“Do we have to die for the police to take action,” said an anguished Harman Singh Kapoor, a Sikh restaurant owner from London, who is facing threats to his life after he recently posted a video on social media on the Khalistan movement.
Harman’s restaurant was attacked by pro-Khalistan supporters, which came days after the Indian High Commission in London was vandalised by them.
Harman and his family — wife Khushi and two children — alleged that they have been attacked three times, repeatedly trolled on social media and intimidated by abusive calls. They claimed their car was being followed since he posted the video where he asked the people to make calls for Khalistan to be made in India and not in foreign countries like the United Kingdom or Canada.
In an exclusive interview with India Today, Harman said the attacks started when he posted a video on TikTok. He said, “This Khalistan movement started a while back and then it died down. Today again, a section of people who are settled in Canada, in England and Australia want Khalistan but those in India don’t want it. So, I said in the video that those who need Khalistan should go back to India and ask for it.”
Referring to the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, Harman said those who do not subscribe to the concept of Khalistan should not suffer.
RECEIVED THREATS AFTER POSTING VIDEO
Harman alleged that he received death threats after he posted the video on TikTok.
“After I posted the video, I got two million views for it in two days. But, I started getting calls to take down the video else they would kill me and my family. I wondered who could threaten me like this as I am in the UK. However, five people came and attacked my restaurant,” Harman said.
Harman alleged the attackers asked him to remove the post and raise slogans like “Khalistan Zindabad” and “Hindustan Murdabad”. They also told him to burn India’s flag or else he would be killed.
“I wonder if these people are asking for Khalsa raj or gunda raj,” Harman said.
There are many people like Harman who are intimidated to remain quiet.
An independent report on ‘How government engages with faith’, called The Blooms review released on April 26, quoted several such examples.
“This review’s evidence gathering also found repeated cases of individuals being intimidated and threatened by aggressive Sikh activists, either directly or indirectly through family members, for openly standing against them,” the report said.
UK POLICE ON HARMAN’S CASE
India Today wrote to the UK Police about Harman’s case.
“Officers attended and spoke to the victim, who explained that a group of men turned up at the venue and made threats to kill him and his family. They left the scene prior to a police team arriving. Enquiries were carried out and special safeguarding measures were put in place,” police told India Today.
HARMAN’S WIFE, DAUGHTER RECEIVED ONLINE RAPE THREATS
The police did come and assured us of our safety, Harman said. But he and his family started receiving online threats. Harman said his wife and his daughter received rape threats.
“Our address was put online with calls to rape and kill them. Videos of miscreants licking the pictures of my wife and daughter were posted as well,” he added.
On March 22, a group of pro-Khalistan supporters protested outside the Indian High Commission in London. While the protest took place in the afternoon, the attack at Harman’s restaurant happened the same evening at 6.30.
On March 19, a group of pro-Khalistan supporters vandalised the Indian High Commission and shattered windows, destroyed doors, got on the balcony and pulled the Indian flag down. The police at the time made one arrest and released the person on bail to appear at a later date in June.
UK POLICE ON HARMAN’S RESTAURANT ATTACK
Referring to the attack on Harman’s restaurant, UK Police told India Today they reached the location in response to the call in “15 minutes”.
They said, “We have been in regular contact with him (Harman) and are working to put extra safeguarding measures in place to ensure that he feels safe returning home. This includes panic alarms being installed at relevant properties and the offer of alternative accommodation. Our investigation is progressing, led by detectives from CID. This includes reviewing CCTV and other enquiries. We will continue to update the victim on a regular basis.”
HARMAN’S HOUSE ATTACKED
Harman said another attack took place on March 23 at their house at 7:30 pm.
“Police reached out to us. They said they would come again in two days to take our statements and arrest the suspects. But it is more than two weeks now,” said Harman, who went underground to dodge the threats but had to come back to work.
The family is living in constant fear and does not feel safe as the attackers are still at large.
“Police told us that we are not on priority because nothing has happened to us. Unless someone is injured or hurt or killed, they can act in full force. Those who are harassing us know that till they don’t touch us, the police won’t do anythingâ€æ So, these people are out in the open — threatening and harrasing us — while the police are waiting for us to be killed so that they can take action,” Harman alleged.
“Do we have to die for the police to take action,” he remarked.
OTHER PUBLIC FIGURES FACED SIMILAR THREATS, SAYS REPORT
The Blooms report mentioned that politicians, public figures, academicians and officials — some of whom have high-profile status — recalled incidents when pro-Khalistan supporters harassed and threatened them.
Quoting their experience, the report observed, “At times they have felt disparaged, victimised, harassed or threatened by aggressive Sikh activists who do not hesitate to abuse or bully anyone who either criticises them or does not follow or support their opinion. Many have been intimidated and called ‘traitors’, ‘impure’, ‘nastic’ (infidel) and ‘patits’ (heretics).”
“Members of different political parties who have served in public office have given examples of how they felt pressured to do what these activists wanted, and how some Sikh activists claim to have power over not only the ballot box, but also the selection processes of different local parliamentary and political bodies,” it said.
One public servant said they “would live in fear” of retribution if they were to speak out against the ideological narrative of the activists. Others have confirmed that investigations into this type of extremist behaviour are long overdue, the report added.
Making recommendations, the report further said, “The right to hold certain beliefs should always be upheld, as should the right to freedom of expression of those beliefs. But the government must take extra care to ensure that the beliefs and subsequent behaviours of individuals or organisations do not conflict with or undermine democratic order. The government must allow for the proper level of engagement with British Sikh communities, but it must also impede the advance of subversive groups which attempt to fracture majority Sikh communities and negatively affect the stability of our society.”
“It is important that the government neither overlooks nor fails to be discerning when it comes to concerns regarding extremist ties when selecting the individuals and groups responsible for representing British Sikhs at official and political levels,” it stated.
From people like Harman being harassed and attacked to the Indian High Commission being vandalised, no one has been charged till now. A feeling of being unsafe is legitimate here despite the presence of law enforcement personnel.
“Freedom of speech works both ways and the government must take some stern actionâ€æelse this vandalism could take a worse turn and it will be a problem for the UK, not India,” the Blooms report said. (India Today)
