National Investigation Agency (NIA), the premier counter-terrorism agency of the Indian government, has summoned actor Deep Sidhu, a UK based journalist, a farmer leader, a cable tv operator, and few other people for alleged links with the US-based terrorist organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) and fuelling the Khalistani movement. These people were summoned at NIA’s Delhi headquarters between January 18-21.
The NIA has summoned around 40 people with links to the terrorist organisation SFJ, which is fuelling the pro-Khalistani sentiments among the Sikh community of the country and financing the Khalistan movement.
Previously NIA found that the SFJ had been propagating anti-India sentiments within the Sikh community serving in the Indian Army—egging them to engineer a mutiny against their own motherland.
“The Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) has been attempting to undermine the security of the Indian State by instigating Sikh personnel in the Indian army to rise in mutiny against India besides trying to radicalize youths of Kashmir and openly extending support for the secession of Kashmir from India,” the NIA said, according to news agency PTI.
The investigative agency on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against 16 people based out of the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly being involved in seditious activities and fomenting enmity on the pretext of religion and region in India in a Delhi court.
NIA’s charge sheet enlists seven Khalistanis from the US – Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Avtar Singh Pannun, Harpreet Singh, Amardeep Singh Purewal, Harjaap Singh, Sarabjit Singh, S Himmat Singh, six from UK – Gurpreet Singh Baagi, Paramjit Singh, Sarabjit Singh Bannur, Kulwant Singh Mothada, Dupinderjit Singh, Kulwant Singh and three from Canada – J S Dhaliwal, Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Jatinder Singh Grewal.
The Sikh For Justice (SFJ) has been able to not only penetrate in the farmers’ protests but has even hijacked the movement with a pro-Khalistani stance. It gave anti-Hindu colour to the protest by pushing people like Yograj Singh who are known for their Sikh supremacist views.
A few days ago, SFJ announced a reward of USD 2,50,000 for Punjab farmers hoisting the Khalistani flag at India Gate, as well as, Red Fort in the national capital.
The organisation released a letter, as well as, a video of its Chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannu where the cash-reward was espoused to incite the protestors looking to make some quick money.
“26 January is coming and on the Red Fort, there is an Indian tricolour. Remove the tricolour on 26th of January and replace it with the Khalistan flag,” said Pannu in the video.
The SFJ had big plans to instigate a separatist pro-Khalistani movement in Punjab through the ‘Referendum 2020’ program but failed due to Coronavirus induced lockdown. However, the organisation got another opportunity to fuel the movement in the form of the ongoing farmers’ protest and pushed all the resources- money, manpower, and other support- of Referendum 2020 into this protest.
However, NIA is dealing with the pro-Khalistani terror organisation SFJ proactively and the government has blocked several websites related to the group in the last few months. It has even registered FIRs against many people involved and is investigating them.
