With radical preacher Amritpal Singh finally in custody after eluding authorities for a month, the Centre is focussing attention on cornering pro-Khalistani groups that pose a threat to Indians and officials in the UK, US, Australia and Canada.
According to sources, the government has been talking at different levels to these countries as its next plan of action to crack down on Khalistani separatism from the top down. An investigation will be conducted to establish the role of Khalistani leaders conspiring to carry out attacks.
The presence of such groups abroad was not unknown but the unprecedented vandalism and violence outside Indian missions in London and San Francisco last month highlighted the threat posed by them to Indian interests.
When the Punjab Police launched its operation last month against Amritpal Singh’s Waris Punjab De outfit, supporters of the Khalistan movement had pulled down the Indian flag at the country’s high commission in London and smashed the building’s windows in a show of anger against the failed move to arrest Singh. Supporters of the movement had also vandalised the Indian Consulate in San Francisco in the United States.
India had last month said it expects to see action against the perpetrators of vandalism at its missions abroad and hoped the host governments would prosecute those involved in these incidents instead of holding out assurances.
Sources said India has decided to raise the issue of inaction against such outfits during multiple meetings with officials from these countries.
In a phone conversation with his British counterpart Rishi Sunak on April 14, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised the issue of security of Indian diplomatic establishments in the UK and had called for strong action against anti-India elements.
India had also summoned the High Commissioner of Canada to convey New Delhi’s strong concerns about the actions of separatist and extremist elements against India’s diplomatic missions and consulates in Canada.
More importantly, a senior official told News18 that these discussions are not restricted to the MEA-level.
In his latest meeting with the Australian Secretary of Department of Home Affairs, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla touched upon the rising Khalistani threat Down Under, requesting swift action against their activities.
The NIA, which is investigating the attack on the Indian High Commission in London, has also initiated the process to identify the accused. The case will help the government initiate the process of extradition of pro-Khalistani entities involved in planning and execution of the attack on the Indian High Commission in London. A team will soon visit London and meet officials there as part of the probe.
Sources said the investigation will also look at ground handlers supporting the Khalistani agenda from India.
India’s external intelligence agency has also been asked to prepare a dossier on pro-Khalistani entities. The internal intelligence agency, meanwhile, is working on establishing a link between local support in Pakistan and pro-Khalistani entities abroad.
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