Pro-Khalistan groups being pushed by ISI to exploit farmers’ agitation

New Delhi, Dec 02: The ISI has been making numerous efforts to revive Khalistan terrorism in Punjab.

Now reports state that the Pakistan based Khalistani groups are being pushed by their handlers to exploit the farmers' agitation in Punjab in a bid to revive militancy in the state.

The Centre has been told about such attempts time and again by the state police as well as the Intelligence agencies.

On Tuesday, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed solidarity with the agitating farmers. The statement came under heavy criticism from various quarters in India. Such comments are unwarranted, especially when pertaining to internal affairs of a democratic country. It is best that diplomatic conversations are not misrepresented for political purposes, the government said.

"Canada will always be there to defend the rights of peaceful protest," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, backing Indian farmers who have intensified their agitation against the new farm laws, noting that the situation is concerning," Trudeau said in a video message.

In Canada several pro-Khalistan separatist groups joined the chorus of opposition to the farm laws against which the protests are being held. The senior member of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Canada branch, Sukhminder Singh Hansra wrote to Canada's foreign minister, Francois-Philippe Champagne and sought intervention to protect the fundamental rights of the farmers.

He also added that the Canadian Sikh community was monitoring the situation very closely. Hansra is one of the leading proponents of Khalistan in Canada. In addition to this the Sikhs for Justice said that it planned to open call centres in the US, UK, Canada, France and Germany to take online applications to reimburse farmers for their losses.

They also promised to register them for the Khalistan Referendum.

In January this year, the SJF was banned following an order issued by the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act Tribunal.

In this context, it would also be important to mention that the Sikhs for Justice proposed to sponsor the pilgrimage of several Sikhs to Pakistan next year. The SJF, which is a pro-Khalistan organisation which works in Canada, Europe and UK had recently promoted the London Declaration of the Referendum 2020.

The SJF is now planning to fund the visit of nearly a lakh Sikh pilgrims to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak next year. The agencies in India believe that the ISI would try and propagate among the pilgrims the need for a pro-Khalistan movement.