SFJ inciting Punjab-based Sikh youths to perpetrate violence for monetary gain: Report

The Indian government on July 1 designated nine individuals as terrorists from the US, UK, Pakistan, Germany and Canada under the UAPA for involvement in terrorist activities in India.

NEW DELHI: The Indian government had on July 1 designated at least nine persons as terrorists, from the United States, UK, Pakistan, Germany and Canada, under the UAPA for involvement in terrorist activities in India. The list included Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Legal Advisor and one of the main protagonists of the US-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). Pannun has been making sustained efforts to revive militancy in Punjab at the behest of Pakistan.

With little or no support on the ground, the outfit is involved in uploading daily diatribes against Indian leaders and spreading misinformation through social media channels. It has also launched a concerted campaign to incite Punjab-based Sikh youth to perpetrate violence for monetary gain.

Taking advantage of laws of free speech in Western countries, the SFJ runs regular campaigns among the Sikh Diaspora in Europe and North America to promote their secessionist campaign called 'Referendum 2020', through a false narrative of “atrocities against Sikhs” to embarrass India.

In a related development, Punjab Police on July 2 registered a case against Joginder Singh Gujjar alias Goga, an SFJ activist and resident of Italy for the last 18 years, during a visit to India. The arrest led to protests by Sikh organizations to secure his release with Indian Missions abroad. Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Founder of the Punjab Ekta Party wrote a letter to the Punjab CM stating that "Joginder had no criminal record and should be released."

However, the case was based on information regarding his active participation in SJF's cause and his role at an SFJ-led anti-India convention in Geneva. He had also been providing financial assistance to the outfit's operatives in India and abroad, while objectionable material was found as evidence on his cell phone. Joginder Singh’s case is not a lone one as the SFJ has been masterminding a movement to alienate members of the Sikh Diaspora from their home country.

The SFJ regularly puts out fake stories about the oppression being faced by Sikhs. In fact the acting chief of Akal Takht, Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, has warned Sikh youth against Pakistan and the SFJ, stating that adverse forces were pushing Sikhs on the wrong path and inciting them through social media for their own benefit.

The SFJ has attempted to project itself as an organization working for the welfare of the Sikh community when it is in fact insidiously ensuring that Sikhs face the laws of the land when they travel to India, so as to feed into its narrative of oppression of the Sikh community.

"There are wild declarations and announcements made by its members from time to time that they would bear the complete legal costs to defend those arrested for SFJ activities. However, on-ground investigations reveal that those facing legal hassles for participating in secessionist activities, far from receiving any support, are discarded by the SFJ once a case is registered against them," said a senior officer working with the central security establishment.

The families of the Punjab based gullible youth who were arrested for 'Referendum 2020' activities face ruin as no one from the outfit came to offer any assistance once they were caught. Delhi-based Vijay Singh, father of one such arrested youth, Harmeet Singh, informed the media that his son started working for SFJ in order to afford the school fee for his daughter.

The level of support the movement finds in Punjab is evidenced by the fact that the outfit was not able to get enough Sikh youth to further its cause and even enrolled a Batala based Christian youth, Rahul in exchange for money. Another case in point is that of Shabnamdeep Singh, who received a pistol and a grenade in 2018 through his Pak based handlers and SFJ activists in order to carry out an attack during festival season.

On account of zero support on the ground, SFJ’s messaging and its rants on social media have become increasingly aggressive as they get desperate to gain a following. Its leaders have even threatened to eliminate the Punjab CM if he moves around without security.

The association of wanted terrorists such as Paramjit Singh Pamma (UK) and Hardeep Singh Nijjar (Canada) with the outfit is also evidence of the true intentions of their movement.

SFJ seeks to ignite passion and anger over old wounds of the Sikh Community and paint a picture of oppression in present-day Punjab, to brainwash the Diaspora. The outfit is known to indulge in violence and intimidation to silence those who speak up against it in Gurdwaras abroad.

There are many who believes that Sikh Diaspora members need to evolve a strategy to work with the “Open Door Policy” of the Indian Government, in light of the recent positive developments of doing away with the Blacklist, inviting Sikh Diaspora for dialogue, reopening cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. There is a pressing need for moderate Sikhs to take charge of issues facing the community globally and also realize that organizations such as the SFJ are pursuing a narrow, selfish agenda to create an atmosphere of fear and discrimination within the Diaspora.

The Diaspora members, who maintain close cultural and personal links with their homeland should also look within and refrain from associating with a banned organization, having no standing, and look to directly address their grievances.