Sikh organisations in homeland Punjab and the Sikh Diaspora worldwide are using letter diplomacy to Prime Ministers, Presidents and parliamentarians to engage discussion on substantive issues affecting the lives and human rights.  While the farmers’ issue has not been resolved, hundreds of farmer protestors have been arrested, many have been tortured and the harassments continue. The recent events at the nearly two and a half-month long Kissan Morcha on the outskirts of New Delhi have seen many such moves across the spectrum. The World Sikh News is examining why the alternative Sikh leadership is doing this and how is it impacting official and non-official opinion worldwide. WSN editor Jagmohan Singh reviews the correspondence by Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh to Joe Biden after he took oath as President of the United States of America.

INDIA HAS A LARGER THAN LIFE IMAGE. India’s violence towards its people is overshadowed by the misnomer of non-violent India. The vast market potential of the country helps India in retaining that image. India has been living in such ivory towers for long.  The use of social media technology by despots and democratically-elected autocrats is coming back to them with a viciousness that they and their bunch did not imagine.

Activists of the Dal Khalsa are supporting the Kissan Morcha and its demand for the repeal of farm laws. However, without indulging directly with the ongoings at the Morcha on the borders of Delhi, as reflected in its letter to US President Joe Biden, Dal Khalsa says that it considers it important to let the international community know the ramifications of the farmers’ agitation on the rights of the people of Punjab, the neighbourhood and its possible impact on the civil and political rights of people across India.

Kanwarpal Singh -spokesperson of the Dal Khalsa, while welcoming the new President and Vice-President Kamala Harris and the representatives of the Democrats extends greetings saying, “your historic victory defeating a president who had placed hate on his agenda has been welcomed, not only in the United States but even the rest of world.”

Taking a cue from the inaugural speech words of Joe Biden – “We must end this uncivil war…” Dal Khalsa spokesperson says in his letter to the President, “Such wars are happening around the world -only the scale and players are different. In homeland Punjab and in India we are facing an “uncivil war” unleashed by the Indian state and state players. Political unrest, suppression of aspirations of people, enacting anti-people, anti-farmer laws putting at risk the livelihoods of thousands, denial of human rights -are all part of the ‘uncivil war’ against the Sikhs of Punjab, the Kashmiris, Nagas and other ethnic and regional identities.”

Significantly, the Dal Khalsa spokesperson does not limit himself only to the problems and aspirations of the people of Punjab but also of other nationalities. As the human rights situation in Kashmir continues to grow from bad to worse, the Dal Khalsa missive reads, “Kashmir continues to be governed as a colony annexed by India, the pro-freedom leadership is in prisons, the Indian military manning the state in large numbers. India has shown scant concern for its international obligation to the UN agreement on plebiscite in Kashmir.”

“Dal Khalsa hopes -on Joe Biden’s day of “history and hope” that while dealing with your current domestic terrorism threat, you will even take steps to arrest state terrorism, across the globe, including India.”

Expressing satisfaction at the role of Joe Biden’s team who, at the behest of Sikh-Americans “declared the upholding of human rights and the traditions of democracy across the globe.” Kanwarpal Singh commented, “This gives us hope. We hope that while you address the concerns of Sikh-Americans in your country, you would also take up the concerns of the international Sikh community.”

Reiterating that terrorism knows no geographical boundaries but state terrorism is perpetrated ostensibly as protection of law and order situation within the borders of a country, by fascist-leaning governments, Kanwarpal Singh concludes by urging the US President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris, “Dal Khalsa hopes -on your day of “history and hope” that while dealing with your current domestic terrorism threat, you will even take steps to arrest state terrorism, across the globe, including India.”

Social media technology used by the state machinery by despots and democratically-elected autocrats is getting it back in their own coin now.

In response to the routine telephonic conversation with US President Joe Biden, Narendra Modi has tweeted that, “Joe Biden and I are committed to a rules-based international order.”  Kanwar Pal Singh, while speaking to the WSN on this tweet retorted, “The US President and administration must ensure that the Indian Prime Minister sticks to his words.”