Banned militant outfit United Liberation Front of Asom – Independent (ULFA-I) has called the threat by Pro-Khalistan terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu of Sikh for Justice (SFJ) to Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma “unfortunate and misunderstood.”
Assam Police on Sunday tightened the security of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma after an audio clip purportedly of a pro-Khalistan leader threatening him surfaced.
In the purported audio clip, the pro-Khalistani leader allegedly said, “This message is for Assam CM Himanta Sarma. Your government is harassing and torturing pro-Khalistan Sikhs in Assam. And also torturing those who are in jail. Listen carefully CM Sarma, the fight is between pro-Khalistan Sikhs and Indian regime…We are seeking liberation of Punjab from Indian occupation through a peaceful democratic process of Khalistan referendum. Sarma, if your government is going to torture and harass Sikhs, you will be held accountable.”
In the audio clip, the man claimed that he is Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of banned outfit SFJ.
ULFA-I Chief Paresh Baruah alias Paresh Asom, in his open letter to Sikhs For Justice said, “United Liberation Front of Asom – Independent (ULFA-I) would like to address the leadership of the pro-independence Khalistan-backed Sikhs for Justice that the alarm you have sent to the Chief Minister of Assam by telephone seems unfortunate and misunderstood, we feel it.”
“There is no room for the brutal torture of the eight members of Khalistan and Waris Punjab De who were recently brought from distant Punjab and imprisoned in Dibrugarh jail and we have not seen any news that is contrary to the customs of the Tholgiri (indigenous) people of Assam,” the letter stated.
“We believe that the situation in Assam will remain similar to the environment of 1984. Therefore, the Tholgiri people of Assam know the history of the Sikhs, love the revolution and understand the essence of the freedom struggle,” the letter further added.
“ULFA-I has urged the leaders of ‘Sikhs for Justice’ to refrain from issuing such undesired remarks and remember the role of the political leaders and people of Assam in that terrible situation of the past,” the letter noted.
“We received an audio clip today in which a man posing as Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was threatening Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He alleged that the Sikh community in Assam is being harassed and treated unfairly. We have registered a case,” Assam Director General of Police (DGP) GP Singh told the media.
“The audio clip seems to be of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun by preliminary estimation. This will be confirmed after the investigation report. Chief Minister’s security arrangements have been further beefed up. Further investigation is on,” added the DGP.
Meanwhile, Assam Police alerted all Superintendents of Police of all districts and the Commissioner of Police, Guwahati.
Notably, Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh has been on the run since March 18, the day Punjab Police launched a massive manhunt for him.
The crackdown came almost over three weeks after Amritpal’s supporters stormed Ajnala police station in Amritsar on February 23 demanding the release of one of his close aides, Lovepreet Toofan.
Earlier on Thursday, pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh surfaced in a new video and said he was not “a fugitive” and will soon “appear in front of the world”.
This new video came after the radical preacher, who is being chased by police released an unverified video calling on the “Sikh sangat” to come together if they want to “save” Punjab.
