Banned Khalistani Organisation Writes To CJI Asking To Scrap Sedition Laws, Sends Copies To AORs

The banned Khalistani organisation 'Sikhs For Justice' has written an 'open letter' to Chief Justice N V Ramana asking to scrap the "colonial law of sedition".

The letter with the subject, "Scrap Colonial "Sedition Laws"- Democratize Democratic "Khalistan Referendum"  addressed by Gurpatwant S Pannun has been received by many Advocates on Record in the Supreme Court today.

The letter lists three alleged instances when the law of Sedition was involved against Sikhs. "It is an indisputable fact that the sedition laws which are being applied against the Khalistan Referendum Campaigners in India and abroad, is the same law which was enacted by the British Colonial power to crush and curb the Indian independence movement", the letter says.

The letter states that given the history of the ineffectiveness of sedition law, the Indian government will fail in exterminating Khalistan Referendum.

"Since, history is a witness that neither the laws such as sedition could not perpetuate British Raj in India nor the draconian laws could save USSR from balkanization, hence India's Balkanizing is a writing on the wall and it should be allowed to take place through democratic and peaceful means of referendum" the letter says.

The letter says, "Cheif Justice Ramana, now is the time that the apex court of India decriminalize the democratic Khalistan Referendum by scrapping the colonial law of sedition."   

In January 2020 the UAPA Tribunal upheld the ban on the organisation 'Sikhs For Justice' after the same was declared an unlawful association under the UAPA Act.

"The evidence brought on record also proves that the respondent Association (SFJ) is working in collusion with anti-India entities and forces to fulfil their objectives by indulging in unlawful activities. Thus, the Central Government had 'sufficient cause' to take action under Section 3(1) and 3(3) of the Act for declaring Sikhs For Justice as an 'unlawful association'", the Tribunal had said in its order.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the author of the letter to the Chief Justice of India and the founder of the organisation has been declared a Terrorist by the government under the UAPA Act. In September 2020, the Central Government had attached his property in Punjab under the UAPA Act.

In February 2022, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting ordered the blocking of apps, website, and social media accounts of foreign-based "Punjab Politics TV" for having close links with Sikhs For Justice.