In a dramatic development, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, leader of Sikhs for Justice and a prominent voice in the Khalistan movement, has claimed that Sikh soldiers in the Indian Army have begun a rebellion against the Indian state following recent cross-border tensions with Pakistan.
According to a video statement shared on Instagram, Pannun said that Sikh troops raised the Pakistani flag at Dashmesh College in Indian Punjab as a show of solidarity with Pakistan. The college walls were reportedly painted with slogans such as, “Sikhs welcome the Pakistani Army.”
Pannun further alleged that the Indian government has confiscated the mobile phones of Sikh soldiers and warned their families not to make any external contact. He also played an audio clip, which he claimed was from a Sikh soldier refusing to fight against Pakistan and pledging support for the Pakistani military.
In his statement, Pannun urged Sikh soldiers to join hands with Pakistan to establish Khalistan, a separate homeland for Sikhs. He said they would place Khalistani flags on military tanks and march to Delhi, turning it into the capital of Khalistan.
Meanwhile, in London, Sikh diaspora members held a protest against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stomping on his posters and chanting anti-India slogans. A video of the protest was also uploaded to the Sikhs for Justice Instagram page.