Sikhs living abroad accuse India of intimidating families

LONDON: The Sikh group has accused the India’s Nationwide Investigation Company (NIA) of threatening and focusing on relations of distinguished pro-Khalistan leaders who left India many years in the past and maintain British or different nationalities.

The Sikh Federation (UK) mentioned that households of its two distinguished leaders in India have come beneath assault by the Indian authorities.

The UK-based pro-Khalistan group mentioned that household properties in India of its leaders Amrik Singh, the chair of the Sikh Federation (UK), and Kuldip Singh Chaheru, the vice chair of the Sikh Federation (UK), had been raided by the NIA and their relations had been interrogated for a lot of hours.

Members of the family of each British Sikhs have been ordered to look earlier than the NIA on August 7.

The Sikh Federation mentioned that Amrik has not been to India for over 40 years and Kuldip, whose father and different shut relations had been tortured and killed by the Indian police, has not returned to India since greater than 35 years.

The NIA final week additionally raided the premises of Khalsa Support in Patiala. Equally, households of activists linked to the Federation of Sikh Organisations (FSO), Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and Khalsa Support have come beneath assault in India by the federal government.

The Sikh physique mentioned: “That is outrageous. The households of others from the UK belonging to the Federation of Sikh Organisations and Sikhs For Justice within the UK, who’ve been focused suggests the NIA have not too long ago been given details about who the NIA ought to give attention to from the UK and people who they need to depart alone.

“The NIA has more and more turn out to be determined in latest months to silence Sikh activists overseas who stay influential and vocal of their opposition to the right-wing Indian authorities. It has been reported the NIA has been growing stress on the UK and Canadian Governments specifically to take powerful actions towards Sikh activists against the right-wing Indian authorities and campaigning for the re-establishment of a Sikh homeland.”

The Sikh Federation mentioned that requests by the NIA to arrest, extradite and deport activists based mostly on pretend information have been firmly rejected by each governments which have warned the Indian authorities to cease interference on their soil.

It mentioned: “The NIA in its desperation has in latest weeks resorted to prison exercise, together with assassinations and issuing on Indian tv a ‘hit-list’ of Sikh activists dwelling overseas within the hope to create a tradition of concern. This ‘hot-list’ has nevertheless badly back-fired because the UK, Canadian and different governments have privately rebuked the Indian authorities.”

Three years in the past, the Indian govt seized all movable and immovable properties owned by SFJ leaders Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Amritsar and Jalandhar, respectively.

Pannun’s land parcels of 46 Kanal in Village Khankot and 11 Kanal, 13.5 Marlas in Sultanwind Suburban Bhainiwal of Amritsar District had been seized. Nijjar-owned 11 Kanal 13 Marlas in Village Bhar, Singhpura, Pillaur of Jalandhar District which had been seized.

Two months in the past Nijjar was killed by two unidentified males in Canada. The SFJ has accused the Indian intelligence of finishing up the killing over Nijjar’s campaigning for Khalistan and for the continued referendum in Western international locations.

Final month, right-wing Hindu Youtuber and retired military officer Gaurav Arya demanded the Indian state rent hitmen to assault American Sikhs. He known as on the Indian state to rent “the underworld” and “mafia” in American cities to focus on Khalistanis, primarily Gurpatwant Singh Pannuu who lives in America.

He additionally unfold pretend information that Pannun had died in a street hit following the killing of Nijjar however the information turned out to be pretend.