Archive: September 25, 2024

Sikhs Hold Protests in U.S. Against Modi. U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff Bill to Protect Sikhs

Sikhs Hold Protests in U.S. Against Modi. U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff Bill to Protect Sikhs

As Modi was visiting the U.S. in September 2024, many Sikh groups held major protests against him for his role in transnational repression against Sikh leaders on foreign soil and attacks on Sikhs in India.

Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) has introduced the bipartisan Transnational Repression Reporting Act of 2024 which would require the Attorney General, in coordination with other relevant federal agencies, to submit a report of cases of transnational repression against U.S. citizens or people in the United States. 

According to an official statement of September 19, 2024, Schiff’s bill comes after the 2023 attempted assassination against prominent Sikh activist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. “With transnational repression on the rise, the American people deserve to know if foreign governments are working to intimidate, harass, harm or kill individuals within the United States whom they view as hostile to their regimes,” said Rep. Schiff. 

“My bill will require a comprehensive report on cases of foreign governments targeting individuals here at home and American citizens abroad. I will continue to work with my colleagues to safeguard fundamental rights and freedoms, both domestically and around the world,” he added.

Meanwhile, a U.S. court has summoned various officials in the government of prime minister (PM) Narendra Modi of India for the alleged plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who supports the demand for a separate Sikh state Khalistan.

[ Video: ਖਾਲਿਸਤਾਨ ਸਮਰਥਕ ਪੰਨੂ ਦੇ ਕਤਲ ਦੀ ਕੋਸ਼ਿਸ਼ ਮਾਮਲੇ ‘ਚ ਅਮਰੀਕੀ ਅਦਾਲਤ ਨੇ ਮੋਦੀ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਕੀਤਾ ਸੰਮਨ ]

[ Video: ਅਮਰੀਕਾ ‘ਚ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਨੇ ਪੀਐਮ ਮੋਦੀ ਖਿਲਾਫ ਪ੍ਰਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਕੀਤਾ। ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਦੀ ਸੁਰੱਖਿਆ ਲਈ ਨਵਾਂ ਅਮਰੀਕੀ ਕਾਨੂੰਨ ]

As Modi was visiting the U.S. in September 2024, many Sikh groups held major protests against him for his role in transnational repression against Sikh leaders on foreign soil and attacks on Sikhs in India. You can click the following links to watch the protest videos by Sikhs in the U.S. [ Protest Video 1 ] [ Protest Video 2 ] [ Protest Video 3 ] 

Transnational repression violates the fundamental rights to free speech and privacy granted to all individuals in the United States – including foreign citizens, U.S. residents, and naturalized U.S.-born citizens. 

In 2022, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) had also introduced a resolution to condemn human rights violations and violations of international religious freedom in India, including those targeting Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Adivasis, and other religious and cultural minorities. 

The resolution calls on the Secretary of State to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act, which has been recommended by the independent, bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for the past many years.  

According to the FBI, the most common targets of transnational repression are political and human rights activists, dissidents, journalists, political opponents, and members of religious or ethnic minority groups. Methods of transnational repression may include physical and digital stalking, harassment, computer hacking, criminal threats, assaults, attempted kidnappings, coerced repatriation, and detaining family members in the home country.

[ Pressed Reporter: Humanitarian Service to Protect Journalists and Press Freedom in the World ]

“The Transnational Repression Reporting Act is a major step forward in protecting the freedom of speech and civil rights of Americans,” said Kiran Kaur Gill, Executive Director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF). “When foreign governments infringe upon American sovereignty, there must be full transparency around the violation for the safety of our communities. Through this bill, Congress sends a strong message to both allies and adversaries that violating the constitutional rights of Americans will not be tolerated. SALDEF and the Sikh American community thank Congressman Schiff for his leadership in protecting the rights of all Americans.”

“We are deeply grateful to Congressman Schiff for proposing this legislation and taking the continuing threat of all transnational repression, including India’s recent targeting of Sikhs, seriously. It is essential for our national security that the United States is not seen abiding such egregious violations of democratic values or international norms–including India’s harassing, harming, and plotting to kill U.S.-based Sikhs–without consequence. We hope that others in Congress will join Congressman Schiff to support this significant step forward,” said Harman Singh, Executive Director of the Sikh Coalition.

[ Also Read: UN Human Rights Petition to Get Amritpal Singh, Umar Khalid, and Engineer Rashid Released from Jail ]

“India must be made accountable for transnational repression on Sikhs and this bill helps combat the oppression and intimidation Sikhs are facing in America,” said Swaranjit Singh Khalsa, City Council Member from Norwich, Connecticut and one of the Directors of Sikh Assembly of America.

The Transnational Repression Reporting Act of 2024 is cosponsored by Representatives Daniel S. Goldman (D-N.Y), David Valadao (R-Calif.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), James McGovern (D-Mass.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.).

Schiff’s bill is also supported by Human Rights Watch, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sikh Coalition, Sikh Assembly of America, American Sikh Caucus Committee, International Defenders Council, Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, Middle East Democracy Center, Hong Kong Democracy Council, Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, and Falun Dafa Association.

Schiff has been a consistent leader in protecting Americans from transnational repression. He introduced the Stop Transnational Repression Act which would bolster the prosecution and oversight of transnational repression in 2022 and reintroduced the bill in December of 2023.

You can click here to read the full text of the bill.

Congressman Adam Schiff represents California’s 30th Congressional District. In his 12th term in the House of Representatives, Schiff serves as a senior member of the House Committee on the Judiciary, which oversees the administration of justice in federal courts, federal administrative agencies, and federal law enforcement.