New Delhi: Sikh extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has released a video where he is purportedly heard saying that his outfit, the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), would raise the “Khalistan flag” on India’s Republic Day later this month.
In the video, which is less than a minute long, he said the act of raising the flag will be meant to avenge the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the chief of another banned outfit, the Khalistan Tiger Force, who was killed by unknown gunmen in Canada last year.
“I dare Modi. You come to Delhi without security on R-Day if you are such a popular leader and the SFJ is going to avenge the assassination of martyr Nijjar by raising the Khalistan flag,” Pannun said.
The Canadian government has said it is looking into “credible allegations” of a “potential link” between Nijjar’s killing and Indian government agents. Meanwhile, the US is investigating an alleged plot to kill Pannun where it suspects the involvement of an “Indian government official”.
India has denied Canadian allegations, and formed a panel to look into the concerns raised by the US.
Pannun routinely releases purported threat videos on social media against Indian government and agencies.
Last month, he released a video threatening to “shake the very foundation of Parliament” on 13 December, the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attack. In the 49-second video, he said his planned attack would be “an act of revenge” for the alleged plot to kill him.
In November, he had issued threats against Air India, urging members of the Sikh community to avoid flying the airline on 19 November, the birth anniversary of former PM Indira Gandhi and the day the cricket World Cup final was held, as their lives could come under threat.
He also issued a threat regarding the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Pannun, an American-Canadian citizen, has repeatedly called for a “referendum” for an independent Sikh state, Khalistan. The Ministry of Home Affairs banned the SFJ in 2019, and designated him an individual terrorist in 2020.
This is an updated version of the report
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)