Sikhs For Justice: On Monday, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. During the meeting, Singh asked the US government to officially declare the group “Sikhs For Justice” (SFJ) as a terrorist organisation. This request came with growing tensions between India and the US. Recently, an Indian citizen and former official of India’s RAW was charged by the US for allegedly planning to kill SFJ leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Sikhs For Justice
Sikhs For Justice or SFJ is a group based in New York. It was started in 2007 by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a lawyer living in the US. The group wants to create a separate Sikh country called Khalistan, which would be formed by taking parts of India, especially Punjab. SFJ calls itself a human rights group and has offices in Washington, London, and Toronto. On its website, SFJ says it was created to fight for the rights of Sikhs and to establish Khalistan as an independent country.
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However, the Indian government banned SFJ in 2019 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The government said SFJ was promoting violence and trying to divide India. The Home Ministry stated, “Under the cover of a so-called referendum for Sikhs, SFJ is actually spreading ideas of separation and violence in Punjab. It operates from foreign countries and gets support from anti-India forces.”
Who Is Gurpatwant Singh Pannun?
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is the leader of SFJ. He holds dual citizenship in the US and Canada. Born in a village near Amritsar, Punjab, Pannun studied at Punjab University and later moved to the US for higher education. He worked as a systems analyst at Merrill Lynch while studying law in New York.
Pannun is known for organising events called “referendums” in countries like Canada, the UK, and Australia. These events ask Sikhs living abroad if they support the creation of Khalistan. Pannun often appears at pro-Khalistan gatherings and shares video messages on social media, where he threatens Indian leaders and the government.
The Indian government has accused Pannun of encouraging violence. In one case, the Home Ministry said, “Pannun told Indian farmers to take up arms and fight Indian forces. He even said weapons would be sent to them from across the border. SFJ also claimed to have a list of children of Indian police officers and politicians studying abroad, threatening to harm them.”
How SFJ Threatens India’s Security
SFJ has been involved in activities that threaten India’s security. The group organises events like “justice rallies,” “genocide conferences,” and “freedom rallies” to spread anti-India feelings among Sikhs living abroad, especially in countries like Canada, the US, the UK, and Australia. SFJ operates from Pannun’s offices in New York and California.
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The group has also been linked to violence. Pannun has encouraged Indian farmers to arm themselves and called for weapons to be smuggled into India. SFJ has threatened Indian embassies worldwide under a campaign called “Kill India.” The group even tried to disrupt major events like the Cricket World Cup, reported by News 18.
SFJ works with known terrorists and uses its referendum events to recruit young Sikhs into violent activities. The group has also vowed to take revenge for the deaths of its members, blaming the Indian government for their killings.
The Indian government has also accused SFJ of trying to convince Sikh soldiers and police officers to leave their jobs. The group is said to be working with gangsters, terrorists, and Kashmiri separatists. Additionally, SFJ gets support from Pakistan and has recently been trying to convince Muslims, Tamils, and Christians from Manipur to break away from India.
So far, Indian police have registered 104 cases against SFJ members or supporters under laws like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Indian Penal Code, and the Arms Act.
What Happens If the US Labels SFJ as a Terrorist Group?
If the US designates SFJ as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO), it could seriously hurt the group’s activities. Pannun and SFJ already face dozens of cases in India, including three sedition cases in Punjab. However, because Pannun is a foreign citizen, India has not been able to stop his activities.
An FTO label by the US would make it illegal for anyone in the US to give money or support to SFJ. US banks would also have to freeze any assets linked to the group. This would make it much harder for SFJ to operate and fund its activities.
