France-based Sikhs urge UN to address India’s state-sponsored persecution
According to Kashmir Media Service, the community is preparing to submit an urgent letter to the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), demanding immediate intervention to safeguard Sikh rights, religious freedoms, and the preservation of their autonomy. This letter lays bare India’s long-standing pattern of impunity for crimes against Sikhs, detailing over four decades of unpunished atrocities.
Among the grave incidents highlighted is the 1984 massacre of 36 innocent Sikhs in Haryana, where the perpetrators, despite overwhelming evidence of their involvement, continue to operate with the full protection of the state. The letter criticizes the failure of the Justice T.P. Garg-led commission, which, despite clear evidence, has allowed the culprits to remain free, underscoring India’s consistent protection of those responsible for violence against Sikhs.
The plea also addresses the severe injustice perpetuated by India’s judiciary, where Sikh political prisoners have been held for decades—some for 30 to 40 years—without trial or due process. These prisoners, many of whom were incarcerated simply for demanding justice, represent the broader chilling reality: those who resist oppression are silenced, while the perpetrators of violence remain untouchable.
Further, the Sikh community condemns the Modi government’s ongoing assault on Sikh autonomy, particularly through the controversial Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal project. This project, they argue, is a deliberate strike against Punjab’s agrarian economy. It threatens to deplete the region’s vital water resources, leaving Sikh farmers financially devastated and the environment irrevocably harmed.
The letter asserts that the oppression faced by Sikhs is not merely an internal matter for India but a global human rights crisis that demands urgent international action. The Sikh community’s appeal to the UNHRC calls for global recognition of the historical injustices against Sikhs, immediate accountability for ongoing oppression, and decisive steps to prevent future atrocities.
“As the UNHRC convenes, the world must not allow India’s state-sponsored persecution to be normalized,” the letter warns. “It is time for Sikh voices to be heard in the halls of global justice. The time for action is now.”
