Indian envoy Taranjit Singh heckled by pro-Khalistan activists in US

WASHINGTON: Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Indian ambassador to the United States, was allegedly heckled by a group of pro-Khalistani elements while on a visit to the Hicksville Gurdwara in New York’s Long Island, Indian media reported.

Sandhu had gone to the gurdwara to offer prayers on the occasion of Gurpurab – an important festival in Sikhism.

Sandhu can be purportedly seen in a video being confronted by the mob who were making statements about Khalistani activists and India-designated ‘terrorists’ Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

Sharing the video of the incident on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) spokesperson RP Singh wrote, “Khalistanies tried to heckle Indian Ambassador @SandhuTaranjitS with baseless questions for his role in the failed plot to assassinate Gurpatwant, (SFJ) and Khalistan Referendum campaign.”

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“Himmat Singh who led the pro Khalistanies at Hicksville Gurdwara in New York also accused ambassador Sandhu for India’s role in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was President of Surrey Gurdwara and the coordinator for Canadian Chapter of the Khalistan Referendum,” Singh added.

The Indian envoy could be seen leaving the premises in his vehicle, while a protestor raised the Khalistani flag outside the Gurdwara.

Later Sandhu also posted on X, “Privileged to join the local Sangat, including from Afghanistan, at Guru Nanak Darbar of Long Island in celebrating Gurpurab- listened to Kirtan, spoke about Guru Nanak’s everlasting message of togetherness, unity, and equality, partook langar, and sought blessings for all.”

Recently, there has been a spike in pro-Khalistani incidents in countries like the US, Canada, the UK and Australia.

On Sunday, devotees and members of the Indo-Canadian community in the town of Surrey in British Columbia confronted pro-Khalistan elements who had come to protest a consular camp at the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir.

According to temple officials nearly 200 counter-protestors faced off for over three hours against the pro-Khalistan protest.

Nijjar’s killing also led to a rupture in Canada-India relations after Canadian PM Trudeau’s statement in the House of Commons on September 18 that there were “credible allegations” of a potential link between his murder and Indian agents.