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. He is the legal advisor and spokesperson for Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which aims to promote the idea of a separate Sikh state. 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.
Early life and background
Pannun was born and brought up in Khankot village at the outskirts of Amritsar, Punjab, India.
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.
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. In June 2023, Pannun went into hiding after the death of three other prominent Khalistani leaders in 2 months.
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.
In September 2023, a video surfaced in which Pannun warned Indo-Canadian Hindus to leave Canada. 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".
Legal issues
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. Pannun is facing 22 criminal cases, including three of sedition, in Punjab, India. 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.
References
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people) Khalistan movement people 21st-century Indian people People from Amritsar