Amid escalating tensions, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a prominent figure associated with the Khalistan movement, has once again stirred controversy by advocating disruptive actions against India. In a recent video message, Pannun called for the shutdown of airports spanning from Amritsar to Ayodhya, aligning it with the upcoming January 22 Ram temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
Not stopping there, the legal representative of the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) organization also urged the Muslim community in India to oppose the ceremony and suggested the formation of 'Urduistan' within the country.
"Close down airports from Amritsar to Ayodhya. Now is the time, Muslims, to carve out 'Urduistan' from India," stated Pannun in his latest video, emphasizing the need for widespread Muslim protests, asserting that the ceremony will have significant global ramifications.
Pannun's inflammatory remarks coincide with the extensive preparations for the Ram Mandir's Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya, an event expected to draw over one lakh devotees, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Notably, the recently inaugurated Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya has already received more than 40 requests for chartered flight landings during the religious gathering.
This isn't the first time Pannun has made provocative statements. He previously called for India's economic disruption, targeting the Bombay Stock Exchange from March 12, aligning it with the anniversary of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.
Designated a terrorist by India in 2020 under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Pannun faces multiple charges, including terrorism and sedition. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) seized his properties in Amritsar and Chandigarh in September 2023 and filed charges against him and his separatist organization in November 2023.
Following these charges, Pannun and his secessionist group rallied pro-Khalistan elements to "picket" Air India's outbound flights from Canadian cities in December 2023, raising concerns over escalating tensions.
(With Agency Inputs)
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