Govt extends ban imposed on pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice for 5 years

The Central government on Wednesday extended a ban imposed on pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) for five more years.

The Centre had imposed a ban on SFJ in 2019 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 for its separatist activities.  The Home Ministry’s 2019 notification issuing the ban said: “In the garb of the so-called referendum for Sikhs, SFJ is actually espousing secessionism and militant ideology in Punjab, while operating from safe havens on foreign soils and actively supported by inimical forces in other countries.”

SFJ was founded in 2007 by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US-based attorney who is currently in his late 40s. According to its website, SFJ seeks to achieve “self-determiniation for the Sikh people in their historic homeland” in “Indian held Punjab”, and “establish a sovereign state, popularly known as Khalistan”.

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