With the a US-based advocacy group, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) set to hold pro-Khalistan event ‘Referendum 2020’ at Trafalgar Square in London on 12 August, Union food processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Friday appealed to Punjabi youth not to fall prey to the anti-national designs of Pakistan’s ISI sponsored SFJ.
In a statement, the Union minister said SFJ is wooing them with free visits to London to participate in the so called London Declaration function which is aimed at splitting Punjab from India.
Badal said it seems unsuspecting youth are being brainwashed by the SFJ campaign and are unaware about the organisation’s close links with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) which is funding money to it under a secret mission code-named Operation Express.
She said there was credible proof that the allurements being offered to youth by SFJ were being broadcast through websites managed from Karachi by the ISI agency.
Giving further details, Badal said SFJ was wooing youth on the internet with free tickets to London as well as stay arrangements during their visit to the United Kingdom.
The Union minister also urged Central agencies to keep a close watch on internet activity of SFJ, saying recently disclosures had linked its website as well as the Referendum 2020 website created by it with a Pakistan based website which is managed from Karachi.
Badal said not only this, even websites of leaders of the movement like Gurpatwant Pannu was linked to the Pakistan website. She urged parents to keep a watch on their children and ensure they do not fall prey to the nefarious designs of Pakistan to take Punjab back to the dark days of terrorism.
“Punjabis should reject the tickets being offered by SFJ as they are clearly Pak sponsored,” she added.
In a tweet on 2 April, the SFJ had said that it will make Khalistan in Punjab. “We are giving this a guarantee,” it said.
The SFJ said it’s members were wearing a tag of `Referendum 2020′ and roaming openly the world over.SFJ have launched a campaign on social media for the 2020 referendum.
Provocative posters demanding a referendum for Khalistan had surfaced at various locations in Punjab in 2017. These posters call upon the Punjab police not to follow instructions from Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.