Doesn’t give it legitimacy: India on Khalistani outfit founder Pannun’s UN video
NEW DELHI,JULY 6 : The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday strongly criticised a video where Khalistani outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) founder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun can be heard calling for a ‘Khalistan Referendum Voting’ in Canada.
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “We are aware of this video. We have been consistently taking up cases of threats with the Canadian authorities and the so-called referendum.” In the video, Pannun can be seen standing in front of United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York.
Reacting to it, Bagchi further said, “Shooting the video outside UN HQ doesn’t give it any more legitimacy. We have been taking up issues of these kinds of threats with the Canadian authorities and other nations as well.”
He further added, “It’s not just Canada, but wherever these activities are organised, action should be taken and we will regularly take up this matter with the respective governments. We expect the host nation to take action against such elements.”
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The video also targets Indian diplomats in the US, Canada and other countries. Pannun blames them for designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s death.
“Yes, we will hold Sandhu-Verma-Doraiswami-Malhotra-Vohra, the Indian diplomats in US, Canada, UK, Italy and Australia accountable for the assassination of Shaheed Nijjar,” he said.
Pannun issued a threat to Indian diplomats. The video was shot on July 5, Pannun can be heard saying in the video.
“I am standing in front of the UN headquarters in New York. This is a place where Khalistan’s flag will be hoisted one day,” Pannun says.
The video comes a day after reports of Pannun’s death did rounds on social media. Speculation said that he was killed in a road accident in the United States. However, there is no official confirmation of his death.
In the video, Pannun declared the third phase of Khalistan Referendum Voting in Canada. “Toronto will vote on July 16, and Vancouver on September 10. It will be dedicated to Shaheed Nijjar,” he said.
-ANI
