New Delhi, Oct 12: An event organised by the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has come under the scrutiny of intelligence agencies. The SFJ is scheduled to hold a referendum in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on October 18, asking participants to vote on whether a separate Khalistan nation should be carved out of Punjab.
The exercise is unofficial, and the SFJ has organised similar events in the past. Although previous referendums organised by the outfit have reportedly favoured the creation of a separate Khalistan, they have had no official bearing on India’s territorial integrity or sovereignty.
India rejects the demand as illegal and unconstitutional, and the exercises have not translated into any formal political process for the creation of a separate state. Even other countries know that the demand is meaningless and illegal. An official said that although similar referendums have been held in the past, the agencies are keeping a close eye on the October 18 event in Canada. It is being held at a time when the province of Alberta will hold a province-wide 2026 Alberta Referendum.
Voters would ask if Alberta should remain a province of Canada or begin the legal process towards a future that would be separate from Canada. Further, the SFJ event also comes at a time when outfits such as the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) have put out a long roadmap for attacks in Punjab ahead of and during the elections, the official said.
The SFJ is trying to gain maximum traction out of this event. Further, it hopes that the event and the referendum could be used as a recruitment tool by the BKI in Punjab. An Intelligence Bureau official said that there has been a worrying turn of events in Punjab. The Inter Services Intelligence-backed elements that include Khalistani terror groups and narcotic cartels run by them from Pakistan have clearly upped the ante against the Indian security agencies.
“Drone drops with ammunition and narcotics have gone up manifold. Further, the BKI has been targeting women recruits to gather information and also to pick up the arms and narcotics that are being dropped by the drones,” the official said. Latest intelligence inputs analysed clearly point towards several worrying developments in Punjab. The SFJ and BKI are working overtime to speed up recruitments.
“They are also looking to set up an all-women’s wing for Punjab. These women would be tasked with undertaking surveillance, laying honey-traps, and moving consignments comprising arms, ammunition, and narcotics across the state. The proceeds of the same are meant to revive and fund the Khalistan movement,” the official said.
Another official said that the timing of the referendum is also critical. The SFJ wants to club this event along with the referendum scheduled for October 19 by the Parti Québécois, which will form the next government in Quebec. SFJ chief and proscribed terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has invited leaders of the party to attend the so-called referendum on October 18.
“The SFJ wants to club the two issues and try and send out a picture that both are making legally valid demands,” the official said. While sending out the invitation, Pannun reportedly said, “Whether it is the people of Alberta determining Alberta’s political future or Sikhs determining Punjab’s political future, the fundamental democratic principle is the same: the political future of a people should be determined by the people.”
“On October 18, Sikhs vote on Punjab. On October 19, Albertans vote on Alberta’s political future. Different peoples and different constitutional circumstances, but political questions should be settled democratically,” he added. For the Indian security agencies, the focus is completely on Punjab, and all measures are being taken to beat down every modus operandi of both the BKI and SFJ before the elections. If they get away now and the agencies let their guard down, then we would be staring at a very serious problem when the election process gets underway in Punjab next year, an official said.
IANS