Trudeau Condemns Brampton Hindu-Sikh Clashes; Arrests Made

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau condemned the 3 Nov violence at Brampton, Ontario Hindu Sabha Mandir (temple, HSM) PM Trudeau stated, ‘there are many supporters of Khalistan in Canada but they do not represent the Sikh community as a whole.’ He also added that supporters of Indian PM Narendra Modi in Canada do not represent all Hindu Canadians. Meanwhile, the Consulate General of India in Toronto announced the cancellation of some scheduled consular camps due to security concerns. However, Peel police denied receiving any threats to any place of worship. On 10 Nov the Brampton Triveni Community Center also announced the cancellation of its planned life certificate event by the Indian Consulate. On 6 Nov, Peel Regional Police arrested Ron (Ranendra Lal) Banerjee from Toronto, charging him with public incitement of hatred. On 4 Nov Banerjee incited an attack on the Malton Gurdwara. Arrest warrants have been issued for Armaan Gahlot of Kitchener and 22-year-old Arpit (no last name reported) on charges including uttering threats to cause death. Additionally, allegations have emerged that Mahendra Gupta recruited youth from Haryana, promising them weapons and support from the temple committee to participate in anti-Sikh violence. Peel police have also arrested Inderjeet Gosal, charging him with assault with a weapon following the demonstration at the HSM. A property owned by Gosal was targeted by gunfire in Feb (SDW Vol 2, Issue 35, Story 4). SFJ head, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun put out a statement, stating those who support PM Modi’s ‘violent Hindutva ideology ‘should ‘be loyal to Canada, or leave Canada’.

On 30 Oct, the Indian Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) issued a directive barring Sikh airport employees from wearing kirpans (traditional sword) while on duty. Indian Sikh advocacy groups, including Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM), FlyAmritsar Initiative (FAI), and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), urged Indian authorities to revoke the directive. The directive allows Sikh passengers to carry kirpans with blades under six inches on domestic flights but explicitly restricts Sikh employees from wearing them at work, leading to reported incidents at airports where Sikh staff have been denied terminal access. AVM and FAI leaders highlighted the directive’s inconsistency with international standards in countries like the UK and Canada, which permit Sikh employees in sensitive roles to wear kirpans. Citing Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, which protects religious freedoms, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami condemned the ban as an ‘excess’. The SGPC has formally appealed to Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu for a policy revision. Youth Akali Dal President Sarabjeet Singh Jhinjer criticized the directive as discriminatory. Meanwhile, On 4 Nov, the Kurukshetra police booked three unidentified youths for assaulting Ratananmol Singh, a resident of Shahabad, Haryana and employee at Gurdwara Mardon Sahib. Singh said three youths stopped him, tied him with a rope, cut his hair, and took his hair in a bag. The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee condemned the violent act and demanded strict action against the accused (SDW Vol 1 Issue 14, Story 10).

On 4 Nov, the Supreme Court of India (SCI) said, if the Union govt. does not decide on it either way, it would consider the mercy petition of death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana in the 1995 Panjab CM Beant Singh assassination case (SDW Vol 1 Issue 15, Story 2). A special court had sentenced Rajoana to death in July 2007. Rajoana, in custody for 29 years, is seeking commutation of his death sentence to life term.’ Rajoana’s counsel Mukul Rastogi said, ‘His mercy petition has been pending with the President for the past 12 years. Please release him for six or three months. Let him see what the outside world looks like.’ On 8 Nov, the Rouse Avenue Court (RAC), Delhi reserved its judgment in a 1984 Sikh genocide case against former INC MP Sajjan Kumar, on the killings of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in Saraswati Vihar on 1 Nov 1984. RAC is expected to deliver its judgment on 29 Nov. Kumar is currently imprisoned in Tihar Jail, serving a life sentence imposed by the Delhi High Court (DHC)  in 2018 for his involvement in the killing of five Sikhs at Raj Nagar Part I in Palam Colony on 1-2 Nov 1984 and the burning down of the Raj Nagar Part II Gurdwara. Currently, three cases are pending against Kumar in the RAC, two appeals against his acquittals are pending in the DHC, and one appeal against his conviction in one case is pending in the SCI. Meanwhile, on 12 Nov, the DHC made it clear that the murder trial against INC leader Jagdish Tytler would continue (SDW Vol 2 Issue 41, Story 7).

The British-era 110 Megawatt Shanan hydropower project situated in Joginder Nagar, 40 km from Palampur in Himachal Pradesh (HP), is at the center of a storm between Panjab and HP. The project was built in 1925 by Colonel BC Batty who laid a small gauge rail line between Pathankot and Joginder Nagar to transport heavy machinery to the Shanan project. He constructed a haulage rail network starting from Joginder Nagar to Barot and a ropeway trolley, one of its only types in India. One of the oldest power houses of the country, Shanan used to feed the entire undivided Panjab, Lahore and Delhi before independence. At that time, Raja Joginder Singh Bahadur, the then ruler of Mandi, had given the project to Panjab on a 99-year lease. Also, through the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 the project was awarded to Panjab. HP CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has written to Panjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann saying HP intends to take over the project and will not renew or extend the lease. The Panjab govt. has asserted its right on the project and moved to the Supreme Court of India (SCI) staking its claim on the Shanan power house even after the expiry of the lease. During a meeting with Union Power Minister Manohar Lal in Shimla, Sukhu also urged the Union govt. to direct the Bhakra Beas Management Board to release 13,066M units of outstanding power arrears owed to HP for the period from November 1996 to October 2011, noting that despite a SCI ruling in favor of the state, it has yet to receive its rightful share. He emphasized that while private companies comply with this policy, Public Sector Undertakings should also adhere to it.

In June 2024, Satnam Singh from Chand Nawan village in Panjab, died in a farm accident near Rome, Italy, highlighting the exploitation of migrant workers under the illegal gangmaster system known as ‘caporalato’ (SDW Vol 2, Issue 26, Story 7). Singh left Panjab in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown via a ‘donkey route,’ a smuggling path, paying approximately USD 12K borrowed from loan sharks and pledging family assets. Working in Agro Pontino, he endured hard labor, low wages of USD 4-5 per hour, and long hours without compensation. His employer’s son, Antonello Lovato, faces potential homicide charges for neglect. Despite existing Italian laws against exploitation, enforcement is weak, and systemic abuse persists. However, unemployment in Panjab stands at 6.1%, pushing youth to risk dangerous journeys abroad (SDW Vol 2, Issue 45, Story 7). Panjabi youth struggle to find opportunities within Panjab, and amid growing diplomatic tensions with Canada and India, they are left with fewer safe options abroad. Recently, the Canadian govt. revised its visa policy thus ending the issuance of tourist visas with a validity of up to ten years. Under the new guidelines, immigration officers now have the discretion to decide whether to issue single-entry or multiple-entry visas and determine their validity periods. On 8 Nov, Canada abruptly terminated its Student Direct Stream (SDS) program, ending a fast-track study permit process that helped migrate thousands of international students, primarily from Panjab. Additional tightening measures include tougher language and academic benchmarks for the Post-Graduation Work Permit, limited work permits for spouses of international students, and higher financial proof requirements.

Ministers in Pakistan’s Panjab blamed India for worsening smog conditions in Lahore as the Air Quality Index (AQI) reached hazardous levels, with the concentration of particulate matter 2.5 approaching 450, according to the Punjab Environment Protection Department, Pakistan. Noting that easterly winds from India were bringing polluted air into Pakistan, Pakistan’s Panjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari urged Indian authorities to take the matter seriously. Another senior Pakistan Panjab minister, Marriyum Aurangzeb, asked the Pakistan Foreign Office to discuss cross-border pollution with India, emphasizing that winds from Amritsar and Chandigarh were spiking Lahore’s AQI to over 1,000 from 1 Nov to 4 Nov. On 11 Nov, Multan AQI hit a hazardous 2,135, enveloping the city in thick smog and triggering emergency measures. The Pakistan Panjab govt. has closed primary schools in Lahore for a week. On 11 Nov, the United Nations warned that in Pakistan, 11M children under the age of 5 are at risk due to the smog. However, efforts in Panjab, India, have led to a 73% reduction in farm fires, decreasing from 17,403 up to 5 Nov 2023 to 4,755 in the same period this year. Under the National Green Tribunal’s supervision, district administrations have taken actions against stubble burning. Additionally, Delhi’s Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced the Delhi govt. has intensified crackdowns on air pollution by forming 58 teams to monitor industrial units for environmental compliance. With Delhi’s AQI remaining ‘very poor’ at 352, the govt. is enforcing a Winter Action Plan targeting 21 focus points, deploying 191 patrol teams to ensure proper disposal of industrial waste, and mandating industrial units to switch to Piped Natural Gas.

As of 8 Nov, the Center has procured 12M metric tonnes (MTs) of paddy from Panjab, achieving 65% of the estimated target of 18.5M MT’s for the ongoing Kharif (summer) marketing season 2024-25, which continues until 30 Nov. A total of 12.6M MT’s of paddy has arrived in Panjab mandis (grain markets), with procurement carried out by state agencies and the Food Corporation of India. Paddy is being purchased at the Minimum Support Price of USD 27 per quintal. The procurement began on 1 Oct, with 2,927 designated mandis. The govt. stated that paddy procurement is going on without issues. However, in Karnal district, in Haryana, farmers with a total of 90K quintals of paddy have had their gate pass entries deleted across seven grain markets, sparking concerns of potential procurement irregularities. The Nissing, Haryana grain market saw the highest deletions with 772 gate passes of farmers with 42.6K quintals removed. While some deletions could result from clerical errors or duplicates, the scale has raised alarm about potential fraud. An official with the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board acknowledged the possibility of fake passes issued for illicit procurement attempts. Meanwhile, Panjab INC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring criticized the AAP and CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, stating that the state govt. compelled farmers to experience a ‘black Diwali’ due to delayed paddy procurement. He highlighted that farmers have been waiting in mandis for over 20 days with no sign of crop procurement, ruining their produce and festive season. Economist Siraj Hussain questioned why procurement in states like Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand proceeds smoothly, while Panjab faces issues.

On 2 Nov, three individuals hurled a petrol bomb at the home of Shiv Sena (Hind) leader Harjot Singh Khurana in Ludhiana’s Model Town, Panjab. Panjab police, in collaboration with the Counter Intelligence Wing, arrested four members allegedly of a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror module. The suspects, Jaswinder Singh alias Binder, Ravinder Pal Singh alias Ravi, Manish Sahid alias Sanju, and Anil Kumar alias Honey, were involved in two incidents, including an 16 Oct attack on Shiv Sena leader Yogesh Bakshi’s residence in Haibowal and the attack on Khurana’s home. Two of the arrested are from the Hindu community, raising questions about BKI’s actual involvement. Concurrently, after an encounter near the outskirts of Jalandhar Cantonment, on 5 Nov, Panjab police arrested two gangsters of the Kaushal-Bambiha gang, identified as Rajeshwar Kumar and Deepak Vaid alias Babu. Panjab’s Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav stated that both gangsters sustained critical injuries while attempting to escape from custody. At the same time, on 4 Nov, gangsters opened fire at two business establishments in Delhi, demanding extortion amounts totaling approximately USD 1.1M and 1.7M. Meanwhile, Panjab police have arrested two key suspects, Navjot Singh and Anmolpreet Singh, in connection with the murder of Sikh activist Gurpreet Singh Hari Nau. The arrests were made by the Counter intelligence Wing in Kharar, Mohali, on 9 Nov, approximately a month after Gurpreet was shot dead by four assailants (SDW Vol 2, Issue 43, Story 5).

Amidst turbulent ties between India and Canada, this week the Indian media circulated three stories without conducting basic fact-checks, as propaganda for the regime, stoking the Hindu community’s fears, and targeting Sikhs. First was the 3 Nov Hindu temple incident at Brampton, Canada. It was widely publicized by Indian media that Sikhs had attacked the temple. Indian PM Narendra Modi called it a ‘deliberate attack’ while Canadian PM Justin Trudeau condemned the incidents. Some Sikh voices denied any attack had taken place and some condemned it, some went ahead and condemned Trudeau. Jathedar (leader) of Takht Damdama Sahib Giani Harpreet Singh accepted ‘a tussle took place at the temple gate but Sikhs did not attack the temple.’ Second was the news that Canada had banned an interview Australia Today had carried with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, questioning Canada’s famed ‘right to free speech’. Australia Today’s Editor-in-Chief Jitarth Jai Bharadwaj said, ‘Trudeau is behaving like a dictator'. Fact check by BOOM Live revealed that ‘the Facebook page of Australia Today did not show posts because of a decision by Meta to block all news content (local and international) on its platforms in Canada over a disagreement about Canada’s Online News Act 2023 that requires tech platforms to compensate news businesses for their content.’ Australia Today has admitted the ban was not by Canada but Facebook, but said nothing about misleading Indian media. Third was a widely reported arrest of Arsh (Arshdeep Singh) Dalla, an alleged ‘gangster’ according to India, attributed to enigmatic ‘sources’. No Canadian media has reported it. India ranks 159 out of 180 in the Press Freedom index while Canada ranks 14.

A group of Panjab farmers led by Narinder Singh, from Ajjowal village, Hoshiarpur, is pioneering Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), challenging conventional high-input agricultural practices. Starting in 2011, well before the Center introduced ZBNF in the 2020 Union Budget, Narinder and his group of 15 farmers embraced sustainable methods, avoiding fertilizers and pesticides. Utilizing traditional desi rudi (homemade compost), vermicompost, and farm waste residue as fertilizers, they also implemented natural pest control by understanding pest life cycles, maintaining ecological balance. They avoid hybrid seeds allowing farmers to earn 20% more, and sometimes double, compared to chemical farming methods. Concurrently, Kahan Singh Pannu, a retired Indian Administrative Service officer, demonstrated an innovative farming technique in Panjab by growing paddy using only 25% of the water required. After retiring in Sep 2020, Pannu began managing 17 acres of farmland in Jai Nagar village, Patiala, where he implemented Seeding of Rice on Beds (SRB). This technique involves planting paddy on raised beds without puddling, significantly reducing water usage. Pannu collaborated with National Agricultural Implements in Ludhiana to develop a machine costing approximately USD 12K that creates beds and plants seeds, capable of covering 7-8 acres daily. The SRB method uses 3.5 kg of seeds per acre compared to 8 kg in traditional sowing and saves farmers around USD 600 on labor and USD 240 on puddling per acre. Other farmers across 12 locations using SRB also achieved higher yields comparable to conventional methods. Pannu emphasized that Panjab’s groundwater could deplete to a depth of 1,000 feet within 15 years due to paddy cultivation, which consumes about 5,000 liters of water per kilogram of rice.