In a video released today, US based designated terrorist G S Pannu of proscribed Sikh for Justice (SFJ) declared a reward of USD 125000 for anyone providing information about the foreign visit of Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Indian High Commissioner to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma for abetting and conspiracy to murder of another Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver in June.
Wanted by National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Pannun, who holds twin passports of US and Canada, threatened to hold the above named accountable under international laws for Nijjar, who was gunned down in inter-gang warfare among Sikh radicals.
The SFJ has given a call to Sikh radicals based in Canada to lay siege to Indian diplomatic premises in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver on August 15 and also declared September 10 for a so-called Sikh referendum in Vancouver.
While the Indian diplomats based in Canada have already informed the intelligence agencies and local law enforcement about the bounty on heads of Shah, Jaishankar and Verma, the inaction of India’s close ally US on Pannun is all the more intriguing as the two countries have robust cooperation on counter-terrorism.
Even though extremist Pannun has declared the reward ostensibly for picketing these top leaders and a diplomat when on foreign visit, the fact is that this is an open threat by the terror leader to target Shah, Jaishankar and Verma in the coming days. While India’s top diplomat Jaishankar travels abroad most frequently, Home Minister Amit Shah has no interest in travelling outside India till the time Indian NRIs are allowed to vote in Indian general election.
{{/usCountry}}Even though extremist Pannun has declared the reward ostensibly for picketing these top leaders and a diplomat when on foreign visit, the fact is that this is an open threat by the terror leader to target Shah, Jaishankar and Verma in the coming days. While India’s top diplomat Jaishankar travels abroad most frequently, Home Minister Amit Shah has no interest in travelling outside India till the time Indian NRIs are allowed to vote in Indian general election.
{{/usCountry}}EAM Jaishankar has charged the Justin Trudeau government of pandering to vote banks by not taking action against Sikh extremists based in Canada, the inaction by US government on Pannun speaks louder than words. In fact, Indian intelligence have made it known to their US counterparts that it is their understanding that US justice does not take action against Pannun as he may be an agent of the US CIA or FBI. Over the decades, Canada, UK, US and Germany have given shelter to Sikh radicals in name of human rights violation in Punjab and have allowed them to raise funds within their countries to target India.
“Openly threatening Amit Shah, Jaishankar and India’s envoy to Canada cannot be termed as freedom of speech. This is unacceptable to India,” said a national security planner.
Lack of action against the likes of Pannun and earlier Nijjar and Khanda (both dead) has not only emboldened the miniscule Sikh radicals in these countries but also provided countries like Pakistan to fish in troubled waters in India.