Special Articles

9 Instances Of Threats Against Indian Officials By Khalistani Separatist Organizations

October 30, 2024
The Commune

During an interview on 24 October 2024, the recalled Indian High Commissioner revealed he had been attacked with a sword by a Punjab separatist in Alberta, Canada.

This incident is not an isolated case.

Indian diplomats have increasingly faced threats from Khalistani separatist groups, especially in Canada, as well as in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and the USA. These groups have often restricted diplomats’ access to Gurdwaras, and some segments of the Sikh community, influenced by separatist ideologies, have exhibited hostility. Additionally, threatening posters calling for violence against Indian officials have circulated, creating an atmosphere of intimidation.

This report details nine instances of threats faced by Indian diplomats and leaders.

Instance #1

On 25 October 2024, amid the diplomatic standoff between Canada and India over the killing of designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Indian diplomat Sanjay Verma was recalled from Canada. Following his expulsion, Sikh for Justice (SFJ) leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun escalated tensions by announcing a $500,000 reward for information on Verma’s location and travel details, reportedly placing him under CIA watch.

Instance #2

On 14 October 2024, the group Sikh For Justice (SFJ) released a disturbing video depicting bullets fired at an image of Sanjay Verma, the Indian envoy to Canada. The video, which showed Verma’s photo being struck by gunfire, quickly surfaced on the social media platform X shortly after India’s Ministry of External Affairs summoned a Canadian diplomat in response to escalating tensions.

Instance #3

On 8 July 2023, Sikh For Justice (SFJ)’s Gurpatwant Singh Pannun issued a threat against all Indian embassies, vowing to “besiege” Indian missions worldwide on India’s Independence Day. In a video released to announce plans for an upcoming “Khalistan Freedom Rally,” Pannun declared, “On August 15, the Sikh community is going to besiege every terror house that is an Indian embassy,“ emphasizing that this action was “just the start.”

Instance #4

On 23 July 2023, Sikh For Justice (SFJ) targeted Indian diplomats in Canada, including Sanjay Kumar Verma, India’s High Commissioner in Ottawa, and Apoorva Srivastava, Consul General in Toronto, as well as another official, Manish. In a poster circulated by Sikh extremists, these diplomats were accused of involvement in the killing of Khalistan Tiger Force chief and designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. SFJ also announced a $10,000 reward for information on the diplomats’ residential addresses.

Instance #5

On 10 September 2023, SFJ’s Gurpatwant Singh Pannun issued public threats against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Speaking at a gathering in Canada attended by approximately 5,000 to 7,000 people, Pannun’s threats fueled by SFJ’s separatist agenda targeting top Indian officials was distressing.

Instance #6

On 24 September 2023, posters calling for the killing of three Indian envoys—Apoorva Srivastava, Sanjay Verma, and Manish—were displayed at a Gurdwara in Surrey, Canada. This explicit threat further escalated concerns for the safety of Indian diplomats amid growing tensions in the region.

Instance #7

On 30 September 2023, Vikram Doraiswami, the Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, was barred from entering a Gurdwara in Scotland. This incident occurred amid an ongoing diplomatic row between India and Canada following the June 2023 killing of designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, which heightened tensions involving Sikh separatist groups.

Instance #8

On 12 November 2023, Manish, the Consul General of India in Vancouver, Canada, faced harassment from Sikh activists, while Sikh For Justice (SFJ) founder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun issued a new threat against him. In a video, Pannun, a designated terrorist, warned Manish of “sweet poetic justice” and accused him of “challenging the sovereignty of Canada” through alleged involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Instance #9

On 9 January 2018, ninety-six Gurdwaras across the United States announced a ban on Indian officials, diplomats, and members of organizations like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Shiv Sena from entering their premises. The decision was declared by the Sikh Cultural Society in New York during an event commemorating the death anniversary of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassins. This announcement followed a teleconference involving a total of 116 Gurdwara management committees.

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