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Born in Chandigarh, Harmeet Dhillon hit the headlines during Donald Trump’s campaign for reciting Sikh prayer Ardas at the Republican National Convention in July, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP
In a significant move that is being discussed here, the incoming Donald Trump administration has appointed Harmeet K. Dhillon as the Assistant Attorney General for civil rights.
The appointment acquires importance from the Indian point of view as the Biden administration had accused India of planning to assassinate, pro-Khalistan activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a U.S. citizen, on American soil. Ms. Dhillon has been vocal about human rights and acquired prominence during the 2020-’21 farmers protest when she criticised the police crackdown against the protesting farmers in Singhu and Ghazipur borders near Delhi.
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A number of political and cultural figures from the United States had expressed support for the farmers protest during the height of the agitation against the three controversial farm laws that Prime Minister Modi’s government had tried to introduce in the beginning of his second term in office. Climate activist Greta Thunberg and singer Rihanna were among the prominent names who supported the farmers. Ms. Dhillon too had expressed her support for the farmers and highlighted her roots in Punjab.
On 30 November 2020, Ms. Dhillon retweeted a message from British-Indian MP Tan Dhesi and said, “As the Punjab-born descendant of farmers, my heart breaks to see Punjabi farmers assaulted for protesting Indian govt’s pro-big corporation farm bill that will destroy their farms, way of life and culture” She had urged PM Modi to “hear them, meet with them and compromise” and used a hashtag #IStandWithFarmers.
Ms Dhillon has maintained her stance in support of Indian farmers over the past five years and she extended support to them online in February this year when the simmering farm protests erupted in Punjab once again. When Congressman Ro Khanna expressed concern about the political situation in Pakistan, Ms Dhillon remarked, “What’s happening in India right now @RoKhanna? Are you concerned about turning off the internet in Punjab, shooting protesters, government officials…What about the government ordering @X (formerly Twitter) not show the accounts of journaliss, activists?” She further accused the Government of India of disturbing social harmony and question Ro Khanna on “govt officials whipping up hatred against farmer protesters”.
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She intensified her criticism of the Modi government after the June 2023 murder of pro-Khalistan preacher Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia hit India-Canada diplomatic relations. She highlighted a news report that brought to light alleged involvement of the Indian government in a plot to kill Mr Pannun. On 23 November 2023, she said on ‘X’ “Like I said, India has sent death squads to target North American Sikhs outspoken on civil and human rights conditions in Punjab, both to Canada and now the US,” and questioned the Biden government saying, “Will our government do anything about it, or just pander endlessly over artificial DEI nonsense? Lives are at risk”
The Pannun case is expected to come up for consideration as President-Elect Trump gears up for his inauguration on 20 January 2025. The Biden administration had charged Indian citizen and former official of the external intelligence wing R&AW Vikas Yadav of directing the plot to kill Mr Pannun, chief of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). Mr Yadav was identified as “CC-1 “ in the original indictment filed in the case in 2023.
The ruling BJP had further intensified its criticism of the U.S. establishment’s policy regarding India and had accused the state department of plotting to destabilize India. In this context, Ms. Dhillon’s opinions on civil liberty-related cases concerning India will be keenly observed.
Published – December 10, 2024 12:43 pm IST
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Trump selects pro-farmers agitation Harmeet K. Dhillon as Assistant Attorney General for civil rights
