The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday extended ban on pro-Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) by another five years. The terror outfit was first banned in 2019.
In a notification, the home ministry said that SFJ has been indulging in activities “prejudicial to the internal security of India and public order”. The ministry added that SFJ’s activities have the “potential of disrupting peace, unity and integrity of the country.”
According to the ministry, SFJ has been found to be involved in anti-national and subversive activities in Punjab, with the intention to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India.
The SFJ has been accused of “being in close touch with militant outfits and activists, and is supporting violent form of extremism and militancy in Punjab and elsewhere to carve out a sovereign Khalistan out of the territory of Union of India.”
The ministry alleged that the pro-Khalistani outfit has been encouraging and aiding activities for the secession of a part of Indian territory from the Union of India and supporting separatist groups fighting for this purpose in India and elsewhere.
The Centre it is of opinion that if the “unlawful activities of SFJ” are not controlled immediately, the pro-Khalistani outfit will escalate its “subversive activities including attempts to carve out Khalistan Nation out of the territory of Union of India by destabilising the Government established by law.”
The Centre said if uncontrolled, the Pannun-led outfit will continue advocating the secession of Punjab from the Union of India and formation of Khalistan.
“It will propagate anti-national and separatist sentiments prejudicial to the territorial integrity and security of the country, and escalate secessionist movements, support militancy and incite violence in the country.”
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was designated as a terrorist by the Centre in 2020. He is one of the founders of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) and actively lobbies for a separate state for Sikhs, which they call Khalistan, in the US, Canada and the UK.
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