NEW YORK: The United States has reportedly issued warnings to Sikh-American activists, mainly residing in California, to be watchful in the wake of the brazen killing of a Sikh leader in Canada in June, allegedly planned by agents of the Indian government.
According to The Intercept, an online American news organization, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the domestic intelligence agency, visited several Sikh activists in California this summer with a message that has been described as “alarming” – that their lives were potentially at risk.
These warnings have gained renewed significance following Canada’s recent revelation that it possesses credible intelligence pointing to the Indian government’s involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and advocate for an independent Sikh state, Khalistan, was brutally shot outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia.
Pritpal Singh, a US citizen and political activist who serves as a coordinator for the American Sikh Caucus Committee, revealed to The Intercept that he, along with two other Sikh-Americans involved in political activities in California, received calls and visits from the FBI shortly after Nijjar’s killing.
Singh stated, “I was visited by two FBI special agents in late June who told me that they had received information that there was a threat against my life. They did not tell us specifically where the threat was coming from, but they said that I should be careful.”
The two other Sikh activists, seeking anonymity for security reasons, shared that they were also visited by the FBI around the same time as Pritpal Singh. As of now, the FBI has not responded to requests for comment regarding these warnings.
Sikh communities throughout the United States have reported receiving police advisories regarding potential threats. Sukhman Dhami, co-director of Ensaaf, a California-based nonprofit focusing on human rights in India, particularly in Punjab, a Sikh-majority state, noted that “certain community leaders associated with the politics of Sikh self-determination have recently been visited by law enforcement and warned that they may be targets.”
Canada Accuses Indian Govt of Involvement in Nijjar’s Murder
Recent reports from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation revealed that Canada attributed India’s involvement in the Nijjar killing to signals and human intelligence, including communications from Indian diplomats in Canada and information from an undisclosed partner in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. Canada’s response included the expulsion of a high-ranking Indian diplomat responsible for Indian intelligence activities in the country.
India has rejected these allegations as “absurd” and accused Canada of supporting Sikh militant and extremist groups. In a separate development, India has issued a call for information regarding protesters who allegedly attempted to start a fire at the Indian consulate in San Francisco earlier this year.
The United States has expressed concern over these allegations, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken stating that the US is cooperating with Canada’s investigation. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan emphasized that India does not have a “special exemption” to engage in actions like extrajudicial killings.
This situation has raised concerns about the potential implications for US-India relations, as any targeted actions by India against Sikh dissidents on US soil could strain the partnership between the two countries as they work together to address global challenges, including those posed by China.
Sikh-Americans who have received threats emphasize their commitment to not be intimidated and call on the US government to take measures to protect them. They also urge the US to stand up against what they perceive as an “increasingly aggressive and authoritarian” Indian government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Pritpal Singh asserted, “If India can target Canadians, Americans will be next. This destabilizes our democratic institutions, limits individual rights and freedoms, and threatens the national security and sovereignty of the US.” He added, “From the Biden administration, we expect immediate support. We do not want thoughts and prayers later.”
Before his killing in June, Canadian intelligence officials reportedly warned Hardeep Singh Nijjar and five other Sikh community leaders that their lives were in danger, further underscoring the gravity of the situation.
