Joint Statement
Recent revelations from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau show that the Government of India, through its diplomats in Canada, R&AW agents, and operatives of the Bishnoi Gang, is conducting a campaign of violence targeting the South Asian community, particularly pro-Khalistan activists. The US Justice Department has filed and unsealed an indictment in a New York Court charging India’s Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) operative Vikas Yadav with ‘murder-for-hire’ and other charges in a foiled attempt to assassinate a Sikh activist in the USA. These vital developments confirm what Sikhs have long asserted about India’s covert and violent activities, including foreign interference and transnational repression.
While the Indian state has been orchestrating a false narrative by conflating gang violence and narco-terrorism with the Sikh struggle for Khalistan, it has been using organized crime syndicates to target Sikh activists and engage in other violent activities in countries like the U.S. and Canada. We had identified this pattern in the past and made our concerns public on many occasions. Now, Canadian and US development have further validated our assessments.
These are sensitive times for Sikhs, presenting both challenges and opportunities. The gravity of the situation requires that Sikhs remain vigilant. To effectively confront the risks, the Gursangat and Khalsa Panth must identify both long-term and immediate tasks.
While various world powers are focussed on Sikh issues, we need to immediately implement the following tasks:
- Sikhs must boldly advocate for our perspectives and clearly articulate the sacred concept of Khalistan. The Indian propaganda machine, working against Khalistan and Sikh liberation, must be exposed.
- It is imperative that the Guru Khalsa Panth maintains the uniqueness of our divine patshahi daava, and articulate our unique vision for a Sikh before the world.
- The historic and ongoing human rights violation and repression should be exposed. Sikhs, especially those in Western countries, must raise the issues of the ghallughara in June 1984, Sikh genocide in November 1984, and the crimes against humanity through the 1980s-90s at different international fora.
- Raise the issue of India’s cultural genocide, evident in the state’s constant efforts to neutralize and undermine Sikh political, spiritual and social institutions.
- Highlight India’s censorship of Sikh and Punjabi media outlets and repression of the freedom of expression throughout the world.
- Sikhs must develop solidarity and cooperation with other friendly forces, including other nationalities and peoples, SC and ST communities, and other resistance movements.
- Sikhs must identify entities within our own ranks who knowingly or unknowingly engage in factionalism internally which only further India’s own strategy. These factions must be approached with humility and genuine intent to discourage them from doing the Indian state’s won work.
- Sikhs must increase our internal coordination and dialogue. Our situation is clearly taking a dangerous turn. Concrete steps must be taken to facilitate dialogue and trust-building initiatives that will help us transcend factional differences and interests. We are also making all efforts we can in this regard, and we implore all other Sikhs to take this initiative forward.
Panth Sewak Collective:
Bhai Daljit Singh
Bhai Narain Singh
Bhai Lal Singh Akalgarh
Bhai Bhupinder Singh Bhalvaan
Bhai Satnam Singh Khandewala
Bhai Rajinder Singh Mughalvaal
Bhai Satnam Singh Jhanjian
Bhai Sukhdev Singh Dodd
Bhai Amrik Singh Isru
Bhai Hardeep Singh Mehraj
Bhai Manjit Singh Phagwara
1 Kattak, 556 (Nanakshahi)
18 October, 2024 (CE)