Pro-Khalistan Slogans Raised as US Envoy Sergio Gor Visits Amritsar’s Golden Temple

Amritsar: Pro-Khalistan slogans were raised outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Monday during US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor’s visit to the Sikh shrine. Gor arrived in Amritsar as part of a 28-member American delegation comprising US senators, senior government officials and foreign policy scholars.

A brief demonstration took place near the shrine’s main entrance while the American delegation was inside the Golden Temple complex. Emaan Singh Mann, acting president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), and party workers raised slogans including “Khalistan Zindabad” and “God Bless America”, according to reports. Security personnel intervened and managed the gathering.

Sergio Gor welcomed at Golden Temple

Gor and the US delegation were welcomed at the Golden Temple by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami and other senior Sikh officials according to Sikh traditions.

Gor’s visit was part of a day-long Amritsar outreach programme. He was also scheduled to visit the Jallianwala Bagh and the Partition Museum during his stay in the city.

The visit comes amid Washington’s efforts to strengthen engagement with Punjab, which has significant cultural and diaspora links with North America. The American delegation included lawmakers and officials involved in US foreign-policy discussions.

Security tightened ahead of the visit

Security arrangements had been strengthened across Amritsar ahead of the ambassador’s arrival.

A day earlier, police had detained two men over graffiti carrying the message “Punjab is not India” at different locations in the city. Police said the suspects were allegedly involved in writing the graffiti ahead of Gor’s visit and were investigating possible links to a foreign-based separatist network.

The slogans were subsequently removed, while police examined CCTV footage and other evidence as part of the investigation.

Political demonstration during diplomatic visit

Monday’s demonstration took place outside the Golden Temple as the US delegation followed its scheduled religious and cultural programme.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) is associated with advocacy for Khalistan, a proposed separate Sikh state. The slogans raised during Gor’s visit therefore came against the backdrop of longstanding political debates surrounding separatism and Sikh diaspora activism.

The US ambassador’s visit itself was focused on engagement with Punjab’s religious, historical and cultural institutions. SGPC officials held discussions with the delegation during the Golden Temple visit.

Earlier concerns over separatist slogans

The latest incident follows reports of pro-Khalistan graffiti appearing at several locations in Amritsar before Gor’s visit. Police subsequently detained two men in connection with the writings, and authorities said investigations were underway to establish the circumstances behind the graffiti.

Despite the demonstration outside the shrine, the US delegation’s scheduled programme continued, with security personnel managing the gathering.