Khalistanis rattled as India, Canada close ranks: Officials warn of desperate attacks

New Delhi, Oct 4 (IANS) The noose around the Khalistanis is tightening with India and Canada strengthening security cooperation. The first sign of a reset was following a meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart, Mark Carney.

This meeting set off a series of meetings between officials of both countries -- a high-level meeting of the National Security Advisor (NSA) and his Canadian counterpart, Nathalie Drouin. The resetting of ties resulted in Canada listing the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity. While doing so, Canada said that the gang created a climate of fear and intimidation. For India, this is a major decision since these are the gangs that are linked to the Khalistan elements.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is probing the gangster-terror nexus case. During the probe, the NIA found that it is these gangs that are raising funds and carrying out hits at the behest of the Khalistanis. The NIA has been able to clearly establish that there is a deep nexus between the two, and this is benefiting the Khalistan movement.

Intelligence agencies say that these developments have created panic in the minds of the Khalistanis. The attempt to set on fire a cinema theatre at Ontario twice within a week is a clear sign of desperation.

Officials say that these Khalistan radicals would attempt more such acts as they want to create fear in the minds of the people and law enforcement agencies. The same elements attacked the Kaps Cafe in Canada recently, and this was claimed by the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI).

These people are making every attempt to target Indians, and this proves just that. The attempt to set fire in Ontario led to the theatre management announcing that they were stopping the screening of Hindi movies owing to security threats.

“Every screening and every product stamped ‘Made in India’ carries the imprint of a violent ideology that is driving India toward a Hindutva totalitarian state,” the proscribed Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, said after these incidents.

While the improvement of ties between India and Canada has clearly irritated the Khalistanis, there is more frustration when it comes to their operations in Punjab. The Indian agencies have ensured that these persons do not raise their ugly heads in the country. This led to hampering not just their operations, but their radicalisation drives and recruitments. This has added to their frustration, and hence the Indian agencies have alerted the police to remain on high alert since attempts are being made to carry out a terror strike in Punjab or the neighbouring states.

It is not just the government and law enforcement agencies, but even the elders in Punjab who have played a vital role in ensuring that the Khalistan movement does not revive. They keep telling the younger generation how worthless the entire movement was. They also tell them that during the days of militancy in Punjab, the people only lived in fear as the state saw violent incidents.

This has largely worked on the youths, and hence the Khalistanis are finding it is next to impossible to carry out recruitment. With the help of the locals, such a movement cannot thrive.

Officials say that to wipe out this menace, India and Canada would need to work closely. The NIA is investigating several cases relating to the Khalistan issue. Information would be shared regularly, so that there are extraditions that take place in the near future.

The Lawrence Bishnoi issue is just the start, and more would follow, officials point out.

However, during this period, the law enforcement agencies would need to be on high alert, since the desperation among the ISI-backed Khalistanis has set in, in a big way.

--IANS

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