Sikh Separatist Leader Pannun Issues Threat Against Air India Flights, Citing “Global Blockade”

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the founder of the banned group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), has issued a threatening statement advising Sikhs against flying with Air India between November 1 and 19, 2024, warning that the airline would be unsafe during this period. In a video circulating on social media, Pannun specifically highlighted November 19—coinciding with the Cricket World Cup final—as a critical day, claiming there would be a “global blockade” against Air India and threatening that lives could be at risk for those traveling with the airline. He also made a provocative suggestion that Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport would be closed and renamed to symbolize Khalistani separatist aspirations. This is not Pannun’s first threat, as he previously urged Indo-Canadian Hindus to leave Canada amid escalating tensions following accusations from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding India’s alleged involvement in the assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The threat comes amid an already strained diplomatic situation between India and Canada, with security agencies likely to closely monitor developments.