Pro-Khalistani Organization 'Sikhs for Justice' Faces Extended Ban for Five Years
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New Delhi, Jan 4 (NationPress) The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal has upheld a notification from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) that prohibits the pro-Khalistani terrorist organization led by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, known as 'Sikhs for Justice (SFJ)', for a duration of five years.
The UAPA Tribunal, presided over by Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta, a current judge of the Delhi High Court, determined that the evidence presented by the Centre substantiated SFJ's links to Khalistani terrorist factions like Babbar Khalsa International and Khalistan Tiger Force, along with its cooperation with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to rejuvenate militancy in Punjab.
The ruling emphasized SFJ's role in recruiting and radicalizing young individuals through social media, financing terrorism via smuggling routes to acquire weapons and explosives, and issuing death threats to political leaders, including the Prime Minister and the Home Minister.
In a notification dated July 9, 2024, the MHA extended the classification of SFJ as an unlawful entity for an additional five years, citing that the activities led by Pannun's SFJ possess the potential to disrupt the peace, unity, and integrity of the nation.
This led to a reference being made to the UAPA Tribunal to assess whether there was adequate justification for classifying the organization as unlawful.
According to the MHA, SFJ engages in anti-national and subversive actions within Punjab, aiming to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India.
The MHA further stated that SFJ maintains close ties with militant groups and activists, supporting violent extremism and militancy in Punjab and beyond to establish a sovereign Khalistan from Indian territory.
The pro-Khalistani group is capable of intensifying its subversive efforts, including attempts to create a Khalistan Nation by destabilizing the legally constituted government.
