Banned separatist outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has sharply escalated its propaganda campaign across Punjab ahead of the state's upcoming Assembly elections, deploying local operatives to paint pro-Khalistan graffiti and distribute secessionist material in rural pockets, according to intelligence officials. The outfit is reportedly paying between ₹5,000 and ₹10,000 per propaganda poster to those carrying out the activities on the ground.

SFJ's Targeting Strategy

According to officials, the group — operating under instructions from its proscribed chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun — has directed cadres to focus specifically on rural parts of Punjab. The choice is deliberate: intelligence officials note that residents in these areas are considered more vulnerable to misinformation and have comparatively limited access to fact-checking tools. Operatives are being instructed to record their activities on video and send the footage to Pannun, with the clips then circulated widely on social media to amplify the movement's reach and recruit youth.

Officials add that those recruited are deliberately chosen from among individuals with no prior police records, making identification and tracking significantly harder for security agencies. The SFJ has also reportedly been targeting drug addicts to carry out these tasks — regarded as easy recruits given their financial vulnerability.

ISI Link and Social Media Operations

An Intelligence Bureau official indicated that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has invested substantially in SFJ's social media machinery, recognising propaganda as a force multiplier. 'The ISI has invested a lot in this team as it realises the importance of propaganda. Moreover, the Khalistan issue will always remain in the discourse as long as the social media team can ensure that the content posted has a wide reach,' the official said. Beyond promoting pro-Khalistan ideology, the SFJ is also looking to spread disinformation specifically around religion, officials warned — a move they view as a calculated attempt to drive communal divisions ahead of the polls.

Singhu Border Arrests and BRICS-Linked Graffiti

The intelligence assessment follows a high-profile incident last week when Delhi Police arrested three men for painting pro-Khalistan graffiti at the Singhu border, reportedly carried out ahead of the BRICS Summit at the behest of the SFJ. The graffiti included slogans such as 'Dismantle Modi's BRICS', 'Khalistan SFJ', 'Khalistan Zindabad', and 'SFJ Khalistan America First'. Officials view the Singhu incident as directly connected to the broader organised campaign now being rolled out across Punjab's rural belt.

Drone Menace and the Security Strain

The SFJ's propaganda escalation is unfolding at a moment when Indian security agencies are already stretched. Officials say the simultaneous drone threat from Pakistan — with sophisticated drones being used to smuggle arms, ammunition, and narcotics — is diverting significant intelligence bandwidth. According to officials, proceeds from these drug drops are being used to fund terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir and to revive the Khalistan movement in Punjab. The dual pressure of election security and counter-drone operations, officials say, may be a calculated attempt by SFJ and its handlers to overload India's security apparatus, potentially easing cross-border smuggling.

What Security Agencies Are Watching

Officials believe the propaganda blitz serves multiple objectives simultaneously: stoking communal tensions, attracting youth to the secessionist cause, and distracting security forces. With Punjab's Assembly elections approaching, authorities are expected to step up surveillance in rural districts and coordinate with state police to intercept SFJ-linked networks. The extent to which the campaign gains traction on the ground will likely determine the scale of the security response in the months ahead.