UK Elects 12 Sikh MPs

In the recent UK elections, which the Labour Party swept, a record 12 members from the Sikh community, including 6 women, and 4 identifiable Sikhs were elected to the House of Commons. They are among the 28 elected Indian-origin Members of Parliament (MPs). All the Sikh MPs belong to the Labour Party. They include 9 first-timers, 2 who have been elected for the third consecutive time, and 1 who made it to the House of Commons for the second time. Preet Kaur Gill and Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi won back their seats for Labour in Birmingham Edgbaston and Slough, respectively for the third consecutive time. Nadia Whittome, who describes herself as a Sikh Catholic and is openly queer, won a second time from Nottingham East. Harinder Singh, Senior Fellow of Research & Policy at the Sikh Research Institute, said that the UK has elected the ‘most diverse’ Sikh-descent parliamentarians. ‘Given that all are from the Labour Party, the party must elevate those who have been elected for the second time and third time as ministers. All Sikh MPs must address the Sikh and the Panjab issues at policy levels as they govern for all UK constituents and navigate strategic partnerships with India. They must not ignore the plight of Sikhs in Pakistan either.’ Unlike the UK, where all Sikh MPs are from the Labour Party, in Canada, they are present in all three mainstream parties – 13 from the Liberal Party, 4 from the Conservative Party, and 1 from the New Democratic Party. India has 11 Sikh MPs. 7 from INC, 2 from AAP, 1 from SAD, and 2 independents. The ruling party in India, BJP has no Sikh, Muslim, or Christian MP.

‍

On 5 Jul, two independent MPs, Amritpal Singh from Khadoor Sahib in Panjab and Sheikh Abdul Rashid from Baramulla in Jammu & Kashmir, took their oaths to office (SDW Vol 2 Issue 24, Story 5). Since both are incarcerated, they were granted short parole – strict conditions were imposed on Singh. The oath-taking ceremony took place amid heightened security in and around the Parliament complex. Singh and Rashid were brought to Parliament by the Delhi Police and taken to the Speaker’s chambers to take the oath after which they were remanded to jail. No photographs or video footage of the oath-taking ceremony has been released. After the ceremony, Singh’s mother Balwinder Kaur said, ‘We demand he be released immediately...He is not a Khalistan supporter…He fought elections within the ambit of the Constitution and took oath.’ Later Kaur clarified, ‘The media has twisted my words. It is for Singh to speak on the issue of Khalistan.’ The next day, a tweet appeared on X from Singh’s new handle (started June 2024) saying, ‘It is not a crime to dream of Khalsa Raj. Instead, it is a matter of pride. So many have been martyred for the dream, we cannot step back from the path.’ On 8 Jul, BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu said, ‘Singh has taken oath on Constitution, his mother has given her statement, what is left to discuss? This tweet is an attempt to divide Singh’s family.’ Panjab BJP leader Sunil Jakhar said, ‘If there is demand for Amritpal’s release, why can’t Lawrence Bishnoi be released?’ Singh is an undertrial prisoner pending hearing on his case, while Bishnoi has already been sentenced.

Since the Farmers’ Protest 2.0 started on 13 Feb and Haryana barricaded the Shambhu border, there was a campaign through which farmers were blamed for blocking National Highway 44. Many groups of citizens have petitioned the Punjab and Haryana High Court (PHHC) to evict the farmers. The farmers also petitioned and argued it was not them but the Haryana govt. that caused difficulties for commuters on this road, which links not only Panjab but also Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir to the Indian mainland. On 10 Jul, the PHHC directed the Haryana Government to unblock the Shambhu border. ‘State should wake up, border should not be closed,’ said a division bench of Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Vikas Bahl while hearing the Public Interest Litigations. PHHC also directed both the states to ensure that law and order is maintained and the highway is restored.’ Upon Additional Advocate General for Haryana Deepak Sabharwal saying that farmers could enter Haryana, Justice Sandhawalia observed, ‘Men in uniform cannot be scared of the farmers...we are living in a democracy, farmers cannot be stopped from entering Haryana.’ Guramneet Singh Mangat, the convener of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KKM), said, ‘It is a positive step. We welcome the order. We have already lost over two dozen farmers and hundreds have been injured in the protest so far.’ He said the unions would meet on 11 Jul to discuss the future course of the agitation. This is a moral and legal win for farmers (SDW Vol. 2 Issue 7, Story 1).

On 2 Jul, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) member Sudhir Aggarwal categorically stated that ‘there is no scientific study directly linking Panjab farm fires to Delhi’s pollution.’ For over a decade now, Delhi’s acute air pollution in winter months has been blamed on Panjab, paddy cultivation, and the fires to the post-harvest straw. Notably, Panjab grows paddy to feed India and not itself as it is not a native Panjabi food. The large scale of paddy cultivation, the advent of a combine harvester which leaves behind the taller straw, the law that mandates later plantation and harvest of paddy, and the failure of both national and state govts. to provide farmers tools and incentives to solve the issue, Panjab farmers have been demonized in media and social media. Justice Aggarwal asked how the smoke could travel to the national capital only and not any further and termed the moves to impose fines and arrest farmers over stubble burning as a ‘grave injustice.’ ‘Farmers have the responsibility to maintain the greenery on the earth. Environment is directly linked to agriculture,’ he said and stressed the importance of surface soil and sustainable farming practices. The statement by Judge Aggarwal must silence the critics. It highlights the need for comprehensive scientific research to understand the source of pollution accurately – firecrackers during Diwali, industry, traffic fumes, cement, wood fires, and garbage disposal – rather than attributing it solely to agricultural practices (SDW Vol. 1 Issue 4, Story 6). Advocate HS Phoolka spoke on the need for simpler farming methods such as ‘no drill’ wheat sowing and exploring other eco-friendly methods.

While the pre-monsoon showers in Panjab were deficit, once monsoon came last week, it came with fury. The Indian Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert in 11 districts. This week there are reports of bridges being swept away, railway lines breaking, and flooding from neighboring states. This evokes concerns about floods in Panjab like in 2023. The Panjab-based civil rights and environmental group Political Action Committee exposed the role of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMP) in the floods last year. Between 12-16 Aug 2023, there was a huge inflow of water in the Bhakra Dam reservoir. However, the outflow of water was even lesser than normal days. This created a huge amount of extra water in the reservoir which was released in large amounts for the next few days causing flooding in the river Satluj. In December 2023 Jaskirat Singh from PAC said, ‘A few months back, we had investigated and shared charts of Sutlej, Beas, Bhakra Dam and Pong Dam water data in the aftermath of floods in Punjab. That data indicated with great clarity that human error that led to those floods and they could have been avoided.’ When pointed out last year, BBMP hid the data which is a violation of citizen’s right to information. This year again, the BBMP has hidden the data. Singh says, ‘The website shows errors from the last many months. This data should not be hidden as it shows the exact situation and makes decision making easier for everyone.’ PAC appeals to everyone including govt. and administration to push BBMP to declare the live data.

While paying tributes to Maharaja Ranjit Singh on his 185th death anniversary at Badrukhan village in Sangrur on 29 Jun, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said the state govt. would construct the Malwa canal in south Panjab. ‘This will be the first canal of the state to be constructed after Independence,’ said the CM. He said this canal would irrigate the fields in Gidderbaha, Lambi, and other areas of Malwa. This is part of the AAP government’s initiative to revive canal irrigation in Panjab. In Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib and Malerkotla districts, canal water irrigation has resumed after 40 years through underground pipes replacing hundreds of tube wells. Senior leader Jagmeet Singh Brar said rising above differences between political parties, there is an urgent need for the Malwa canal in southern Panjab. On 29 Jun, Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini visited Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) and Radha Soami Satsang in Beas. Talking to reporters, Saini urged Panjab to share water from the Ravi and Beas through the Sutlej Yamuna link (SYL) canal with Haryana and said that it is the duty of the ‘elder brother’ (Panjab) not to disappoint the ‘younger brother’ (Haryana). Saini underlined the familial bond between Panjab and Haryana, stating that Panjab-Haryana is one family and one household. This is a new and emotional appeal in the four-decade-long fractious river waters saga between the two states; Haryana and parts of Himachal Pradesh were truncated out of partitioned Indian Panjab in 1966. It must be noted that at the same time, Delhi is asking Haryana to release water for its drinking water needs. Still, Haryana is reluctant to do so citing lack of availability. It is the same reason Panjab gives when asked to share SYL waters with Haryana.

Bhai Gajinder Singh, the exiled Sikh leader and founding president of the pro-Sikh freedom body Dal Khalsa which advocated for the creation of Khalistan, has passed away in Pakistan. 74-year-old Singh is known for his role in the 29 Sep 1981 hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane in a protest against the arrest of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Along with three other Dal Khalsa members, Singh redirected the flight to Lahore, Pakistan. They were arrested upon landing and charged with hijacking. Following his conviction, Singh served a prison sentence in Pakistan. After his release in 1994, he lived underground, supposedly at a farmhouse near Nankana Sahib, Panjab, Pakistan while still on India’s most-wanted list. The treatment Singh received all his life at the hands of India stands in direct contrast to two other hijackers who benefited immensely through their actions. Bhola Pandey and his friend Devandar Nath Pandey hijacked IA flight no IC 410 on 20 Dec 1978. They were released soon after and Pandey was awarded with INC tickets first for assembly elections and then for the Parliament. Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh said, ‘The only difference was that Pandey did it for the sake of INC leader Indira Gandhi whereas Gajinder Singh did for a Sikh leader. This difference turned out to be a big difference. Pandey was perceived and projected as ‘hero’ and Gajinder was declared most wanted ‘terrorist’ by successive Indian governments.’ At Singh’s funeral in Pakistan, some Sikh leaders wanted by India, including those considered dead, showed up. Among those were Babbar Khalsa International activist Harvinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda, Ravinder Singh Pinka, and Satti Singh.

A week after his security cover was reduced, on 5 Jul Shiv Sena Panjab leader Sandeep Thapar, alias Gora, was brutally attacked by men in Nihang (traditional Sikh warrior) attire. The attack on the 58-year-old leader was while he was riding his scooter on the busy road outside the Ludhiana Civil Hospital. The CCTV footage of the incident shows the accused confronting Thapar. Thapar is seen begging for mercy with folded hands. One of the attackers started hitting him repeatedly on the head with the sword. Thapar fell on the road when another Nihang continued attacking him. Thapar’s lone gunman looked on and later took him to the hospital. In the past, Thapar has mocked Sikhs, including during floods in 2023 and celebrated the destruction of Akal Takht during ‘Operation Blue Star.’ Recently he had abused Hindus too over BJP losing elections in Ayodhya. Sumit Arora, the youth wing president of the Shiv Sena Panjab (SS-P), said Thapar had been provided with three gunmen but the police withdrew his security cover a week ago. Rajiv Tandon, the chairman of SS-P, said that the police and the govt. were not serious about the security of leaders of Hindu organizations. The attackers have been arrested. They are Sarabjit Singh Saba and Harjot Singh, alias Jota, from Ludhiana, and Tehal Singh Ladi from Amritsar. They were living at Nihang Sikhs Chhawani (Cantonment) in Shiv Shakti colony, Ludhiana. The attack is condemnable and law must take its course. However, the law must also seriously consider hate speech as violence too (SDW Vol 2 Issue 10, Story 5).

Since four Panjab Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) have fallen vacant as candidates have been elected as Members of Parliament (MPs), the Speaker of Panjab Assembly has declared the seats vacant. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is mandated to schedule these by-polls within six months. Three of Amritpal Singh’s associates locked up in Dibrugarh jail, Assam have expressed their intention to contest these seats. All of them are undertrials under the National Security Act (NSA), renewed for another year just a few weeks back. Kulwant Singh Raoke, an employee of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), intends to contest from Barnala. In 1987, Raoke’s father Charat Singh faced the NSA and never returned home after being picked up by the police in 1993. It was an extra-judicial killing. Raoke’s uncle and Charat’s younger brother Gurmail Singh, died in June 1984 in ‘Operation Blue Star.’ Bhagwant Singh alias ‘Pradhan Mantri’ Bajeke, a YouTuber, intends to contest from Gidderbaha. Bajeke was known as Amritpal’s ‘right-hand man.’ He was arrested while working on his farm. Daljeet Singh Kalsi, an actor and writer, intends to contest from Dera Baba Nanak. Kalsi was a purported adviser and financier of Amritpal Singh, who frequented parties in the Panjabi film industry and was in 2022 seen submitting a memorandum against India to the Consul General of Pakistan in Vancouver. Sandeep Singh Sunny has also announced his candidacy for the Dera Baba Nanak. Sunny is not directly associated with Amritpal Singh. Sunny had shot dead Shiv Sena leader Sudhir Suri in Amritsar in November 2022. His case is ongoing and he is lodged in Patiala jail.

On 23 Jun, Gurdeep Singh, a 50-year-old jeweler and owner of Pooja Jewellers on Kolmar Road, Auckland was brutally attacked with a hammer and knife. Daljit Singh, spokesperson for the Supreme Sikh Society of New Zealand, said Gurdeep suffered a fractured skull and underwent surgery. Later, Jagjeet Singh Sidhu, the general secretary of the Auckland Indian Retailers Association (AIRA), called for a meeting and expressed grave concerns over such attacks. On 30 Jun, Indian media reported that Mandeep Kumar, from Goraya, Panjab, was tricked by travel agents who promised passage to Italy but diverted him to Moscow, where he was coerced into military service. The family’s last contact with Mandeep – who has a congenital leg issue – in March 2024, showed him in army uniform pleading for rescue and fearing for his life under Russian command. The family has approached Rajya Sabha (Upper House) Member of Parliament Balbir Singh Seechewal for help. Yet, the lure to travel abroad is so great that recently 24-year-old Guru Sevak Singh was detained by security personnel at the Indira Gandhi Airport, New Delhi for impersonating 67-year-old Rashvinder Singh Sahota headed to Canada with a fake passport. His wife, Archana Kaur, who was about to attempt a similar impersonation, fled from the spot. Meanwhile, cousins Gurmej Singh of Gaggomahal village and Ajaypal Singh of Modhe village, near Amritsar have been languishing in an Indonesian jail for around a year now after being duped by immigration fraudsters. Gurmej Singh’s father Sahib Singh said the youths had been convicted in a murder case in Indonesia and sentenced to imprisonment for seven-and-a-half years. The Indian govt. has not been able to ensure their safe return so far.