Gurpatwant Singh Pannun

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is one of the main leaders of the Khalistan movement, which advocates for a religion-based separate state carved out from Punjab and many neighbouring areas in India, to be known as Khalistan.[1] He is the legal advisor and spokesperson for Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which aims to promote the idea of a separate Sikh state.[2] As of July 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs of India has declared Pannun a terrorist on the grounds of sedition and secessionism, and has requested an Interpol red notice for him.[3]

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun
Born
Khankot village, Amritsar, Punjab, India.
OccupationLawyer
OrganizationSikhs for Justice (SFJ)
Known forPromoting the creation of a religion-based Sikh nation carved out from Punjab and many neighbouring areas in India, to be known as Khalistan
Notable workFiling lawsuits against Indian officials and institutions for alleged human rights violations against Sikhs, posting videos and posters calling for damaging India, Indians and their diplomats

Early life and background

Pannun was born and brought up in Khankot village at the outskirts of Amritsar, Punjab, India.[4][5]

Activities

Pannun has been actively involved in lobbying for the cause of Khalistan and has been organizing events and rallies in different parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. He has also been involved in filing lawsuits against Indian officials and institutions in international courts, alleging human rights violations against Sikhs.[6][7][8]

Pannun has claimed responsibility for various terror incidents in India. In April 2023, in a video, he issued a threat to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Assam.[9] In June 2023, Pannun went into hiding after the death of three other prominent Khalistani leaders in 2 months.[9]

In July 2023, the Khalistani leader resurfaced in a video claimed to be shot near the UN headquarters in New York, USA. In this video, Pannun claims responsibility for the posters calling for killing Indian diplomats across North America and Europe and says that he will lead Khalsa Panth to get the flag of the country of Khalistan separated from India on the UN HQ.[10]

In September 2023, a video surfaced in which Pannun warned Indo-Canadian Hindus to leave Canada.[11][12][13][14][15] The video elicited widespread condemnation from Canadian politicans. Federal party leaders, Pierre Poilievre and Jagmeet Singh, along with ministers in the federal cabinet, denounced the video. Canada’s Public Safety Minister, Dominic LeBlanc, described the video as "offensive and hateful".[16]

In 2020, Pannun was declared a designated terrorist by Government of India and his agricultural land was attached under Section 51A of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.[17] Pannun is facing 22 criminal cases, including three of sedition, in Punjab, India.[18] In October 2022, Interpol rejected India's second request to issue a Red Corner Notice on terror charges against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, on the grounds of insufficient information.[19][20][21]

References
  1. "NIA court issues Proclamation notice against SFJ's Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on Punjab Govt information". 13 August 2022.
  2. "Who are Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and the SFJ, whom India wants on Interpol's Red Notice?". 12 October 2022.
  3. "Pro-Khalistan outfit member Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, associates booked for sedition". 2 July 2020.
  4. "In Khankot village, few know of Pannu's ancestral roots". 9 September 2020.
  5. "Who are Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and the SFJ, whom India wants on Interpol's Red Notice?". 12 October 2022.
  6. "Detailed info of terrorist Pannun and SFJ discussed".
  7. "Who is Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and What is SFJ?". 12 May 2022.
  8. "Gurpatwant Pannu wanted in 22 cases but Interpol won't act : The Tribune India".
  9. "Separatist Gurpatwant Pannun in hiding as 3 Khalistani terrorists die in 45 days". India Today. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
  10. "Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh surfaces in New York after hiding for days, threatens Indian diplomats". The Times of India. 7 July 2023.
  11. "Khalistani leader Pannun threatens Indo-Canadian Hindus, asks them to leave". The Statesman. 2023-09-20. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  12. "Nijjar killing: Sikhs for Justice asks Hindus of Indian origin to leave Canada". Hindustan Times. 2023-09-20. Retrieved 2023-09-21. Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a pro-Khalistan organisation banned in India in 2019, has threatened Hindus of Indian origin and asked them to leave Canada for supporting the country of their origin and "promoting violence" by celebrating Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing.
  13. "India warns students as Nijjar's lawyer asks Indo-Hindu to leave Canada". National Post. Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, Nijjar's lawyer, questioned Indian Canadians' loyalty to Canada in a video that has gone viral on social media. "Indo-Hindu leave Canada; go to India. You not only support India, but you are also supporting the suppression of speech and expression of pro-Khalistan Sikhs," he says in the video.
  14. Bhaumik, Anirban (2023-09-20). "Khalistanis threaten Indo-Canadian Hindus, plan huge protest to shut down India's missions in Canada". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  15. "'Go to India': Khalistani terrorist threatens Indo-Canadian Hindus in new video". India Today. 2023-09-20. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  16. "pannun cbc - Google Search". www.google.com. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  17. "Government of India Gazette on Individual Terrorists under UAPA" (PDF).
  18. "Gurpatwant Pannu wanted in 22 cases but Interpol won't act".
  19. "Interpol rejects Delhi Red Corner request for Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun". 12 October 2022.
  20. "Why Interpol Refused India's Request For Notice Against Khalistani Leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun".
  21. "Interpol Sent Back India's Request For Notice Against Khalistan Separatist".
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