Khalistani terrorist Pannun hails Rahul Gandhi's remarks on Sikh rights
What's the story
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a designated terrorist by India, has said that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's recent comments about the Sikh community in India justify the demand for a separate Khalistani state.
During an event in Herndon, Virginia, on Monday, Gandhi said the fight in India is about "whether a Sikh is going to be allowed to wear a turban...or go to the Gurudwara."
He stated that this fight is not just for Sikhs but for all religions.
Backlash ensues
Pannun supports Gandhi's statement, faces backlash
Pannun, who leads the US-based group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), supported Gandhi's statement in a social media post.
He described it as "bold and pioneering," adding that it is "firmly grounded in the factual history of what Sikhs have been facing under successive regimes in India since 1947."
Pannun further stated that this corroborates SFJ's stance on the justification for the Punjab Independence Referendum to establish a Sikh homeland, Khalistan.
Political storm
BJP leaders criticize Gandhi's statement
Gandhi's comments have sparked a political storm in India, with Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri calling the comments "sinister" and accusing Gandhi of spreading a "dangerous narrative" among the diaspora in the US.
"He said members of the Sikh community have difficulty in wearing a turban or kada...where is he getting this information from? I have worn a turban for over 60 years...word a kada for longer...and never come across anyone who expressed any sense of anxiety," Puri told NDTV.
Historical context
Puri recalls 1984 anti-Sikh riots
Puri also referred to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, stating that it was a time when the Sikh community lived in fear and insecurity.
He said, "If there has been one time in our history when as a community we have felt anxiety, a sense of insecurity and existential threat, it has been the times when Rahul Gandhi's family were in the seats of power."
Legal threat
BJP spokesperson threatens legal action against Gandhi
BJP national spokesperson RP Singh has threatened to file a complaint in court against Gandhi if he makes such statements in India.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also criticized the Congress MP, questioning the need for airing internal issues on foreign soil.
National Secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa accused Gandhi of using "hateful words" against Sikhs, telling the MP, "Your dirty politics is diving the country."