Sikhs around the world commemorated the 37^th anniversary of “Khalistan’s Declaration of Independence” on 29 April this year. The declaration was made in 1986 after the Sikh nation decided it was the only solution to resist the ongoing exploitation and looting of Punjab’s resources, the denial and deconstruction of the Sikh identity and the Indian state’s genocidal campaign to wipe out the Sikh Nation.

This sentiment was manifested in the resolutions passed by the Sarbat Khalsa on 26 January 1986, when the congregation of over 500,000 Sikhs unanimously declared that the Sikh Nation would struggle to remove the chains of slavery from their necks. Earlier, Connecticut General Assembly offers its sincerest congratulations to the World Sikh Parliament in recognition of the 36th anniversary of the declaration of Sikh Independence. Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu urged Sikhs to commemorate 29 April as Khalistan declaration day in solidarity with the arrest of renowned Khalistani leader ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh. Amritpal Singh openly sup­ports the cause of indepen­dent Khalistan. He is a staunch fol­lower of Jarnail Singh Bhin­dranwale, who started the Khalistan Movement in 1982 and was killed in Operation Blue Star in 1984 by the Indi­an Army. The Sikhs have not forgotten the atrocities done by Indian government against them in the past. There has been voting among Sikh community across the globe especially in Europe and North America for the establishment of Khalistan. Now Sikhs are looking forward to get independence from India and they want to maintain their own identity by having their own separate home land.

Pannu has promised to liberate Punjab through ballot and not bullet while reminding the faith of former Punjab CM and late Prime Minister of India Indra Gandhi. SFJ is organizing a referendum across the globe to get the opinion and support of the Sikh diaspora for an independent Sikh state, Khalistan. Recently, a referendum was held in some cities of Canada, the US, UK, and Australia, where the turnout was phenomenal. The Sikh diaspora refers to Indian Punjab as Indian Occupied Khalistan. Last year, on 29th  May, famous Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala was reportedly murdered by RAW for airing his voice for Sikh rights and propagating for Khalistan. The rise of Hindutva, Sangh Parivar and atrocities against Sikhs have led to the revival of the Khalistan movement. The current situation can create another 1984-like situation, the consequences of which will be disastrous for the so-called secular India.

Eight former personnel of the Indian Navy arrested last year face stringent charges, including the death penalty for spying in Qatar.  These ex-Indian Navy men were sacked by their Qatari employers and they remain in solitary confinement in Doha since August last year. Their case will come up for the next hearing on 3^rd May. The charges have also been framed against two Qataris, including former Oman Air Force officer Khamis Al-Ajmi, who is also the CEO of Dahra Global Technologies which had employed the Indian Navy personnel for a super-secret project to build Italian technology-based midget submarines with stealth characteristics.

Qatar’s Head of International Military Operations, Maj Gen Tariq Khalid Al-Obaidly, is the other Qatari national to be charged. The eight former Indian Navy personnel have been charged with spying for Israel with the Qatari authorities said to be in possession of electronic evidence in this regard. While working with Qatar Defense, Security and other Government agencies; the officers had access to classified data and were sharing the sensitive information to Qatar’s adversaries. Dahra Global Technologies had employed a large number of former Indian Navy personnel to work on the project. All of them have been informed that the company is closing down from May 31 and have been offered a severance package. Those charged Indian Navy personnel are Capt Navtej Singh Gill, Capt Birendra Kumar Verma, Capt Saurabh Vasisht, Cdr Amit Nagpal, Cdr Purnendu Tiwari, Cdr Sugunakar Pakala, Cdr Sanjeev Gupta, and Sailor Ragesh. 

Commander (Retired) Purnendu Tiwari (Naval Officer) played a key role in these activities and was actively involved in transferring data of leading Gulf Muslim country to Israel and India. The retired officer was honoured with ‘Pravasi Samman Award’ (Highest honored Overseas Indian Award) from Indian President Ram Nath Kovind in 2019.