TIME Magazine has a long history of promoting misinformation and anti-India agenda while posing as a forum for “intellectual” viewpoints. It has acted as a mouthpiece for the left, disseminating falsehoods and selling stories that are far from the truth. In a recent article, the magazine slammed the Indian government for allegedly ignoring human rights and giving away democratic norms as Punjab Police continue the manhunt for pro-Khalistani Sikh leader Amritpal Singh.
The article, written by author Simran Jeet Singh, who is a Soros Equality Fellow with the Open Society Foundations of Geroge Soros, claims that the Indian government has ‘abused the fundamental human rights’ and imposed severe restrictions on the citizens including freedom of assembly and freedom of expression to nab one Singh. “The government shut down internet communications and text messaging across Punjab, which in itself the United Nations Human Rights Office said undermines a range of human rights,” the article reads.
The author further claimed that the country was imposing repressive tactics and was propagating a far-right stance by imposing ‘restrictions’ on minorities in the country which include Muslims, Christians and Sikhs. He also opined that the government was not allowing proper dissemination of ‘ground facts’ through journalists who according to him are just reporting the state narrative and allegedly ignoring people’s perspectives.
It is worth noting here that the government has withheld several Twitter accounts including that of BBC News Punjab, Pro-Khalistani MP Simranjit Singh and pro-Khalistan Canadian lawmaker Jagmeet Singh, and several other Punjab based journalists who were actively fear-mongering on the micro-blogging platform and giving a falsified impression of the Punjab police’s action to the world.
Earlier, pro-Khalistan Canadian lawmaker Jagmeet Singh had expressed “concerns” over the ongoing operation in Punjab and compared the Punjab Government’s efforts to curb pro-Khalistani elements to the steps taken by the governments during the Punjab insurgency. He had tried to spread fear by saying, “I am deeply concerned by reports that India has suspended civil liberties and imposed an internet blackout throughout the state of Punjab. These draconian measures are unsettling for many given their historical use to execute extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances during the 1984 Sikh Genocide.” His account was withheld on March 20.
Police action – ‘Drama’?
He further termed the government action as ‘drama’ and said, “this shifts attention from people who are suffering human rights abuses.” Singh, in the article, accepts the fact that he knows very little about the pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh and also calls him a ‘Sikh activist’ who ‘works to control the drug menace.’ He says he knows little about Amritpal and his supporters who recently led an armed attack on personnel of Punjab Police who had arrested Singh’s close aide Lovepreet Toofan in a kidnapping case. However, author Simran Jeet Singh could be seen extending support to pro-Khalistani separatists and expects the government of India to not take steps to stop armed separatist elements.
“The Indian state took the incident as cause for a manhunt for Singh and to arrest more than 100 others. India has also taken the occasion to abuse fundamental human rights, including severe restrictions on freedom of assembly and freedom of expression,” he said in the article. He indicated that the country has never been serious about its democratic norms and that it was never committed to following them.
Punjab Police says rumors being spread that the state was cracking down on ‘Sikhs’
The author who was born in the year 1984, stated that the recent ongoing action by the Indian government against Amritpal Singh reminded him of the Sikh massacre of June 1984. He said that back in 1984, the Indian military operation resulted in the deaths of thousands of Sikh worshipers, including women and children while it moved to flush out ‘Sikh leader’, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
It is important to note that pro-Khalistani leader Bhindarnwale who was wanted by the Indian government was hiding in the Golden Temple when the Indian military was ordered action by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. After Operation Blue Star, Indira Gandhi was assassinated on 31st October 1984 by her Sikh bodyguards following which angry mobs, many of which were led by Congress leaders, brutally murdered 3350 Sikhs.
On 19th November 1984, while giving a speech in front of thousands of people, then-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had justified the violence that took place after Gandhi’s assassination. He had said, “Jab bhi koi bada ped girta hai, to dharti thodi hilti hai. (When a big tree falls, the earth shakes.)”
While Singh claims that the current police crackdown against Amritpal Singh is reminiscent of 1984, he needs to note that during the 1984 massacre, it was Hindus and a few Muslims who had extended support to the Sikhs and saved many Sikh lives. The current crackdown is to avoid any kind of violence that has happened in the past. The Police have arrested only those pro-Khalistani sympathizers who were attempting to disturb peace in the society. OpIndia also reported earlier, that rise of pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh has a striking similarity to that of Bhindranwale.
The IGP Punjab Police mentioned on March 20 that Pakistan’s ISI hand was suspected to be involved in the case and that rumours were being spread that the Indian state was cracking down on ‘Sikhs’, thereby trying to create a Hindu vs Sikh divide. The IGP said that all these rumours were part of a toolkit that was activated hours after the Police crackdown began against Singh.
The author slammed the journalists further for reporting only the government narrative and keeping the world in the dark from the ground realities. He said that 27 million people in Punjab are restricted from using internet, sending text messages which is violation of Human Rights. And all this, he says, is to nab one man. He also slammed the Indian state and alleged that it was censoring the journalists who bring out the legitimate concerns about state violence.
Author knows ‘little’ about Amritpal Singh who has been declared as a threat to the nation
Author Simran Jeet Singh’s comments about the Indian government and its action against Amritpal Singh are to be questioned, especially when he confesses that he knows very little about the pro-Khalistani leader. Amritpal Singh is booked under the NSA and has been declared as a threat to the nation.
On the present date, the following concerns from the Central Intelligence Agencies about a potential jailbreak and recurrence of the Ajnala episode, Amritpal Singh’s pro-Khalistan sympathizers and accomplices have been detained and moved outside of Punjab.
On February 23 of this year, thousands of followers of Amritpal stormed the Ajnala police station in Amritsar to release Amritpal Singh’s close aide who had been detained in connection with an abduction case. Singh’s frenzied supporters broke through the barricades and attacked the Ajnala police station. As reported, cops, on duty, had to brave attacks from Amritpal Singh’s radical followers who were equipped using lathis, swords, and even guns.
#WATCH | Punjab: Supporters of ‘Waris Punjab De’ Chief Amritpal Singh break through police barricades with swords and guns outside Ajnala PS in Amritsar
— ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2023
They’ve gathered outside the PS in order to protest against the arrest of his (Amritpal Singh) close aide Lovepreet Toofan. pic.twitter.com/yhE8XkwYOO
The arrested persons have been booked under NSA and are also believed to be a threat to national integrity as they openly declared that they do not believe in State and defyied orders of Punjab Government which did not allow display of weapons in open.
It is important to note that the Punjab Police has booked the Waris Punjab De chief under the National Security Act, and a non-bailable warrant has been issued for his arrest. It should be further emphasized that Amritpal is still on the run, while a massive search effort is underway throughout the state. More than 100 people have been taken into custody so far including his driver and his uncle and all of them have been sent to Dibrugarh prison in Assam.
Fact: Social media used to spread fake messages and rumors inciting probable violence
To note, the article written by Simran Jeet Singh was published on March 28. However, the government of Punjab had said that the suspension of the internet and restriction on messaging would continue only till March 23. It was reported that certain sections of society were holding protests at several places in the State and were likely to threaten public order by incitement to violence.
“It has further been brought to notice that these sections of society widely use social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp etc. and also Short Message Service (SMS) for spreading of inflammatory material and false rumors, to provoke mobilization of mobs of agitators and demonstrators, mobilize their own manpower and resources for their anti-national activities,” the department of Home Affairs and Justice, Government of Punjab informed in a statement.
Further Singh needs to consider that the police began crackdown against the pro-Khalistani elements and Waris Punjab De leader Amritpal Singh on March 18 as they attempted to disturb the peace and law and order in the state. The Police amid the crackdown also recovered several weapons, bulletproof jackets and rifles from the house and car of fugitive Amritpal Singh. The weapons had AKF (Anandpur Khalsa Fauj) written on them.
Author Simran Jeet Singh further claimed in the article that around 100s ‘others’ were arrested by the Police while searching for one fugitive Singh and imposed internet restrictions, undermining range of human rights.
Reportedly, the fact remains that the 114 arrested individuals were pro-Khalistan elements who supported Amritpal Singh and tried to disturb peace and harmony in the state after the crackdown began. The Police arrested these pro-Khalistani sympathizers and moved some of them to Assam fearing repeat of the Ajnala episode.
Waris Punjab De was involved in 26/01 Red Fort attack
Author Singh also needs to make a note of the fact that fugitive pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh is chief of Waris Punjab De, the pro-Khalistani organization which played a major role in the attack on Delhi’s Red Fort. A large group of protesters entered Delhi in 2021 and created havoc under the guise of a Tractor Rally. They hoisted two alien flags on Red Fort.
The Police then arrested the then Waris Punjab De Chief Deep Sidhu who at that time claimed that he was being framed in the matter. Sidhu had said that he would expose the leaders in farmer’s protest and later died in a road accident.
Simran Jeet Singh associated to Soros’ Open Society Foundation
Author Simran Jeet Singh, who slammed the Indian government over the Amritpal Singh episode, is associated with Geroge Soros’ Open Society Foundation. His bio in Time Magazine reads, “He is an Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity with Columbia University and the Nelson Mandela Foundation, and a Soros Equality Fellow with the Open Society Foundations.”
According to his personal website, he is the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute’s Religion and Society Program and author of The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life. He also works as a visiting professor of history and religion at Union Theological Seminary and a Soros Equality Fellow with the Open Society Foundations, and in 2020 TIME Magazine recognized him among sixteen people fighting for a more equal America.
Notably, he, who seeks to ‘disrupt bias’, frequently writes for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN, media houses that time and again have published hateful articles against the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
George Soros, as said by Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, is rich, opinionated, and dangerous and he funds organisations to bring down governments he does not like. George Soros, through his Open Society Foundation, which started its operations in India first in 1999 by offering scholarships and fellowships to pursue studies and research at Indian institutions, has made great strides in creating disorder within India.
Open Society Foundation actively support to anti-India elements
In the name of running philanthropic activities, the left-wing international organisation led by Soros has begun to spread its tentacles across the country by his active support to anti-India elements operating inside India.
In the last few decades, George Soros has time and again has shown his desperation to wage war against the nationalist government in India through various networks funded by him comprising of NGOs, media, intelligentsia, etc.
Regarding his philanthropy work, Soros’s OSF grasped a stronghold in India during the Obama regime. Ever since its entry into India, OSF has tried to interlope in the internal affairs of the nation through the vast and interconnected network of organisations funded by George Soros. These organisations play a vital role in manipulating the original narrative and take the help of the judiciary and media to hinder the national interest.
Now, Soros and his organization seem to have hand in boosting pro-Khalistani elements as well, while OSF associates and its beneficiaries continue to blame the Indian government of alleged ‘mass repression’.
Recently, George Soros, a Hungarian-American billionaire openly targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government of backing Adani, making it clear that he intends to target Modi politically. India’s foreign minister S Jaishankar then said that Soros was rich, opinionated, and dangerous and that he funded organisations to bring down governments he did not like.
