Hindu American Foundation (HAF) underfire in U.S , HAF training agents to assasinate sikh in U.S , claim Fremont gurdwara sahib

Defence affairs

A major Sikh temple in the US has urged the Trump administration to investigate the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), accusing the Pennsylvania-based group of acting as a “foreign agent” for the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Fremont Gurdwara Sahib, which serves 5,000 Sikh worshippers each week and is considered a central part of the global Sikh community, has asked the US Department of Justice (DoJ) to determine whether the HAF should be required to register as an agent of India, according to a report in The Guardian.

The Gurdwara believes the group should be transparent about its activities, including any interactions with US lawmakers and connections to the Indian government.

A spokesperson for the Gurdwara wrote in a letter to US Attorney General Pam Bondi that the HAF has facilitated meetings between foreign officials and US lawmakers, hosted foreign officials at its events, and publicly supported the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on both domestic and international matters.

The HAF denied the accusations, insisting that it is a non-partisan charity with no ties to any foreign government or political group.

The foundation also claimed that supporters of the Khalistan movement, which seeks an independent Sikh state, have been behind a “coordinated campaign” against the HAF.

“We are open to meeting with Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and other security officials to discuss these false and harmful allegations,” the HAF stated.

These claims come amid ongoing tensions between Sikhs pushing for an independent state and the Indian government. In recent years, there have been allegations that the Indian government has targeted Sikhs abroad, particularly after the 2023 assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian advocate for Khalistan.

The Canadian government has said it believes Indian agents were involved in Nijjar’s death.

In the US, prosecutors have also alleged that an Indian agent was behind an attempt to kill a US-based Sikh activist.

A recent investigation by Al Jazeera highlighted that the HAF, initially established to represent the Hindu community in the US, has increasingly supported the Indian government since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014.