NEW DELHI: The Indian government has requested the United States to designate the Sikh separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) as a terrorist organisation.
Media reports quoting an Indian government source said on Tuesday, that the request came during talks between Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and visiting US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
The development comes more than a year after the US said it had foiled a plot with Indian links to kill a leader of the group in the US.
In November 2023, Washington revealed details of a plot and subsequently charged a former officer of India’s spy agency with orchestrating the plan against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual US-Canada citizen and the general counsel of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).
India denied any official link to the plot, set up a panel to probe Washington’s allegations and said in January that the panel had recommended legal action against an unnamed person.
Founded in 2007, SFJ conducts referendums to promote the creation of a separate Sikh state, Khalistan, within Hindu-majority India.
In 2019, India declared SFJ an “unlawful association” due to its support for extremist and secessionist activities, and in 2020, Pannun was designated as an “individual terrorist.”
India and Canada have been involved in a diplomatic dispute following the June 2023 killing of another Sikh separatist in Canada.
SFJ has rejected New Delhi’s allegations.
“Who is the terrorist? Is it SFJ, which is peacefully and democratically organising the Global Khalistan Referendum to liberate Punjab from Indian occupation?” Pannun said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Or is it Modi’s India, which engages in violent transnational repression and hires hitmen to assassinate Khalistan Referendum organisers?” he said.
A US Embassy spokesperson stated they had no further information to add beyond a statement issued by India’s defence ministry on Monday, which discussed talks between Singh and Gabbard. The statement highlighted the strengthening of security ties but did not mention SFJ.
Gabbard’s team and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not respond immediately to emails requesting comment.
