International humanitarian aid group, Khalsa Aid, condemned National Investigation Agency probe on farmers’ protest calling it “politically motivated” in a statement issued on Saturday.
India’s premier investigation agency has summoned around 40 people for examination as witnesses in a case related to Sikhs for Justice.
Farmer leader Baldev Singh Sirsa and Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu have been summoned by NIA for questioning on Sunday.
The FIR alleges that “have entered into a conspiracy to create an atmosphere of fear and lawlessness and to cause disaffection in people and to incite them towards rising in rebellion against the government.”
The FIR also claims that “huge funds are being collected abroad for on-ground campaigns and propaganda against the Government of India including staging demonstrations outside Indian missions in countries like the USA, UK, Canada, Germany and so forth.”
https://twitter.com/PunYaab/status/1350369824262684676?s=19
Khalsa Aid became a target of right-wing media trial earlier this month accusing the UK-based organisation funding against ‘national interest’.
Read statement:
National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India summons union leaders, journalists and others supporting the farmers protest in Delhi.We are deeply concerned to learn of the summons being issued by the NIA to individuals involved in the farmers protest, ranging from bus drivers to union leaders all have been summoned to appear before the NIA, being investigated as being ‘anti-national’ and supporting terrorism.
Our Khalsa Aid India team on the ground have also been summoned and are being questioned/investigated. There are genuine and legitimate concerns for the health and mental wellbeing of our Khalsa Aid team, along with interrogations which may not comply with international standards. A large-scale indiscriminate NIA investigation of this nature against voluntary agencies, groups and individuals who provide humanitarian support is unprecedented in Indian history.
We urge all international bodies and monitoring agencies to hold India to account on what appears on the face of it a politically motivated step.
As an organisation we actively work to ensure transparency in our operations and work within guidelines and governance protocols of each country we work within. We are unable to provide any further details at this time until the matter is closed by the NIA.
Our team will cooperate and answer any queries raised by the NIA team; we will endeavor to keep our supporters updated on this matter.
