Handful of blue-collar Sikhs behind Khalistani hooliganism abroad

RAJINDER S TAGGAR

Chandigarh, March 23: While Punjab is peaceful after the state police's 'Operation Amritpal' a handful of labour-class Sikhs settled abroad mainly in Canada, America, the UK and Australia are behind the Khalistani hooliganism in these countries.

Indianarrative.com telephonically contacted some NRIs in the three countries to get first-hand information about the prevalent situation. An Ottawa-based software engineer, Ajaydeep Singh Grewal says: "after Operation Amritpal, a group of around 70 Sikhs from Montreal and Ottawa gathered in front of the Indian High Commission on March 19 and protested peacefully."

In answer to a question, he said that out of a total population of about 45,000 Sikhs settled in Montreal and Ottawa around 70 arrived to protest and none were doing a white-colour job. They were from the less-educated labour class of Sikhs who entered Canada as refugees a long time ago.

In Canada, if a protest gets violent, the participators can be charged and heavily fined. "I have never seen anyone doing a white colour job being part of Khalistani protests," Grewal added.

Captain Tajinder Singh Chaand from Markham city near Toronto says, "the baptising and anti-drug campaign initiated by Amritpal is appreciable, but the manner in which he motivates them to be ready to lay down their lives for the Guru is not good."

The baptised Sikhs, while fighting with the Hindu state to form a Khalsa raj read Khalistan and then go to 'sachkhand' (heavens), amounts to the wrong radicalisation of the youths," says Capt. Chaand.

Settled in Sacramento in the US, Jagmohan Singh Randhawa is of the view that the Khalistanis are handful of miscreants who are defaming the community, adding that very few Sikhs have spare time to devote to such protests.

"Where are they going to create Khalistan? In the US, Canada or India? he remarked. Even if they succeed with whom the Khalistan government will trade, where will they get the army from, will Pakistan open borders for Sikhs or will adjoining India trade with Khalistan?"

Paritosh Parasher from Melbourne is of the view that post-Operation Amritpal there is peace in Australia and Punjabis are feeling safe. But, surely there is a lot of discussion going on in the diaspora.

Turbans for Australia founder Amar Singh settled in Sydney says, "We are worried as civil liberties have been suspended in Punjab. The snapping of internet services in the entire state created an atmosphere of fear."

Amar Singh adds that the method adopted by the police is not good. NRIs who scheduled their visits to India this summer had to cancel their flights and could not meet relatives.

It is common knowledge that a minuscule number of semi-literate Sikhs engaged as labourers get swayed away by the separatists.

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--indianarrative