US, asked about Sikh separatist groups, says it respects free speech

FILE PHOTO: Protesters with the group Sikhs For Justice demonstrate against the Indian government's treatment of Sikh farmers near the White House in Washington, U.S., March 12, 2021. REUTERS/Erin Scott/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The State Department on Tuesday said the United States respects the right to freedom of speech and assembly of individuals when asked about American factions of the movement for a Sikh separatist state that has long frustrated India.

The Indian government has complained about the presence of Sikh separatist groups outside India, especially in Canada. The groups have kept alive the movement for Khalistan, or the demand for an independent Sikh state to be carved out of India.