A lot of the Khalistan-related activity in Canada and other parts of the world is pure “dukandaari”, says Sukhi Chahal, a Sikh activist based in the US.
In this conversation on The Gist, Chahal says young Sikhs from Haryana and Punjab land in Canada and other Western countries and seek asylum, claiming persecution in India.
Those in Canada are immediately ‘adopted’ by Khalistani groups, some of which control key gurudwaras (in Canada there are four major gurudwaras) and therefore have access to funding.
“Money is also coming from Pakistan, maybe China although that is not clear and of course from sympathisers settled in the West,” Chahal said.
The combination of money and activists is all that the Khalistani groups need to take their cause to the streets.
“They are anti-India, and they want Khalistan although where this Khalistan will be is never clear,” Chahal said. “They say India is forcibly occupying Punjab and since many of the Sikhs listening to such sermons have not visited India in many years, they tend to believe what is being said.”
What Chahal regrets is the lack of effective counter from India. He believes Air India should have filed a lawsuit against Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun when he threatened the airline.
But he also believes that Pannun’s activities may not be taken lightly by the Trump administration.
In his view, whether it is Khalistani radicals or those of the Islamic variety, they will receive short shrift after Trump takes over the reins of office next January. He faulted the current Democratic administration for being lenient with radicals of all kinds.
As for India, Chahal plans to hold a rally in Punjab, of diaspora Sikhs sometime next year, the idea being to dispel the notion that the Indian government was oppressing the people of the state.
Tune in for more in this conversation with Sukhi Chahal, a Sikh activist based in the US.
