User:JustCogo/SFJ
| Formation | 2007 |
|---|---|
| 26-1469312[1] | |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) non-profit |
| Purpose | Support for Khalistan movement, justice for victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, |
| Headquarters | Jackson Heights, New York |
| Location |
|
Region served | United States |
Executive Director | Gurpatwant S. Pannun[2] |
| Website | sikhsforjustice |
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is a Sikh human rights, advocacy and separatist group founded in 2007[3] with offices in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.[4]
Activism
[edit]SFJ's activism is focused on two major issues: justice for the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the establishment of theocratic Sikh nation, Khalistan, through the secession from India.
1984 anti-Sikh riots
[edit]SFJ filed a civil suit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on 14 March 2011 accusing the Indian government of complicity in the riots. The court issued a summons to the Congress Party and Kamal Nath, who was accused by the Nanavati commission of encouraging rioters.[5][6][7] The complaint against Nath was dismissed in March 2012 by Judge Robert W. Sweet, who ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction in the case.[8] The 22-page order granted Nath's motion to dismiss the claim, with Sweet noting that Sikhs for Justice failed to "serve the summons and its complaints to Nath in an appropriate and desired manner".[9]
In September 2013, SFJ similarly filed suit in a US Federal Court against Indian National Congress president for shielding and protecting Kamal Nath, Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Tytler and other Congress party leaders from being prosecuted for their alleged role in engineering the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The court summoned Gandhi during her visit to the United States for medical purposes.[10] The case was ultimately dismissed.[11]
Khalistan movement
[edit]In 2013, SFJ filed suit in a US federal court against the chief minister of the Indian State of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal under the Alien Tort Claims Act and Torture Victim Protection Act for allegedely overseeing human rights abuses by law enforcement while bringing the Punjab insurgency under control by Khalistani terrorists.[12]. The court ultimately dismissed the case.[13]
In January 2019 on the occasion of India's Republic Day, SFJ staged a protest outside the Indian Embassy in Washington D.C. in support of the Khalistan movement, demanding the secession of Punjab from India. Approximately 15-20 participants from SFJ attended who claimed to have burned an Indian flag. However, news reports indicated that the flag burning did not actually occur and that they were outnumbered by Indian counter-protesters. The purported flag burning was condemned by several American Indian, Asian, Hindu and Sikh organizations.[14]
Controversies
[edit]Ties to Pakistani Intelligence
[edit]SFJ is reported to allegedly have support and ties to Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). In August 2018, the Times of India and Indian intelligence accessed documents of Shahid Mehmood Malhi, a lieutenant colonel in the Pakistani army, that revealed a detailed roadmap for the Referendum 2020, a separatist campaign spearheaded by SFJ, under the code name "Operation Express."[15]
Threats & violence
[edit]In May 2018, SFJ published a video addressing Indian government official, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, the Punjab Minister for Jails, threatening him, "Will you come to Canada or should we handle you in India?" In the video, a member of the group also threatened "We are roaming openly the world over. If you have guts, spare yourself from bodyguards. You visit any gurudwara without security and our men will teach you a lesson."[16] https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/pass-referendum-2020-resolution-or-face-music-sfj-warns-sikh-leader-manjit-singh-gk/story-Wy4KZ9e8WkAPkdi9HK1IxO.html
- ^ "Guidestar Profile - Sikhs for Justice". Guidestar. Retrieved 2019-05-27.
- ^ "Sikhs for Justice". NYC Service. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ "Sikhs for Justice - idealist.org profile".
- ^ "Sikhs for Justice". Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ "US court summons Congress party on Sikh riots case". Sify. 2 March 2011. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
- ^ "US court to hear 1984 anti-Sikh riots case on March 29 as Congress hires US law firm to defend itself". The Times of India. 16 March 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ "U.S. court issues summons to Congress for anti-Sikh riots". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 2 March 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
- ^ Singh, Yoshita. "'84 Riots: US Court Dismisses Complaint Against Nath". Outlook Indiadate=2012-03-16. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-03.
- ^ ["US court dismisses plea against Nath in anti-Sikh riots case" , "IBN Live", 16 March 2012, http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/us-court-dismisses-plea-against-nath-in-antisikh-riots-case/975976.html][dead link]
- ^ "US court summons Sonia Gandhi in '1984 Sikh genocide' case". Indian Panorama. Sep 6, 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ "US court rejects Sikhs For Justice's case against Sonia Gandhi". August 26, 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ "SIKHS FOR JUSTICE v. BADAL". Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ "Sikh Rights group, Sikh for Justice, to challenge dismissal of Parkash Singh Badal case in US". Economic Times. Press Trust of of India. May 20, 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ Chaudhury, Dipanjan Roy. "'Sikhs For Justice' protest in US on Jan 26 turns out to be mega flop show". No. Jan 27, 2019. Economic Times. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ Verma, Sanjeev (Aug 6, 2018). "Pak Lt Col Brain Behind pro-Khalistan Initiative in Canada, Europe: Sleuths". Times of India. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ "Pro-Khalistani elements issue threat to Punjab minister, this time from US". Financials Express. May 3, 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2019.