NEW DELHI: The government on Sunday blocked forty websites of pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and foiled its campaign of registering supporters for its “cause”.
The websites were blocked on the recommendation of the ministry of home affairs (MHA).
“Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), an unlawful organisation under the UAPA,1967, launched a campaign for registering supporters for its cause. On recommendation of MHA, MEITY has issued orders under Sec. 69 A of the I.T. Act, 2000, for blocking 40 websites of SFJ,” a home ministry spokesperson said.

The group was registering supporters for ‘Referendum 2020‘ to demand Khalistan, which seeks a separate homeland for the Sikhs.
The SFJ had launched its voter registration in Punjab through a Russian portal. The SFJ chose July 4 to launch the campaign in memory of Sikhs killed during the 1955 attack at Darbar Sahib.
It appealed to the people in Punjab aged 18 or above from any religion, as well as Sikhs living anywhere else in India to register their votes.
Detailed information regarding the registration process was put up in English and Punjabi languages on the Russia-based website, which mentions three steps for registration of votes and the sign-up to receive updates about the ‘Referendum 2020’.
SFJ’s lead campaigner of the secessionist movement, Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, was on Wednesday declared a terrorist by the Union government under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The MHA had declared seven others as terrorists too. These are: Wadhawa Singh Babbar of Babbar Khalsa International; Lakhbir Singh of International Sikh Youth Federation; Ranjit Singh, Bhupinder Singh Bhinda, Gurmit Singh Bagga, all of Germany-based Khalistan Zindabad Force; Paramjit Singh of Khalistan Commando Force; Hardip Singh Nijjar of Khalistan Tiger Force; and Paramjit Singh of UK-based Babbar Khalsa International.
The ministry of electronics and information technology (MEITY) is the nodal authority for monitoring the cyber space in India.
Last year, the home ministry had banned the SFJ for its alleged anti-national activities.