Kiran Gill: Why Sikh Americans Are Protesting Modi’s Visit To The United States
"Not all American politicians are as welcoming, however, as there are members of Congress that have called Modi out on his human rights violations and have made their disappointment well known."
Kiran Kaur Gill
June 21, 2023 | 6 min. read | Opinion
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting the United States today for a multi-day state visit. The White House Strategic Coordinator for Communications has openly welcomed the upcoming visit by proclaiming India to be a “vibrant democracy,” to the joy of Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters alike.
However, such a claim masks what many in the Sikh and South Asian American community are acutely aware of - the widespread and alarming suppression of civil and democratic rights committed by Modi and his party.
The Indian state, despite its reputation as “the world’s largest democracy,” has slowly stripped the rights of many Indian citizens across multiple minority groups and has started a campaign of censorship to limit the political rights of Indians abroad.
India and its global agents have deliberately crafted a narrative to uphold its status as a democracy and keep civil injustices from headlines, as they successfully attack basic rights for minority groups in India, including but not limited to Dalits, women, Christians, and Kashmiri citizens, as well as stripping the rights of and inciting violence against the Muslim and Sikh populations within the country.
Modi’s most infamous human rights violation occurred during the 2002 Gujarat Muslim genocide. Following an incident that led to the death of 60 Hindu pilgrims, a mob was incited against Muslims in Gujarat, leading to the death of 1,000 plus Muslims and the displacement of many more. Then Chief Minister Modi was accused of inciting the violence and shielding the perpetrators of the genocide, including blocking the filing of cases against those committing the violence.
The aftermath led to the Bush Administration in the United States denying his visa status, citing his failure as leader of a state institution to control the violation of human rights of people within the state. More than 20 years later, Muslims in India still regularly face violence with little condemnation from the state.
While caste-based discrimination was made illegal in India in 1950 through the Constitution, Dalits still face regular discrimination. They are routinely denied access to jobs, land, education, and other basic rights. The Modi administration has allowed these violations without condemnation or action. An ISDN report has shown violence against Dalits has been on the rise, and lower caste members routinely face human rights violations such as sexual assault, forced labor, and structural discrimination in politics and education.
Caste discrimination extends beyond India as well, with the United States seeing the issue become more prevalent. Equality Labs found that many Dalit and lower caste individuals have faced some form of discrimination in the United States. Many feel unwelcome at their place of worship due to their caste, while a whopping 25% of Dalits have faced physical or verbal abuse due to their caste.
One of the most notable minority groups to suffer human rights violations at the hand of the Indian state is the Sikh community. The most well-known example is Operation Blue Star and the following Sikh Genocide. It was during this time that Indira Gandhi, her supporters, and the Indian state’s agents incited, perpetrated, and facilitated the killing of countless Sikhs.
However, the violation of human rights against Sikhs does not stop there and continues today.
The extrajudicial arrests and murders of Sikhs are common acts carried out by the Indian government. Most prominently in recent history is the arrest, and continued arbitrary detention, of Jagtar Singh Johal in 2017 - Jagtar is a UK citizen who was active online in documenting the persecution of Sikhs in India. To this day, Johal sits in an Indian jail through an extrajudicial abduction and faces murder charges despite the state having no evidence against him.
Beyond incidents like this, Sikhs also face systemic crackdowns due to their faith. A recent example is Amritpal Singh. A popular community leader in Punjab, Amritpal Singh, was advocating for reform in Punjab to combat issues related to drug abuse, farmer suicide, and general calls for Sikhs to call out the injustices committed by the Indian state. For doing so, he was branded a “radical separatist,” and a manhunt for his arrest began - but along with this came a mobile internet shutdown in Punjab and the suppression of other basic civil rights. Millions of people were cut off from the world, and the fate of Amritpal Singh, as well as his supporters and other Sikh activists, was worryingly unknown. This uncalled-for act was disproportionate to the allegations levelled against Amritpal Singh; he had committed no violent or criminal act and is now held under draconian and colonial laws that strip basic legal rights and recourse.
Outside of India, minority groups still see the state infringing on their right to free speech.
SALDEF recently released a report on this media censorship, showcasing the steps taken by the Indian government to block critiques of human rights violations. This ranges from Canadian Sikhs speaking on the atrocities of 1984 to American Sikhs highlighting the Farmers’ Protests in Punjab, to even the BBC documentary “The Modi Question” and documents the human rights abuses committed by Prime Minister Modi from his role in the 2002 Muslim genocide to his revocation of Kashmiri autonomy.
The reaction between politicians and American politics is split on the visit of Modi.
Senators Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer, along with Representatives Hakeem Jeffries and Kevin McCarthy, have invited the Prime Minister to speak at a joint session of Congress, one of the highest honours the US government can give to a foreign leader. Representative Ro Khanna from California has applauded this decision and welcomes Modi with open arms. Fellow Indian American Representative Shri Thanedar also welcomes the visit and will be entrusted with escorting the Prime Minister to his joint address on June 22.
Not all American politicians are as welcoming, however, as there are members of Congress that have called Modi out on his human rights violations and have made their disappointment well known.
Representative Pramila Jayapal and Senator Chris Van Hollen have authored a bicameral letter urging President Biden to discuss with Modi the need for India to uphold human rights and democratic values. Seventy other members of Congress, both senators and representatives, have signed on to the letter, including Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Judy Chu.
“A series of independent, credible reports reflect troubling signs in India toward the shrinking of political space, the rise of religious intolerance, the targeting of civil society organizations and journalists, and growing restrictions on press freedoms and internet access. Specifically, the State Department’s 2022 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in India documents the tightening of political rights and expression,” the letter reads.
Representative Rashida Tlaib has denounced the Modi administration and their violation of human rights through Twitter and announced she will be boycotting his joint address this Thursday. Similarly, the office of Representative Ilhan Omar has announced a plan to host an event at the same time as the joint address that will examine the issues of Indian violations of human rights.
Additionally, Representative Omar has introduced a resolution to the House that condemns the human rights and international religious freedoms violations targeting religious and cultural minorities in India.
The above examples are not an exhaustive list of the actions taken by the Indian state and Modi against minority groups in India, but just some examples of the many reasons the Sikh community, along with other South Asian communities, are disappointed in the Biden administration's decision to invite the Indian Prime Minister to the United States for an official state visit. Sikhs are also deeply disappointed with Congressional leadership extending an invitation for Modi to speak to a joint session.
Kiran Kaur Gill is the Executive Director of SALDEF. She is responsible for executing and overseeing programs related to policy, research, education, civic engagement, and youth leadership for the Sikh American community. Prior to coming on board as Executive Director of SALDEF, Ms. Gill was a volunteer trainer for SALDEF, conducting Sikh Awareness training around the country for schools, law enforcement, and state/local government, and she worked with the New Jersey Attorney General’s office to develop statewide curricula. She also helped to establish the SikhLEAD New Jersey program, which encourages civic engagement among Sikh students.
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