India
Indian Consul Summoned by U.S. Court in Defamation Lawsuit Filed by Sikh Activist
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In his lawsuit, Singh has claimed that CGI’s statements in the letter have caused him emotional distress and injury to his reputation.
A court in the U.S. has summoned the Consul General of India (CGI) in New York after a Sikh activist sued him for defamation.
Swaranjit Singh Khalsa has claimed in his lawsuit that CGI Sandeep Chakravorty’s letter to Connecticut’s senator Cathy Osten in November was defamatory for him.
According to a report in the Times of India, Chakravorty had written a letter to Osten on Nov.5, which carried strong words against fringe or radical elements of Connecticut based Sikh community. It was said in letter that they carry on their “pernicious and divisive campaign as they see money and power for themselves.”
Chakravorty’s letter was in response to Osten’s letter in March which she had written regarding Connecticut Senate’s bill for designating November as “Sikh Genocide Remembrance Month.” It is important to note that Singh has been lobbying for this bill, added the report.
Sikhs For Justice, a Sikh separatist group, has shared the information of summons issued to Chakravorty on social media.
The publication quoted an excerpt from the CGI letter as, “The fringe/radical and terrorist elements of the Sikh community in Connecticut appear to be oblivious of what has happened in the past and are carrying on their vociferous, pernicious and divisive campaign as they see money and power for themselves in this. We somehow feel that these fringe elements have taken benefit of your trust and made you support this bill.”
In his letter, Chakravorty also called the figures mentioned in Senator’s letter exaggeration and far from reality. He said that these false narratives are being purveyed by “Sikh separatists/terrorists,” who demand “Khalistan,” a separate state for Sikhs in India and Pakistan.
According to the statement issued by SFJ’s Attorney, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, plaintiff Singh alleged that statements made by CGI-NY, in a letter to Senator Ostin, have caused injury to his reputation and he has been through emotional suffering due to it.