Khalistan separatists trying to make UK as its hub: ex-Punjab DGP

A former top cop from Punjab claimed that Pakistan-backed pro-Khalistani Sikhs are trying to set up their new bases in the United Kingdom, especially in Birmingham city.

Former Director-General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Shashi Kant said: "Now, they are trying to get a good foothold in Birmingham where they have been organising rallies."

"There have been demands from India that the Khalistani activists abroad, should not be permitted to hold rallies but the British government has been taking up a different stand citing that as long as they do not indulge in violence, they are unable to take action," he added.

Kant's statement came at the heels of a surge in anti-India activities by Khalistani Sikhs in major cities of the UK.

Kant also underlined the key role of Pakistan's spy agency, the ISI in fanning of such sentiments.

"Pakistan has failed to pierce through the youth of Punjab who are not buying the narratives floated by ISI-backed machinery. However, it has been relentless. After receiving multiple failures in Punjab, it is now trying to turn the Sikhs in European and American countries against India," he said.

Kant said that the Khalistanis were exploiting the emotions of gullible Punjabis to set their agenda and achieve their diabolic ambitions.

He said: "A number of persons have been collecting a massive amount of money on this particular issue. I will call it the emotional blackmailing of Sikhs who are very simple persons and emotional."

"Even the normal 'jathas' (Sikh pilgrims), who have been going to Pakistan for several years now for paying obeisance to Nankana Sahib Gurudwara and other holy Sikh places, there also ISI guys have been openly interacting with the pilgrims and they have been trying to exploit their feelings," the former top cop said.

"They have been trying to enrage them by talking about all sorts of things. Whatever is happening in Pakistan is basically a bogey which is been raised by ISI in a big manner," Kant added.

Lauding the central government's step of banning Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), Kant stressed that the move was a blow to Pakistan, which has been nurturing such groups for years.

SFJ, an anti-India lobby which allegedly enjoys the patronage of ISI has tirelessly been working to manipulate the opinion of Sikh diaspora settled across America and Canada.

The demand of Khalistan, a Pakistan-backed movement seeking a separate homeland for Sikhs in India, was completely squashed by the Indian security forces in the 1990s. Hundreds of innocent people had lost their lives due to militancy.