he is a blueberry and marijuana farmer and Tomar’s family was interested in partnering with him by investing in land in Canada. Singh provides elaborate details of the location where the video was shot, mobile screenshots of money transactions, and his phone number if any journalist wishes to contact him. Singh alleges that when earlier SAD leader and now BJP spokesperson Manjinder Singh Sirsa was President of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), he routed illegal funds for Tomar through the Delhi Gurdwaras. Tomar said the videos are part of a ‘well-planned conspiracy by the opposition at the time of elections with the aim of misleading the public.’ Until now, the government has not taken any action against Tomar, his son, Sirsa, or Singh. Media too has hardly reported the videos or followed up on the leads Singh has shared. However, since Sirsa’s name has come up in allegations, the Sikh community must probe his role as head of DSGMC to verify if Gurdwara treasuries were indeed misused.

The past week has seen a spike in attacks on Sikhs. On election day in Madhya Pradesh, Jabalpur District, a video surfaced showing a Sikh Congress leader Narendra Singh Panthe being beaten by unknown miscreants. Panthe later gave context for the attack against him. There is an open gym outside his house where people have been drinking and creating a ruckus on the road, making the area unsafe. Panthe raised complaints to the district administration, police, local Gurdwara committee, and finally through the Chief Minister’s helpline. This angered the men who beat him up, removed his turban, and pulled his hair. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami said this assault is an insult to Sikh turban and Kes (unshorn hair). Two weeks ago, hundreds of Sikhs in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh came out in support of 20-year-old Maheep Singh who was assaulted in a supermarket by a couple. In Australia, Jarnail 'Jimmy' Singh, who runs Dawat – The Invitation restaurant said for months he has been shaken over racial attacks. Several days in a row, he found excrement smeared on his car and racist letters that told him, ‘Go home, Indian.’ Aimen Jafri, the chair of the Multicultural Council of Tasmania, said such incidents were far too common and are increasing. See SDW Vol. 1 Issue 7, Story 6. In Canada, an Indian-origin Sikh man, Harpreet Singh Uppal, 41, and his 11-year-old son were shot and killed in Edmonton outside a gas station on the afternoon of 9 Nov. The police have called the killings a 'sick and twisted' escalation of gang violence. These killings and threats – some of them racist – are a matter of grave concern to the Sikh community.

On 12 Nov a Sikh delegation from the United Arab Emirates met Pope Francis in Rome over an initiative of the Guru Nanak Darbar Sikh Gurdwara in Dubai. Pope Francis said, ‘Faith and service are intimately linked and lead us closer to God.’ He further said: ‘Bear witness to your endeavor to live by faith and to contribute to the good of society,’ especially as the Sikhs seek to integrate themselves but at the same time ‘remain steadfast to your own specific identity.’ The Pope will be returning to the UAE in early December for the COP28 conference. This will mark his second Apostolic Journey to the UAE after his February 2019 visit to sign the Document on Human Fraternity and Living Together at an interfaith summit. Pope Francis will also be the first Pope to attend the UN climate summit. Over the past few years in Panjab, there has been an uproar over lower caste Sikh and Hindu conversions to Christianity. Over a year back, Angelo Rufino Gracias, head of the Jalandhar Diocese, said some splinter groups were engaging in aggressive proselytization and the Church itself was upset with such fake preachers. Now the Pope's statement – remain steadfast to your own specific identity – further strengthens the mainstream view. The statement also assumes significance because Sikhs globally are being targeted over their religious articles of faith and are now also in the eye of a storm due to the fracas between Canada and India.

Usually, on festival days, the grain markets in Panjab remain near empty as the laborers – mostly migrants – stay home for the festival. However, this Diwali an unprecedented 4.7M tonne paddy arrived in the grain markets. There is suspicion over the illegal inflow of paddy from states such Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, from where it is bought at cheaper rates to be sold at Minimum Support Price (MSP) in Panjab. This year, for the ongoing paddy procurement season, the Centre announced an MSP of Rs 2,183 per quintal. The farmers in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar mostly sell their produce to the local traders who pick the produce at prices sometimes ranging as low as Rs 1,100 per quintal. The scale this time is high but this has been an issue for years. The illegal trade of paddy in Panjab is more than actual production. In Panjab – computing by average yield per acre – the total production should be 15.2MT in 2019-20, 16.9MT in 2018-19 and 16.4MT in 2017-18. However, government agencies bought 16.3MT, 17.4MT and 17.95MT paddy in 2019-20, 2018-19, and 2017-18 respectively. This inflow of paddy from states which do not have MSP is evidence that MSP must be offered at source. Bihar abolished the grain market system and MSP in 2006. Paddy from Bihar, travels hundreds of kilometers and comes to Panjab for sale. Despite the transportation costs, the traders make profits. During the Farmers Protest 2020-21, one of the central demands was MSP on major crops in all states. The union government promised to set up a committee but has not moved in the direction in the last two years.

As announced earlier, on 20 Nov, eighteen farmer unions arrived at the offices of deputy commissioners and sub-divisional magistrates at 34 locations in Panjab with trollies laden with paddy stubble. The call for the four-hour protest – from 12 noon till 4 pm, was given by the fifteen unions affiliated to Samyukt Kisan Morcha (apolitical) and eighteen other farmer unions. The unions are demanding the withdrawal of legal action over stubble burning – including registration of criminal cases, rollback of the fines imposed on farmers, and stopping red entries in the farmers’ land records. These red entries cannot be removed from land documents and are often an obstacle to farmers when taking a loan from banks against the said land, mortgaging it, or selling it. The farmer unions are also demanding a long-term solution for paddy straw. They are raising their voice against the canceling of arms licenses and passports, and the naming and shaming of farmers by the government. At many places, the farmers were stopped on the outskirts of the cities. Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said, ‘Hundreds of factories pollute air, water, and soil. The pollution control board takes some action against a few, but these units start operating again after some time. So, it’s back to square one.’ For context, see SDW Vol. 1 Issue 4, Story 6. On 21 Nov, farmers in Jalandhar blocked traffic over sugarcane prices but allowed emergency services. 

Last week, Balwinder Kaur, mother of arrested Waris Panjab De leader Amritpal Singh gave a call to Sikh youth to converge at Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib on 19 Nov. Heeding the call, a large number of devotees performed Ardas (supplication) at Anandpur Sahib for the release of Bandi Singhs - Sikh detainees who have been detained in various Indian jails long after they should have been released. After the Ardas, hundreds of young men and women participated in Amrit Sanchar and became Amritdhari (initiated Sikhs). Amritpal Singh's mother Balwinder Kaur said that this is the second stage of the Ardas event being performed on the five Takhts. Earlier prayers were offered at Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the next prayer ceremony will be held on 3 Dec at Takht Damdama Sahib Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda). Balwinder Kaur also expressed her vision of Khalistan as a governance model that includes Sikhs, Hindus, and other communities living without fear. She believes Khalistan represents the inclusive governance of Maharaja Ranjit Singh's era. Balwinder Kaur had earlier gone to Akal Takht hoping to meet the Jathedar and request for Ardas in all five Takhts; however, the Jathedar was unavailable. Even for this event, the government blocked efforts of many who wanted to reach, and disallowed family members of Bandi Singhs from reaching Anandpur Sahib. Amritpal Singh and his associates have been charged under the National Security Act and remain incarcerated at Dibrugarh jail in Assam. On 4 Nov, the Courts dismissed the bail petitions of three of the associates in the Feb, 2023 Ajnala jail attack case.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on 14 Nov announced the party would ‘reward merit’ and offer fifty percent reservation on all posts to youngsters. Launching the global youth membership drive of the Youth Akali Dal (YAD) under the aegis of the Panjab Di Shaan, Saade Naujawan programme, Badal said that those young men and women who facilitate the registration of 250 members will be appointed as youth delegates. These delegates will play a key role in the formation of the youth body. Those who register 2,000 members through their recommendation will also be appointed District presidents. The membership drive is to be completed by 31 Dec this year. The SAD leader said the age limit for the district level body and the state body are 35 and 40 years, respectively. He said presently as many as 35 former YAD leaders have been appointed as halqa in charge (political constituency in charge). He also announced that the youth will be given a larger role in the Lok Sabha election campaign with three senior vice presidents, three vice presidents and three general secretaries being appointed for each Lok Sabha seat. Since the sacrilege incidents in 2015 and their repercussions in two elections, the SAD has been trying to reinvent itself but without much success. SAD even tried such measures in the Diaspora but they did not work out – most leaders are over 50 years of age.

Reservation is a buzzword in Indian politics with various political parties declaring quotas to different sections of society. In a setback to the Haryana government, on 17 Nov, the Punjab and Haryana High Court quashed a state government law that provided 75% reservation in private sector jobs to the residents of the state. Justices G S Sandhawalia and Harpreet Kaur Jeewan said, ‘The concept of constitutional morality has been openly violated by introducing a secondary status to a set of citizens not belonging to the State of Haryana and curtailing their fundamental rights to earn their livelihood.’ The law was an election promise by the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) during the 2019 assembly polls and was implemented 15 Jan 2022. The law covered jobs offering a maximum gross monthly salary or wages up to $360 per month and was applicable to employers of the private sector companies, societies, trusts, limited liability partnership firms, partnership firms and any person who employs ten or more people on salary, wages or other remuneration for manufacturing, carrying on business or rendering any service in Haryana. The BJP government in Haryana is supported by JJP. During the farmers’ protest (2021-22) the JJP faced a lot of pressure to withdraw support to the BJP government. The party did not withdraw support because it calculated the reservation would help them in the next elections. Now that motive is quashed. The quota in Haryana had also led to demand for the same in Panjab which faces both: exodus of youth to western countries and immigration of labor from east India.

The Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad's (IIM-A's) latest round of Business Inflation Expectations Survey (BIES) has found that sales and profit margins of Indian businesses have remained subdued despite tall claims by the government of India that the Indian economy is doing well. One of the reasons for conducting the study is that since the Russia-Ukraine war the world is facing increasing crises of fuel, and food grains. Even Panjab is affected by the Indian government’s ad hoc rules and permissions regarding various foodgrains. In such a scenario, the researchers asked, how can India be doing well? The survey was qualitative and not just based on quantitative data. It sought to examine the amount of slack in the economy by polling a panel of business leaders, asking them questions about year-ahead cost expectations and the factors influencing price changes, such as profit, sales levels, and so on. The survey went to businesses – the price setters – rather than to consumers or households, to understand their expectations of the price level changes. The survey says that about 56% firms are reporting ‘much less than normal’ or ‘somewhat less than normal’ sales in September 2023 – up from 52% reported in August 2023, even as the percentage of firms reporting normal and above normal sales has marginally declined to 45% in September 2023 from 47% reported in August 2023. In an unrelated development which will have an impact on all such independent surveys, the government of India has recently passed a notification giving itself absolute control on the Boards of all the IIMs and the appointment of their directors.