Melbourne police and intelligence agencies on Wednesday raised concerns over threat to Diljit Dosanjh’s Aura 2025 concert scheduled for November 1 (Saturday). Intelligence reports suggested that the group
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is seeking to target the high-profile event.
Sources told CNN-News18 that the plan is aimed at gaining relevance within the global Sikh diaspora and highlighting anti-India sentiment linked to the 1984 riots anniversary.
SFJ has a history of issuing online threats, displaying provocative banners, graffiti, and conducting cyber-disruptions.
Australian police sources told CNN-News18 that the recent calls for shutdown rallies and a direct video message from SFJ leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun have elevated the Melbourne threat to Level 2, defined as moderate to high.
Agencies are taking seriously the risk of lone-actor disruptions or sabotage. Reports indicate that groups such as the Victorian Sikh Youth Front and Australian Sikh Rights Collective have previously been linked to SFJ’s digital campaigns. Coordination and funding are reportedly handled through encrypted Telegram channels, and SFJ has used servers in the US and Canada to mask its activities.
Australian Federal Police are actively monitoring 12–15 individuals in Melbourne and Sydney in connection with these plots. SFJ has also been promoting hashtags like #BoycottDiljit and #PanthicJustice on X and Instagram, using coordinated bot activity and diaspora influencers to amplify emotionally charged visuals related to the 1984 riots.
Sources called this as a calibrated influence operation rather than spontaneous outrage.
Diljit Dosanjh, seen as a symbol of Punjabi pride and cross-cultural success, has often been considered apolitical in his public image. Analysts suggest SFJ’s campaign may also aim to undermine India’s cultural diplomacy abroad and discourage other Sikh celebrities from maintaining neutral or pro-India stances.
