SFJ threatens Himachal CM against hoisting Tricolour on August 15; Jairam Thakur responds

With independence day just around the corner, the pro-Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice on Friday purportedly issued a threat that Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will not be allowed to hoist the national flag in the hill state. The threat was made through a recorded phone call to a majority of Shimla-based journalists, and the caller identified himself as the general counsel for SFJ, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. 

In the recorded call, Pannun can be heard saying," Himachal Pradesh was part of Punjab and we are seeking a referendum in there. We will liberate Punjab, and make sure that we take over Himachal which was part of Punjab".  He then, sought the support of pro-Khalistan Sikhs, and the farmers and said, "We will not allow Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to hoist Indian Tricolour."

Himachal Pradesh CM reacts

Calling the threats 'very unfortunate', Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram underlined that he is yet to speak to the investigative agencies in the matter, and get the exact context of the phone call. "One thing is for sure that I will hoist the flag on 15th August whenever and wherever I get an opportunity," he said.

Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh Police has also responded to the threats. Taking to its official Twitter handle, the state police wrote, "Himachal Pradesh Police is fully capable of securing the State & preventing anti-national elements to thwart peace & security in HP." 

SFJ is a US-based secessionist group that pushes for Sikh Referendum 2020 as part of its separatist agenda. The group's primary objective is to establish an "independent and sovereign country" in Punjab. To meet the objective, the group came up with a website in February, which was banned on the orders of the Department of Telecommunications just four days after its launch.