Veteran Khalistani leader and President of the Council of Khalistan Dr. Bakhshish Singh Sandhu has said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign to assassinate Sikhs in Western countries reveals India’s role in transnational terrorism and oppression, which warrants global sanctions.
In an interview ahead of the Khalistan Referendum voting on Sunday at the Municipal Plaza, the US-based physician said the Modi regime is desperate after seeing tens of thousands of Sikhs actively campaigning to form their homeland called Khalistan. He pointed out that evidence from Indian intelligence RAW’s death squad operator Nikhil Gupta and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, combined with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s false terrorism allegations and threats against Sikhs, reveals India’s role in transnational terrorism against Sikhs.
Gupta is currently in US custody, after extradition from the Czech Republic, awaiting trial for hiring assassins to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the leader of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).
Dr. Bakhshish Singh Sandhu, who has been active in the Khalistan campaign for nearly 50 years, added that despite Indian pressure, both the Canadian government and the United States remain committed to democratic principles and are aware of India’s intentions towards Sikhs.
Indian Involvement in Transnational Terrorism
When asked about Indian involvement in transnational terrorism, which India denies, Dr. Bakhshish Singh Sandhu stated that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly and falsely accused Sikhs of terrorism and boasts about targeting pro-Khalistan Sikh leaders wherever they reside, especially during the last election campaign, where he vowed to kill Sikhs everywhere in the world to garner right-wing Hindutva base support.
Dr. Bakhshish Singh Sandhu said the Indian government has set a bounty for revealing the whereabouts of pro-Khalistan leaders. This threatening rhetoric is being used in public gatherings and even in Parliament, with vows to target pro-Khalistan leaders. “Sikhs are not hiding anywhere. They campaign freely, yet India put a bounty on the head of SFJ Canada chapter leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Pannun, and dozens more in the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia in open defiance of international law.
India did so to tell the world it’s a rogue state that believes in transnational terrorism. The problem for India is that Sikhs are peaceful, democratic, and remain unafraid and unfazed by Indian terror attempts. We are aware that India is plotting further assassinations of Sikhs but will not be cowed at any cost till the creation of Khalistan.”
Reluctance from Western Countries
When questioned about any reluctance from Canada and the United States to support Sikhs under Indian pressure, he stated that India has tried to coerce the US, Canada, and the UK into canceling Khalistan Referendum venues and sought terror charges and cases against Sikhs under Western laws.
“Despite these attempts, the UK and the US have upheld their commitment to democracy and free speech, unlike India, which he criticized as a false democracy and a fascist regime that suppresses fundamental rights. These countries cannot do anything against Khalistani Sikhs because they are law-abiding and democratic. Everyone knows there is no value in India calling someone a terrorist.”
Passion for Khalistan
Sandhu mentioned that thousands of Sikhs are eager to participate in the referendum being held in Calgary on July 28, as they want to contribute to the freedom struggle for Khalistan. He said that the passion among Sikhs for their separate homeland, Khalistan, is palpable and they will participate in the referendum in Calgary in record numbers. “Sikh participation in the ensuing referendum will break the previous records,” he said.
Read More: Massive Turnout for Khalistan Referendum Voting in Calgary
He said the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar has united the Sikh nation, which is convinced of the need for freedom due to brutal treatment and threats of extrajudicial killings from the Indian government.
When asked about India’s efforts to eliminate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the leader of the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) organization, he explained that India aims to suppress the Sikh nation, hinder the referendum, recruit Sikh youth into the Indian army for potential conflict with China or Pakistan, and maintain control over Punjab’s natural resources.
He said Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is a shrewd leader leading the Khalistan movement and India is attempting to assassinate him to severely impact the freedom movement, as they view him as the key to the referendum’s success. “Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has his fingers on the pulse of the Sikh nation; he knows what Sikhs think, wish for, and aspire to. His actions are inspired by the Sikh wishes and the teachings of Sikh gurus who guided us for a separate homeland for Sikhs. Can you imagine how India tried to kill him through its agent Nikhil Gupta? The case against Gupta is strong and damning, with American investigative agencies having conducted a thorough and systematic inquiry backed by solid evidence.”
This article was received directly from the reporter.