Pannun Attempting to Instigate Violence During PM Modi's Ayodhya Roadshow, But Will Fail: Sources

After joining hands with terrorist groups in Kashmir, Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is instigating Indian Muslims against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, top intelligence sources told News18. His attempts will, however, fail as both Sikhs and Muslims in India know well that Pannun is a wanted terrorist and is accused in several NIA cases, officials added.

Sources further told News18 that evidence of Pannun’s latest provocation, in which he called for violence during PM Modi’s roadshow in Ayodhya on December 30, will be shared with US, UK and Canada. Pannun, general counsel of the proscribed Sikhs for Justice outfit, is a dual citizen of the United States and Canada. In 2020, India listed Pannun as an “individual terrorist”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told the Financial Times newspaper in an interview published on Wednesday that India will look into any information it receives on its alleged links to a foiled plot to murder Pannun in the US. “If someone gives us any information, we would definitely look into it,” Modi told the British paper.

Last month, the US Justice Department said an Indian government official had directed the plot, and unveiled charges against a man accused of orchestrating the attempted murder. India had expressed concerns and dissociated itself from the alleged plot, saying it would formally investigate the concerns of the United States, and take ‘necessary follow-up action’ on the findings of a panel set up on November 18.

In a dangerous escalation of threats against India, Pannun had asked in his recent hate speech whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval “have 24/7 security blanket”.

Calling them the “axis of evil”, Pannun threatened they should be “ready to face consequences” and mentioned the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada the firing of the “first bullet” by India. Marking 180 days since Nijjar’s murder, Pannun boasted about the show of violence by Khalistani sympathisers in Vancouver.

Pannun had last month released a video threatening passengers of Air India flights on November 19. He had also issued threats to attack India’s Parliament.