Pro-Khalistan graffiti and slogans targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi were discovered on the pillars of Karol Bagh and Jhandewalan Metro stations in New Delhi on Sunday. The Delhi Police promptly intervened to remove the graffiti, and an FIR has been registered in connection with the incident. Authorities have also sought CCTV footage from the metro stations to aid in their investigation.
According to reports from news agency ANI, the slogans were attributed to supporters of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), a banned Sikh separatist group operating from the United States. A security guard at a nearby building, Bajrangi, recounted noticing the graffiti early Sunday morning, drawing a crowd’s attention.
This incident isn’t the first of its kind in the capital. Earlier in January, similar slogans supporting Khalistan were found on a government school’s boundary wall in Uttam Nagar and a pillar in the Nihar Vihar area. At the time, police noted that the graffiti was painted in secluded areas, suggesting limited visibility.
The recent vandalism comes amidst heightened security concerns surrounding Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s threats ahead of the 75th Republic Day. Pannun had previously issued warnings of hoisting the Khalistani flag in Delhi and threatening to attack Parliament on or before December 13, the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attacks.
The Central government outlawed Pannun’s SFJ in 2019, citing its involvement in “anti-national and subversive” activities. The group has been advocating for “Referendum 2020” as part of its separatist agenda, seeking self-determination for Sikhs. Pannun has been under the scrutiny of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) since 2019 for his alleged role in promoting and commissioning terror acts and activities.
