KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
21-Jun-2023
A Khalistani supporter was caught on video insulting the Indian National Flag near the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, United States (US) on June 21. The video also showed an Indian journalist receiving praise and applause from people for courageously confronting and pushing back against a Khalistani supporter who was disrespecting the Indian National Flag.
20-Jun-2023
Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi was invited by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden to visit the United States (US) from June 20-24. During the first day of his visit, PM Modi received support from the Sikh community in New York, who expressed their opposition to Khalistani radicals and terrorism. The Sikh community stated that they stand with PM Modi, acknowledging his efforts and support towards their community. They emphasized their stance against terrorism.
20-Jun-2023
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and Lawyer of Hardeep Singh Nijjar claimed to have received threats on June 20 and intends to provide details to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, according to some Canadian sources. Homicide investigators are searching for possible motives in the targeted killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Some believe he was murdered due to his high-profile campaign for an independent Khalistan, while others suggest a conflict closer to home may be the reason. The dispute between Nijjar and Ripudaman Singh Malik, who was previously acquitted in the Air India bombing case, regarding the printing of the Sikh holy book adds another layer of complexity to the investigation.
20-Jun-2023
Darshan Singh Dhaliwal, a member of the Sikh community in the United States (US), on June 20 expressed strong support for Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, citing his significant contributions to both the Sikh community and India. Dhaliwal emphasized that the Sikh community stands behind PM Modi and expressed pride in his accomplishments.
08-Jun-2023
Jassee Singh, chairman of the “Sikhs of America”, on June 8, praised Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi for his role in meeting the demands and desires of the Sikh community in the United States. Singh also considers PM Modi’s upcoming official state visit to the US as a significant and historic moment for India.
31-May-2023
Radicals belonging to the Khalistani terror group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) disrupted a speech by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at an event attended by NRIs in United States (US) on May 31. They raised 'Khalistan zindabad' slogans and confronted Gandhi over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots during Congress rule. Videos of the incident went viral on social media. The incident sparked a political battle between the BJP and Congress, with BJP accusing Gandhi of paying for the 1984 riots, while Congress criticized the BJP for spreading fake news and supporting Khalistanis.
16-May-2023
The Sikh Youth of America honoured Bhai Paramjit Singh Panjwar, the fourth Jathedar of the Khalistan Commando Force (KCF), who was shot dead in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan on May 6. It accused that the Indian news and social media have been attempting to defame Bhai Sahib’s character through false, state-backed propaganda.
21-Apr-2023
According to reports, at least 44 Indian-American organisations condemned the violent acts and destruction by Khalistan elements that have sparked outrage across the country. Operating as "Indian Diaspora Against Hate," many eminent Indian-Americans and organizations from diverse backgrounds have endorsed a letter condemning these assaults. They have appealed to all government officials and law enforcement to take necessary measures to safeguard the Indian-American community.
19-Apr-2023
Sutter County District Attorney Jennifer Dupre said that 17 individuals were apprehended in California as part of a multi-agency operation against Sikh violence. Among those arrested were two men, identified as Pavittar Singh and Husandeep Singh, wanted for murder in India. Dupre stated in an online news conference that the men are being held without bail, and California authorities will need to seek extradition through international channels. The list of individuals arrested, known as "Operation Broken Sword," was released by Dupre's office.
17-Apr-2023
The police in California, United States (US) on April 17 arrested 17 Sikh youths for their involvement in mass shootings, including those in gurdwaras. The police also recovered 41 firearms from them. The arrested individuals were identified as Karandeep Singh, Pardeep Singh, Pavittar Veer Singh, Husandeep Singh, Sahajpreet Singh, Harkirat Singh, Tirath Ram, Dharamvir Singh, Jobanjit Singh, Gurvinder Singh, Nitish Kaushal, Gurminder Singh Kang, Devender Singh, Karambir Gill, Rajeev Ranjan, Jobanpreet Singh, and Singh Dhesi. Intelligence officials have reported that these youths were radicalized and manipulated into participating in these crimes in the guise of a religious movement, allowing their handlers to gain criminal cadres and money.
11-Apr-2023
The California State Assembly has urged the United States (US) Congress to acknowledge and denounce the anti-Sikh violence that occurred in India in November 1984 as an act of genocide. On March 22, 2023, Assembly member Jasmeet Kaur Bains, the first Sikh elected to the State Assembly, introduced a bill to this effect, which was passed unanimously on April 11.
10-Apr-2023
The chairman of the Sikh American delegation, Jasdeep Singh on April 10 praised Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi's initiatives and credited his efforts to meet the needs of the Sikh community over the past nine years with the decline of the Khalistan movement in the United States (US). According to Singh, there are only a few Khalistanis in the entire US, who give the Sikh community a bad name. The Sikh American delegation, under the leadership of Jasdeep Singh and Kanwaljit Singh Soni, welcomed Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her visit.
08-Apr-2023
The American Sikh Council (ASC), which is made up of 74 gurudwaras and Sikh institutions in the United States (US), has raised concerns about the purported targeting and unlawful detention of young Sikh men throughout Punjab since March 18. The organization has called upon various US government departments, as well as independent institutions such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, to take note of the current situation in the state and take necessary measures.
08-Apr-2023
Following the incidents of violence by pro-Khalistan supporters at Indian missions, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, India's ambassador to the United States (US), emphasized during his keynote speech on April 8 that the Khalsa, which was founded by Guru Gobind Singh on Baisakhi, is a force that unites rather than divides. Singh also suggested that the fundamental principles of the Khalsa should not be overshadowed by the malicious actions of a few individuals who exploit virtual media, in reference to the violent acts carried out by pro-Khalistan supporters in countries such as the US, Canada, United Kingdom (UK), and Australia.
04-Apr-2023
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has put forward a resolution in the United States (US) House of Representatives, proposing that April 14 be designated as National Sikh Day, in order to recognize and celebrate the significant contributions of the Sikh community in inspiring and fortifying the citizens of the US.
30-Mar-2023
According to a lawyer based in Patiala, some pro-Khalistan elements reportedly made a phone call to and verbally harassed Seerat Kaur Mann, the daughter of Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann who resides in the United States (US). Seerat Mann has confirmed the incident through a social media post, where she mentioned that she and her brother have been receiving online threats, phone calls, and even faced harassment during meetings held in the gurudwara concerning the current situation in Punjab.
28-Mar-2023
The United States (US) State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel on March 28 said that the US is committed to protecting diplomatic missions and condemns attacks against journalists. Patel's comments were made in response to a recent incident on March 25, where pro-Khalistan demonstrators gathered outside the Indian embassy in Washington DC and reportedly physically and verbally assaulted an Indian journalist, as seen in social media videos. While the US supports the First Amendment rights of protesters and the exercise of free speech, Patel emphasized that violence or the threat of violence as a means of protest is never acceptable.
26-Mar-2023
The Indian embassy in Washington on March 26 strongly reacted against a physical attack faced by a Press Trust of India (PTI) journalist, Lalit Jha while covering a demonstration by the Khalistan supporters. The journalist was hit on his left ear with two sticks by pro-Khalistan supporters while he was covering a pro-Khalistan protest outside the Indian embassy in Washington D.C. on March 25 afternoon.
26-Mar-2023
On March 26, Khalistan supporters organized a demonstration at the renowned Times Square in New York, United States (US) to express support for the fugitive radical preacher Amritpal Singh. The protesters held a car rally that began at the Baba Makhan Shah Lubana Sikh Center in the Richmond Hill area and concluded at Times Square in the heart of Manhattan under tight security.
25-Mar-2023
A group of pro-Khalistan protesters on March 25 assembled outside the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., United States (US), shouted obscenities, made direct threats to Indian Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu, and attempted to provoke acts of aggression. Additionally, a veteran Indian journalist who was present to cover the event was subjected to physical assault and verbal intimidation by the pro-Khalistan demonstrators. Despite these hostile actions, law enforcement authorities acted quickly to prevent damage to the Indian Embassy's property.