UK yet to act on Indian correspondence over Pro-Khalistan event in London

UK is yet to act on three demarches and notes verbale from India to deny permission for an event by a pro-Khalistan organisation at London’s Trafalgar Square on August 12 calling for referendum to seek “independence” of Punjab.

The Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a pro-Khalistan organisation based in the United States, is planning to hold a referendum to “liberate” Punjab, which, according to it, is “currently occupied by India.”

The organization has plans to gather people from across UK, US and Canada at Trafalgar Square in London to support its demand for “re-establishing” Punjab as a “nation-state” after its “liberation” from India.


India has repeatedly asked the UK government to deny the SFJ permission to hold the event. Three protest notes were sent to London with no impact so far, persons familiar with the issue told ET. The issue is emerging as an irritant in Indo-UK ties notwithstanding the upward trajectory in commercial ties.

India’s high commissioner to the UK, Yash Sinha, met minister of state for Asia Mark Field at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on July 11. Sinha handed over to Field a demarche, asking the British government to deny permission for this event. A demarche was also handed over to the UK high commission in Delhi.

“The ministry of external affairs, government of India and the Indian high commission in London have sent separate notes verbale requesting the UK government to deny permission for the event,” VK Singh, minister of state for external affairs told the Rajya Sabha last week.

Undeterred by the Modi government’s move, the SFJ has launched a social media campaign asking Sikhs around the world to take part in the campaign against India. “Worldwide Sikh Sangat is Ready for London Declaration of Referendum 2020… Are You Ready?” the SFJ tweeted on Friday.

The aim of SFJ is to get five million votes in support of independence for Punjab through the Punjab Referendum 2020. The results will be presented to the UN with a request to intervene and negotiate an agreement between the Punjabi peoples and India for holding an independence referendum in the state. Plans are to hold referendum in 20 cities in India, USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand besides other European and Asian countries.

SFJ is shaped by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a naturalised US citizen. He has a long history of trying to take Indian political leaders to court in the US. He tried to sue PM Modi in September 2014. He has also sued former PM Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi when she was Congress President.

Trafalgar project is not the only pro-Khalistan activity in UK.