9 designated as ‘terrorists’ for pushing militancy in Punjab

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday declared nine individuals as “designated terrorists”, under the provisions of the amended Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, for trying to revive militancy in Punjab. The individuals, according to the government, are involved in various acts of terrorism from across the border and from foreign soil. They have been relentless in their nefarious efforts of destabilising the country, by trying to revive militancy in Punjab through their anti-national activities and through their support to and involvement in the Khalistan Movement.

The nine individuals include chiefs and members of various terrorist outfits, namely Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), Khalistan Commando Force (KCF), and Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) apart from Unlawful Association Sikh for Justice (SfJ).

The individuals who were designated terrorists on Wednesday are Pakistanbased BKI chief Wadhawa Singh Babbar, Pak based ISYF chief Lakhbir Singh, Pak based KZF chief Ranjeet Singh, Pak based KCF chief Paramjit Singh, Germany based key KZF member Bhupinder Singh Bhinda, Germany based KZF key member Gurmeet Singh Bagga, USA based key member of unlawful association SfJ Gurpatwant Singh Pannum, Canada based chief of KTF Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and Uk based BKI chief Paramjit Singh.

The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 was amended in August 2019 by the Centre to include the provision of designating an individual as a terrorist.