The government on Wednesday banned pro-Khalistani group Sikhs for Justice for its alleged anti-national activities, PTI reported. The group, based in the United States, has been pushing for a referendum in 2020 on the creation of Khalistan, a Sikh homeland carved out of India. The campaign also seeks to “end Indian occupation of Punjab”.

The decision to outlaw the group under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet, said an unidentified home ministry official. According to the government, the group’s official website and that of referendum 2020 were sharing and sourcing content from a Karachi-based website of a number of Sikhs for Justice activists, ANI reported.

Last year, India had issued a demarche notice to the United Kingdom against a proposed meeting by the group to gather support for the referendum campaign.