The leader of pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has issued a warning, stating that the Chief Ministers of Delhi and Punjab will face "political death" if his associates are not released by next month. This threat follows the recent arrest of three individuals by the State Special Operation Cell of Punjab Police, who Pannun claims worked directly with SFJ for Khalistan Referendum voter registration.
In a video message shared on Saturday, Pannun accused the arrested individuals of collaborating with SFJ for the upcoming Khalistan Referendum and demanded their release. He warned Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal of Delhi and Bhagwant Mann of Punjab that they would face repercussions from Sikhs who supported their Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) if the individuals were not released by February 15.
Pannun alleged that Kejriwal and Mann had collected donations of $6 million from Khalistan supporters in the US and Canada with an understanding not to intervene in their activities in Punjab. He further accused Kejriwal of pressuring Mann to follow the path of Beant Singh, the former Chief Minister of Punjab who was assassinated by a Khalistan separatist group in 1995.
Threatening Mann, Pannun stated that those supporting Khalistan would not hesitate to use force, even resorting to holding rocket launchers. He also referred to an earlier video in which he urged gangsters to unite for an attack on Mann and the Director General of Police, Gaurav Yadav.
In response to Pannun's threats, Chief Minister Mann expressed that he doesn't take them seriously. The arrested individuals reportedly admitted that Pannun had instructed them to raise the Khalistan flag and create pro-Khalistan graffiti ahead of Republic Day.
Pannun, designated as a terrorist in 2020 by India, is wanted in multiple cases, including charges of terrorism and sedition. Recently, he called for the shutdown of airports from Amritsar to Ayodhya ahead of the Ram temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony and urged Muslims to oppose the event, advocating for the creation of 'Urduistan' from India.
(With Agency Inputs)
