It first began with BJP MP Tejasvi Surya. Now, the lead is followed by BJP’s Amritsar candidate Taranjit Singh Sandhu. A promise to bring a US consulate to their respective cities – Bengaluru and Amritsar.

Taranjit Singh Sandhu, a former diplomat, filed his nomination papers on Friday for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Mr Sandhu, 61, was accompanied by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at a roadshow prior to filing his nomination papers.

“If we look at India-US relations, they are progressing at a fast pace. Our community is growing there. There is so much business today between the two nations. So I think more consulates will open here in future. And we will have to see who puts forward the case for Amritsar,” said S Jaishankar to a big round of applause.

“So if you keep the right man…You have to see who is advocating Amritsar’s case,” Mr Jaishankar added with Mr Sandhu sitting right next to him.

The former Ambassador to the US, Mr Sandhu has been instrumental in opening the Indian Consulate in Seattle, the sixth one after New York, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta and San Francisco.

“I have certainly spoken to Ambassador Garcetti, and I know he will positively recommend that. I’ve also spoken to Dr Jaishankar. He’s also been positive about that. There are statistics which support that,” Mr Sandhu, who joined the BJP in March, said in an interview to WION in April.

Mr Sandhu, during his stint as India’s envoy to the US, oversaw several key deals between the two countries, including the deal with US giant GE to make fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force.

Embassies, located in the capital city of the host country, represent the highest level of diplomatic relations between two countries and are led by ambassadors, who serve as the official representatives of their governments. Consulates, usually located in major cities rather than the capital, provide the same services as embassies, but they follow the lead of the embassy. While embassies have a broader range of responsibilities, consulates primarily focus on consular services, trade and commerce, and cultural diplomacy within their consular districts.

“The demand for a US Consulate in Bengaluru has been long-standing, since early 2000s. Many residents of Bengaluru travel to Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata or Hyderabad, spending Rs 30,000 to Rs 60,000 and 2-3 days for VISA approvals. No such hassles for any Kannadiga going forward. It was among my top priorities that a city like Bengaluru should get a US Consulate, and am happy to have delivered on this promise within my first term,” Tejasvi Surya posted on April 9.

The demand for a US Consulate in Bengaluru has been long-standing, since early 2000s.

Many residents of Bengaluru travel to Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata or Hyderabad, spending Rs 30,000 to Rs 60,000 and 2-3 days for VISA approvals.

No such hassles for any Kannadiga going forward.… pic.twitter.com/ZZNvtnUr8I

— Tejasvi Surya (ಮೋದಿಯ ಪರಿವಾರ) (@Tejasvi_Surya) April 9, 2024

 The US will open two new consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, a senior White House official had said in June 2023.

Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad are the four US consulates in India.

Punjab will vote in a single phase on June 1 to elect 13 members to the 18th Lok Sabha.

Chandigarh:

BJP candidate from the Amritsar seat and former diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Friday declared total assets worth Rs 39.92 crore, according to his poll affidavit.

Mr Sandhu, 61, on Friday filed his nomination papers in Amritsar for the June 1 Lok Sabha polls.

According to his affidavit, Mr Sandhu declared moveable and immovable assets owned by him and his wife to be Rs 10.88 crore and 29.04 crore, respectively.

Mr Sandhu has declared Rs 1.10 lakh cash in hand, while his spouse Reenat Sandhu has Rs 20,000 cash in hand, as per his affidavit.

Mr Sandhu does not have any vehicle in his name. He has gold ornaments worth Rs 3.31 lakh while his spouse has gold jewellery worth Rs 29.81 lakh.

He has declared that he has not been convicted in any criminal case.

Among his immovable assets, Mr Sandhu owns agricultural land in Amritsar and residential properties in Amritsar, Gurugram, and Delhi.

Mr Sandhu has shown his profession as politician and a former IFS, while his spouse is currently serving as Indian ambassador to Netherlands.

He did his MA in international relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi in 1984.

The former Indian Ambassador to the US is the grandson of Teja Singh Samundri, who was one of the founding members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, and who played an important role in the gurdwara reform movement.

Mr Sandhu’s father Bishan Singh Samundari was the principal of Khalsa College, Amritsar, and the first Vice Chancellor of the Guru Nanak Dev University.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chandigarh:

Former India Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu is set to make his electoral debut in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket from Amritsar. However, when he visited two villages in the Amritsar district for the election campaign, his convoy was met with protests by farmers. The farmers lined both sides of the streets, showed black flags and raised slogans against Mr Sandhu as his convoy passed through.

“Democracy allows everyone the freedom of expression. The same democracy which allows them to protest, also allows me to carry out my campaign. We have plans to increase the farmers’ income,” said Mr Sandhu on the protests.

The protests against his roadshow happened in the Gangomahal and Kallomahal villages in the Ajnala tehsil.

As part of a call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, which spearheaded the farmers’ stir against the Centre’s now-repealed farm laws, the farmers have decided to protest against BJP leaders in Punjab villages.

“The BJP wants to come back to power and is now out for campaigning. We will not allow them to campaign in our villages and will oppose them tooth and nail,” said one of the farmers.

Taranjit Singh Sandhu retired as the Indian envoy to the US on February 1. He joined the BJP on March 20, ten days later he made it to the party’s candidates’ list for the Lok Sabha polls.

North West Delhi MP and popular singer Hans Raj Hans, who has been fielded from Faridkot by the BJP for the polls, also faced protests by farmers recently.

The decision to oppose the BJP was taken during the Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan.

Thousands of farmers took part in the mahapanchayat on March 14 during which a resolution was passed to intensify the protest against the Centre’s policies regarding the farming sector.

Among their many demands, the farmers are seeking a legal guarantee for minimum support price on all crops, according to the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission, and a farm loan waiver.

The “Delhi Chalo” march – spearheaded by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha – began on February 13 but was blocked from entering the national capital by security forces that led to several instances of clashes at the Haryana border points.

New Delhi:

The BJP on Saturday named its candidates for 11 more Lok Sabha constituencies, fielding a number of leaders who joined it from different parties recently such as Bhartruhari Mahtab, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Sushil Kumar Rinku and Preneet Kaur.

All these leaders have been fielded from the seats they represent in the outgoing Lok Sabha, while former Indian ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu will be making his poll debut from Amritsar.

Hans Raj Hans, who had won from North West Delhi in 2019 on a BJP ticket, will contest from the Faridkot seat, which is reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs).

Veteran parliamentarian Mahtab, who quit the BJD recently, will contest from Cuttack, Bittu from Ludhiana, Kaur from Patiala, and Rinku from Jalandhar, a seat reserved for SCs.

Both Bittu, the grandson of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, and Kaur, the wife of former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, were in the Congress before joining the BJP, while Rinku was in the Aam Aadmi Party.

The BJP on Sunday named two candidates from West Bengal, three from Odisha and six from Punjab.

It has so far announced its candidates for 411 seats. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, former Indian envoy to US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi today.

Taranjit Singh Sandhu, who is from Punjab’s Amritsar, joined the BJP in the presence of BJP National Secretary, Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Tarun Chug.

In the joining ceremony, Mr Sandhu said that Prime Minister Modi is a development-focused leader and that this development should reach his native place, Amritsar.

“In the last 10 years, I have worked closely with PM Modi’s leadership, especially in the relationship with the United States and Sri Lanka. PM Modi is development-focused. Development is very much needed today and this development should reach Amritsar too. So, I thank the party president, the Prime Minister, Home Minister who encouraged me for the new path of service to the nation that I am entering,” he said.

While speaking to ANI, Mr Sandhu said that Amritsar should not miss the opportunities the country is getting, and his nomination for the Lok Sabha candidate will be decided by the party itself.

“There has been a transformation in India-US relations in the past 4 years. It has transformed from a relationship to a partnership. India has received investments in many areas. Opportunities are created for the youth. I am concerned that Amritsar should not miss the opportunities the country is getting… The party will decide if I will contest the elections or not. My hometown, Amritsar, has a lot of potential and I am very affectionate towards it,” he said.

On February 1, Taranjit Singh Sandhu was relieved of his duties after he retired as the Indian envoy to the US.

Mr Sandhu assumed charge as the Indian Ambassador to the United States in February 2020. Mr Sandhu’s most immediate task after being appointed was then-President Donald Trump’s India visit, followed by keeping up the momentum in bilateral ties.

He is one of the most experienced Indian diplomats in US affairs, having served in the Indian Mission in Washington, DC, twice earlier.

He was Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Washington, DC, from July 2013 to January 2017.

Earlier, he was the First Secretary (Political) at the Embassy of India, Washington, DC, responsible for liaison with the United States Congress from 1997 to 2000. He has also been at the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, New York, from July 2005 to February 2009.

He came to Washington from Sri Lanka, where he had a remarkably successful tenure as the High Commissioner from January 2017 to January 2020. Mr Sandhu was the Consul General of India in Frankfurt from September 2011 to July 2013.

Besides this, he has worked in the Ministry of External Affairs in various capacities – as Joint Secretary (United Nations) from March 2009 to August 2011; and later as Joint Secretary (Administration), heading the Human Resource Division.

Meanwhile, the BJP and Congress have not named candidates for 13 seats in Punjab, whereas the AAP has named 8 candidates for Lok Sabha elections, including 5 ministers from Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann-led cabinet.

AAP has fielded Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer for Sangrur, Sushil Kumar Rinku from Jalandhar, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal Amritsar.

The 2024 Indian general election in Punjab will be held on June 1, 2024, to elect 13 members of the 18th Lok Sabha.

In the Lok Sabha election 2019, BJP won 2 seats with a 9.7 per cent vote share, while Congress won 8 seats with a 40.6 per cent, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and AAP won 1 seat each.

The elections for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held from April 19 to June 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Washington:

Highlighting the immense scope to expand India-US bilateral ties in space, India’s Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Friday said it is only natural that the two largest democratic countries deepen their existing space collaboration and continue working closely in exploring this final frontier.

“Both India and the US can combine their strengths to provide space-related applications and services to third countries across the globe,” Mr Sandhu wrote in an op-ed in the Washington Examiner, a conservative news outlet.

“In fact, India already provides services like forest fire detection, solar energy calculation, meteorological data, and disaster management support to countries in the region, while NASA, via its Earth Observation (EO) data and other initiatives, has been a pioneer in aiding the progress towards SDGs in several parts of the world. Together, we can achieve a lot more,” he wrote.

In his op-ed titled ‘Space is the next frontier for India-US collaboration’, the Ambassador wrote that after the success of Chandrayaan-3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India’s successful moon mission was not India’s alone but that of all of humanity.

This inclusive spirit is one that also drives the India-US relationship, which the leaders of the two countries have described as a “partnership for global good”, he wrote.

“From semiconductors to defence, from green energy to critical and emerging technologies, our cooperation touches every conceivable human endeavour. It is only natural that we further deepen our existing space collaboration and continue working closely in exploring this final frontier. Indeed, when India and the US come together, the sky is not the limit!” Mr Sandhu wrote.

Following the Summit between Prime Minister Modi and President Joe Biden in June 2023, ISRO and NASA have committed to exploring human spaceflight cooperation and launching a joint effort to the International Space Station in 2024.

Data being sent back by Chandrayaan-3 will help aid the understanding of the Moon’s south pole, where it is envisioned the next astronauts to the Moon might land, including under the Artemis programme that India joined recently.

The commercial space sector presents another area brimming with potential, with the number of space startups in India seeing a rapid increase, from just four in the year 2020 to over 150 today, the Indian envoy wrote.

Mr Sandhu said the Indian Space Policy of 2023 has opened up avenues for industry, investment, and research collaborations between Indian and US private sector partners.

Commenting on the India-US collaboration in the field of space, the ambassador said the two countries are working together towards the launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, which will help in disaster management and resource monitoring.

“NASA’s ground stations located around the world are supporting Chandrayaan-3’s tracking, deep space communication, and navigation. Space has also been identified as a key area under the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), launched in January 2023,” he wrote. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A photo of Jaahnavi Kandula is displayed with flowers, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, in Seattle, at the intersection where she was killed by a Seattle Police officer driving north while responding to a nearby medical incident.
| Photo Credit: AP

The Biden administration has assured the Indian government of a quick investigation into the death of Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula in Seattle after being struck by a speeding police patrol car and bringing to justice the police officers who were responsible for it.

The U.S. government swung into action after India’s Ambassador to the U.S., Taranjit Singh Sandhu, strongly raised the issue at the highest level in Washington and sought prompt action on the killing of Kandula, and the highly insensitive behaviour of the police officer in Seattle in Washington State.

Kandula was killed in January after she was struck by a police vehicle driven by Officer Kevin Dave. He was driving 74 mph (more than 119 kmph) on the way to a report of an overdose, the Seattle Times newspaper reported on Monday.

In bodycam footage released on Monday by the Seattle Police Department, Officer Daniel Auderer laughed about the deadly crash and dismissed any implication Dave might be at fault or that a criminal investigation was necessary.

U.S. lawmakers and Indian-Americans have expressed outrage over the death of Kandula.

The Biden administration has assured the Indian government of a quick investigation into the incident and bringing to justice the police officers who were responsible for it.

Senior administration officials are believed to have assured the Ambassador and the Indian government that the entire incident has been taken very seriously by them.

They are monitoring its investigation from Washington DC the progress of the case to ensure that there is adequate accountability.

Officials said that they were “shocked” and “horrified” at this incident.

The Consulate General of India in San Francisco on Wednesday termed the handling of Kandula’s death as “deeply troubling”.

“We have taken up the matter strongly with local authorities in Seattle and Washington State as well as senior officials in Washington DC for a thorough investigation and action against those involved in this tragic case,” the mission said in a post on platform X.

“The Consulate & Embassy will continue to closely follow up on this matter with all concerned authorities,” it added.

“Jaahnavi Kandula came here for graduate work from India. She was killed on a crosswalk by a speeding police car, and Officer Auderer said her life had “limited value.” I thought of my dad who came here in his 20s. Mr. Auderer, the life of every Indian immigrant has infinite value,” Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna said.

“Anyone who thinks that a human life has “limited value” should not be serving in law enforcement,” Mr. Khanna said.

Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said: “This is appalling. I hope to see justice for Jaahnavi Kandula’s family and accountability for those involved.” In a letter to the Kandula family, Seattle City Mayor Bruce Harrell said that the comments made by one person do not reflect the feelings of the city or the communities that call it home.

“We recognise that Jaahnavi’s death is a loss for our whole community – the loss of a young woman who had so much life ahead of her to do amazing things and share that joy with loved ones,” Mr. Harrell said in his communication to the Kandula family.

Indian Consul General in San Francisco Ashok Mandula has been in constant touch with the officials from Seattle City and Washington State on this issue.

Expressing his deepest condolences to the Kandula family, Harrell said the “community is heartbroken and mourns alongside your family, friends and everyone who shared the privilege of knowing” her. Expressing condolences on the untimely passing of Kandula, community leader Ajay Bhutoria said her death reminds of the importance of safety and respect for all individuals in the community.

“We are deeply troubled by the unfortunate statement and poor conduct displayed by a Seattle police officer during this incident. Regardless of one’s background or circumstances, every individual deserves dignity, fairness, and compassion,” he said.

Describing this as unacceptable behaviour, Mr. Bhutoria said it is crucial that incidents like these are rigorously examined, and accountability is upheld to maintain community trust in the law enforcement agencies.

“As a community, we must unite to support Jaahnavi’s family and advocate for positive change. We urge authorities to take swift action to address this situation and implement measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future,” Mr. Bhutoria said.

The Seattle Office of Police Accountability said that it has opened an investigation into the incident and they need to complete it before January 29.