Guwahati: The Union Home Ministry under the leadership of Home Minister Amit Shah today declared nine individuals as designated terrorists under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and included their names in the Fourth Schedule of the said Act.
The nine individuals are:
1. Wadhawa Singh Babbar: Pakistan based Chief of a terrorist organization, "BabbarKhalsa International".
2. Lakhbir Singh: Pakistan based Chief of a terrorist organization, "International Sikh Youth Federation".
3. Ranjeet Singh: Pakistan based Chief of a terrorist organization, "Khalistan Zindabad Force".
4. Paramjit Singh: Pakistan based Chief of a terrorist organization "Khalistan Commando Force".
5. Bhupinder Singh Bhinda: Germany based key member of a terrorist organization, "Khalistan Zindabad Force".
6. Gurmeet Singh Bagga: Germany based key member of a terrorist organization, "Khalistan ZindabadForce".
7. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun: USA based key member of Unlawful Association, "Sikh for Justice".
8. Hardeep Singh Nijjar: Canada based Chief of "Khalistan Tiger Force".
9. Paramjit Singh: United Kingdom-based Chief of a terrorist organization, "BabbarKhalsa International".
It needs mention here that the Centre had amended the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 in August 2019, to include the provision of designating an individual as a terrorist. Prior to this amendment, only organizations could be designated as terrorist organizations.
Shah during the debate in Parliament last year on the amendment to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, had strongly had unequivocally reaffirmed the nation's resolve on this matter. By invoking the said amended provision, in September 2019, the Central Government designated four individuals as terrorists, viz. Maulana Masood Azhar, Hafeez Saeed, Zaki-ur-RehmanLakhvi, and Dawood Ibrahim.
"These individuals are involved in various acts of terrorism from across the border and from foreign soil. They have been relentless in their nefarious efforts of destabilizing the country, by trying to revive militancy in Punjab through their anti-national activities and through their support to and involvement in the Khalistan Movement", the Home Ministry said in a statement.