Khalistan Referendum to go on despite Indian coercion: SFJ leader
World
Khalistan Referendum to go on despite Indian coercion: SFJ leader
LONDON (APP) – US-based pro-Khalistan organisation, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), has asserted that India’s attempts to silence and coerce SFJ leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun through asset seizures in Indian Punjab and false cases would not deter the Khalistan Referendum movement, which continues despite challenges.
Pannun spoke after India’s federal anti-terror agency said it has confiscated the properties of Pannun whom it accuses of terror activities in India – following Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s public and shocking accusation that India was behind the assassination of pro-Khalistan Canadian leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was a friend and ally of Pannun.
The seizure of a house and land owned by Pannun in India’s northern state of Punjab “comes as a big boost to the country’s crackdown on the terror and secessionist network being operated from various countries, including Canada,” a statement issued by the Indian National Investigation Agency (NIA) said.
SFJ General Counsel Pannun said India was desperate and in a state of shock over the success of Khalistan Referendum campaign which has mobilised tens of thousands of Sikhs in the UK, Canada, Europe and America through Khalistan Referendum voting.
On the seizure of his property in Punjab by the NIA, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said, “The issue at the heart of the conflict with India is not the properties of an individual – Pannun.”
The issue is about the land of the Sikh people – Punjab – that is forcefully occupied by India and the resources of the indigenous people of Punjab that are being plundered by Delhi. Khalistan Referendum 2025 loaded with millions of ‘votes’ is going to be ‘Sikhs’ Surgical Strike’ against India that will liberate Punjab to create Democratic Republic of Khalistan (DRK) where people of all religions are going to have equal status, rights and freedoms.”
In 2020, India asked Interpol to issue a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Pannun, alleging him to be a terrorist but after review of the case, Interpol rejected India’s request on the grounds that India has failed to produce any evidence linking Pannun with any act of violence or terrorism anywhere in the world including India.
Interpol further held that India is seeking RCN against Pannun because of his human rights activism and his political campaign – the Khalistan Referendum.
Over the last few years, India has asked the United States and Canada to take action against Pannun, but the two governments took no action due to the lack of evidence and failure of India to back up its claims.
Tensions between India and Canada have escalated after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada had credible intelligence linking Indian government agents to the murder in Canada in June of Nijjar who was the president of the Khalistan Referendum chapter in Canada, under the banner of Sikhs For Justice which has been spearheading the voting campaign.
