Sikhs for Justice Targets Modi Government With New Global Campaign

Edmonton (GNP): Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has announced a “Fifth-Generation Warfare” strategy aimed at the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The plan links political mobilisation, support for opposition movements and economic pressure to the group’s campaign for an independent Khalistan.

SFJ general counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun outlined the plan in a speech after a referendum-style vote in Edmonton, Canada, on Sunday. He described its political objective as toppling the Modi government, arguing that growing internal opposition and economic pressure could advance the Khalistan cause.

The Edmonton vote was a non-binding exercise organised by SFJ, and the organisers say more than 23,000 votes were cast. The Punjab Referendum Commission (PRC) reportedly extended voting hours so that people still queuing after the scheduled closing time could take part. According to the PRC, the next round of voting will take place in Australia on March 1, 2027.

Pannun said the strategy rests on three fronts, the first being a push to mobilise Sikhs worldwide to take part in referendum-style voting on Khalistan. To support it, he announced a voter-registration campaign starting on November 1, which he called Sikh Genocide Remembrance Day. The target is two million registered participants, and he said the drive would run alongside the political process linked to Punjab’s Assembly elections.

The second front involves financial and organisational support for the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and youth movements that challenge the Modi government from inside India. Pannun presented this as a first of its kind effort, saying it would set “Hindustani versus Hindustani” against the government.

The third front is economic. Pannun called on foreign investors to withdraw from the Indian market, presenting this as a way to weaken the Indian economy and increase pressure on the Modi government. These proposals are SFJ’s stated strategy, and their implementation, scale and likely economic impact have not been independently established.

Pannun also revisited the June 2023 killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. He accused the Modi government of using violence to obstruct the Khalistan referendum campaign. He demanded accountability from Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and former Indian external intelligence chief Samant Goel.

The killing had triggered a serious diplomatic dispute between Canada and India, after Canadian authorities alleged possible links between Indian government agents and the death.

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Looking ahead, Pannun warned that Khalistan supporters would challenge Modi throughout his proposed December visits to Canada and the United States. His remarks point to an intention to use demonstrations and political campaigning to draw international attention to the demand for Khalistan and to SFJ’s allegations against India.

He also repeated his call for Sikh youth worldwide to undertake arms training and join the proposed Sikh Homeland Security (SHS) Defensive Force. Pannun described the initiative as a means of community protection and defensive preparedness, though the force’s structure, activities and safeguards have not been independently verified.

The Edmonton event has brought the separatist movement back into international focus, amid continuing tensions between India and Canada over allegations concerning the safety of Sikh activists overseas. Pannun said, “Toppling Modi’s regime is a step towards the liberation of Punjab.”