Designated terrorist and chief of the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) organisation Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has issued fresh threats ahead of the Republic Day 2024. Several pictures have gone viral on social media show pro-Khalistani graffiti in New Delhi.
Prime Targets
On the occasion of Indian Republic Day to beheld on January 26, 2024, the SFJ chief has issued threats to PM Narendra Modi and has dared him to attend the Republic Day parade without security. “I dare Modi, you come to Delhi without your security. If you are a popular leader cone to New Delhi on the Republic Day without security and the SFJ is going to avenge the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar by raising the Khalistani flag,” he said. He also exhorted gangsters to come together and carry out an assault on Punjab chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the Director of the State police Gaurav Yadav on Republic Day.
Threats Issued by Pannun
In December 2023, Pannun threatened to attack the Indian parliament. In November 2023, he asked Sikhs not to fly in an Air India Flight aircraft after November 19 as their lives were under threats. He claimed that Air India would not be allowed to operate on November 19, 2023. In September 2023, Pannun asked Canadian Hindus to leave Canada amid tensions erupted after the diplomatic row between India and Canada over the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Last year, the Ministry of External Affairs informed that India has raised the matter of threats issued by Pannun with authorities of United States of America and Canada. Notably, Pannun has been on the radar of the National Investigative Agency since 2019 when the anti-terror agency registered its first case against the terrorist, who has been playing a major role in promoting and commissioning terror activities along with spreading fear and terror in Punjab and elsewhere in the country though his intimidation tactics.
On February 3, 2021, non-bailable warrants of arrests were issued by the NIA Special Courts and he was declared a Proclaimed Offender (PO) on November 29, 2022. Last year, the NIA confiscated the house and land of Pannun in Amritsar, Punjab and Union territory of Chandigarh. These properties were earlier attached following orders passed by the government in two different cases.
The NIA Investigations have revealed that Pannun’s organization, Sikhs for Justice was misusing cyberspace to radicalize gullible youth and to instigate them to undertake terrorist crimes and activities. It further emerged during NIA Investigations that Pannun was the main handler and controller of the SFJ.
The Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has been decaled an Unlawful Associations by the government of India on July 10, 2019. Pannun, who was declared a designated individual terrorist by the government of India on July 1, 2020, has been exhorting Punjab based gangsters and youth over social media to fight for the cause of Khalistan, thereby challenging the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country, the NIA investigations have shown.
