Revival of the Khalistan Movement

When I joined the IT Industry, A very senior professional told me – “never work on assumptions”. Because assumptions can be misleading and faulty. Look for facts instead, look into parameters and rationales that can be quantified. Where there is a clear understanding of the product, or a module of it, there is no room for assumptions. At times we can make a wild guess or two but assuming everything is not something that should be incorporated as a general practice in the IT industry or any industry for that matter.

People sitting in the decision making positions in India are certainly very competent. And I am assuming, they do not assume. Pun intended. They do have the talents to comprehend state of affairs effectively, segregate right from wrong, and sniff evil from a distance. But I still see that the ‘Revival of the Khalistan Movement’ is assumed to be dead and defunct. Sikhs, by and large are an enterprising community that contribute heavily to India’s net contribution to itself and the world. Sikhs are a happy community, free and far from orthodoxy. But it will be unwise to assume that they do not have gullible people, ready to be taken over by destructive forces. Like some Hindus get attracted to fringe elements that have a knack for raiding pubs and discotheques, Some Muslims get attracted by Jihadi elements, some Sikhs too get lured by organizations like the Babbar Khalsa International. The revival of the Khalistan movement is on its way. Anti-India forces are helping it establish its lost base in India and around the world. They are leaving no stone unturned in globalising the issue with selective emphasis on alleged human rights violation in India. The untruth that Sikhs along with other minorities are being marginalized in Modi’s India is being spread far and wide.

Let us reflect on some events that unfolded in India recently. Posters of slain Khalistani leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale came up for the first time in Jammu. Echoes of Pro Khalistan slogans resonated in the skies of Jammu. When the police removed the poster of Bhindrawale, Supporters of the Khalistan Movement clashed with the police force, injuring a sub inspector critically. Most of them were armed with naked swords. The protestors blocked the Jammu-Pathankot highway and authorities had no choice but to impose curfew. Schools and colleges were closed and the entire city came to a standstill. On the 31st anniversary of Operation Bluestar, at the Golden Temple, Amritsar, a clash broke out between a group of Sikh radicals and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee officials. The scene was not very different from what happened at Jammu. The radicals were armed with swords and were they were raising pro-Khalistan slogans at the top of their lungs.

Let us also reflect on some of the events that unfolded in the rest of the world in last couple of years. A group of Khalistan Supporters urged the Canada government to detain Narendra Modi for his alleged role in the 2002 Gujarat riots. This year, Pakistani Sikhs held an anti-India demonstration outside the provincial assembly in Pakistan. American Sikh Congressional Caucus was constituted in April 2013. Many of the legislators in the assembly have been Khalistan supporters. Likewise there have been many incidents that indicate at the Revival of the Khalistan movement

And the Khalistan supporters have been masterminding a big bomb blast in India since long. In December 2013, The US Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Balwinder Singh (aka Jhajj aka Happy aka Possi), an Indian-American, on charges of providing material support to Sikh separatist groups such as the Babbar Khalsa International and the Khalistan Zindabad Force. The support was intended for a planned bomb blast in India. In September 2013, Eight people were arrested from Patiala district in Punjab allegedly for planning to carry out terrorist acts in Punjab with the financial help provided to them by associates based in the United Arab Emirates and New Zealand. There are 30 pro-Khalistan terrorists staying in the UK. A report by the Punjab Police revealed that 125 out of the 290 listed terrorists are operating from abroad.

And guessing the architect of the strategic revival of The Khalistani Movement is a no-brainer. The then Minister of State for Home Affairs RPN Singh in 2013 had said quoting NIA inputs that ISI operatives have assured moral and financial support to pro-Khalistan elements for anti-India activities. There are indications that ISI is pushing Babbar Khalsa International chief Jagtar Singh Tara to re-group and synchronise the pro-Khalistan terrorists groups and militants operating in Kashmir. It is still in its infancy but is a dangerous development nonetheless.

But amongst all these gloomy developments, there is one very bright ray of hope. Most of the Sikhs have opted for a peaceful and happy life. Most of them do not buy the extremist rants and prefer to live calmly. Hope that trend continues. But I hope Modi, Doval, Parrikar and the Indian Army have these rats on their radars. The revival of the Khalistan movement is no small thing. It should be uprooted before it spreads its branches.

Image source: Daily Mail