SFJ tried to woo Pakistani dalits, Muslims and Christians on social media to vote for a Khalistani state | Photo courtesy: Manjeet Sehgal

Having failed to muster support from the mainstream Indian Sikhs, the Khalistani outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is now dreaming big to radicalise Pakistani Hindus and Christians who are subject to religious persecution in the country.

SFJ's star campaigner Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, in a recent video posted on a Facebook group titled 'Sikh Referendum 2020' besides the Sikhs and Muslims, can be seen appealing to all Christians and Hindus to vote for his dream project referendum 2020.

"This is also for all the Muslims and Christian brothers that the referendum is not closing. We will be sending the registration forms to every household and the voting will start on June 6, 2020. Hindus having immovable property in India cannot vote as there are some restrictions," Gurpatwant Singh Panu said.

SFJ DREAMING BIG

After facing a blockade of its website, Twitter handle and app in India, the SFJ is now dreaming big on some Facebook pages which have evaded surveillance of Indian authorities.

They want a greater Khalistani state with its headquarters in Lahore, Pakistan.

However, their activity is now limited to some Facebook pages and groups like 'Sikh Referendum 2020'. SFJ's secessionist anti-India mobile app '2020 Referendum' was taken down by Google during November, 2019, after the Indian government raised an objection.

Nearly a dozen criminal cases have been registered against the SFJ and Panu in various police stations in India.

A video posted on the Sikh Referendum 2020 Facebook group shows Indian and Pakistani constitutions on fire and then appears the map of the Greater Khalistan with headquarters in Lahore.

Despite the efforts being made by the SFJ, Punjab Sikhs did not respond to its referendum call. The outfit had even offered jobs and free air-tickets for the people to attend its conferences which were attended by a few.

The crackdown on the referendum has also compelled the SFJ to restructure its Khalistan dream. It has also been forced to change its title many times. The original nomenclature which was '2020 Referendum' before its website and Twitter handles were blocked, was changed to 'Sikh referendum 2020' and more recent as 'Punjab Independence Referendum 2020'.

Gurpatwant Singh Panu and his associates are wanted in many cases registered in Punjab. They are accused of waging a war against India besides terror funding. Some videos posted on the Sikh Referendum 2020 Facebook group also hint that they are also running a campaign against the Right-Wing Hindu organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Khalistani terrorist Happy Singh alias Phd, who was killed in a gangwar in Pakistan recently, is believed to be the mastermind of the targeted killings of RSS leaders in Punjab. Investigations have revealed that the SFJ had financed some of these target killings.

"Gurpatwant Singh Panu is a coward. He is not even a Sikh and does not don a turban. He is just running a social media campaign to get money. People of Punjab know the price they paid for the peace and have ignored his calls," senior BJP leader Vineet Joshi said.