Panjab Water Crisis and India's Transnational Repression of Sikh

On 24 Aug, organizations, activists, and people-at-large in the thousands from Panjab, Rajasthan, and Haryana gathered in Ludhiana to protest the continued pollution of the rivulet Buddha Nallah that passes through the city. The protest under the banner Kala Pani Morcha (Black Waters Front) was spearheaded by the Public Action Committee, Naroa Punjab Manch, and other organizations, with participation from farmer unions such as Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. The Nallah carries industrial effluents through its 34-km course before merging with the Sutlej River. This pollution affects not only Panjab but also 15 districts in Rajasthan that rely on the Satluj’s water. Despite the installation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) and Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs), heavy metals like lead and chromium continue to contaminate the water. On 20 Aug, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) admitted that the water flowing in the Buddha Nallah is not even fit for irrigation. The $10M rejuvenation project, intended to transform this tributary into a cleaner waterway, is nearly 99% complete but has missed at least seven deadlines since its launch in December 2020. The report also highlighted that 315 dyeing units operate in Ludhiana, with 265 of them falling within the catchment area of the Nallah. Meanwhile, the Punjab State Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a report published in the media, which revealed that 73% of water samples in Muktsar failed quality tests. The Kala Pani Morcha has given a 15 Sep deadline to the govt. that unless effective steps are taken to clean the Nallah, people would dam the rivulet (SDW Vol 2 Issue 30, Story 7).

Kangana Ranaut’s new movie Emergency is due to be released on 6 Sep. Ranaut plays former PM Indira Gandhi in the movie that showcases India’s Emergency (1975-1977). Emergency is also BJP’s favorite whip to beat INC. They invoke the dark days in campaigns, in Parliament, and recently declared 25 Jun – the day Emergency was imposed – as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas (Murder of Constitution Day). As soon as the trailer was out, Independent MP Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and other Sikh groups asked for a ban on the movie over the negative portrayal of Sikhs. The call has gone unheeded. In any case, the movie on the Emergency has no need to portray incidents after it – the river water dispute, law and order situation, and demand for Khalistan. Instead, though the BJP milks the Emergency for political benefit, SAD at that time was the real opposition to Gandhi. While current PM Narendra Modi was then hiding in Sikh garb, Akali cadres courted arrests and leaders refused to compromise with Gandhi. On 24 Aug, like during the Farmers’ Protest 1.0, Ranaut said, ‘The protests could have led to a situation like Bangladesh (with the govt. being toppled) and China and the US are supporting the protests.’ (SDW Vol 2 Issue 24, Story 7). Her statement affects BJP’s chances in the soon to be held Haryana elections. BJP had to issue a statement saying, ‘MP Ranaut’s remark does not represent the party's views and the party disagrees with it.’ BJP has forbidden Ranaut from issuing statements. Panjab politicians criticized Ranaut and farmers are demanding her apology.

On 22 Aug, SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal appealed to Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to intervene in the release of two Saroops (tome) of Guru Granth Sahib in police custody in Qatar for the past eight months. In her letter to the minister, Badal said the Saroops had been seized despite their prakash (ceremoniously installed and open for enlightenment) at two separate locations in Doha for nearly 35 years. She urged Jaishankar to push for Gurdwaras in Qatar, allowing Sikhs to practice freely, as in the United Arab Emirates and other Islamic countries. The ministry responded saying they are in touch with Qatari authorities and one Saroop has been returned. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has thanked the govt. of India. It is yet to be seen if Sikhs are allowed to practice freely in Qatar. In another case in Mumbai on 15 Aug, three men who were traveling on invalid tickets assaulted a Sikh Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) Jasbir Singh. Singh asked them to pay the fine or get off at the next station, instead they attacked him. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) intervened to save Singh who suffered minor injuries. Though this was an attack in the line of duty, the SGPC and various Sikh bodies raised their voice. Once the assailants apologized both at the railway station and at the Gurdwara in Mulund suburb, Singh decided to pardon them and not press charges.

On 11 Aug, Satinder Pal Singh Raju, a close associate of slain Khalistan advocate Hardeep Singh Nijjar, survived an alleged assassination attempt. A pickup truck he was traveling in was sprayed with bullets near San Francisco. Raju, an active organizer of Khalistan referendums, was involved with Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) in organizing across North America (SDW Vol 2 Issue 6, Story 4). Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, General Counsel to SFJ, accused the Indian govt. of ‘continuing with its policy of transnational repression to violently suppress the global Khalistan Referendum campaign seeking liberation of Panjab from Indian occupation.’ Raju is one of several victims of attempted assassinations in the Diaspora, with the home of Simranjeet Singh in Surrey, BC also the target of a shooting on 1 Feb. Singh, a prominent Sikh activist and friend of slain Khalistan advocate Hardeep Singh Nijjar was unscathed, and Surrey Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) were able to apprehend and charge two suspects in the shooting. Another activist, Inderjit Singh Gosal, in Brampton, ON, was also targeted. Meanwhile in India, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) facilitated the return of Ramanjit Singh, also known as Romy, a key accused in the 2016 Nabha jailbreak, from Hong Kong to India. The jailbreak, which occurred on 27 Nov 2016, allowed six individuals to escape. Panjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav confirmed the extradition on social media platform X, alleging that Romy had been in contact with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence and other escaped prisoners. Harminder Singh Mintoo and Kashmir Singh Galwadi were among those that escaped. With Mintoo passing in 2018, Galwadi is still at large.

According to a report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), India’s role as a key supplier in the global grains market has diminished significantly over the past three years, largely due to strong domestic demand and govt. policies aimed at preserving internal supplies. The report highlights that from the 2020-21 to 2023-24 trade years, India’s corn exports are expected to drop by 86%, rice by 20%, and wheat by 90%. The USDA notes that India’s share in the global market for restricted grain products is nearly 7%, with domestic policies continuing to influence its export potential. Panjab also faces a looming crisis as its godowns are filled to capacity with 19.2M tonnes of foodgrains, leaving no room for the expected 18.5M tonnes of paddy arriving in mandis (grain markets) starting 1 Oct. Director of Food and Civil Supplies, Puneet Goyal, stated that 15 goods trains are transporting 55K tonnes of foodgrains out of the state daily, aiming to clear the wheat stock by December. Currently, 1.4M tonnes of wheat are stored in the open. At the same time, Panjab saw a 12.58% increase in basmati rice cultivation this Kharif (Summer) season, expanding to 671K hectares from 596K last year, with Amritsar leading at 146K hectares followed by Muktsar, Fazilka, Tarn Taran, and Sangrur, according to Panjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian. The state also recorded a 46.5% rise in direct seeding of rice aka DSR, reaching over 252K acres. Basmati cultivation is showing a promising rise in popularity among farmers, along with bans on pesticides for export quality, as they aim to reach the global market.

While investors in Compressed BioGas (CBG) projects have committed $6M-$18M each and received approvals for their projects, the govt. has been unable to convince locals and community health experts that these projects are beneficial to them in terms of both employment and paddy straw management. Locals and farmer unions fear chemicals produced during the making of biogas would be carcinogenic. Where CBG plants were using press mud, there have been protests because of the foul smell emanating from biogas units. Until now, only 3 of the 38 allocated CBG plants have become operational. Investors like Sobhan Sahu, managing partner of Farm Gas Pvt. Ltd., whose plant in Ghungrali Rajputan near Khanna became operational in September 2022, lament that their plants have been forced to shut down by protests since June 2024. After talks with the administration, locals have issued an ultimatum to scrap the proposal by 5 Sep. Similarly, the govt. has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that a state-of-the-art automated plant set up in Noorpur Bet village to process animal remains has remained non-operational for over 3 years due to protests from local villagers. The $950K plant, built under the Smart City project, is only the third of its kind in the country, with the capacity to process 150 carcasses daily into poultry feed granules without manual intervention. Despite the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) confirming the plant’s scientific design, villagers fear social stigma, land devaluation, and health risks such as foul odors and water contamination. At the core of both issues is the govt. initially riding roughshod on objections and manufacturing local consensus. Then when investment is made, protests erupt and projects fail.

Instead of Panjab govt., Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Ekta Ugrahan is going to collect data to document farmer suicides across 1,500 villages in the state. Previous surveys conducted by three Panjab universities recorded 16,606 suicides by farmers and laborers from 2000-2015. Since then, the Panjab govt. does not have data on farmer and laborer suicides. One reason is the under-reporting of suicide due to attendant stigma, another is the govt.’s lack of will to understand the reasons – mostly loans and poverty related – and compensate families who have lost a loved one. The union claims that although the govt. compensated 4,800 families with $1.6M until 2010, subsequent compensation has been sparse and only provided in isolated cases. The current compensation stands at $3.6K per family, but payments have not been made. The union’s state secretary Shingara Singh Mann emphasized the need for either a comprehensive govt. survey or compensation based on their collected data, stressing the urgency to address the ongoing crisis in Panjab’s farming communities. In another such move where citizens take up initiatives on data collection, the Sikh Women’s Aid (SWA) in Wolverhampton, UK is conducting a survey to help reduce violence against girls and women, particularly within the Sikh community. The initiative encourages women to share their experiences. Councillor Jasbir Jaspal emphasized the importance of participation to further the work needed to combat violence. On 17 Jul, the organization held a remembrance at the city’s Art Gallery for Sikh Panjabi women lost to domestic abuse and honor-based violence, marking the birthday of Surjit Kaur Athwal, killed in an honor killing in 1998.

Sukhchain Singh, a US citizen, was shot inside his home in Daburji village, Amritsar, on 24 Aug, with his family watching in horror. According to Amritsar Police Commissioner Ranjit Singh Dhillon, the attackers, connected to the family of Singh’s first wife who committed suicide in 2022, were allegedly hired from the United States, with investigations ongoing. He said, ‘The trail of money transferred from the US to India is being investigated. Soon others will also be arrested.’ Five people, including relatives of Singh’s first wife, have since been arrested, with police identifying the two shooters as previously having criminal backgrounds. The incident has escalated into a political controversy, with opposition leaders criticizing the AAP govt. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal stated, ‘The law and order situation in Panjab has completely deteriorated,’ while Panjab INC chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring claimed, ‘NRIs, once proud to call Punjab their home, now live in fear.’ CCTV footage shows Singh’s wife and children pleading with the attackers. AAP leader Neel Garg countered the opposition’s claims, accusing them of ‘politicizing a family dispute’ and misleading the public about the state’s law and order situation. The footage also captures the attackers attempting to fire more shots. Singh’s mother is seen repeatedly placing herself between her son and the assailants. Singh, who returned to Panjab a year ago after his wife’s death, was shot three times, with bullets striking his head and chest, leaving him critically injured but stable.

A study conducted by the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, on devastating floods that rocked Panjab in 2023 shows how Panjab’s tradition of langar (community service) averted a $333M loss to the state. The study titled Punjab Floods 2023: Causes, Impacts and Learnings - All India Coordinated Research Project on Agrometeorology has been conducted by PAU’s scientists from the department of climate change and agricultural meteorology. The study says: ‘Unprecedented heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh during 7-11 Jul 2023 caused floods in Panjab state. There was a breach in rivers and choes (seasonal watercourses) due to the down flow of rainwater that caused inundation of fields in Panjab. All floodgates of the Bhakra Dam (on the river Satluj) and Pong Dam (on the river Beas) remained open for many days as heavy rains in catchment areas during July alarmingly increased the water level in the reservoirs. Hundreds of villages were inundated and led to submergence of 221K hectares of fields primarily under rice’ (SDW Vol 2 Issue 28, Story 5). Panjab received 20.9-43.3% higher rainfall than normal during June and July, while Himachal recorded 19.4-75.1% higher rainfall than normal. That is when the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), farmers from Haryana, and PAU offered short duration rice varieties (PR-126 and Pusa Basmati 1509) free of cost to flood-affected farmers as part of Nursery Langar. Affected farmers incurred an expenditure of $30M for re-transplanting the paddy. The study further says, ‘There was a higher state average rice productivity during 2023 (6739 kg/ha) as compared to the previous year 2022 (6479 kg/ha).’

Baghi di Dhee (Daughter of a Rebel), directed by Mukesh Gautam, won ‘Best Punjabi Film’ at the 70th Indian National Film Awards. The film, based on an original story by freedom fighter and former Panjab CM Gurmukh Singh Musafir (15 Jan 1899 – 18 Jan 1976), depicts the courage of Deep, a young girl whose father was a Ghadar revolutionary. After killing a British officer, Deep is betrayed by a relative and drowned in a canal, while her father is imprisoned. The film was shot by Mukesh Gautam, a Chandigarh-based filmmaker, with child artist Dilnoor Kaur playing the role of Deep. Gautam believes the award will help bring wider recognition to Panjabi cinema, showcasing its evolving landscape and rich historical narratives. Meanwhile, Malavika Rajkotia’s book, Unpartitioned Time, also explores the lasting impact of 1947 Partition on the Sikh community. The memoir centers on her father, Jindoo, who fled Pakistan for India, highlighting the cultural and emotional scars that shaped his life. The book spans three generations, detailing life in Karnal during her grandparents’ era, the family’s escape during Partition, and the challenges Rajkotia and her sister faced due to their parents’ unresolved traumas. Through vivid storytelling and the integration of Panjabi dialogues, prayers, and Persian poetry, Rajkotia captures the essence of Sikh life. The book also reflects on the 1984 Sikh genocide, where Rajkotia recounts the chilling betrayal by friends who suggested her father cut his hair and beard to avoid suspicion. The narrative extends to the broader experience of Sikhs, addressing their large-scale migration and the constant threat of violence.