Sukhwinder Singh and Gurdeep Singh, two pro-Khalistani campaigners have been charged for attacking DSGMC chief Manjit Singh GK by California’s Sutter County Sherriff’s office. The chief had earlier been assaulted during his visit to a gurdwara at Yuba City in California on August 25.
The Sikhs For Justice, in a statement, said the charges were not justified and accused Puneet Chandhok of instigating the attacks.
Earlier, Manjit Singh GK was assaulted allegedly by pro-Khalistan supporters in California. During the assault, one of his associates were injured. Singh had said the purpose of his visit was to hold discussions among the Sikh community about the 550th birthday anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak, to be commemorated next year.
This is the second attack on the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader, who had earlier been attacked in New York. Singh had been visiting the main Gurudwara in Yuba City, California yesterday when, he said, a group of 30-35 people supporting the ‘Khalistan 2020 referendum’ attacked him.
“I am hurt. They pushed me and kicked me brutally. It was a brutal murderous attack,” he told PTI over phone from California.
He said one of his associates has been hospitalised while the police has arrested three people in connection with the attack. He said that the attack will not deter or intimidate him.
“We are not going to shy away,” he said. He added that those demanding Khalistan can continue their fight but resorting to violence is not the answer. “We will not be part of this fight for Khalistan,” he said.
Separately, ‘Sikhs For Justice’ (SFJ) who had held a declaration event in London on Sunday to announce the resolutions for the establishment of the state of Khalistan, despite India’s objections in the matter, accused Singh and his supporters of “instigating violent attacks on pro-Khalistan activists” who were “peacefully protesting” in the SAD leader’s presence in Yuba City Gurdwara.
In a statement issued through its legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, SFJ has also filed a complaint against Singh with the US Department of Justice for violations of the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) laws.
He said SFJ filed the complaint against Singh for holding, attending and addressing political gatherings in the US in violations of FARA laws
“We will now ask US Immigration to take notice of illegal activities of Singh and make him inadmissible to the United States,” he said.
Meanwhile, the UK government distanced itself from the issues raised by the pro-Khalistan rally, ‘London Declaration on Referendum 2020’ organised by Sikhs for Justice at London’s Trafalgar Square on August 12 after it triggered a diplomatic row with India.
