After 'threat' to Assam CM, Ulfa-I asks pro-Khalistani group not to issue 'undesired remarks'

A day after a pro-Khalistan "Sikh for Justice" purportedly issued a threat to Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, Ulfa-Independent, a banned militant group in Assam asked the group not to issue any "undesired remarks" as people of Assam did not harass a Sikh during the "Operation Bluestar" in 1984.

In an "open letter" to Sikh for Justice on Monday, Ulfa-I leader Paresh Baruah called the warning sent to Assam CM as "unfortunate and misunderstood."

"This is because in the aftermath of "Operation Bluestar" at the Golden Temple in Amritsar from June 1 to 10 in 1984, a wave of anti-Sikhism spread throughout India. In contrast to the Sikh massacres that occurred in other parts of India, the people of Assam refrained from any mental or physical harassment to the Sikhs living in Assam and the West-South-East Asia region," said the Ulfa-I letter.

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The Ulfa-I also refuted the possibility of torture of the eight pro-Khalistani workers, who are now lodged in Dibrugarh central jail in eastern Assam. Ulfa-I is still out of the peace process with the government.

In a voice message on Sunday, Gurpatwan Singh Pannu of Sikh for Justice, a banned pro-Khalistani group purportedly issued a threat call to Sarma alleging that pro-Khalistani persons were being tortured in Dibrugarh jail. Police registered a case against the group and beefed up the security cover of Sarma following the warning.

Many journalists in Assam on Sunday received calls from various mobile phone numbers playing a recorded audio clip, in which the caller identified himself as Pannu and alleged that pro-Khalistani workers were being tortured in the state.

The development took place amid the crackdown in Punjab and other places against Waris De Punjab, a pro-Khalistani group led by Amritpal Singh. On March 20, four "close aides" of Amritpal Singh were flown to Assam from Punjab and lodged in Dibrugarh central jail in Assam. Four more from Punjab were also shifted to the jail later.