YUBA CITY, Calif. (Diya TV) — At the Yuba City Nagar Kirtan in California, two Khalistani groups engaged in a clash during the annual Sikh parade, marring this annual event that is one of the largest Sikh gatherings outside of India. The altercation escalated to the point where law enforcement had to intervene, resulting in arrests.
The clash occurred as tensions surfaced between the factions, with witnesses suggesting a rift between the groups associated with the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) organization. During the event, one of the groups utilized a helicopter to display a banner that read ‘Delhi Will be Khalistan.’ The exact cause of the conflict remains unclear, but sources indicate a connection to elements linked with SFJ.
SFJ announced the initiation of the American phase of their Khalistan referendum initiative on January 28, 2024, during the 44th annual Sikh parade in Yuba City. The announcement was accompanied by a float commemorating the killing of former Indian Army Chief General AS Vaidya by Sikh separatists Sukhdeo Singh and Harjinder Singh in 1986.
SFJ is a banned terrorist group in India and recently concluded the second phase of the Khalistan referendum in Surrey, Canada, offering a $100,000 reward for the arrest of Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, while releasing a new map incorporating Delhi into their vision for Khalistan.
The situation escalated further when SFJ’s legal counsel, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is designated a terrorist in India, issued a global call urging the Sikh community to avoid flying Air India on November 19, saying in a video there was potential danger to passengers. Pannun’s plea went viral on social media, and he further urged a shutdown of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on the same day.
The annual Sikh Parade in Yuba City, introduced in the 1980s by prominent Indian American peach farmer Didar Singh Bains, attracts 200-300,000 people each year. Held on the first Sunday of November, the event draws attendees from the US, Canada, England, and India, making it a significant cultural celebration.
