No backing for Khalistan in the US, says Indian-American Sikh leader

There is no support for the Khalistan movement in the US, neither in the government nor in the community, a leading Indian-American Sikh leader says.

Jassee Singh from the “Sikhs of America” also urged the Indian government to provide a comprehensive developmental package for Punjab to address several key challenges faced by the state.

“The Modi government’s relationship with the Sikhs and the things he has done for this community is unprecedented as compared to the previous governments,” he told PTI, referring to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"At the same time, there are several Sikh issues that need to be addressed. This includes the atrocities against the Sikhs in the 1984 riots. No Sikhs would forget this,” Singh said.

According to him, there were a number of issues that Modi still needed to address.

The prime minister, he said, needs to establish a direct relationship with the Sikh community in India and globally and not through “middlemen” like the Akalis and the Badals.

Khalistan issue

On the issue of Khalistan, Singh insisted: "No. The majority of Sikhs don't support the Khalistan movement." He said it was a small minority in India and the US that backed this movement.

Singh, who has met Modi whenever he visited the US, said India’s growth story makes every overseas Indian proud.

So, it was time the Center must give a “better package” for Punjab, its youth and its people.

“More should be done for the youth of Punjab,” he said. "There is a need to stop the migration of youth outside India and provide them with employment and business opportunities."

Asked about the recent American allegations that an Indian official was involved in a plot to assassinate an American Sikh separatist leader, Singh said in the long term this was unlikely to have an impact on the bilateral ties.

“Everybody knows what has been going on in the past few weeks, with the Department of Justice filing a charge sheet against Nikhil Gupta and accusing the government of India,” he said.

“But this should not be seen as a support for a separatist Khalistani movement in the US.

Indo-US ties

"This was an action taken by the US government to protect their own citizens. The separatist happens to be a US citizen, so they came in defence of a US citizen over extrajudicial killings,” he said.

Singh said the issue could have a short-term impact on bilateral relations.

“But in the larger context, I think a better understanding will come out of it between both governments because India has suggested that this is not their policy to do things like this.

"I request the Indian government to conduct an independent investigation as soon as possible, and people who did it should be brought to justice,” he said.

“India-US ties are a strong relationship. The US needs India and India needs the US as well because of geo-strategic reasons, countering China and other issues.

“So, this is a short-term setback in the relationship,” Singh said.

(With agency inputs)