KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the head of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), in an audio message on March 17 threatened to teach the big leaders of the country a lesson and also threw a challenge to Gujarat police. The message, which was pre-recorded and directed to numerous mobile users in Gujarat, contained Pannun's allegation that the Union government's leaders were accountable for the fatalities of Sikh farmers who demonstrated against the new agricultural policies in 2020-2021. The audio message went on to caution that the SFJ would not pardon the government for those casualties.
Thousands of people in Gujarat on March 8 received bulk messages and pre-recorded calls, purportedly by the head of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) Gurupatwant Singh Pannun, threatening to “storm into the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium” in Ahmadabad in Gujarat. In the pre-recorded voice message, Pannun stated, “People of Gujarat, on 9th March, stay home and stay safe because pro-Khalistan Sikhs are going to storm Narendra Modi cricket stadium and install Khalistani flag. Do not become a victim between pro-Khalistan Sikhs and Indian police (sic)”. The messages were aimed at creating panic amongst people ahead of the visit of the prime ministers of India and Australia.
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The President of Swaminarayan Temple located on Marshall Road in Perth, Australia received a threatening call on March 7. The President of the Temple, Vinodbhai Hirani said that he received a call from a man who identified himself as "Gurupdesh Singh," from an American number, who warned, "the Hindus community to support Khalistan or face dire consequences". Notably, the Khalistan supporters recently vandalized the Laxmi Narayan Temple in Brisbane on March 4, which was the fifth attempt against Hindu temples in the last two months in Australia.
Amritpal Singh, who is the head of ‘Waris Punjab De’ has given a life threatening warning to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on February 20. In his recent address in Budhsingh Wala village of Moga District, Singh said, "We will do the same to Amit Shah as happened to Indira Gandhi."
The president and the vice president of Gayatri Mandir in Brisbane, Australia, Jai Ram and Dharmesh Prasad, has received threatening calls from pro-Khalistani supporter on February 17. According to reports, a man who identified himself as 'Guruawadesh Singh' claimed that he was calling from Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, and asked the Hindu community to support the 'Khalistan Referendum' and to raise pro-Khalistani slogans if it wanted to observe Maha Shivratri peacefully, which falls on February 18. He also threatened to send his men from Melbourne to make sure that the Hindu devotees of Gayatri Mandir support Khalistan.
Gagandeep Singh Kainth, who is president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s youth wing (rural), said that on January 27 he received threat calls from an international number on his WhatsApp number, but he did not answer the calls. He said that later he received WhatsApp messages from the same number. “The sender threatened me for supporting the BJP and threatened to shoot me dead. The accused also sent him pictures of weapons to threaten him. He also said that anyone who would speak against Khalistan would face dire consequences,” Kainth said.
The Supreme Court (SC) advocate Vineet Jindal on January 23 filed a complaint with Delhi police against an unknown person linked to the Khalistani terrorist organisation Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) for giving life threats on calls and WhatsApp. In his complaint, Jindal said that he had received death threats from terrorist organisations, including Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), SFJ and Islamic terrorists as well. According to sources, Jindal received death threats from two international numbers +61474268548 and +15105841217. Later, he also received a death threat in messages on WhatsApp from +61474268645. In the message, there was a video message from Khalistani supporters who burnt an effigy. There was a message with images of the gun firing at a mat.
Ghanshyam Singh Lodhi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha MP (Member of Parliament) from Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh said that he received threatening messages on WhatsApp in the name of ‘Lashkar-e-Khalsa Sandeep Singh Khalistani’. He complained that the terror organization threatened to kill him after registering an FIR at the Civil Lines police station. The text message found on WhatsApp said that if the case is not withdrawn, he will be killed. Earlier, he received threats through WhatsApp, after which an FIR was lodged.
The pro-Khalistan group, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) issued a warning for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ahead of his Bharat Jodo Yatra which will enter Punjab on January 11. The Khalistani group once again threatened the Congress leader and challenged him to walk on the streets of Punjab. The group in the video said that a "bomb found in the park near CM Bhagwant Mann's Chandigarh residence could also have been found on the helipad."
Days after Hindu leader Sudhir Suri was shot dead, the Shiv Sena (Taksali) Punjab chairman Sunil Kumar alias Bunty on November 9 received a life-threatening call saying, "you are next." The anonymous caller, who called him on WhatsApp, said, "tera number lagne wala hai, aur ab tera kya banta hai dekhta ja." (You are next. Just wait and watch what happens to you.)
In a video, which was widely circulated on social networking sites, Gopal Singh Chawla, a pro-Khalistan leader hidden in Pakistan had threatened to kill Hindu outfit leader Amit Arora and national joint coordinator of All India Congress Committee (Kisan Congress) Gursimran Singh Mand. The video was released after the murder of Hindu outfit leader Sudhir Suri. Arora is already on terrorist groups’ target and had survived an attack in 2016. Police restricted these leaders from stepping out from their houses. Police have also increased vigil outside residences of various Hindu outfit leaders.
Sikh activist Puneet Sahani, who coordinates the content on Sikhs for Enlightenment Values Association (SEVA), on April 6, 2022, received a death threat from Khalistanis on Twitter. The Twitter user utf8tty (Name mentioned as ‘Eintmaar’ that means ‘someone who throws bricks’) shared a recording clip in which a person who has the same Display Picture (DP) and name as Twitter handle utf8tty says, “They do not know who I am. Listen to me. I have hired two private investigators to find the whereabouts of Puneet Sahani. I will perforate him the day we find the address. These people are nothing in front of us.” Later, the Twitter user utf8tty was suspended on April 7.
Issuing a warning to concerned judges of the Karnataka High Court (HC) that have prescribed a student dress code, the chief of the banned extremist group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) threatened that it would start a 'hijab referendum' similar to the 'Khalistan referendum'. In the audio message, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said, "This message is for Karnataka High Court judges... do not ban the hijab. this message is from Sikhs For Justice general counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, from Washington DC." Pannun warned about bad consequences if they ban hijab.
The pro-Khalistani outfit, Sikhs For Justice’s (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in his new video, called to block any of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s movement in Punjab ahead of the Assembly elections. In the threatening video, Pannun also states that the PM will be reminded of Indira Gandhi.
The Supreme Court lawyers on January 17, 2022, received a threat call from pro-Khalistan outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). In the call received by some SC lawyers, the SFJ chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun threatened the lawyers for filing a complaint against Pannu for announcing a 1 million dollars reward to block Prime Minister Narendra Modi and raise the Khalistan flag instead of the tricolor in Delhi on the Republic Day. Pannun warned of protests against apex court lawyers whenever they go abroad and he maintained that SFJ will not allow retired SC judge Indu Malhotra to proceed with the inquiry into the PM's security breach. In the call, Pannun was heard saying, "You have filed a complaint against SFJ and put yourself in a dangerous position. Now we will hold anti-Sikh, anti-Muslim advocates accountable. While we will block Modi on January 26 and raise Khalistan flags, we will not allow Indu Malhotra to investigate Modi terror plot. We are preparing a list of advocates who visit foreign nations and you will hear from us peacefully, democratically, and loudly."
The news channel, Times Now headquarters in Noida received threats calls from pro-Khalistani forces. Rahul Shivshankar, Editor-in-Chief, Times Now, said, "We are getting these calls from both - Canada and the UK. We know who these people are. We will be contacting the Canadian High Commission and the British High Commission and taking up the matter with the government."
Through pre-recorded calls to some Supreme Court (SC) lawyers, the pro-Khalistani group claimed the responsibility for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security breach at Punjab and warned of dire consequences should the apex court take up the case. The call was received some of the lawyers in the morning, at around 10.40 am, the same time when the court was hearing a public interest litigation on the matter, and decided to set up a committee to look into the breach. The the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) in its complaint said, “Several members of SCAORA received an anonymous, automated pre-recorded call from number +447418365564, once at approximately 10.40 am and another call at 12.36 pm on January 10 fastening responsibility for Prime Minister Modi’s security breach during his visit to Punjab on January 5 on Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) from US, wherein it was stated that SFJ is responsible for blocking PM Modi’s cavalcade at Hussainwala flyover in Punjab.” The letter went on to state that “the caller further warned the Supreme Court judges to refrain from hearing the PIL filed by NGO Lawyers Voice seeking probe into the security breach on the ground that the SC has not been able to punish the culprits of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.”
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in a video released on January 5, 2022, issued veiled threats to the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that Punjab had taken the first steps toward independence. “The people of Punjab have made their decision today.” He went on to say that when “Indira had arrived with weaponry, they had returned the favour” (referring to the murder of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi), “Modi and his government should take notice.” Pannun added that the Free Khalistan Referendum campaign began on January 5 when ‘Tirange wale’ evacuated Punjab for Delhi, while ‘Khande and Kesri wale’ drove India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to depart Punjab.
On December 2, 2021, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Legal Advisor, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), in an audio message threatened Manjinder Singh Sirsa, now a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Reminding Sirsa of the attack on Manjit Singh during his visit to the US, Pannun warned Sirsa to be ready to face similar consequences.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, leader of the pro-Khalistan outfit Sikh for Justice (SFJ), in an audio message, threatened Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Captain Amarinder Singh and Governor VP Singh Badnore of their political death if they hoist the Indian tricolour on the occasion of Independence Day on August15. In this audio message, Pannun was discussing about the farmers' movement and it has been said that 'Our farmers are dying, in such a situation the hoisting of the tricolour on August 15 will not be tolerated.'
On August 6, 2021, the pro-Khalistan outfit, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), in an audio message, threatened Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath that he will not be allowed to hoist the national flag on Independence Day. According to reports, an audio message in the name of SFJ's Gurpatwant Singh Pannun from an international phone number (+6478079192) has been received by UP Police which not only warned CM Adityanath against hosting the national flag on August 15 but also said that thermal plants will be shut down on the same say. It also warned that western areas in Uttar Pradesh i.e., from Saharanpur to Rampur will be taken over by Khalistan.
Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, on August 2, 2021, through recorded phone calls, threatened Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Jagat Prakash Nadda. The pre-recorded audio calls were received on the phones of journalists based in Una, Hamirpur, Kullu and Solan districts of Himachal Pradesh. The caller, who introduced himself as Pannun, said that JP Nadda is personally responsible for the death of thousands of farmers in the country, and JP Nadda is associated with the BJP and because of the BJP, no hearing is being given to the agitating farmers.
The pro-Khalistan outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) on July 30, 2021, issued a threat that Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Jai Ram Thakur will not be allowed to hoist the national flag on the occasion of Independence Day on August 15. The threat was made through a recorded phone call to a majority of Shimla-based journalists, and the caller identified himself as the general counsel for SFJ, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. In the audio message the person said, “Himachal Pradesh was part of Punjab and we are seeking a referendum in there. We will liberate Punjab, and make sure that we take over Himachal which was part of Punjab". He then, sought the support of pro-Khalistan Sikhs, and the farmers and said, "We will not allow Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to hoist Indian Tricolour."
The banned Khalistani organization Sikh for Justice (SFJ) threatened the Delhi Police to stay away from the farmers' movement. SFJ leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in an audio message said that “the farmers of Punjab are going to capture the Parliament on July 22. If Delhi Police tries to stop them, the result will be bad.”
Mandir Sri Ram Balaji Dham Charitable Trust located in Kale Ghanupur in Amritsar district on May 15, 2021, complained that it had been getting threat letters from Khalistani operatives to bomb the temple if the trust did not stop its operations. The office-bearers of the trust also said that trust president Sant Ashnil Kumar was attacked by unscrupulous elements a number of times. They threatened him and asked to shut down the operations of the temple in the area. They said the trust was involved in social service, including providing monthly ration to the needy and widow, medical facilities including free dispensary and physiotherapy centres, pension, marriages of poor girls and monetary help to the people following untoward incidents.
The Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani received death threats from the Khalistani outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). The leader of SFJ, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on November 2, 2020, released posters to kill the Chief Minister and LK Advani after which the Security agencies have become cautious.
The national chairman of Shivsena Shuryavanshi, Sunil Bhasin received a death threat from a WhatsApp group named ‘Khalistan Yodha’ in which the message says that “Get ready, you will also be killed by the bullets, keep as much security as you want. Every such person who will mess with the Sikh community will be killed- Khalistan Zindabad.” Basin had mailed the entire threat details to the DGP of Punjab Police and the city police commissioner. He had received such threats several times earlier too, where he was threatened to be killed.
Anti-Terrorist Front India president Viresh Shandilya on July 12, 2020, received a death threat over the phone. Shandilya received a phone call in the night with the caller threatening him for speaking against pro-Khalistan sympathizers. Shandilya alleged that the caller said he will be eliminated like former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, who was assassinated way back in 1995. He said, “I have been speaking against pro-Khalistani elements. I have been raising my voice against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of the banned pro-Khalistan outfit Sikhs for Justice and the secessionist campaign he has started from the foreign soil.”
An unidentified caller threatened to kill the Congress’ Member of Parliament (MP) from Ludhiana, Ravneet Singh Bittu and another local party leader Gursimran Singh Mand in Punjab. Gursimran Singh Mand said that the caller gave the threat in a three-minute long call on February 13 evening in which the person also used abusive language against late Chief Minister Beant Singh. Ravneet Singh Bittu is the grandson of Beant Singh who was killed by Khalistani militants in 1995. Bittu had been threatened by the radical Khalistani elements earlier as well. Excerpts from the call: “Have you seen death, how it can come to you, Bittu? We will kill you the same way Beant Singh was killed.”
SFJ, through a video message, threatened Punjab's Minister for Jails Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa over his criticism against its ‘Referendum 2020' campaign. In a video posted on Twitter, the SFJ representative said, “Will you come to Canada or should we handle you in India". Using a foul language against the minister, he further warned that, "Wearing a tag of ‘Referendum 2020', we are roaming openly the world over. If you have guts, spare yourself from bodyguards. You visit any gurudwara without security and our men will teach you a lesson".
Khalistani supporter threatened to kill Shiv Sena, Punjab state’s Vice President Yogesh Batish. According to Batish, on August 18, 2017 night, he received a phone call from an unidentified number from Bahrain, in which a person identified himself as Karnail Singh threatened to kill him. The caller allegedly said, “Your death is only a few days away, you are a threat to Khalistan and supporter of Hindu religion.”
Khalistani extremist associated with the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), Ajaib Singh Bagri on July 28, 1984, during the founding convention of the World Sikh Organization (WSO) at Madison Square Garden in New York, US, openly called for revenge against India and Hindus. In his speech, he repeatedly said “Until we kill 50,000 Hindus, we will not rest.”
Khalistani supporters threatened to kill the National President of the Anti-Terrorist Front India (ATFI) Viresh Shandilya. In the video, Khalistani leaders can be heard saying “When we did not spare Indira Gandhi; who is Shandilya?... We will burn him alive just tell us the place and time….”