US-based Gurpatwant Singh Pannu of Sikhs for Justice has been declared a terrorist amongst 8 others by the Ministry of Home Affairs (India) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The complete list is as follows:
• Wadhawa Singh Babbar (Pakistan based, Babbar Khalsa)
• Lakhbir Singh (Pakistan based, International Sikh Youth Federation)
• Ranjeet Singh (Pakistan based, Khalistan Zindabad Force)
• Paramjit Singh (UK based, Babbar Khalsa)
• Bhupinder Singh Bhinda (Germany based, Khalistan Zindabad Force)
• Gurmeet Singh Bagga (Germany based, Khalistan Zindabad Force)
• Hardeep Singh Nijjar (Canada based, Khalistan Tiger Force)
• Paramjit Singh (UK based, Babbar Khalsa)
An excerpt from the notice from the Ministry of Home Affairs reads
These individuals are involved in various acts of terrorism from foreign soil. They have been trying to revive militancy in Punjab
Pannus Sikhs for Justice organization has been behind a campaign under the slogan of “Punjab Referendum 2020”. The objective of the campaign is to give the people of Punjab an opportunity to vote whether they would prefer to remain a part of India or to reestablish itself as a seperate nation.
The “Punjab Referendum 2020” would be an unofficial referendum that is not legally binding in India. However, the goal is with an overwhelming yes vote to approach the United Nations which could intervene and conduct a legally binding official referendum.
Most recently, the country of South Sudan was created as a result of a referendum. Scotland and the province of Quebec have held referendums in the past on the subject of independence from the United Kingdom and Canada respectively.
Our opinion is that declaring Pannu as a terrorist comes on the heels of the growing popularity of the “Punjab Referendum 2020” campaign. Voter registration is intended to begin on July 4 across all of India and this is the first step amongst many the Indian government will take to curtail the momentum of the campaign.
Pannu posted a video response to being declared a a terrorist on the official Sikhs for Justice Facebook page and stated that
The basis of referendum, the basis of our fight, its foundations are based on international law, it is not based on explosives, it is not based on bullets.
The Khalistan movement’s image has been tarnished by the Indian political system, judicial system, and media alike over the past 36 years by being portrayed as a violent movement. The “Punjab Referendum 2020” is intended to be a peaceful and democratic approach to self-determination and one that completely contradicts the aforementioned narrative written collectively by the Indian system.
Despite the peaceful and democratic approach of this campaign the bias towards Sikhs and other religious minorities by the Indian government is clearly exhibited in this latest act