The Central Government has empowered eight states, including Punjab and Delhi, with a “sizeable presence of Sikh population” to take action against Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) if they try “to brainwash Sikh community in favour of Khalistan movement”, reports The Economic Times on July 26. US-based SFJ was banned under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) earlier this month "for openly espousing the cause of Khalistan" and "pushing for Sikh Referendum 2020." In its order, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) noted, “..In exercise of the powers conferred by section 42 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), the central government hereby directs that all powers exercisable by it under section 7 and section 8 of the said act shall be exercised also by the state governments of Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, government of National Capital Territory of Delhi and Chandigarh administration”.
“Centre doesn't have the wherewithal or jurisdiction to implement the notification in these states. This notification deals with only those states which have a sizeable Sikh population and where the organisations like SFJ can play foul and try to brainwash Sikh community in favor of the Khalistan movement, through various means,” a senior UMHA official said. According to UMHA officials, there are 12 cases registered against SFJ in the past four years where 39 people have been arrested. "The group’s online supporters were over 2 lakh but physically it's only a group of 8-10 people," the official added. Recently, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) named legal advisor of SFJ, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in a first information report (FIR) for trying to raise funds and carrying out secessionist activities on ground as well as on social media with an intention to instigate members of Sikh community from India. Earlier, SFJ was named by India in its 23-page dossier on Kartarpur corridor handed over to Pakistan.