‘If you live in another country…’: Vir Sanghvi on Harsimrat Kaur Badal’s appeal to the govt in Harjinder Singh case
“Also more than 1.5 lakh Punjabi truck drivers in the US should not be discriminated against due to Harjinder’s mistake," said Badal, referring to the Florida highway crash.
- Aug 25, 2025,
- Updated Aug 25, 2025 11:27 AM IST
If you are found violating rules of the new country you have moved to, you must defend yourself, said a veteran journalist in the case of truck-driver Harjinder Singh, responsible for a fatal crash in Florida that killed three people. Harjinder Singh, who was apprehended by the authorities, was found to have no legal authorisation to work in the US.
“With great respect: no. If you choose to go & live in another country you must abide by that country’s laws & not end up killing its citizens. If you are prosecuted in your new home then you must defend yourself & not expect the Indian govt to intervene on your behalf,” he said.
His response came after Shiromani Akali Dal MP from Bathinda, and former Union Minister of Food Processing, Harsimrat Kaur Badal in an appeal to the government said that Harjinder Singh should not be prosecuted as a murderer. She also said his right to wear the Sikh turban – the dastar – should be protected. Badal insisted that it was a mistake and should not be treated as murder. She said Singh should be given a punishment fit for an accident, if there are any.
“Also more than 1.5 lakh Punjabi truck drivers in the US should not be discriminated against due to Harjinder’s mistake and their livelihood should not be snatched from them by denying them work visas and making it more difficult for them to drive trucks by bringing in new language proficiency rules,” she said. It was found that Harjinder Singh did not speak English.
After the accident, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced: “Effective immediately we are pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers. The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on US roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers.”
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in the US is investigating the highway crash. Singh has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide after attempting an illegal U-turn through an "Official Use Only" access point. This action blocked traffic and triggered the crash. He was taken into custody in California and transported to Florida to face charges.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlighted that inadequate enforcement of qualification standards poses serious safety concerns and increases the likelihood of crashes. The FMCSA estimates that about 16 per cent of US truck drivers were born outside the country.
If you are found violating rules of the new country you have moved to, you must defend yourself, said a veteran journalist in the case of truck-driver Harjinder Singh, responsible for a fatal crash in Florida that killed three people. Harjinder Singh, who was apprehended by the authorities, was found to have no legal authorisation to work in the US.
“With great respect: no. If you choose to go & live in another country you must abide by that country’s laws & not end up killing its citizens. If you are prosecuted in your new home then you must defend yourself & not expect the Indian govt to intervene on your behalf,” he said.
His response came after Shiromani Akali Dal MP from Bathinda, and former Union Minister of Food Processing, Harsimrat Kaur Badal in an appeal to the government said that Harjinder Singh should not be prosecuted as a murderer. She also said his right to wear the Sikh turban – the dastar – should be protected. Badal insisted that it was a mistake and should not be treated as murder. She said Singh should be given a punishment fit for an accident, if there are any.
“Also more than 1.5 lakh Punjabi truck drivers in the US should not be discriminated against due to Harjinder’s mistake and their livelihood should not be snatched from them by denying them work visas and making it more difficult for them to drive trucks by bringing in new language proficiency rules,” she said. It was found that Harjinder Singh did not speak English.
After the accident, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced: “Effective immediately we are pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers. The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on US roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers.”
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in the US is investigating the highway crash. Singh has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide after attempting an illegal U-turn through an "Official Use Only" access point. This action blocked traffic and triggered the crash. He was taken into custody in California and transported to Florida to face charges.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlighted that inadequate enforcement of qualification standards poses serious safety concerns and increases the likelihood of crashes. The FMCSA estimates that about 16 per cent of US truck drivers were born outside the country.