AI Generated Summary
- Sikh American servicemen face an assault on their religious practice by Washington — a nation these activists often court for political asylum and lobbying — yet there is no outrage, no press conferences, no international campaigns.
- If they truly represent Sikhs worldwide, now is the moment to prove it — by speaking out against violations in Washington just as they would in Delhi.
- It exposes how Khalistan groups drive narratives not from a principled defense of Sikh rights, but from convenience and the need to target a specific state for selfish gains.
In recent days, the United States military has announced a sweeping beard ban under Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, carving out exemptions only for certain special forces. The decision has sparked uproar from civil rights groups, faith-based organizations, and medical advocacy groups alike, given its disproportionate impact on Sikhs, Muslims, Jews, and Black soldiers suffering from shaving-related skin conditions. Yet amid this storm over freedoms and religious identity, one group’s silence is deafening: the self-proclaimed “global representatives of Sikhs,” including Khalistan sympathizers like Gurpatwant Pannun.
Pannun and others have spent years loudly projecting themselves as champions of Sikh rights. Their messaging machine springs into action at the slightest hint of controversy when it comes to anything to do with India, seeking to frame such incidents as evidence of an alleged “oppression.” Yet when the most powerful military in the world openly introduces a policy that directly tramples on this central Sikh tenet, their platforms fall conspicuously silent.
This begs a serious question: Are these activists truly motivated by Sikh rights — or only by anti-India politics? For years, Khalistan sympathizers have leveraged religious identity issues selectively, weaponizing them against New Delhi while ignoring violations elsewhere, such as Pakistan or the West, that don’t fit their narrative. The US policy in question is not a small administrative change: it dismantles progress Sikhs fought for through landmark court cases in 2022, undermining the right to serve while keeping both beard and turban.
Sikh American servicemen face an assault on their religious practice by Washington — a nation these activists often court for political asylum and lobbying — yet there is no outrage, no press conferences, no international campaigns.
Hypocrisy in “Human Rights” Advocacy
This silence reveals a hypocrisy at the heart of their activism. It exposes how Khalistan groups drive narratives not from a principled defense of Sikh rights, but from convenience and the need to target a specific state for selfish gains. Genuine human rights defenders speak against violations regardless of geography or perpetrator; opportunists pick causes based on whether they serve their agenda.
The new beard ban is illustrative of a troubling global trend: governments — even in democracies that pride themselves on constitutional freedoms — compromising religious rights in the name of uniformity or nationalist agendas. Khalistan advocates staying silent now not only betray Sikhs serving in the US Armed Forces, but also weaken the credibility of future campaigns when they stand up for similar freedoms elsewhere.
If they truly represent Sikhs worldwide, now is the moment to prove it — by speaking out against violations in Washington just as they would in Delhi. Anything less tells the world that their activism is not about faith or rights, but about selective outrage designed to serve political ends.
