Modi visit to US: Hours before PM's arrival, White House hosts meeting with Pro-Khalistan leaders

Just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-day visit to the United States, White House officials met with Sikh activists to assure them of the US government's commitment to protecting Americans from transnational repression. The meeting took place inside the White House complex, signaling heightened vigilance and engagement with pro-Khalistan groups before the Prime Minister's arrival.
Representatives from key Sikh organizations, including the Sikh Coalition, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), and the American Sikh Caucus Committee, attended the meeting, according to the report.
Pritpal Singh, founder of the American Sikh Caucus Committee, expressed gratitude for the US government's efforts to safeguard Sikh Americans. "We had the chance to thank senior federal officials for saving the lives of Sikh Americans and for their vigilance in protecting our community. We asked them to do more, and we will hold them to their assurances," Singh said.
Singh also took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to reaffirm the activists' commitment to ensuring the government keeps its promises: "Freedom and justice must prevail."

This is the first meeting of its kind between the National Security Council and Sikh activists. While specific details of the discussion remain undisclosed, it is understood that the White House initiated the dialogue to address concerns about transnational aggression.
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The meeting aligns with recent legislative efforts in the US. Earlier this week, Congressman Adam Schiff introduced the Transnational Repression Reporting Act of 2024, a bill aimed at holding foreign actors accountable for repressive actions targeting individuals on American soil. The bill would require coordinated reports from the Attorney General and federal agencies to track instances of transnational repression.
Adding to the context, Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun recently filed a civil lawsuit against the Government of India and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The lawsuit led to the issuance of summons from the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Pannun, who holds dual US and Canadian citizenship, accused Indian officials of conspiring to assassinate him on American soil—a case that has heightened tensions between pro-Khalistan groups and Indian authorities.