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Sikhs for Justice
AbbreviationSFJ
FormationOctober 2007; 16 years ago (2007-10)
FounderGurpatwant Singh Pannun
Founded atUnited States
TypeNGO
Legal statusBanned in India
PurposeSecession of Punjab from India as Khalistan
HeadquartersNew York, United States
Official languages
Punjabi, English
Legal advisor
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun
International policy director
Jatinder Singh Grewal
Websitesikhsforjustice.org

Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is a US-based secessionist group that supports the formation of Khalistan. Founded and primarily headed by lawyer Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in 2009, the organization was created in response to the lack of litigation to convict the murders and massacres of Sikhs after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards in 1984.[1]

Sikhs For Justice was banned in India in 2019 as an unlawful association. It held an unsanctioned referendum for creation of Khalistan in October 2021.[2][3]

History

In 2011, Sikhs For Justice moved to the US court Kamal Nath and a few other leaders of Indian National Congress for their alleged role in 1984 anti-Sikh riots,[4][5] however, the court dismissed the case, saying that the case does not sufficiently "touch and concern" the US.[6] In September 2013, the group filed an amended class action complaint against Sonia Gandhi for protecting members of her party who were involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, but in June 2014, the case was dismissed due to lack of subject matter jurisdiction and failure to state a claim.[7] SFJ were going to subpoena Rahul Gandhi as he stated 'some Congressmen were probably involved in 1984 anti-Sikh riots and they have been punished for it.[8]

In February 2014, the group filed human rights violation case against then 13th Indian prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh (a Sikh himself) for his role as finance minister of India in 1990s accusing him of "funding crimes against humanity perpetrated upon the Sikh community in India".[9] They also submitted a report to United Nations Commission on Human Rights on 1984 anti-Sikh riots.[10]

Khalistan referendum campaign

Main article: Khalistan Referendum

SFJ started organizing the Referendum 2020 campaign, calling for a referendum on whether Punjab should secede from India. The first phase of the unofficial and non-binding referendum started in London on 31 October 2021.[3][11] Gurpatwant Singh Pannun announced in November 2018 that the SFJ will establish a permanent office in Lahore for facilitating the registration of voters and giving information to Sikhs about it. He also stated that banners regarding the referendum and images of a militant, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale had been posted around Nankana Sahib.[12] The group also has at times expressed support for a greater Khalistan with its headquarters at Punjab province of Pakistan and has invited non-Sikhs to register for voting.[13]

Sukhpal Singh Khaira, MLA of Punjab Legislative Assembly and the Leader of Opposition at the time, said, "Sikh Referendum 2020 was a result of consistent policy of bias, discrimination and persecution towards the Sikhs by successive governments in India", though he clarified that he did not support the referendum. Chief Minister of Punjab Amarinder Singh rebuked him. The Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bhartiya Janata Party also criticized Khaira for his statement, with former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal asking the AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to act against the Punjab LoP.[14] The Sikh delegation in the United States of America also met the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit in September 2019, to highlight their support of India as one country.[15]

On October 31, 2021, it held the first round of its referendum in London for those of Indian Sikh ethnicity above the age of 18, and announced plans to expand the voting to other cities of the United Kingdom.[16] However, only 2,000 people were reported to have taken part.[17] In Switzerland, the referendum was held in Geneva on December 10, 2021, with over 6,000 Sikhs reported to have taken part.[18] In 2022, it held a referendum in Italy, with the first phase taking place in Brescia sometime in May, and the second phase in Rome in July. Over 57,000 Sikhs were reported to have taken part.[19]

On June 10, 2022, the group released a map for the proposed territory of Khalistan before the press in Lahore. Along with the Indian Punjab, it also included Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Pannun stated that Shimla would be the capital of the proposed nation, and requested the Government of Pakistan for assistance in its creation.[20]

The referendum held in Canada started on September 19, 2022, with the first phase being held in Brampton.[21] The second phase was held in Mississauga in November.[22] Around 185,000 Sikhs were reported to have participated in both phases.[23]

In Australia, it was held in Canberra in January 29, 2023. The vote led to clashes between pro-Khalistani and pro-Indian groups.[24] On 10 September 2023, another round of referendum was held at Surrey, British Columbia,[25] followed by another on 29 October 2023 in Surrey.[26]

On 28 January 2024, about 127,000 people participated in the referendum held at Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco, California.[27] On 31 March 2024, the second phase of thereferendum was held in Sacramento, California where around 61,000 people participated.[28]

Kartarpur Corridor activism

Kartarpur Corridor

Kartarpur Corridor is a religious corridor, backed by the Indian and Pakistani governments, that allows Indian Sikhs to visit holy sites in Pakistan without getting a visa. SFJ members have used the corridor to promote Referendum 2020, with pilgrims traveling across it having been urged to attend workshops and seminars on the Pakistani side.[29][30][31][32] This, alongside alleged terrorist camps built in the region, resulted in increased security surrounding the corridor.[33]

2023 video controversy

On 18 September 2023, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canadian Intelligence agencies were "pursuing credible allegations of a potential link" between Indian government agents and the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Following this, a video began circulating on social media in which Pannun warned Indo-Canadian Hindus to leave Canada and "go to India", further alleging that they were disloyal to Canada. Numerous Canadian politicians, including federal party leaders Pierre Poilievre and Jagmeet Singh, along with ministers in the federal cabinet, denounced the video. Canada's Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc described the video as "offensive and hateful".[34][35][36][37]

Criminal accusations

As of July 2019, there were 12 criminal cases that were being pursued by Indian agencies namely National Investigation Agency (NIA), Punjab Police and Uttarakhand Police who have also arrested 39 people associated with the SFJ in India.[38] According to the former Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh, SFJ "had unleashed a wave of terror in Punjab in recent years" and deserved to be called a terrorist organisation.[38]

A member of the group was arrested in Malaysia in September 2019 among others for allegedly planning to attack leaders of local parties.[39] A member of the Khalistan Zindabad Force, detained that same month for a bombing in Tarn Taran, claimed that the group had ordered him to kill dera leaders.[40]

SFJ activist Jaswinder Singh Multani was detained and questioned in Germany in December 2021 for his alleged role in the bombing of a court in Ludhiana.[41] In January 2022, the NIA registered a case against him and announced a ₹10,00,000 reward for information leading to his capture.[42] A purported audio message of Pannun claiming responsibility for the 2022 Mohali blast was released after the attack.[43]

According to audio recordings of Pannun obtained by the Punjab Police from two SFJ members in July 2022, the group tried to arrange shelter for killers of singer Sidhu Moose Wala, planned to target Ambala Cantonment Junction railway station and Ambala City railway station, and disrupt Independence Day celebrations in Delhi and Punjab.[44] Pannun has been booked in 22 cases in Punjab from 2017 to 2022. India requested Interpol to issue a red notice against him in October 2022, but it was rejected.[45]

Purported audio from the group was released in December 2022 of them claiming responsibility for the recent attack on a Tarn Taran police station.[46] Pannun however later stated that the organisation only engaged in a peaceful struggle and would provide legal aid to the suspects who he said were falsely accused.[47]

On December 13 2023, the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, responding to alleged attempts to kill him, Pannun released a video threatening to attack the Parliament of India. The video also contained the photo of executed Islamist mastermind of the 2001 attack, Afzal Guru.[48]

The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi V. K. Saxena in May 2024 recommended a NIA probe against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over allegations of receiving US$16 million funding from Sikh separatist groups for attempting to facilitate the release of Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar and espousing pro-Khalistan sentiments, based on a complaint using a video released by Pannun claiming that the AAP had received the money from 2014 to 2022 as evidence.[49]

Rajya Sabha MP V. Sivadasan wrote a letter to Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Jagdeep Dhankhar on 21 July 2024 alleging that he and another MP A. A. Rahim had received a call from the group, who threatened to bomb the area from the Parliament House to Red Fort.[50]

Ban and blocks

Access to the group's Facebook page was blocked in India by Facebook in 2015.[51]

SFJ was banned on 10 July 2019 for five years by the Government of India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for its alleged anti-India activities.[52] An app created by SFJ for people to register for 'Referendum 2020' was reported and removed from the Google Play Store in November 2019.[53][54] The ban was extended for five more years in July 2024.[55]

In January 2020, the UAPA tribunal chaired by Delhi High Court Chief Justice D.N. Patel sustained the decision of the ban on the group. Citing the evidence presented, the committee said that since the activities of the group were "unlawful", "disruptive" and "threaten the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of India" and SFJ was "working in collusion with anti-India entities and forces", therefore: "[T]he Central Government had sufficient cause to take action under UAPA for declaring Sikhs For Justice as an unlawful association."[56]

On July 1, 2020, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was declared as an "individual terrorist" under the UAPA for promoting secessionism and allegedly encouraging Punjabi Sikh youth to take up arms.[57] On July 5, 2020, the central government, via an order of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and on the recommendation of the Ministry of Home Affairs, banned 40 websites belonging to the group.[58][59]

References

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