SIKHS FOR JUSTICE
Source: The Indian Express
Context
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), formed in 2007, is a US-based group seeking a separate homeland for Sikhs on Wednesday, the Centre banned a separatist group, Sikhs for Justice, on grounds of Secessionism.
Sikhs for Justice
- The secessionist campaign called Referendum 2020, Seeks to liberate Punjab from Indian occupation.
- Gurpatwant Singh Pannun a law graduate from Panjab University and currently an attorney at law in the US is the face of SFJ and its legal adviser.
- Operating out of the United States, the group has been trying to build a campaign for the secession of Punjab.
- The group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), formed in 2007, is a US-based group seeking a separate homeland for Sikhs a Khalistan in Punjab.
- The Secessionist campaign, called Referendum 2020 seeks to liberate Punjab from Indian occupation.
The ban
- While banning SFJ under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Home Ministry noted:
- "In the garb of the so-called referendum for Sikhs, SFJ is espousing secessionism and militant ideology in Punjab, while operating from safe havens on foreign soils and actively supported by inimical forces in other countries".
| A dossier prepared by Punjab Police lists various secessionist posts on social media by SFJ over the years asserting that the Pulwama attack "cannot be termed as an act of terrorism" to backing Kashmiri separatists; from extending legal help to stall the extradition of fugitives wanted by India including UK resident Paramjit Singh Pamma from Portugal and Nabha Jailbreak mastermind Ramanjit Singh Romi from Hong Kong. |
- In the World Cup semifinal, Pro-Khalistani supporters with "Referendum 2020" T-shirts in Manchester may have been another flashpoint leading to the ban.
- Nearly a dozen cases are registered against SFJ and Pannum including three sedition cases in Punjab.
The Pakistan link
- Punjab Police have said SFJ and Referendum 2020 are supported by Pakistan.
- Intelligence officials said the websites of SFJ share their domain with and source content from a Karachi-based website.
- Pannun himself had issued a statement, which is a part of the Punjab Police dossier, where he had called upon Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan to Politically support "Referendum 2020" citing the "fall of Dhaka in December 1971 with the intervention of Indian army" and Urging Pakistan to "Undo its failure to support Sikhs" during the events of 1984.
Lawsuits against Politicians
- Over the years, law graduates and MBAs have made headlines for initiating lawsuits in various against Indian Politicians.
- In the US, he filed cases against visiting Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi on the issues of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and 2002 Gujarat riots respectively.
- In 2016, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had to cancel a visit to Canada following a case filed by SFJ.
After the ban
Amarinder Singh has hailed the ban, describing it as the "first step towards protecting the nation from the anti-India/Secessionist designs of the ISI-backed organisation".
For Prelims & Mains
|
For Prelims: Kalisthan, Sikhs for Justice
For Mains: What is Sikhs for Justice, a pro-Khalistan group banned by the Indian govt?
|
