As polls near, ISI-Khalistan combo looks to worsen situation in Punjab

New Delhi, Jan 13: With the Punjab elections nearing, Pakistan is on overdrive mode to push its anti-India propaganda. The Intelligence Bureau and multiple agencies are keeping a close watch on the various social media accounts formed to spread hate and a disinformation campaign against India.

Punjab has seen scores of incidents in recent times where a thorough agenda by Pakistan has been attempted to be pushed. There have been targeted killings and also the recent Ludhiana Court blast.

On January 5, a major incident was reported when the Prime Minister's security was breached. PM Narendra Modi was held up for 20 minutes in Punjab due to a protest that was ongoing on the road. The Supreme Court has even set up a committee headed by a retired judge to probe the incident and suggest ways of bettering securing the PM of the land.

An Intelligence Bureau officials tells OneIndia that there has been a sustained campaign being run by the ISI backed Khalistani forces to defame the government. The campaign has been a sustained one for long, but with the elections nearing the ISI and these Khalistani elements are in overdrive mode, the official cited above also said.

Groups such as the Sikhs for Justice whose bosses are seated in Canada continue to play a dangerous role. Punjab has seen a lot of activity of late including the security breach involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Ludhiana Court blast.

Prior to these incidents, there were scores of incidents of targeted killings. In addition to this Punjab has its own drug problem and Pakistan on the other hand drops off arms and ammunition in the state with the help of drones.

The farmer protests had also become a forum for these Khalistan elements to take advantage of the situation.

An Intelligence Bureau official tells OneIndia that there has been a sustained effort to portray the Centre as anti-Sikh. They will do it more as the elections near.
There has also been plenty of instability in the Punjab government which also gels well for these elements.

Off late a number of incidents are being reported, which go on to suggest that security has become lax. The blast that took place today was inside a court premises which is in the heart of Ludhiana and close to the District Commissioner's office.

This was not the first time that a blast is taking place in the state during the election season. In 2017 on the eve of the 2017 Assembly elections at Maur Mandi. On February 4 2017 two twin blasts had taken place in which seven people died including 5 children.

In addition to these incidents, Punjab is also witnessing sacrilege and lynching. On Saturday a man from UP was lynched after an alleged attempt to commit sacrilege into the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple.

Punjab has also had a drone problem in the recent past. Several drone sightings from Pakistan have been reported. In one incident, the drones had also dropped off arms and ammunition.
Intelligence Bureau officials tell OneIndia that incidents of sacrilege will be a fodder for Khalistan forces to return to Punjab. For long the Intelligence agencies have said that Pakistan's ISI has been making efforts to ensure the return of terrorism in Punjab.

The Intelligence has warned for long that the ISI and the Khalistan forces will try taking advantage of any instability in Punjab. These recent incidents are a pointer to that fact. The ISI would incite violence by undertaking such acts knowing fully that some radical elements would react in a violent manner.

In Punjab, the police found that drones were used by Pakistan to drop off weapons at the border areas, so that it could be transported to Jammu and Kashmir.
It may be recalled that the Punjab police had found that heavy lifting drones from Pakistan were used to drop off arms and ammunition near the Punjab border. The consignment was meant to be picked up by the members of the KZF and then transported to Jammu and Kashmir, the police also learnt.

Investigations have shown that these weapons were being dropped off in Punjab are meant to be transported to Jammu and Kashmir. Over the past 10 days, the drones are said to have carried out 8 sorties to drop the weapons, which also include satellite phones.