Despite India repeatedly flagging the demand for Khalistan -- a separate homeland for Sikhs -- by a handful of people, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the underground chief of the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), has once again issued threats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and other top leaders and prominent personalities of the country.
The threats have become more frequent in the wake of the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was gunned down by unidentified assailants outside a gurdwara in British Columbia, Canada, in June this year.
In a latest e-mail sent to at least 25 of India's Who’s Who, the SFJ chief also issued death threats to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
The other dignitaries include top industrialists, including Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, along with Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan and Kangana Ranaut.
The SFJ, believed to be funded by Pakistan’s spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Chinese agencies, also blamed Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Kamal Nath, for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Other top officials mentioned by Pannun include Indian High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, and Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud.
“Huge funds have been pumped in since the killing of Khalistani activist Nijjer to maintain anti-India momentum. After Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement in the House of Commons over Nijjar’s killing, these so-called Khalistani activists like Pannun have been activated,” said an intelligence official, requesting anonymity.
In a latest purported video, Pannu announced a roadmap for expanding the boundaries of Sikh homeland to include Delhi as part of Khalistan and offered $100,000 for the arrest of Sanjay Kumar Verma, the Indian High Commissioner to Canada.
Slogans like 'Delhi Banega Khalistan' could be heard in the video.
Earlier, Pannun had warned India of Hamas-like attack. In the video, he warned Prime Minister Modi to learn from the Israel-Palestine conflict lest a similar “reaction” will unravel in India.
Meanwhile, Canadian MP Chandra Arya has slammed his own Liberal Party-led government for inaction against Khalistani terrorists.
Arya said Hindu Canadians were fearful after threats by extremist elements. He also cited a column that said, “The risk of ethnic and sectarian bloodshed in Canada is real”.
Arya's remarks came after the SFJ warned Hindus living in Canada.