Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun threatens attacks on Hindu temples on November 16, 17

Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has threatened to attack Hindu temples, including the Ram mandir in Ayodhya, on November 16 and 17, India Today reported on Monday.

In a video released by the United States-based group Sikhs for Justice, Pannun said: “We will shake the foundations of Ayodhya, birthplace of the violent Hindutva ideology.”

It was not immediately clear where and when the video was released.

The video also featured images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi praying at the Ram temple during its inauguration in January, according to India Today.

Sikhs for Justice, founded and headed by Pannun, is designated as a terrorist organisation in India under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

Since 2021, Sikhs for Justice has organised several unofficial “referendums” in foreign countries, including Canada, on whether a separate Sikh homeland should be carved out of India.

Pannun’s threat video came days after protests by pro-Khalistan groups during the Indian High Commission’s routine consular camp organised in partnership with the Hindu Sabha Temple in Canada’s Brampton, on November 3.

Videos of the incident circulating on social media show men and women attacking temple visitors with sticks.

The pro-Khalistan groups were met with counter-protests from a group holding Indian flags. Tensions soon escalated and the pro-Khalistan groups were reportedly the first to attack the temple visitors.

Canada is home to several organisations that support the...

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