Amritsar,  06  February 2025– A U.S. military aircraft carrying deported Indian nationals was forced to land in Amritsar instead of Delhi, triggering concerns among Sikh advocacy groups that the Modi government is using deportation policies to intimidate pro-Khalistan Sikh asylum seekers.

SFJ Accuses Modi Government of Targeting Sikhs

Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), an advocacy group promoting a separate Sikh state of Khalistan, has accused the Indian government of deliberately using this landing as a tool of psychological warfare. SFJ General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun claims that India pressured the U.S. to land the flight in Amritsar to send a chilling message to Sikhs seeking asylum abroad.

"This is a clear attempt by Modi’s government to intimidate and suppress Sikhs who are fighting for their rights," said Pannun in a statement. "By landing the plane in Amritsar, Modi is warning Sikh activists that there is no escape from his repression."

Deportation Flight Raises Questions

The flight, carrying 104 deportees, landed in Amritsar rather than Delhi, Gujarat, or other major repatriation centers. Among the passengers, 30 were from Punjab—many of them Sikh asylum seekers—while the rest were economic migrants from Gujarat and Haryana.

SFJ alleges that this diversion was an intentional strategy to expose Sikh deportees to renewed persecution upon their return. Standard deportation procedures were bypassed, raising concerns about India's growing transnational repression.

Trump Administration’s Contrasting Approach

The controversy also highlights a shift in U.S. immigration policy under different administrations. During the Trump era, Sikh asylum seekers received significant protections, while stricter measures were imposed on illegal immigrants from Gujarat and Haryana. SFJ argues that Modi’s government is now leveraging deportations to target Sikhs while downplaying the issue of Hindu nationalist migration.

Call for Sikh Asylum Seekers to Document Persecution

SFJ has urged Sikhs facing political and religious persecution in India to continue seeking asylum in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and the EU. The group has advised Sikh activists to:

✅ Document incidents of police harassment, false cases, and state surveillance.
✅ Keep records of threats from Hindu nationalist groups and Indian authorities.
✅ Submit this evidence to strengthen their asylum claims in Western countries.

According to SFJ, these records could be decisive in securing asylum status and proving systematic persecution of pro-Khalistan Sikhs.

Global Sikh Referendum and Modi’s Crackdown

The deportation controversy comes ahead of the Khalistan Referendum vote scheduled for March 23 in Los Angeles. Modi's government has been cracking down on Sikh activists, leading to allegations of human rights abuses and suppression of political dissent.

"Seeking asylum is a fundamental human right," said Pannun. "No government can take that away—not even Modi’s."

International Concerns Over India’s Actions

The forced landing of a U.S. military aircraft in Amritsar has drawn international attention to India's treatment of Sikhs and the broader issue of transnational repression. Sikh organizations and human rights advocates are calling on the global community to condemn Modi's tactics and ensure the protection of asylum seekers.

As the Khalistan movement continues to gain traction worldwide, the Modi government’s approach toward Sikh activists remains under scrutiny. The latest developments suggest that India is willing to go to great lengths—including manipulating international deportations—to suppress Sikh voices.