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In their 11th round of talks with union ministers and officials, the farmers union leaders have once again raised the issue of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) notices being served to those involved in the farmers protest. According to news reports, the farmers’ union leaders have told the government  that these summons are being sent to allegedly harass those supporting the agitation. The Telegraph reported that the government representatives have responded saying they will “look into the matter”.

Meanwhile, according to a lawyer familiar with the matter, the NIA has probably issued around 100 summons to those associated with the farmers’ protest. Many of these people summoned to appear for questioning are mostly supporters, doing voluntary service or sewa, and some are the known leaders of the protest. The summons ask them to come to the NIA headquarter in Delhi and answer questions. According to someone at the protest a person summoned was also asked to submit their bank account details. 

It had been reported earlier that the unions stated that no farmer who has received such notices will appear before the agency as a mark of protest. The NIA, has summoned people in a case related to an organisation called Sikhs for Justice, which allegedly advocates Sikh secessionism and is allegedly aiding the protesters. The most prominent name on that list was that of farm union leader Baldev Singh Sirsa. 

Summons were also sent to Khalsa Aid, a social organisation which has been supporting the farmer sit-in demonstration on Delhi’s borders, supplying them with food, medicine, clothes and other essential services.  The NGO had issued an official statement on the matter,expressing its “concerns for the health and mental wellbeing of our Khalsa Aid team, along with interrogations which may not comply with international standards.” It stated that such “large-scale indiscriminate NIA investigation of this nature against voluntary agencies, groups and individuals who provide humanitarian support is unprecedented in Indian history.”  

According to some news reports the NIA has examined a few functionaries Khalsa Aid, and some more have been summoned. On January 16, 2021, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had summoned Amanpreet Singh, director of the humanitarian NGO Khalsa Aid India, and some of its other trustees, asking them to depose before it. Soon after that the NGO was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Tim S. Uppal, a Member of Parliament for Edmonton Mill Woods, Canada. He did so in his capacity as a federal Member of Parliament and was supported by Prabmeet Sarkaria, MPP for Brampton South , Assoc. Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, and Patrick Brown, Mayor of Brampton. 

For over 20 years @Khalsa_Aid has been helping people in desperate situations around the world. In my capacity as a federal Member of Parliament and with the support of @PrabSarkaria and @patrickbrownont, I am nominating Khalsa Aid for a Nobel Peace Prize. pic.twitter.com/J2yApsWfhd

— Tim S. Uppal (@TimUppal) January 17, 2021

As reported by Livemint, the NIA has now reportedly postponed the examination of the NGO’s members after that announcement and the global attention to the issue. On January 18, 2021, the day the Nobel nomination was announced, the agency postponed the interrogation, The Hindu reported. “There was meant to be a hearing of two key Indian team members today and tomorrow [Monday and Tuesday], they [the NIA] postponed it. They were informed on phone that the hearing is postponed till further notice,” Ravinder Singh, founder of Khalsa Aid, was quoted by The Hindu.

Founded by the British Sikh activist in 1999, Khalsa Aid is often seen responding with food, water, medical supplies, and other essential aid wherever a humanitarian crisis is reported. It works in various countries across the world including in India. As reported then, it was visible giving humanitarian aid in the aftermath of the Kerala floods of  2018, it helped stranded Kashmiri students who were vulnerable after the abrogation of Article 370 and was also visible lending support at the peak of the sudden Covid-19 lockdown. It is now that it is most visible at the ongoing farmers’ protest in Haryana, providing food, water, toilets, tents, clothes and a free of charge convenience store, that it has got criticism from the right wing groups. Hoards of RW social media users started questioning it when it installed 25 electric foot-massagers for the tired and aged protestors. The protest itself was vilified as being superficial and having luxurious amenities, and fancy food such as pizzas. Some started questioning where the money was coming from. 

However, all those volunteering at the protest carried on, it will soon be two months since the protest reached Delhi borders. At the forefront of the service along with others  remains Khalsa Aid which has presence in the distress areas in the middle east, the UK, the US and Canada. Others summoned but have so far refused to comply include Punjabi actor Deep Singh Sidhu, his lawyer brother Mandeep Singh Sidhu and farmer leader and head of Lok Bhalai Insaf Welfare Society Balbir Singh Sirsa, said news reports.

Deep Singh Sidhu on Facebook said the NIA is using pressure tactics. “I was summoned on January 16 and asked to appear on January 17. I told them it’s not possible. The officer on the other end was very rude to me then and stated that they know other ways also,” he said adding that the officer also taunted him and asked him “why he was at the protest anyway, and that he is not even allowed to speak on state”. He said this was a way to divide the protest.

The NIA has also summoned some local journalists and social media influencers who have been active in reporting from the protest, or have been supporting it online.  These summons are being sent in connection with an NIA probe where a fresh case was registered against SFJ on December 15, 2020 stated a news report in the India Express. It alleged “that a large amount of funds being collected by Khalistani terrorist outfits are being sent through NGOs to pro-Khalistani elements in India.” According to the reports the FIR stated that “designated terrorists such as Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Paramjeet Singh Pamma, Hardeep Singh Nijjar and others spearheaded campaigns to collect huge funds for on-ground campaign and propaganda against India, that includes staging demonstrations against Indian missions in the US, the UK, Canada and Germany.” The SFJ was first banned in 2019 by the Home Ministry. In the past five years, 14 cases have been registered against the SFJ, and more than 40 have been arrested, stated news reports.

“When we were serving the Rohingya refugees, we were called anti-nationals and Muslim appeasers on social media, but when we told them there were Hindu Rohingya refugees and Muslims alike, then everyone kept quiet,” director of charitable trust Khalsa Aid India.

Amarpreet Singh told the Mint in an 2019 interview. Singh had responded after seeing  the videos of police attacks on students of Jamia Millia Islamia on social media on December 15, 2019 by going to the campus, meeting the injured students and offering water bottles and cups of tea. As the students’ protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act grew so did this langar. 

Khalsa Aid India works on the principle “Recognize the whole human race as one, to serve humanity” he said. The NGO also served water to protesting farmers during the long march in Maharashtra 2018. The report added that when Kashmiri students were attacked on various campuses after the 40 paramilitary personnel were killed in Pulwama, Kashmir, in February, many called Amarpreet for help. He arranged to ferry 600 Kashmiri students to Punjab, and then sent them to Kashmir under the protection of Punjab police.  

Now Khalsa Aid’s organisational skills, along with the langar seva organised by various groups, has made sure the farmers are taken care of as they continue to sit in on what is being recognised as one of the biggest protests of its kind in recent times.

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The post Why is NIA seeking to question Khalsa Aid, other volunteers now? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

As the National Investigation Agency (NIA) began summoning many who are supporting the farmers’ agitation, the farm union leadership has said they too had raised this issue with the Union Ministers during their talks. According to a report in the Hindustan Times, the farm unions have said they will not appear before NIA, as summoned. They have alleged that the union government was using NIA to harass them.  

Hindustan Times reported that the unions have decided that no farmer who has received such notices will appear before the agency as a mark of protest, and quotes Balbir Singh Rajewal, leader of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha. As reported earlier the NIA, has summoned over two dozen people in a case related to an organisation called Sikhs for Justice, which allegedly advocates Sikh secessionism and is allegedly aiding the protesters. The most prominent name on that list is that of farm union leader Baldev Singh Sirsa. Summons have also been sent to Khalsa Aid, a social organisation which has been supporting the farmer sit-in demonstration on Delhi’s borders, supplying them with food, medicine, clothes and other essential services. 

Rajewal was quoted by HT saying, “There are many organisations which are helping us in so many ways… by organising langars (canteens), logistics, tents etc. The government is trying to threaten them and weaken the agitation through harassment.” He added, “We have decided that no farmer who has got these notices will appear before the NIA as a mark of protest.”

The farm unions had raised the issue of NIA summoning those who have supported agitation with three Union ministers — Narendra Tomar, Piyush Goyal and Som Parkash — during the ninth round of talks on January 15, reported HT. And according to a press statement by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar had “promised to look into the matter”.

However, “despite this, the notices given to the agitators even today is shameless, it shows insensitivity of the government. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha condemns the act of serving these notices. In the coming days, legal action will also be taken against these notices,” the unions stated. 

Meanwhile, Khalsa Aid is being nominated in Canada, for the Nobel Peace prize for its humanitarian support to those in need.

For over 20 years @Khalsa_Aid has been helping people in desperate situations around the world. In my capacity as a federal Member of Parliament and with the support of @PrabSarkaria and @patrickbrownont, I am nominating Khalsa Aid for a Nobel Peace Prize. pic.twitter.com/J2yApsWfhd

— Tim S. Uppal (@TimUppal) January 17, 2021

Khalsa Aid issued a statement after it got the NIA summons, expressing its “concerns for the health and mental wellbeing of our Khalsa Aid team, along with interrogations which may not comply with international standards.” It stated that such “large-scale indiscriminate NIA investigation of this nature against voluntary agencies, groups and individuals who provide humanitarian support is unprecedented in Indian history.” The organisation has urged “all international bodies and monitoring agencies to hold India to account on what appears on the face of it a politically motivated step.” They added that they will “cooperate and answer any queries raised by the NIA team.”

According to news reports, on Sunday Tomar again said, “A majority of farmers in the country support the laws. We will find a solution through talks.” Meanwhile, the NIA summons have been issued to over two dozen people associated with farmers’ protests on January 15. They have all been asked to appear before it at its New Delhi head quarter. The NIA  probe is related to the alleged funding of Khalistanis abroad for organising on-ground campaigns and demonstrations outside Indian missions in the UK, the US, Canada, Germany and other countries, reported HT, adding that the probe also focuses on “use of several NGOs for funding the Khalistani campaigns, particularly spearheaded by banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).”

The news report stated that according to NIA those called for examination have been issued notices as “witnesses” to “clarify certain aspects regarding the probe. 

Meanwhile Rakesh Tikait Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) once again stated that the farmers are prepared to protest against the Centre’s new farm laws “till May 2024” if needed. He had told this to SabrangIndia in December itself, and has not changed his stance since. It is in 2024 that the next general elections are due. Now, Tikait told the media during his visit to Nagpur that the “revolution of farmers started from Delhi and will not fail. Farmers from villages do not want us to come back until the three farm bills are taken back.” Tikait also said the Opposition parties in the country were weak and that is why farmers had to start this agitation against the Centre’s new laws stated news reports. Reacting to the NIA notices he said:  “Those who want to be part of the agitation must be ready for court cases, imprisonment and sealing of property.”

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The post Those summoned may not appear before NIA as a mark of protest: Farm union leaders appeared first on SabrangIndia.

On 26^th January 2001, a strong earthquake jolted the western side of Gujarat state resulting in killing of thousands of people. Khalsa aid team carried out heavy rescue operation and immediately provided 50,000 water purification tablets to the people. The group also worked day and night for the welfare of the people and provided individual tents to each family. In yet another effort to save the mankind, Khalsa aid helped over 50,000 people in Punjab during the Catastrophic flooding in August 2007. The people were facing immense economic hardship and loss of basic living conditions. In June 2013, a multi-day cloudburst caused devasting floods and landslides in the North Indian state of Uttarakhand. It became the country’s worst natural disaster since the 2004 tsunami. Khalsa Aid was one of the first relief organizations that reached the affected areas. The volunteers set up free food and water stalls for the local people. The effort was warmly welcomed by the travelling pilgrims who had travelled down the mountains on foot. In its second phase of providing relief, Khalsa Aid volunteers provided over 1,000 prepackaged relief items to people affected by the natural disaster. Each package contained many items like rice, sugar, lentils, salt, oil, spices, soap and toothpaste.

In Sep 2013, the Khalsa Aid also played a humanitarian role in the clashes between the Hindu and Muslim communities in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. A total number of 62 people lost their lives in the clashes including 42 Muslims and 20 Hindus, while as 93 noted injured. The clash also resulted in displacement of more than 50,000 victims. In October 2013 Khalsa Aid, realizing the needs of the victims, distributed blankets and torch lights to the victims. Within two weeks, Khalsa aid spent around 4.5 Lacs rupees to relief the affected people. Again in 2014, the Khalsa aid supported the affected people in the communal riots happened in Saharanpur city of Uttar Pradesh. With the help of local businessmen, the volunteers gave hands in repairing the damaged homes of innocent victims.

In September 2014, the disastrous flood in Jammu and Kashmir resulted the loss of around 400 lives and around 200,000 people were rescued by Indian Armed forces form the various parts of the region. In such moments of shock and trauma, Khalsa Aid relief team dispatched the relief material which included clean drinking water, food and sanitary items, in the flooded areas. Also, the young volunteers tirelessly did selfless service to rescue people.

When earthquake stuck Nepal on April 25, 2015, around 9,000 lives were lost and more than 22,000 people suffered injuries. The quake destroyed more than 600,000 homes. Khalsa aid responded quickly and visited to the stricken areas in the aftermath of the earthquake with rescue teams and immediate aid deliveries. It is estimated that nearly 90,000 hot meals were provided to victims. Khalsa Aid volunteers from Delhi, Punjab, and Jammu were the first to reach Nepal when earthquake hit the region in 2015. The Khalsa aid volunteers from Punjab, Delhi and Jammu were even started repairing houses and schools as a part of the rehabilitation. Also, with French and Nepalese army, the Khalsa aid volunteers constructed temporary shelters for 250 families. The clean water tanks were also installed in affected areas.

In the year 2016, water crisis in Maharashtra reached its peak. After analyzing the situation, the Maharashtra government declared drought in around 29,000 villages. Nearly 1.37 crore farmers were affected by this natural calamity. The condition was severe in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions. The state also experienced high rate of suicide by the farmers. In such type of adverse circumstances, Khalsa Aid relief teams decided to lend a helping hand and coordinated the supply of 100,000 liters of clean drinking water to the people in prone areas on daily basis.

In August 2018, the state of Kerala was hit by the worst flood which resulted in making the common people homeless. Khalsa Aid takes the initiative to feed nearly 15000 victims by providing essential commodities. The team also distributed Packing and distribution of food parcels among the flood victims. In December 2018, post Ganpati Visarjan, a team of 30 Khalsa aid volunteers participated in a clean-up drive to clean the Versova Beach to spread awareness about keeping our environment clean and green. The organization also helped Sikhligar Sikhs in MP by providing them with new brick houses to live in. It was an initiative of providing education to all their kids. The volunteers of the organization organized traffic awareness among general public in Jammu city over a period of 5 days by displaying placards with Traffic Awareness slogans. The awareness was aimed to make people aware of the significance of following traffic rules.

In February 2019, post-Pulwama attack which left 49 CRPF personnel’s dead. The Kashmiri students studying in different parts of India were attacked and were asked to leave back to their homes. Khalsa aid organization in collaboration with JK Students organisation carried out a massive rescue operation by evacuated at least 300 Kashmiri students from different states of India and arranged buses for them so that they can travel safely to their respective homes. The organisation also arranged langar’s for the students in different parts of Punjab. Moreover, the Gurdwaras were opened by the organization so that the students could stay safely.

When extremely severe cyclonic storm ‘Fani’ hit Odisha in September 2019, it devastated 20,367 villages in nearly 14 coastal districts of Odisha. In addition to this, around 1.6 crore people were affected and nearly 1.88 lakh hectares of agricultural was damaged. At that severe circumstances, Khalsa aid was quick to extend its humanitarian service to cyclone affected residents. The volunteers worked round the clock and served the food to people in Puri. Every day they served drinking water and food to nearly 5,000 residents in Puri. As water shortage was the biggest challenge, Khalsa aid volunteers purchased around 50,000 liters of drinking water from Kolkata to supply it to the people.

Due to high rainfall in Punjab, in August 2019, large area left devasted by the severe flood. Approximately 300 villages of Jalandhar, Ropar and Ferozepur districts were severely affected in flood. The releasing of water from the Bhakra Dam and the swollen river Sutlej flooded villages in several areas. The flood caused extensive loss to farmers by damaging crops, especially paddy. The several houses were socked in low lying areas. In this devasting calamity, Khalsa Aid along with Indian army played the crucial role in bringing things to normalcy. The volunteers rescued not only the stranded people but also the animals in the flooded areas. The organization released an amount of £1,50,000 (₹1.3 crore) with immediate effect towards the relief work in flood affected areas in Punjab. Khalsa aid deployed its teams with the requisite equipment in Gurdaspur, Philloaur, Pathankot, Dinanagar and in Shahkot.

In August 2019, Khalsa Aid in collaboration with JK Students Association distributed stock, groceries and essential commodities among 300 Kashmiri students in different areas of Chandigarh. The students were facing economic crises due to the communication blockade in Kashmir.

In Bhai Laalo Middle School, Patiala, Currently Khalsa Aid is supporting 250 children of the underprivileged communities. The school was about to close in 2014 due to the funding crises, but the organization took the responsibility to run the school. The school is now providing the educational opportunities to students of economic weaker section. The organization is also funding Dashmesh Public School in Sangrur district of Punjab in which around 400 students from privileged section are receiving free education. The Focus Punjab that was launched in 2010, is one of the other long-term projects of Khalsa Aid for the 1984 conflict victim families. The project has provided assistance to 250 families in Punjab those are living under poverty due to economic, political or other reasons.

In 2017, the founder of Khalsa aid Ravi was honored with the Bhagat Singh Thind Community Empowerment Award at a National Gala Dinner in the USA.

Khalsa Aid is being funded by the common masses. The organization believes that general public can donate even a small amount as it is the most practical and useful method of donation. It helps the organization to plan projects in advance and be more efficient. For receiving donations, the organization has created a dedicated website where the donators can donate the money. Not only this, the organization is timely updating its works on Social Media platforms for the information of the general public.

Co-Written by Varinder Singh & Ishfaq Majid

Note: Khalsa Aid is an International organization. The organization serves the mankind across the world. But the current article focuses only on the works and activities carried by the organization in India.

Authors Bio:
Varinder Singh is a Ph.D. Scholar in School of Education, Central University of Gujarat. He is currently working in the area of Educational Psychology. His writings had earlier published in Mainstream Weekly. The author can be mailed at Varinder.singh@cug.ac.in
Ishfaq Majid is a Ph.D. Scholar in School of Education, Central University of Gujarat. He is currently working in the area of ICT in Education. His writings had earlier published in The Rising Kashmir, Economic and Political Weekly, South Asia Journal, London Institute of South Asia, Countercurrents and Mainstream Weekly. The author can be mailed at Ishfaq.majid@cug.ac.in

First Published in https://countercurrents.org/
 

The post Khalsa Aid India: A Journey of Serving the Mankind appeared first on SabrangIndia.

 
It was Khalsa Aid, an international aid organisation that had also stepped in for the beleaguered Rohingyas and many local gurdwaras, as also individual Sikhs gave protection, food and shelter to the stranded Kashmiris and helped them reach their homes in Kashmir.Several Kashmiris – those who were stranded as well as journalists and political leaders – expressed their gratitude to the Sikh community for helping them in this difficult time.
 
A cartoon by Greater Kashmir cartoonist Suhail Naqshbandi, which depicted a Sikh offering a helping hand to a drowning Kashmiri, went viral on social media
 

 
This cartoon from Suhail Nakshbandi (editorial cartoonist from Greater Kashmir says it all. He tweeted this, “Sardar means a leader and they lead by example. Hats off to them for being everywhere to help the humanity.” Needless to say it went viral.
 
Kashmiri students in Dehradun were specific targets following the Pulwama terror attack on Thursday, Khalsa Aid International is reaching out to the distressed students and offering them transportation, food and accommodation. Khalsa Aid, the Punjab-based NGO has got in touch with Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Organisation (JKSO) and providing transportation to 250 students waiting to leave for Mohali from Dehradun.
 
“When I saw members of Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Organisation are providing help to students facing threats after Pulwama, I followed up with them. We are giving them transportation, food and accommodation. I saw them hungry and scared,” Amarpreet Singh, managing director, Khalsa Aid International, told News 18.  He adds, “What is their fault… that they are Kashmiris? We will stand by them and help them. About 250 more students are stranded in Dehradun and want to leave for Jammu. We will take care of their travel.” 

Providing Safe Sanctuary 

While some Kashmiri students are huddled up in a housing society, others have found refuge in gurudwaras. The JKSO — a socio-cultural group that has been working for the Kashmiri students since two years ago — has helped 800 students from Dehradun find safe refuge. Some have been sent back to Jammu and some are staying at various places in Mohali.

Singh says the issue is being hijacked by those who don’t know the ground realities of Kashmir. “People with no understanding of what’s happening on ground are playing politics over the issue. Another country is being dragged into our internal matter. At this hour, we are there for those who need help,” he says.

300 Students Expected in Chandigarh

Kashmiri students studying in Dehradun, many of who have been roughed up since the Pulwama attack, are fearing for their lives and fleeing to Chandigarh, where several shelter camps have surfaced. Khwaja Itrat, president, JKSO, said 300 more are joining fellow Kashmiri students in the Chandigarh camp. Those who were assaulted by the Bajrang Dal and VHP members have been sent to Jammu.

“The students are extremely worried for their well-being. After the protests broke out, we helped 800 Kashmiri students from Dehradun and some from Haryana. Today, again, 300 students have joined the camp as things are not safe for them in Uttarakhand,” Itrat said, adding that there are some students like Imtiaz Ahmad Mir — final-year postgraduate student of chemistry at Alpine College in Dehradun — who spent two days to reach Chandigarh — “without food and by using plastic bags for urination.”

One of the students, on the condition of anonymity, shared: “Our college has assured that in 10 to 15 days when things get normal they will call us back. There is no safety for us and the crowd outside the campus has threatened to beat us up. Some of our brothers were beaten up. We will return when we get a call from our college.”

The Saffron Threat 

In Dehradun, the Bajrang Dal convener Vikas Verma continues to issue threats to Kashmiri students, claiming they “engaged in anti-national activities”. He says: “The Kashmiri students are our targets and we want them to leave Uttarakhand. Today, we protested at the medical college near Shimla bypass, making sure those who are still living in area also leave.” 

His declares his message loud and clear: “Dogs are allowed but Kashmiri Muslims are not allowed in this state. Within 48 hours, we want them gone from here.” He adds, “Only when the access to education will get restricted will these people stop pelting stones. The nationalists anywhere in the country should make Kashmiri students leave.”

The attacks on the students come in the wake of a terror attack in Pulwama on February 14 in which more than 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel lost their lives.

(With credit and inputs from News 18 and The Quint)
 

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