PU Senate Election Demand Spirals Into Panjab Staking Claim on Chandigarh

On 8 Nov, Panjab University, Chandigarh Registrar Prof Yajvender Pal Verma issued an order barring outsiders from entering the campus and prohibiting their participation in protests. The diktat mandates that only those carrying university identity cards and vehicle stickers would be allowed entry. The students of the university had given an open call to gather on 10 Nov for a rally demanding the schedule of Senate elections. On 9 Nov, university alumni, leaders from all political parties except Bharatiya Janata Party, Sikh religious bodies, farmer unions, and student organizations poured onto the campus pledging solidarity. As Panjabis started bringing in food for langar (community kitchen), mattresses for people to sleep in, Chandigarh police closed all the entry points into the city. This irked the people of Panjab. They asked, how can a city which was built by destroying 26 villages of Panjab now deny entry to the people of Panjab? In 1966, when Panjab was trifurcated with Hindi speaking areas forming Haryana and some going to Himachal Pradesh, the promise was that Chandigarh is Panjab’s capital. But close to sixty years later, Chandigarh is still a Union territory and a shared capital between Panjab and Haryana. On 10 Nov, thousands of people from Panjab broke barricades installed on the Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (SAS Nagar)–Chandigarh border and entered the city creating massive traffic jams that lasted hours. As they reached the university gates, they found them locked. The Chandigarh police and the Panjab police detained some protesters, even manhandled them. This angered the people and they smashed the police barricades and the two gates to reach the venue of the protest in front of the University Vice Chancellor’s home. People brought in tractors which are normally banned in Chandigarh into the university. The rally was peaceful and except for injuries the police inflicted, there was no other incidence of violence. It had the resonance of the Farmers Protest 1.0 (2020–21). The emotion on ground is that Chandigarh belongs to Panjab and this issue might become a major plank for political parties when Panjab goes in for state Assembly elections in early 2027 (earlier coverage).

On 8 Nov, amid sustained political backlash in Panjab and ongoing protests at Panjab University (PU), the Indian Union Ministry of Education withdrew its notification to restructure the Senate and Syndicate, effectively restoring the earlier governance system of the 143-year-old institution. This is only the second time in the current regime’s 12-year-long tenure that they have withdrawn an order. The first time was during the Farmers Protest 1.0 (2020–21). A new notification issued by the union government, under Section 72 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, rescinded the 4 Nov notification, which had announced governance reforms but said that the same would come into force on a future date. The original notification announcing the reforms came on 28 Oct but was withdrawn subsequently. The students welcomed the announcement but said that the protest would continue. Student Front leader Raman Singh Mandher said, 'Nothing really changes on the ground for us. The university still doesn’t have a senate, and this whole back-and-forth on the notifications, withdrawals, and confusion has completely eroded students’ faith in the Center’s intentions. The call for the university shutdown on 10 Nov stands.' The university claims it has written to the Vice President of India—Chancellor of the University—for permission to conduct elections for the senate. However, while the notification has been withdrawn for four days now, the schedule for the Senate elections has not been published. On 9 Nov, when various political parties and others came to the protest site in solidarity, the students questioned Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Members of Parliament Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer and Malvinder Singh Kang. AAP has met the Governor of Panjab Gulab Chand Kataria seeking withdrawal of notification. AAP also proposes to bring in a bill in the Panjab Assembly. However, the reality on the ground is that the election schedule has not been published. This is typical of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) promises: they dither in fulfilling them and let protests fester hoping they will wither away. BJP also claims it has given PU USD 365M since 2014, AAP says only USD 60M has been received.

On 4 Nov, on the 556^th birth anniversary of the first Sikh Sovereign Guru Nanak, more than 2K Sikh pilgrims from India arrived in Pakistan marking the first major border crossing between the two countries since the brief war in May 2025. Pakistani officials welcomed pilgrims by showering rose petals and giving them flowers. Still, Indian media falsely reported that some Hindu pilgrims were not allowed to enter Pakistan. Head of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Pilgrimage branch Palwinder Singh clarified non‑Sikhs are allowed to join a Sikh jatha (group) as long as they profess faith in Guru Nanak and his teachings. 'There is no restriction on non‑Sikhs to be part of a Sikh jatha,' he said, noting that this year the number of Hindus in the jatha was unusually high, making their presence more visible than in previous years. Spokesperson for the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) Sudeep Singh called the news a 'deliberate attempt to drive a wedge between the two communities.' He added that the DSGMC’s quota of 170 pilgrims had been dispatched and that none of the 14 turned‑back pilgrims were part of the DSGMC‑approved jatha. Pilgrim testimonies corroborate that Pakistan did not turn anyone back on religious lines. Entries were stopped—including 50 Sikhs—due to inadequate paperwork. People celebrated the occasion all across the world. Sindhis joined Sikhs in Mumbai while hundreds of thousands gathered in Yuba City, US Nagar Kirtan (religious procession) where the event has been celebrated since the 1980s. Meanwhile, as the Panjab government prepares to celebrate the 350^th martyrdom anniversary of the ninth Sikh Sovereign Guru Teghbahadar at Anandpur Sahib later in November, political undertones threaten to overshadow the sacred occasion. SGPC has denied the government permission to hold a Kirtan Darbar (devotional-singing at the Court) at the revered Gurdwara Sisganj Sahib and to use its inns and accommodation facilities. Manager of Takht (throne) Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Anandpur Sahib Gurdeep Singh Kang said the requests have been turned down because 'political events sometimes lead to violations of maryada (religious code of conduct).' The SGPC has announced its own programs from 21–27 Nov in Anandpur Sahib to mark the Guru’s martyrdom (earlier coverage).

Tarn Taran, Panjab by-poll took place on 11 Nov; the results will be declared on 14 Nov. 192,838 voters will decide the fate of 15 candidates among whom the prominent are Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Harmeet Singh Sandhu, Shiromani Akali Dal's (SAD) Sukhwinder Kaur, and independent candidate Mandeep Singh backed by Akali Dal (Waris Panjab De) and breakaway SAD. Breakaway SAD leader Giani Harpreet Singh said Mandeep's victory would not just be an electoral win, but 'a triumph of Panthic (Sikh collective) ideals and Sikh unity.' The by-poll, necessitated by the death of AAP Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal in June, is being seen as a crucial fight before 2027 Panjab assembly elections. Meanwhile, on 8 Nov, the Election Commission suspended Tarn Taran Senior Superintendent of Police Ravjot Kaur Grewal on the basis of complaints by SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal. Though no reason has been mentioned in the orders, for the last few weeks SAD had been complaining of arrests of their cadre and cases on them on the behest of ruling AAP. Also, days before the hearing of a land acquisition for a National Highways Authority of India project at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Panjab chief secretary has suspended Moga Additional Deputy Commissioner Charumita Shekhar. Concurrently, Panjab police have issued a lookout notice against AAP MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, who has been absconding since 2 Sep. During the recent Panjab floods, Harmeet had spoken against Panjab Principal Secretary of Water Resources Krishan Kumar. On 7 Nov, Pathanmajra appeared in a video interview with an Australia-based Panjabi web channel in which he claimed that he would 'return home only after securing bail'. Denying allegations of rape, he termed the case a 'political conspiracy' aimed at silencing voices that speak for Panjab's people. 'In Panjab, ministers and MLAs are not consulted on key matters. Freedom of speech is being curtailed. After losing in Delhi, those leaders (AAP) have now taken over Panjab, and they are ruining it the same way,' he alleged, while expressing full faith in the judiciary (earlier coverage).

While campaigning in Tarn Taran by-poll, Panjab Indian National Congress (INC) chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has made quite a few inappropriate statements. On 3 Nov, at a rally he called former INC leader and Union Home Minister Buta Singh 'dark skinned, ordinary labor who managed cattle, from a marginal caste and Congress made him the nation's home minister.' On 6 Nov, Warring called former President Zail Singh 'an ordinary granthi (reciter).' Warring also inappropriately held jura (top bun) of two Sikh children in public and indulged in baby talk. Though Warring later apologized for his remarks on Buta Singh, the Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission has taken suo motu notice of his comments. Buta Singh's son, Sarabjot Singh has filed a First Information Report for ‘derogatory and caste-insulting remarks'. Bharatiya Janata Party’s national general secretary Tarun Chugh has asked the National Commission for Scheduled Castes to probe the matter. Giani Zail Singh's nephew Aam Aadmi Party’s Kultar Singh Sandhwan who serves as speaker at the Panjab Legislative Assembly has demanded an immediate apology. He said Warring should refrain from making such low-level statements and immediately apologize to the Granthi community. Members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) have demanded the registration of an FIR against Warring over insult to Sikhs. SGPC members said Warring's act towards children sparked outrage as it was a direct insult on Sikh symbols of faith. Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal accused Warring of ‘desecrating and mocking the kesh (hair) and dastar (turban)’—symbols sacred to the Sikh faith. Earlier, on 27 Oct, Warring advocated targeting family members of criminals. Warring’s comment on families of criminals advocating extrajudicial measures reminds Panjab of the brutal decade (1980s–90s) when such practices were common and abetted by the INC. The clamor for Warring to be removed from his post is growing in Panjab’s opposition. The need is for faction-ridden INC leaders to raise the demand to the INC central committee. Warring’s tenure has proved to be a damp squib. With next Assembly elections 15 months away, the INC could do with a change of leadership.

Basmati yield has dipped 10–15% to the Aug–Sep Panjab floods. Still basmati farmers are not getting fair returns. A 25% additional US tariff hike has dampened demand among rice exporters, resulting in lower-than-expected prices for the long-grain varieties. The average price of basmati in most centers hovered around USD 36 per quintal, reaching USD 41 at only a few grain markets, even though farmers were expecting around USD 45 based on the prices fetched in the last three years. A farmer and commission agent Charanjit Singh from Malerkotla said untimely rain in early October caused a drop in his basmati yield, falling from 20–22 quintals per acre to 15–18 quintals per acre. Charanjit’s grain market, which typically receives 100–120K sacks, only received 50–60K sacks this season. Meanwhile, according to data from Punjab Pollution Control Board, while instances of stubble burning in Panjab in October were at a five-year low, the area that was set afire in three major districts—Amritsar, Taran Taran, and Ferozpur—was 20% less than in 2024. Three Malwa districts of Fazilka, Muktsar, and Mansa have reported more stubble burning incidents this paddy harvesting season compared to 2024, even as Panjab overall has seen a 36% drop in farm fire cases till 10 Nov. So far, Panjab has reported 4,195 farm fires up to 10 Nov as against 6,611 during the same period in 2024. Concurrently, all the sand the floods brought to fields is not selling at decent prices. Before the floods, sand was selling at USD .45 (INR 40) per cubic feet (CF), leading to illegal mining on river beds and foothills. In Fazilka, Aam Aadmi Party Member of Legislative Assembly Narinder Pal Singh Sawna said a trolley carrying 200–250 CF of sand is selling for just USD 2.26 (INR 200). 'Farmers are charging US .011 (INR 1) per CF. Buyers only pay labor and diesel,' he said. However, the glut is uneven. In Fatehgarh Sahib, trader Gurjeet Singh Happy says prices remain USD .36–.45 (INR 32–40) per CF. In Faridkot, merchant Rakesh Kumar Grover acknowledges a 50% dip, with a truck now costing USD 226 (earlier coverage).

Two rapes of Sikh women in Walsall and Oldbury, both in their 20s, i have been reported in recent weeks. John Ashby, 32, has been charged in connection with a religiously aggravated rape in relation to the Walsall attack. Those incidents, as well as a violent attack on two elderly Sikh taxi drivers in Wolverhampton, prompted a meeting in UK Parliament at the end of October over anti-Sikh hate crimes in the region. In the House of Lords, a Labour peer Lord Kuldip Singh Sahota raised the disturbing nature of recent attacks against Sikhs in the West Midlands region. Telford's Lord Sahota described a spate of hate crimes as 'surprising' and blamed 'a toxic political environment' for worsening community relations. Sikh leaders have raised concerns with Members of Parliament at Westminster and plan to meet policing minister Sarah Jones. The chair Sukhvinder Kaur of Sikh Women’s Aid (SWA), a domestic abuse charity in the West Midlands said women were changing their daily routines to protect themselves. 'The fear, the now complete changing of your day-to-day living, that is real. I have not seen that before'. She said, this is the first time since SWA was set up that women are saying: 'We are no longer doing the things that we enjoy because we might get harmed doing them.’ Congregations at Gurdwaras are funding rape alarms and sending messages to the local community to work together. At the Guru Nanak Parkash Gurdwara in Coventry, activist Deepa Singh from Sikh Youth UK said families should implement small changes to be safer. Meanwhile, Canada has announced plans to slash temporary resident admissions by 25–32% starting next year, while opening a new fast-track permanent residency pathway for tens of thousands of US-based H-1B visa holders and other high-skilled professionals. Canada's Budget 2025 introduces a new pathway allowing up to 33K US H-1B visa holders and other high-skilled temporary workers to transition directly to permanent residency by 2027. Concurrently, the Canada Border Services Agency has deported three foreign nationals following an investigation linking them to an ongoing extortion network targeting Panjabi-origin business owners in British Columbia (earlier coverage).

On 5 Nov, Bloomberg reported that the UK was the first country to provide the Canadian government with intelligence linking Indian agents to the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and to plots targeting legal counsel of Sikhs for Justice, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US and Avtar Singh Khanda in the UK. British intelligence shared a file with Canada in late July 2023 containing details of conversations intercepted by the UK’s signals intelligence agency—the Government Communications Headquarters. Khanda died in June 2023 after being admitted to a hospital. The official cause of death was listed as acute myeloid leukaemia, a form of blood cancer. Earlier this year, his family demanded an inquest after a pathologist noted that the postmortem findings 'do not mean that a poisoning can be completely excluded'. Nijjar was shot dead in his truck outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, Canada in June 2023. Pannun was the target of an alleged murder-for-hire plot in New York, which US authorities said was foiled after they charged an Indian national Nikhil Gupta, accusing him of acting on the instructions of a former Indian intelligence officer Vikas Yadav. The report says, within an hour of receiving the British document, Canada’s then National Security and Intelligence Adviser Jody Thomas briefed then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The report could shed new light on the intelligence trail behind Trudeau’s public accusation in September 2023 that Indian agents were involved in Nijjar’s killing. India has rejected Canadian allegations as ‘absurd and motivated’ and a ‘deliberate strategy of smearing India for political gains.’ The monitored conversations, together with other evidence, explain why Ottawa accuses New Delhi of orchestrating the murder of the Canadian-Sikh activist, even as India denies any role. The British High Commission declined to discuss the report. 'It is the UK’s long-standing position that we do not comment on intelligence matters,' a spokesperson said. The Indian High Commission in Ottawa did not respond to questions. A former senior Canadian Security Intelligence Service officer who is writing a book on transnational repression Dan Stanton said, 'The intercepts are strong evidence. They have a lot of weight. This is the gold standard of alliances' (earlier coverage).

Uganda born, 34-year-old, Panjabi filmmaker Meera Nair and Gujarati Professor of population studies Mahmood Mamdani's Socialist Democrat’s son Zohran Mamdani has won the New York Mayoral elections. A three-term state assemblyman Zohran beat former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for a second time, shattering the political scion’s hopes of a comeback after his loss to Zohran in the June Democratic primary. In his campaign Zohran emphasized affordable food, housing, and transport. He was also up against Islamophobia and criticism over his pro-Gaza, anti-Israel stance. Mamdani’s victory has implications not just for New York City but for progressive movements worldwide. More than 2M voters cast their ballot in the 2025 election, the biggest turnout for a mayor’s race since 1969, suggesting that his message resonated deeply with a broad cross-section of New Yorkers. Zohranis NYC’s first Muslim mayor and first South Asian to hold the office. His father Mehmood's seminal study of population in Panjab had influenced family planning policies in South Asia and Africa in the later part of 20^th century. Also, in Norwich, Connecticut Democrat Swarnjit Singh Khalsa has become its first Sikh mayor. Originally from Jalandhar, Swarnjit arrived in the US in 2007. Democrat Aftab Pureval has been re-elected as the Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio. Aftab is the son of a Panjabi father and a Tibetan refugee mother. He made history in 2021 as Cincinnati’s first Asian American mayor. The 43-year-old attorney and politician defeated Pastor and coffee shop owner Cory Bowman, the half-brother of US Vice President James David Vance, by a wide margin, securing 78% of the vote. Democrats Balvir Singh was re-elected to the State Assembly from District 7 (Burlington, New Jersey) and Ravi Singh Bhalla was elected to the New Jersey Assembly from the 32nd District (Jersey City and Hoboken). Also elected were Democrats Kim Singh (Mason City Council, Mason, Ohio) and Satwinder Kaur (Kent City Council Position No. 2, Kent, Washington), while Jas Jeet Singh was re-elected as a delegate in the Virginia House of Delegates (26th District, Virginia).

In her first book, An Invisible Minority, Komal JB Singh puts the spotlight on the voices, struggles, and resilience of the Kashmiri Sikh community. Reviewer Bilal Gani says, the book provides a firsthand account of the displacement, violence and trauma experienced by the community through interviews, and by accessing archival records as well as literature. In popular discourse, Dogra ruler Gulab Singh is credited with establishing Jammu and Kashmir as an entity. However, it was the founder of the Lahore kingdom Maharaja Ranjit Singh who truly laid its foundation. Through rigorous research, the author establishes a narrative of state-building under the Sikhs. However, despite their proactive role, Kashmiri Sikhs have remained largely underrepresented and insignificant in the understanding of Kashmir and its society. This book presents a new historiography of the conflict-ridden region by placing the Sikh community at the center of history writing in the Valley. In the chapter The Partition of 1947 and the Sikhs of Kashmir, Singh presents a chilling account of the horrors of Partition and the mass killings along religious lines. Singh documents how the Kashmiri Sikhs, as a vulnerable minority, were persecuted and uprooted during the tribal invasions and the communal violence that followed the British withdrawal from India. The resilience of the Sikh community in the face of violence and persecution is evident from the fact that most Sikhs chose to remain in Kashmir even when Kashmiri Pandits left the Valley following the outbreak of armed insurgency in the late 1980s. Amid the complex and contested identities of the region, this micro-minority has remained both neglected and invisible. Singh’s book attempts to restore the lost glory and identity of the community; it stands out as a groundbreaking ethnographic account of their experiences. Kashmiri cultural practices became intrinsic to the Sikh community and significantly influenced their lifestyle and identity. The author carefully details that despite targeted killings and marginalisation, the Sikhs of Kashmir have remained fearless and resilient. As minority identities come under assault in India, this book becomes crucial for understanding how marginalisation and persecution endanger the survival of nation-states, and why protecting minorities is essential for building a truly democratic and powerful nation (earlier coverage).