Editorial: Nip militancy in the bud

Attack on Indian consulate in San Francisco points towards a clear pattern to fuel hatred against India

There is an alarming trend of Khalistani groups stoking tensions by carrying out random strikes abroad to garner attention. The recent attempt to torch the Indian consulate in San Francisco, the second such attack in three months, points towards a clear pattern to fuel hatred against India in a desperate bid to revive a movement that has long been buried. Realising that there is no political space left for the separatist ideology in Punjab in the wake of total erosion of public support, these fissiparous elements are now trying to stay relevant by organising attacks on foreign soil, targeting Indian interests. These fringe groups must realise that there is absolutely no traction for their agenda in rural Punjab, which was once the epicentre of the militant separatist movement. The recent rallies in Canada celebrating the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi or vandalism at Indian missions in the United Kingdom are part of the same pattern. There has been a strong response from New Delhi to these incidents and justifiably so. Mere condemnations are not enough. India has rightly demanded concrete and demonstrable actions from these nations including launching criminal proceedings against perpetrators of violence and nip their activities in the bud. The Khalistani groups have been posting provocative videos threatening further attacks and propagating separatist ideology. Local authorities in the US, Canada and Australia must take strong punitive and preventive action to deter any such adventurism.

It was highly improper on the part of Canadian authorities to have allowed protest marches in Toronto and Vancouver where pro-Khalistani posters had appeared over the killing of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar last month. The posters insinuated that the Indian government was behind the killing and had the photos and names of the Indian High Commissioner and Consul General. Such provocative actions must be stopped in the interest of bilateral relations. While peaceful expression of dissent and disagreement is an integral part of any democracy, there should be zero tolerance for violence and open calls for breaking up the country. After exorcising the ghosts of the past, India cannot afford a throwback to the traumatic 1980s, a blood-soaked era of terrorism that left a deep scar on Punjab and negated the gains of a prosperous State. Mischievous attempts were made to rake up communal tensions in the sensitive border State in February when armed supporters of radical preacher Amritpal Singh, who is being projected as a 21st-century avatar of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, stormed a police station at Ajnala. There is also a well-orchestrated plan by a section of the military establishment in Pakistan to revive the Khalistani movement. The remnants of Babbar Khalsa International, International Sikh Youth Federation, Khalistan Zindabad Force and Khalistan Commando Force are said to be still operating from bases in Pakistan.

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