In response to threats from the pro-Khalistan Sikhs for Justice group, Indian officials have asked Canada to strengthen security for Air India flights. Leader of the separatist movement Gurpatwant Pannun warned that from November 19, passengers’ “lives may be in danger” and advised them to avoid flying with the Indian carrier.
The Punjabi-language letter demanded a “global blockade” of the airline’s route from Vancouver to London.
Indian High Commissioner to Ottawa, Sanjay Kumar Verma, told Hindustan Times, “We shall take up the threat against Air India flights originating from and terminating in Canada, with the concerned Canadian authorities.”
At the moment, Air India offers several weekly flights from Delhi to Toronto and Vancouver.
India’s designated terrorist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has declared that Air India will not be permitted to fly on November 19.
In addition to pointing out that the “World Terror Cup” final would also take place on this day, he declared that after Punjab was “liberated,” the Delhi airport would close and have a new name.
Also read: Terrorist from Khalistan Pannun warns India of an impending “Hamas-like attack”.
“We are asking the Sikh people not to fly via Air India. From November 19, there will be a global blockade. Air India won’t be allowed to operate. Sikh people, don’t travel by Air India after November 19. Your life can be in danger…The name of this airport will be Shahid Beant Singh, Shahid Satwant Singh Khalistan airport, when Punjab will be liberated,” says Pannun.
This development coincides with an increasing pressure on Canada-India relations. Leader of the separatist movement Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed, according to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a charge that New Delhi has denied as “absurd.”
“Where’s the proof, anyway? Where is the investigation’s conclusion? To put it one step further, I would argue that the probe has already been compromised. Someone at the top has given the order to claim that agents from India are responsible for it,” Verma told the Globe and Mail on Friday.
