Unable to tolerate international opprobrium at UN or any other global fora, Indian authorities impounded the passport of Dal Khalsa President Harpal Singh Cheema when he arrived at New Delhi airport after attending a UN meeting in Bangkok on steps to be taken to foster inclusive societies in South Asia.

Upon arrival at the New Delhi airport from Thailand’s capital Bangkok today afternoon, after attending a two-day UN meet there, the president of the Dal Khalsa Harpal Singh Cheema was detained for two hours and then allowed to go, but his passport was impounded, without giving him any reason.

The two-day meet saw participants from many South Asian countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan deliberating upon efforts that need to be done by religious leaders, actors, scholars and faith organisations to foster inclusive societies in these countries. Organised by the UN office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect it discussed various good practices in these countries which need to be acknowledged and reiterated and bad practices that need to be challenged and done away with.

“Having hit a wall in India, let us explore international forums in an appropriate manner, with hope that Sikhs will get some justice from some quarter.”

Harpal Singh Cheema, exclusively to WSN

Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema -president of Dal Khalsa and a human rights activist in his own right presented his views on the currently prevailing situation in India with respect to Sikh, Muslims, Christians and Dalits and the growing incidents of hate speech and institutional injustices against this section of society.

Questioning the role of the United Nations in taking up the case of Sikhs and other minorities in India, Advocate Cheema said that, “Though the UN and the world community talk of peace, but there is intervention only after the happening of crimes. It is heartening to note that the present initiative is part of a Global Plan to prevent genocide.”

He also pleaded for active UN intervention in India to set up a Commission to review atrocity crimes against Sikhs and others and to propagate UN mechanisms to ensure more compliance by India and other countries.  He suggested many steps to be taken by religious leaders, including “zero tolerance of any hate speech by leader of any community.”

In his submission during discussions at the meet, Harpal Singh said, “Sikhs are the fifth largest religious identity in the world, with an easily visible population wearing the turban, the Sikhs in their 548-year history are committed to Sarbat da bhala -welfare of humankind. During this period, there has never been a case when the Sikhs have spread hate against anyone in an organised manner.”

He further added that, “This period has seen holocausts where rulers of the day -the Mughals, the Hindu chieftains, British India and in recent times, India has inflicted atrocity crimes against Sikhs. Almighty God, the resistance capabilities of the Sikhs and their resilience to bounce back to life and continue the journey of life has prevented their annihilation.”

The UN meet also discussed methodologies to prevent incitement to violence and atrocity crimes and Dal Khalsa has no hesitation in stating that “the Indian state is solely responsible for building an atmosphere of hate against the Sikh people and our fundamental rights are being trampled with impunity.”

“We will not take this lying down. Undoubtedly, they will slow us down through bureaucratic rigmarole of re-application and inordinate delays, but we will fight back. We will go to international forums and embarrass India for such acts of gross injustice.”

Kanwarpal Singh, Spokesperson, Dal Khalsa

As if he had sensed the attitude of the Indian state, he had invited the UN organisers to hold such international conferences of the United Nations in the Punjab, “in order to instil a sense of political conflict resolution as India continues to view every situation as a law and order problem only.”

Speaking to the media, spokesperson of the party, Kanwarpal Singh said, “We will not take this lying down. Undoubtedly, they will slow us down through bureaucratic rigmarole of re-application and inordinate delays, but we will fight back.” We will go to international forums and embarrass India for such acts of gross injustice.

Speaking exclusively to World Sikh News prior to going to attend the meet, Harpal Singh Cheema said, “Having hit a wall in India, let us explore international forums in an appropriate manner, with hope that Sikhs will get some justice from some quarter.”

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Little did he know that India wants everything international, except international laws, UN conventions and covenants and their implementation in India.