The brainchild of Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, a law graduate from Panjab University who is currently an attorney at law in the US, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) claims to be “an international advocacy and human rights group”, “with the express intent of achieving self-determination for the Sikh people” and “establishing a sovereign state, popularly known as Khalistan”.
Set up in 2007, the SFJ hasn’t really made much progress on its self-avowed goals, but the Punjab elections that just got over were the latest where the outfit’s name was touted by leaders invoking separatist fears.
The beginnings
The SFJ ran its first campaign against leaders it alleged had links with the anti-Sikh riots in 1984. It urged courts in the US to prosecute Congress leaders Kamal Nath, Sonia Gandhi and (then Prime Minister) Manmohan Singh for “role” in the violence or in “supporting” the alleged culprits. In 2016, then Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had to cancel a visit to Canada following a case filed by the SFJ against him there. On the basis of the SFJ appeal, a Washington federal court had issued summons against Manmohan Singh during his September 2013 visit to the US. It did not amount to much.
Referendum 2020
In August 2018, the SFJ made a declaration in London for a ‘Referendum 2020’ “to liberate Punjab”. The so-called referendum was to be held in 2020 in Punjab along with major cities of North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Kenya and the Middle Eastern Countries. Voting was held in Britain in October 2021 and in Switzerland in December 2021.
Differences with pro-Khalistan outfits in India
Apart from the Indian government, pro-Khalistan groups such as the Dal Khalsa and Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) expressed reservations about the referendum. The two outfits wrote a joint letter to the SFJ questioning the practicality and legal standing of such a move before the United Nations.
In 2019, the Home Ministry announced a ban on the SFJ under the UAPA. The government also alleged that the SFJ and ‘Referendum 2020’ were supported by Pakistan.