NEW DELHI, India—On August 23, a tribunal constituted by the Indian government issued a show-cause notice to the US based pro-freedom Sikh outfit ‘Sikhs for Justice’ to look into the material facts whether or not the separatist organization be declared unlawful. It is learnt that the SFJ has been asked to respond within 30 days from the date of serving this notice.
Besides it, the association has also been directed to make a personal appearance before the tribunal on September 20, 2019.
On July 10, the BJP led Indian government had declared SFJ as an unlawful organization. On August 7, the government had constituted the tribunal comprising Delhi high court chief justice DN Patel for adjudicating as to whether there is sufficient cause for declaring the SFJ as an unlawful association.
“Now, a show cause notice has been issued to SFJ as to why the association declared unlawful, be not adjudicated to be so and why an order confirming the declaration be not made,” said the official spokesperson.
It is noteworthy here that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) constitutes a tribunal every time it bans an organization under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to give the outfit a chance to present its case. But the exercise usually remains a no-show as the tribunal mostly endorses the government’s move.
At the time of declaring SFJ an unlawful outfit, the MHA had said that the group’s primary objective was to establish an independent and sovereign country in Punjab and it openly espouses the cause of Khalistan.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 5 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), the Central Government hereby constitutes an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal, consisting of Justice DN Patel, Delhi High Court Chief Justice, for adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause of declaring the SFJ as an unlawful association,” read the MHA notification.
