India has asked the US to crack down on Sikh separatist organization 'Sikhs for Justice'. This has come to light after the meeting between US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.
Rajnath Singh has demanded the US to declare the separatist organization SFJ, which is conspiring to destabilize India, a terrorist organization. It has also been said that SFJ has connections with Pakistani intelligence agency ISI.
In 2019, SFJ was declared a terrorist organization by the Government of India. Apart from the murder conspiracy against Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, Canada accused India of killing another Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. However, India repeatedly strongly rejected the allegations of Nijjar's murder. After this, India distanced itself in relations with Canada.
Crisis of Islamic terrorism
Citing sources, the Indian Express has written that Rajnath and Gabbard also discussed the crisis of Islamic terrorism. After the meeting, when reporters asked Gabbard how the Trump administration views the repeated terrorist attacks on India from Pakistan? On this, she said that President Donald Trump has been very clear about his commitment to defeat Islamic terrorism since his first term. This threat has unfortunately troubled us a lot and still remains a direct threat to the American people.
Gabbard said that - We see how it is affecting people in India, Bangladesh and (currently) in Syria, Israel and various countries in the Middle East. In such a situation, this is a threat that I know that Prime Minister Modi also takes seriously. The leaders of both our countries will work together to identify and defeat this threat.
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is run by Gurpatwant Singh Pannu from America. Pannu advocates a separate Sikh country named 'Khalistan' independent from India. Pannu formed it in the year 2007.