Bob Livingston
Bob Livingston

Former House Speaker-designate Bob Livingston is representing New York-based Sikhs for Justice on issues related to the intimidation and harassment of US citizens of Sikh ethnicity by individuals and entities outside of the US for expressing their personal and political views.

In an open letter to president Biden and vice president Harris that was published in Politico on Sept. 23, SFJ said “India has been criminally charging American Sikhs who have been advocating for the Khalistan referendum from US soil.”

A separatist movement wants to establish Khalistan as a homeland for Sikhs in India’s Punjab region.

The letter alleges that threats were made against Meena Harris, niece of the VP, for her support of striking farmers in India.

Harris, who is Hindu, tweeted the farmers’ protest was not just against India’s agricultural policies but “also about the persecution of a vocal religious minority.”

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, general counsel for SFJ, told O'Dwyer's his group has launched an email campaign directed at UN secretary general Antonio Guterres and member countries urging them to hold India prime minister Narendra Modi accountable for 1) the use of unbridled and brutal violence to crush the farmers' protest and the use of sedition charges against overseas Sikhs for supporting the protesters, and 2) India's heightened attempts to curb the freedom of speech of diasporaDikhs who support the Khalistan referendum.

The Livingston Group has Livingston, who was a Republican Congressman from Louisiana; Allen Martin, managing director and ex-chief of staff for Livingston, and Cathryn Kingsbury, international practice area director, working the SFJ business.