KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
21-Nov-2023
According to sources, a United States (US) diaspora panel, the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), has urged the inclusion of designated Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and his banned group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) on the no-fly list for threatening Air India passengers. The panel expressed concerns about Prime Minister (PM) Justin Trudeau's alleged misrepresentation of freedom of expression, leading to anti-Indian and anti-Hindu crimes in Canada.
05-Nov-2023
The banned Khalistani terrorist outfit, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) on November 5 announced the American phase of the Khalistan referendum, set to begin on January 28, 2024, during the 44th annual Sikh parade in Yuba City, California, in the United States (US). SFJ chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun stated that the Khalistan referendum marks a journey for Sikh sovereigntists in the pursuit of Punjab's liberation from Indian control. During the event, SFJ celebrated the killing of former Indian Army Chief General A.S. Vaidya by Sikh separatists in 1986 and called for a global boycott of Air India on November 19.
05-Nov-2023
According to reports, tensions arose on November 5 between alleged Khalistani factions during the annual Sikh Nagar Kirtan in Yuba City, California, United States (US). One group flew a banner via a helicopter reading 'Delhi Will be Khalistan.' The cause of the division remains unclear, but there are indications that some elements within these groups may be influenced or controlled by the Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ).
03-Nov-2023
British philanthropist Dr. Abdul Basit Syed, an advocate for global peace, voiced concern at the United Nations (UN) in New York City, United States (US) about Canada's harbouring of Khalistan terrorists. He warned of the threat to the global economy and urged international solidarity in supporting India's fight against terrorism. Dr. Syed emphasized the need for cooperation, awareness, and peaceful conflict resolution to combat terrorism globally.
31-Oct-2023
Gilbert Augustin was charged with manslaughter and assault as hate crimes on October 31 for the fatal beating of Jasmer Singh, a 66-year-old Sikh man, following a car accident in New York City, United States (US). During the altercation, Augustin used derogatory language, repeatedly referring to Singh as 'turban man.' This incident is part of a recent wave of hate crimes against Sikhs in the area, with another case involving the assault of a 19-year-old Sikh boy on a bus in Richmond Hill.
29-Oct-2023
New York City Mayor Eric Adams on October 29 condemned recent attacks and hate crimes against the Sikh community. He emphasized that the Sikh turban symbolizes faith and protection, not terrorism while addressing members of the Sikh community at the Baba Makhan Shah Lubana Sikh Center in Queens, New York City, in the United States (US). He pledged to educate people about Sikhism and its values.
22-Oct-2023
According to reports, a group of pro-Khalistani Sikhs in the United States (US) staged a protest outside the Indian Embassy in Washington DC, expressing support for Khalistan and condemning India. They called on the US to pressure the Narendra Modi-led Indian government to end Sikh-related atrocities and endorse the establishment of Khalistan. Additionally, they demanded justice for the family of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nagar, who was killed in Canada.
22-Oct-2023
Mayor Ravi S Bhalla of Hoboken, New Jersey in the United States (US) on October 22 condemned recent hate crimes against Sikhs in the US, expressing concern over the rising violence and threats against the Sikh community.
19-Oct-2023
Jasmer Singh, a 66-year-old Indian-American Sikh man, was beaten in a road-rage incident on October 19 in Queens, New York City in the United States (US). He succumbed to his injuries on October 20. His family is seeking hate crime charges against the alleged killer, identified as Gilbert Augustin. Singh's family believes the attack may have been a hate crime, as Singh was targeted based on his appearance, and they are seeking justice in the case.
18-Oct-2023
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) Director-General Mike Burgess, speaking in California, United States (US), said that he has 'no reason to dispute' claims of a possible link between the Indian government and the killing of a Canadian citizen and Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. He stated, “There's no doubt that any allegation of one country being accused of carrying out the execution of a citizen in another country is a serious matter, something that we don't engage in, and something that nations should refrain from doing.”
17-Oct-2023
The Indian-origin Sikh mayor of Hoboken city in New Jersey, United States (US), Ravi Bhalla, in an interview on October 17, revealed that he has been the target of a series of threatening letters that mentioned killing him and his family due to his practice of the Sikh faith.
17-Oct-2023
A video that is going viral on X showed that pro-Khalistan posters installed outside Fremont Gurudwara in California, United States (US) were torn down by a man who was later handed over to the Police. Based on the viral footage, the Pro-Khalistan posters were actually 'Kill India' posters with a picture of slain Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar accusing Indian diplomats of assassinating him in Canada.
15-Oct-2023
A 19-year-old Sikh man was allegedly assaulted in New York City, United States (US), for wearing a turban while traveling on a shuttle bus on October 15. According to the New York Police, the suspect was riding on an MTA bus when he approached a male passenger wearing a turban and said, 'We don't wear that in this country. Take that off.' The suspect then punched the victim in the face, back, and the back of his head, causing cuts and pain.
13-Oct-2023
According to reports, the use of terror group logos in events organized by Gurdwaras, places of worship for Sikhs, in California, United States (US), is deeply troubling. The official page of Stockton Gurdwara in California, a well-known location associated with the Khalistani extremist movement, posted an invitation on June 27 for an event related to Paramjit Singh Nijjar and Avtar Singh Khanda. Interestingly, it featured the logos of two proscribed terrorist groups, the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) and the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), alongside the names of Nijjar and Khanda. The Stockton Gurdwara made headlines last year when it became the site of a tragic shootout in which three individuals were injured.
08-Oct-2023
In the wake of allegations regarding the receipt of foreign funds from the banned extremist group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), Amarpreet Singh, the India chief of the United Kingdom (UK)-based non-governmental organisation Khalsa Aid, resigned on October 8. Khalsa Aid, through a statement posted on social media, cited the need for organizational restructuring as the reason for this change in leadership. Notably, in August, India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted a raid at Khalsa Aid's India headquarters in Patiala, Punjab, during which they confiscated certain documents and two mobile phones belonging to Amarpreet Singh.
08-Oct-2023
The World Sikh Parliament (WSP), a pro-Khalistan outfit based in the United States (US), on October 8 during its 4th General Assembly meeting in New York announced its commitment to pursue the establishment of a separate country in Punjab. Himmat Singh, the WSP Coordinator, stated, “The WSP is dedicated to advancing the rights and aspirations of the Sikh community worldwide and reaffirming the mandate of the Sarbat Khalsa held in 2015 by recognizing April 29th as the day of the Sikh Declaration of Independence, with Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara as the Jathedar of Akal Takht.” Additionally, the meeting addressed issues related to the killings of Khalistani separatists Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, Avtar Singh Khanda in the UK, and Paramjit Singh Panjwar in Pakistan.
07-Oct-2023
Sukhi Chahal, the Editor-In-Chief of Khalsa Today, a think tank and nonprofit media organization based in the US, has responded to reports of eight Sikh youths being arrested under the Arms Act in Brampton, Canada, by expressing deep concern about the radicalization of young people within the Sikh community. He expressed his sentiments by stating, "It is disheartening, troubling, and regrettable whenever we come across such incidents from the Vancouver or Toronto regions. This underscores a longstanding concern within our community regarding the radicalization of our youth."
03-Oct-2023
Despite international attention on the Khalistan issue, Sikhs living in the Bay Area of San Francisco in the United States (US) largely disassociate themselves from it, considering Khalistan is an illusion perpetuated by a vocal minority. Many American Sikhs are more focused on practical concerns such as migration policies, while Khalistan-related activities are often seen as a means to raise funds and exploit the Sikh identity issue for political gain. Although there is no active secessionist movement in Punjab, Khalistan sentiment is occasionally revived during events like Baisakhi and discussions about the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
03-Oct-2023
United States (US) State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller on October 3 stated that the US affirms respect for freedom of speech and assembly when asked about Sikh separatist groups operating in the US, including the banned Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), which has organized an unofficial "Khalistan Referendum." These groups advocate for an independent state called Khalistan, which was a prominent issue in India during a violent insurgency in the 1980s and 1990s but has little support in India today.
03-Oct-2023
United States (US) State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller on October 3 stated that the US affirms respect for freedom of speech and assembly when asked about Sikh separatist groups operating in the US, including the banned Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), which has organized an unofficial "Khalistan Referendum." These groups advocate for an independent state called Khalistan, which was a prominent issue in India during a violent insurgency in the 1980s and 1990s but has little support in India today.