New Delhi, Sep 30 : It was a series of emails that somehow couldn’t be ignored, unlike several earlier ones. After all, why should space be given to a designated terrorist, someone who operates on behalf of sinister forces?

But when a top opposition leader of the country provides the space, the terrorist uses it as an alibi to justify violent and divisive actions.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was designated a terrorist under the UAPA by the Ministry of Home Affairs on July 1, 2020. The notification says, “He has been speaking against India…is advocating a separate State, Khalistan; and whereas, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, presently residing in the United States of America, is instigating and abetting youths to join them in Khalistan Referendum 2020 and providing financial help to youths in the region for creating violence or fear to disturb peace in the region… is accused in various cases registered and being investigated by the Punjab Police related to Referendum 2020 and a case registered by National Investigation Agency… Pannun is involved in terrorism and …is to be notified as a terrorist.”

Of late, this terrorist has found a poster boy in Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after the latter’s ‘explosive revelations’ about Sikhs in India. During an interaction at an event in the US, Rahul Gandhi said, "…The fight is about whether he, as a Sikh, is going to be allowed to wear his turban in India and he as a Sikh is going to be allowed to wear a 'kada' (bracelet) in India, or he as a Sikh is going to be able to go to a Gurdwara..."

Since the day Rahul Gandhi made the remarks during his September 8-10 US visit, Pannun has been flaunting those almost every day to justify his agenda and further his ‘cause’.

The email statements that he has been forwarding almost every day show how he is using the Congress leader’s remarks to twist facts.

On September 27 the terrorist wrote: “Sikhs are facing existential threat in Modi's India which has also been acknowledged by the Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi. India can avoid 1990s bloodshed and accept the peaceful means of Khalistan referendum to resolve the status of Indian-held Punjab.”