Khalistan sympathizers use farmers' protest to promote their separatist agenda
Dec 03, 2020
New Delhi [India], December 3 : Among the farmers protesting against the Central farm laws, some "unwanted elements" like Khalistan sympathizers have been seen, said Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
Addressing a press conference on November 28, Khattar said, "We have inputs of some such unwanted elements in crowd. We have reports, will disclose once it is concrete."
"They made some objectionable statements against former prime minister Indira Gandhi and serving Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he added.
This comes months after the Canadian and the UK governments rejected the US-based Khalistani extremist group attempted to push forward 'Referendum 2020', which seeks the separation of Punjab from the rest of India.
According to media reports, a British High Commission spokesperson in response to a question on the referendum said, "This is a matter for the government and people of India, not foreign countries or overseas organisations. While we support the right of anyone to voice their opinion, the UK government is not involved in any way with this unofficial and non-binding referendum," he said while adding, "We consider the Indian Punjab to be a part of India."
When asked about the so-called referendum being organised by Khalistani extremist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), the Canadian foreign ministry said, "Government of Canada will not recognise the referendum."
The people in India's northern state of Punjab suffered immensely during the 1980s and early 1990s because of militancy-led violence. India said that there is a role of Pakistan's secret agencies for creating a disturbance in Punjab then and now supporting some Sikh separatists settled in the West.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in September attached immovable properties of designated Khalistan terrorists Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Punjab.
Both were among the nine individuals designated as terrorists on July 1 this year, under the provisions of the amended Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), for trying to revive militancy in Punjab.
Known for his hate campaign against India, Pannun had previously posted a video message threatening Punjab Police for the state government's steps against the so-called Referendum 2020- a pro-Khalistani movement.
UK police arrested him in the year 2000, when he was entering England via Germany while returning from Pakistan after receiving terror training.
He was sentenced to 30 months in prison as he was associated with "proscribed" organisation Babbar Khalsa International.
Punjab is a prosperous and peaceful state where people have rejected the so-called Referendum 2020 by calling it a conspiracy of Pakistan.
