Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of the banned US-based Khalistani outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), has issued threats against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval. The separatist leader was speaking at a gathering in Canada on Sunday which was attended by 5,000-7,000 people.
Pannun’s threat to India’s top leaders comes after PM Modi flagged the presence of pro-Khalistani elements in Canada during talks with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.
“This is a message to those who assassinated Hardeep Singh Nijjar. We are calling for your critical death...Modi, Jaishankar, (Ajit) Doval, (Amit) Shah, we are coming for you,” Pannun was quoted as saying by India Today.
At the event, Pannun also spoke about “Balkanising” the nation. Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed in a targeted shooting in Canada’s Surrey in June this year. Hardeep Singh Nijjar was the head of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurudwara Sahib and the chief of the separatist organisation Khalistani Tiger Force (KTF).
In talks with Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, PM Modi conveyed “strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada”. Modi also said certain elements are promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats in the country, damaging the diplomatic premises and threatening the Indian community as well as their places of worship.
Elaborating on the “anti-India activities” in Canada, the PMO said that association of these extremist forces with organised crime, drug syndicates and human trafficking should be a matter of concern for Canada.
At a press briefing following the meeting with PM Modi, Trudeau said Canada is “always there to prevent violence and to push back against hatred”. He, however, further noted that Canada will “always defend freedom of expression, freedom of conscience, and freedom of peaceful protest”.
"I think on the issue of the community, it is important to remember that the actions of the few do not represent the entire community or Canada. The flip side of it, we also highlighted the importance of respecting the rule of law and we did talk about foreign interference," Trudeau added.
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