It's time to tell Canada not to fan fire in India

New Delhi: This seems to be the right time to strictly tell Canada to rein in Khalistani elements running propaganda against India from its soil.

Indian intelligence assessment shows that most of the social media posts running Khalistani propaganda are originating in Canada mainly and some also in other Western countries.

Intelligence officials say these posts have been made using handles created this month only and pro-Khalistan propaganda has reached a crescendo after the crackdown on Amritpal Singh and his associates.

The Punjab police so far have registered around half a dozen FIRs against Singh and his supporters. Although many of Amritpal’s supporters have been nabbed, but the firebrand Khalistani preacher is yet to be arrested.

But what’s clearly visible is that Khalistan has more supporters in Canada than in Punjab.

It is very much possible that some of these social media handle running pro-Khalistan propaganda are being operated by the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI. It is equally also true that Khalistani elements have found safe haven in Canada for decades and these elements have become more vocal in the last few years. There is a clear nexus between operatives of the ISI and Canada-based Khalistani elements.

But the Justin Trudeau government has turned a blind eye due to local vote bank politics.

India has diplomatically taken up the issue of Khalistani activities on Canadian soil with the Trudeau government repeatedly. Last year in September, the Indian external affairs ministry issued an advisory for Indian citizens in Canada.

The advisory noted that there had been a sharp increase in incidents of hate crimes, sectarian violence and anti-India activities in Canada and India had taken up the issue with the Canadian authorities and requested them to investigate the crimes and take appropriate action.

The advisory also told Indian students to remain cautious and vigilant while being in Canada. The advisory was a clear signal to the Canadian government but nothing much happened as can be seen in a current spate of activities following the crackdown on Amritpal Singh and associates.

On Sunday only, the Indian High Commissioner in Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma had to cancel an event in British Columbia as protestors blocked the entrance to the venue. The event was organized by the Friends of India & Canada Foundation. A mob of sword-wielding people gathered at the venue and due to concerns over security, the visit was cancelled.

Many pro-Khalistan Twitter accounts have been withheld in India, including that of Canada's New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh. But all this is symptomatic treatment and not a permanent solution to the problem.

Besides the pro-Khalistan elements, gangsters like Goldy Brar too have been taken shelter in Canada and openly running extortion activities from there and he and his ilk are yet to be arrested and sent back to India to face the law here.

Unless the Modi government sternly deal with the Canadian support to pro-Khalistan and criminal gangs operating from there, India and Punjab will continue to face the consequences.