Rahul Gandhi Visits US, Remark on Sikhs Kicks Up Furore

From 8-10 Sep, INC leader and Leader of Opposition in the Indian Parliament Rahul Gandhi was on a three-day visit to the US. In his various talks and engagements, he was critical of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh – BJP’s parent organization. He spoke on various issues: social and economic inequality, inadequate caste representation and reservations, religious minorities, trade and commerce, and that India is a union of states. He claimed that despite frozen bank accounts through the general elections, INC and allies managed to destroy the culture of fear the BJP had spread in India. On 9 Sep, at an event in Virginia, he asked a Sikh man his name and said, ‘The fight in India is not about politics. It is about whether a Sikh is allowed to wear a turban, a kara (iron bracelet), and is allowed to go to a Gurdwara. This is for all religions.’ Sikhs for Justice legal counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun Pannun as well as Kendri (Central) Sikh Sabha, Chandigarh, endorsed Gandhi’s statement. BJP’s Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar to Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri criticized Gandhi over the statement on Sikhs. Ravneet Singh Bittu called Gandhi ‘Terrorist No. 1’ for dividing Indian society. BJP’s Sikh supporters protested outside Rahul Gandhi’s home. SAD’s Harsimrat Kaur Badal invoked ‘Operation Blue Star’ and the 1984 Sikh genocide, asking Gandhi and INC to apologize. However, Bibi Kiranjot Kaur said, ‘We must pay attention to Gandhi’s statement, especially because Sikhs routinely face discrimination in entrance exams, Sikh police officers are called Khalistani. Sikhs arriving from abroad often have their kirpans (traditional sword) confiscated at Delhi airport.’ Discrimination against Sikhs and other religious minorities is an undisputed fact in India. In this case, the BJP did what it does best: distract attention from the core issue.

In the case of the 1984 anti-Sikh genocide, the determination of one woman, Nirpreet Kaur, has led to the framing of murder charges against INC leader Jagdish Tytler for his alleged involvement in the deaths of three Sikh men at Delhi’s Gurdwara Pul Bangash in November 1984. After the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a closure report three times between 2007 and 2013, Kaur was outraged by the lack of accountability; her father was the genocide victim. Tytler was exonerated, with the court stating they did not have sufficient evidence. However, Nirpreet took it upon herself to find Lakhwinder Kaur, the widow of another one of the victims. Nirpreet successfully located her in Tilak Vihar’s Widow Colony, enabling Lakhwinder to file a protest petition that reopened the case. On 30 Aug, a Delhi court had ordered framing of charges after determining that the CBI had provided enough evidence to move forward (SDW Vol 2 Issue 36, Story 2). On 13 Sep, Tytler pleaded not guilty to charges related to the killing of three men. Advocate Harvinder Singh Phoolka said, ‘It has taken 40 years for this trial to begin. Hopefully, the trial will conclude soon and he (Tytler) will be jailed.’ While Tytler is out on bail, granted by a sessions court on a bond and surety of $1,200 for each charge, he has denied any wrongdoing. Even going as far as saying ‘if there is evidence against me, I’m prepared to hang myself.’ The case remains a point of attack for the INC, with the party’s senior leaders, including Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi, having apologized for the events of 1984.

Seven Indian nationals, six from Panjab and one from Haryana, who had been serving in the Russian Army, returned home on 10 Sep following their discharge. On 14 Sep, one youth from Telangana and three from Karnataka also returned home. The development comes after PM Narendra Modi’s July visit to Russia, during which he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and emphasized the urgent need for the early release of Indian nationals serving in the Russian Army. A total of 89 Indian nationals have been serving in the Russian Army, and the Ministry of External Affairs reports that 13 have already left, while 66 others are seeking early discharge. Rajya Sabha (Upper House) MP from Panjab, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, has been actively raising the issue in the Indian Parliament. He confirmed he has been in contact with the returning youth and their families. In March, Gurpreet Singh, along with some others had sent a video to his family alleging they were forcibly recruited into the Russian Army after going there on a tourist visa to celebrate the New Year. He alleged they were threatened with 10 years in jail for visa violations. In another case, in December 2023 Mohammed Sufiyan from Telangana left Dubai where he worked at a packing company. His family claims he and others were misled into thinking they were applying for jobs as helpers in Russian govt. offices, but were actually tricked into joining their military and sent to the frontlines in Ukraine (SDW Vol 2 Issue 29, Story 2).

On 13 Sep, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted multiple raids in Panjab’s Moga, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Jalandhar districts. The NIA and Panjab Police teams turned up at a furniture shop, owned by Amritpal Singh’s uncle Pargat Singh Sandhu in Rayya, near the MP’s native village of Jallupur Khera. Sandhu’s wife Amarjit Kaur was among the relatives taken to the police station in Beas for questioning where she was quizzed for five hours before being released. NIA also searched the houses of Amritpal’s sister at Butala village and other relatives who live at Chowk Mehta. The raids were in connection with an alleged March 2023 incident when pro-Khalistan supporters protested outside the High Commission of India in Ottawa, Canada. According to the NIA’s First Information Report (FIR) registered in June 2023, protesters, allegedly led by Amritpal Singh’s brother-in-law Amarjot Singh, raised anti-India slogans, tied Khalistani flags on the High Commission’s boundary wall, and reportedly hurled two grenades inside the building. Baaz News debunked the claim that grenades were thrown during the protest, calling it a blatant lie. The news of the grenade attack was widely published in Indian media. It is incredulous that over one and a half years later, a fake news report can lead to such drastic action by the NIA. Meanwhile, in view of the assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir, jailed MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, has been released on bail to campaign in the elections. At the same time, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a notice to Amritpal Singh on a plea challenging his election to Parliament. 

On 9 Sep, Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) comprising govt. doctors, suspended Out Patient Department services across the state for three hours daily initially for three days to press for their demands, including that of Assured Career Progression (ACP). PCMSA emphasized that the safety measures promised by the health minister are yet to be implemented on the ground. Also, no formal notification regarding timely promotions, a key demand in the ongoing protests, has been issued by the govt. despite repeated meetings. On 12 Sep, the govt. agreed in principle to accept a number of PCMSA demands, including restoration of the ACP and security for health care workers. The association, however, decided to continue with the strike till a formal communication accepting the demands was issued by the state govt. PCMSA called off the strike on 14 Sep after a written assurance by state health minister Dr. Balbir Singh. At a structural level, with 59% of medical officer posts and 57% of specialist positions remaining vacant, govt. hospitals in Panjab are grappling with a severe shortage of medical staff. For instance, Fazilka district has only 51 specialist doctors out of 152 sanctioned posts and 23 medical officers against 82 sanctioned posts. Additionally, key positions such as civil surgeon, assistant civil surgeon, and district immunization officer remain unfilled. The latest Health Dynamics of India: Infrastructure and Human Resources 2022-23 report compiled by the central govt. health ministry, provides data on health infrastructure in all states, including manpower, up to 31 Mar 2023. It paints a grim picture for Panjab. Urban areas need 258 Primary Health Centers (PHCs), but currently only 124 PHCs are open. Rural areas need 3,575 sub-centres but only 2,857 are open (SDW Vol 2 Issue 1, Story 7).

The Panjab education department has promoted 301 teachers to English lecturers for classes 11 and 12, but only three of them have actual experience teaching English. The remaining 298 teachers were previously teaching other subjects, including science, social studies, math, and even physical education. Many of these promoted teachers earned their MA in English via distance learning, with some receiving ‘provisional’ promotions due to UGC policy changes on distance learning courses. A large number of promoted teachers also lack subject-specific degrees in their respective fields, with 92 math teachers and 48 social studies teachers being promoted as commerce lecturers despite not having studied commerce at the undergraduate level. Harpinder Singh Dhillon, president of the Association of English Teaching Aspirants, has called for proficiency tests for teachers being promoted to subjects they haven’t studied. Teachers who have invested years studying and teaching their subjects feel sidelined, as promotions often favor those with distance learning qualifications from other subjects. Also, Panjab govt. schools are struggling with deteriorating computer education infrastructure, posing a significant challenge to students’ digital learning experience. Outdated equipment, crumbling labs, and a shortage of qualified staff have left computer labs across the state in disrepair. Students are increasingly frustrated, with many pointing out the stark contrast between public and private schools, where advanced topics are already being taught. Educationist Surinderbir Singh warned that the widening digital divide could leave govt. school students lagging behind in the race toward a technologically advanced future.

The Panjab govt., in an affidavit submitted by Chief Secretary Anurag Verma to the Punjab and Haryana High Court (PHHC), revealed that out of 37 National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) projects in the state, complete land possession has been secured for only 11, covering 318 km out of a total 1,344 km. A meeting held on 30 Aug between state officials and the NHAI concluded that five Delhi-Katra expressway-linked projects would be prioritized, with Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police tasked with ensuring 100% land possession by 15 Oct. Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had written to Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on 9 Aug, warning that eight highway projects in Panjab, worth $1.7B, might be terminated if law and order did not improve. Gadkari cites two incidents involving the assault and threats to NHAI staff working on the Delhi-Katra expressway. Despite these concerns, CM Mann attributed the delays to NHAI’s land acquisition issues. At the same time, The Punjab Forest Department has also raised concerns over rampant construction activities on the periphery of Chandigarh, specifically in areas recently delisted from forest status. The department noted that developers are illegally constructing farmhouses and plots in violation of Supreme Court guidelines that restrict development in delisted forest areas. Meanwhile, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau has received the central govt.’s approval to prosecute two former IAS officers, SS Bains and GK Singh, in connection with a 2023 corruption case involving the misappropriation of funds for land acquisition in Jheurheri village, SAS Nagar. The ex-officers, who served as directors of the Department of Panchayats and Rural Development, have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. The case stems from the officers’ alleged embezzlement of $1.8M meant as compensation for land acquisition.

The Panjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) has extradited five gangsters from four countries (UAE, Azerbaijan, Hong Kong, and Philippines). During a press conference in Chandigarh, AGTF-Assistant Inspector Generals Gurmeet Chauhan and Sandeep Goel stated that the AGTF, in collaboration with central agencies and police from various states, had also conducted inter-state operations, leading to the arrest of 37 gangsters across India. Goel added that the AGTF’s social media analysis unit has identified multiple accounts created using notorious gangsters’ names to upload seditious content, as part of their broader efforts to curb criminal activity. At the same time, Panjab has seen a significant decline in cases under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) this year, with only five cases recorded until 31 Aug, compared to 14 in 2023 and 25 in 2022. Most of those arrested are Sikhs alleged to be involved in terrorist activities. Meanwhile, an explosion rocked a house in Chandigarh’s Sector 10. It is suspected to be a targeted attack with police suspecting the target was retired Superintendent of Police Jaskirat Singh Chahal, who lived on the first floor of the house until two years ago. Chahal has been on the radar of militants since 1986, when four Sikh youths were killed in the Nakodar police firing incident during his tenure as Station House Officer (SDW Vol 2 Issue 10, Story 5). Two people have been arrested. Police say, one of them, Rohan Masih has confessed that US-based gangster Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia enticed him to carry out the attack.

A Chandigarh-based immigration scam has defrauded 45 individuals out of $78K through fraudulent visa services. The scam was exposed when a Rajasthan resident Ganeshmal who fell victim to a consultancy named Global Consultant after paying $1,600 per person for work visas to Azerbaijan, only to discover upon arrival at Delhi airport that the tickets were fake. The consultancy, which had promised visas through a Facebook advertisement, defrauded over 40 people. After the scam came to light, the main accused shut down the office and started a new consultancy Dream Land Immigration but was soon arrested along with five others. Visa fraud cases like this are becoming more prevalent in India, with Delhi Police arresting 108 fraudulent agents in the last six months, a sharp rise from 51 during the same period last year (SDW Vol 2 Issue 29, Story 6). Chandigarh has seen similar scams before, including the 2011 Healthyway Immigration case and a 2018 visa fraud racket. Further complicating things, following changes in Canadian immigration policies, tens of thousands of international students may be forced to return to their home countries as their Post Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) expire in 2024 and 2025. Labor advocacy groups, such as the Naujawan Support Network, have been pushing for visa extensions and more transparency in the permanent residency process, while law experts argue that the govt. is reneging on its promise of a path to residency. Meanwhile, a report by ed-tech company ApplyBoard shows that the number of study permits processed for Canada is expected to drop by 39% in 2024 compared to 2023. 

British Sikhs, led by the Network of Sikh Organisations (NSO) and Lord Singh of Wimbledon, are strongly opposing a new definition of Islamophobia being considered in the UK. In a letter to Deputy PM Angela Rayner, the NSO expressed ‘serious concerns’ over the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims’ definition, which would prevent saying that ‘Muslims spread Islam by the sword.’ British Sikhs argue this restricts their ability to discuss their own faith’s history, particularly the martyrdom of Sikh Gurus who resisted forced conversions under Mughal rule. Both Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Arjan were arrested by the Mughals and given the option to convert to Islam or die by execution. The APPG’s definition, adopted by the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn, states that ‘Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.’ The NSO contends this definition distorts historical facts, citing examples of continued persecution of minority groups under Islamic regimes, such as the targeted killings of Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan and persecution in Pakistan in the past few decades. The appeal followed Rayner’s comments in British Parliament on 2 Sep, where she emphasized that any new definition must consider multiple perspectives and the potential impact on different communities. Raynar also said, ‘Much of last month’s violent disorder was Islamophobic, and the targeting of Muslims shows that we need to go further and faster in tackling this vile hatred, which was fuelled by fake news,’ referring to the mass race riots that erupted in England in August, which targeted minorities, primarily Muslims.