Even in California, Sikh Americans are being attacked for their religion and politics | Opinion
A drive-by shooting near Vacaville on Aug. 11 targeting Sikh American advocate Satinder Pal Singh Raju sent shock waves through the Sikh American community, underscoring the ongoing threats we face. This incident — now the subject of state and federal investigations — reveals a disturbing pattern: Even here in California, Sikhs are being attacked for their religious and political views, with connections tracing back to India.
A Sacramento Bee investigation published earlier this month reported on threats targeting this community in California. The piece gave my family and me chills.
Twice in the past year, my home security cameras have captured what appeared to be surveillance of my home in Fremont (I’ve shared footage and a license-plate number with state and federal authorities). My son was targeted during this same period by two people impersonating federal agents. Meanwhile, a man identifying himself as an Indian government agent attempted to coerce the priest at our local Gurdwara to surveil the activities of worshipers — a blatant act of intimidation and a threat to the entire congregation.
The recent Bee article makes clear that violence is not the only threat we face. One-sided, distorted insinuations about Sikh Americans were dressed up by the Hindu American Foundation and some elected officials to serve as ostensible “training” material to area law enforcement last April.
This is unacceptable, especially while investigators are still working to uncover details surrounding the attempted assassination in August.
Transnational repression
Sadly, these are not just a few isolated cases. Threats and intimidation have long targeted Sikh Americans. Authorities in California, along with the U.S. Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and the FBI, are actively working to protect us from both overt and covert forms of transnational repression.
The upcoming trial of Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national charged in connection with an assassination plot targeting Sikh leaders — including myself — has raised alarming questions about state-sponsored efforts to silence the Sikh diaspora, given Gupta’s alleged connections to high-ranking Indian officials.
I was among five potential targets warned by federal authorities (three of the five, myself included, live in California). Though the plot was clumsily executed, it was deeply malicious. Acting on orders from Indian government officials, Gupta unwittingly conspired with undercover federal agents. He is currently detained in New York, awaiting trial.
On Oct. 17, the U.S. Justice Department charged Vikash Yadav, an Indian government employee, with murder-for-hire and money laundering, alleging his involvement as a co-conspirator with Gupta.
These dangers are not theoretical; they are deadly.
Just 12 days before Gupta’s arrest, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Sikh leader in British Columbia, was murdered in a targeted attack linked to India’s security apparatus. On Oct. 14, Canada expelled six senior Indian diplomats, including High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cited “clear and compelling” evidence connecting them to Nijjar’s assassination. Amit Shah, a member of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi cabinet, was also implicated.
In June, the U.S. Justice Department charged Bhushan Athale, an Indian-American from Texas, with federal hate crimes for allegedly threatening employees of a Sikh nonprofit organization. This escalating violence reveals the growing peril Sikh Americans and their allies face from foreign threats.
Life without fear
At the state level, the California Legislature needs to enact the transnational repression bill introduced by Assemblywoman Dr. Jasmeet Bains, D-Delano. This legislation aims to create a training program that equips California law enforcement with the skills to recognize and counter transnational repression. While it passed the Assembly in May, the bill stalled in the Senate two months later.
Additionally, we would welcome collaborating with local law enforcement to provide training on the unique challenges Sikh Californians face. Our community organizations and leaders are well-equipped to offer valuable insights on safeguarding against transnational repression and addressing security concerns.
For more than 500 years, the Sikh faith has championed justice, acceptance and the liberation of all people. Our founder taught us that the goal of life is to achieve freedom while ensuring others live without oppression. This message resonates with all those who have fled authoritarian regimes. No minority group should live in fear of foreign threats on American soil.
Sikh Californians, more than 250,000 strong, are deeply committed to the democratic values that make this state flourish. Guided by our faith’s principles and our ancestors’ resilience, we envision a future where every Californian can live without fear and fully express their identity in the Golden State.