A day after Ulfa-Independent asked "Sikh for Justice" not to issue any "undesired remarks" concerning Assam, the pro-Khalistan group offered to support the banned insurgent group, which has been leading an "armed movement" since 1979 with the demand for "sovereign Assam."
In an "open letter" to Ulfa-I leader Paresh Baruah, Gurpatwan Singh Pannun of "Sikh for Justice" on Tuesday said the pro-Khalistan group is eager to provide "legal help and logistical guidance" in holding the "Assam Independence Referendum."
On Sunday, several journalists in Assam received calls, playing a recorded voice message of Pannun, in which the fugitive pro-Khalistan leader purportedly issued a threat to Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. He alleged that eight pro-Khalistan workers were being tortured in a jail in Assam.
Pannun was referring to eight "close associates" of Amritpal Singh of Waris De Punjab, another pro-Khalistan group, who were shifted from Punjab to Dibrugarh central jail in eastern Assam. They were shifted after security agencies in Punjab launched a crackdown against the pro-Khalistani workers last month. On Tuesday, some journalists in Assam again received similar calls, in which Punnun purportedly offered to help Ulfa-Independent.
Following Pannun's "threat" to Assam CM, Ulfa-I issued a statement on Monday stating that there was no possibility of harassment to the pro-Khalistani workers as the people of Assam did not cause any harm to the Sikhs even during the "Operation Bluestar" of 1984.
After the "threat" to Sarma, police in Assam registered a case against Pannun under Sections of the IPC and the Unlawful (Activities Prevention) Act and started investigation. Police also beefed up Sarma's security.