Indian Ambassador to US receives "Sikh Hero Award", says Khalsa stands for unity

Washington [US], April 11 (ANI): Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu was presented with the "Sikh Hero Award" from Sikhs of America, an independent organisation.

India's top diplomat to the US received this award days after the violence at the Indian missions in the US by a small group of pro-Khalistan supporters. The Khalistan supporters recently incited violence at the Embassy of India and personally targeted Sandhu.

India's top diplomat to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu received the "Sikh Hero Award" from Sikhs of America along with several other eminent Sikh Americans. Taranjit Singh Sandhu was targeted by Khalistan supporters at the Embassy of India in the United States.

While making his address after receiving the award, he made a strong and significant stand against the separatists and gave a strong message to Khalistan Supporters.

"The Khalsa flag, which flies at the Takht (Golden Temple) and Nishan Sahibs, is a flag of unity, peace and universal love, use this symbol but do not insult it," said Sandhu in an apparent reference to the instances of violence by a small group of separatists in the US, Canada, UK and Australia holding the Khalistani flag.

"Khalsa, which was created on the Baisakhi day, by Guru Gobind Singh is a uniting and not a dividing force," he added.

"We must keep these cardinal virtues in mind and not what a couple of mischievous characters spin using virtual media," he said in an apparent reference to the so-called Khalistan leaders' messages on social media.

Sandhu encouraged the Sikh diaspora to connect with their roots and said "Punjab and the youth in Punjab need to be connected with the economic, financial, tech and digital revolution happening in India."

"The government, people and in particular the youth must take advantage of the expanding partnership with the US in various fields that Prime Minister Modi and President Biden are trying to implement," he said.

Last month, Pro-Khalistan supporters in the US threatened the Indian embassy and Indian Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu during their protest. While rallying outside the mission, a protestor in his speech made a direct threat to the Ambassador that the "hypocrisy" will come to an end and that the Ambassador could face a similar fate to what former president of India Zail Singh faced back in 1994.

Multiple incidents of protests by supporters of Khalistan have been staged outside the Indian embassy and the San Francisco Consulate. Earlier, the Indian Consulate in San Francisco was also attacked in March. A video has surfaced on social media in which pro-Khalistani protestors gathered at the consulate in San Francisco, shouting slogans in support of Amritpal and heckling staff as they abandoned the diplomatic mission.

The protesters made vague claims that the "Indian government is killing citizens from all communities all over the country."

"This hypocrisy comes to an end now...... There will come a day when the windows of your cars will break and you will have nowhere to run to," they threatened the Indian embassy with slogans of "Khalistan Zindabad".

Hundreds of Khalistan supporters gathered outside the Indian Embassy in the United States.

The protesters included turbaned men of all ages who raised pro-Khalistan slogans. They came in from different parts of the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) area. The organisers used mics to make anti-India speeches both in English and Punjabi and targeted the Punjab Police for alleged human rights violations. (ANI)