Washington: Proclaimed Khalistani Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has now used the case of Indian-origin truck driver Harjinder Singh to attack India for being ‘anti-Sikh’. Singh, whose reckless driving led to the death of three US nationals recently, had also used this ploy to save himself from being deported to India.
Singh was driving a tractor-trailer and made an illegal U-turn on the Florida Turnpike on August 12, killing three people. It was after his arrest that authorities realised that he is an illegal immigrant. Even as they prepared to deport him, the truck driver claimed that he feared for his life in India. Under US law, even an illegal immigrant can’t be deported if there is risk to his life in the country of origin.
Pannun met Singh on Tuesday and claimed that he had been forced to flee India in 2018 due to religious persecution.
“I saw sorrow, he’s grieving, he very much wants to go back in time and hope that this misjudgement would never have happened. There have been three lives that have been lost. We should all be grieving with the family, supporting the families and helping the families. Instead, it has become some political debate about Harjinder’s political status, about his actions,” Pannun added.
The founder of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) then went on to say that: “Singh fled India in 2018 as he feared he would be persecuted because of his religion and due to his political opinion, being a pro-Khalistani.”
Singh was not known to be associated with Khalistanis when he took the ‘Dunki’ route – like hundreds of other Indians – to enter the US.
Pannun uses the ‘persecution’ narrative to remain in existence in the US. He is aware that most Americans are not aware that India is home to nearly 21 million Sikhs who comprise over 89% of the global Sikh population. The Americans are probably not even aware that Sikhs are highly respected in India and many of them hold top positions, both in the government and private sectors.
India has had a Sikh President, a Sikh Prime Minister and the present Chief of Its Air Force is also a Sikh.
Pannun uses this naivety to forward his position as a so-called ‘protector’ of Sikhs who enter the US and other countries illegally. Illegal immigrants to the US, the UK and Canada mostly use the ruse of political or religious persecution in order to prevent their deportation to India. The claim helps them stay on.
Singh faces three counts of vehicular homicide. Since his arrest, an online petition calling for Singh’s release has gained significant traction, collecting 1.6 million signatures so far.
Pannun has been declared a terrorist by India. The SFJ has also been banned. Not only does he issue regular threats against India, he also supported Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
