KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
India 01-Sep-2019
Pakistan and India will hold the next high-level talks on the proposed Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh pilgrims on September 4, which would take place on the Indian side of the Wagah Border - Attari Border - where the two countries are expected to finalise the draft agreement pertaining to the opening of the corridor.
India 01-Sep-2019
Activists of Bajrang Dal Hindustan set fire to the effigy of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in Amritsar and called for solidarity between Hindu and Sikhs to protest against the continued lack of action by the Pakistani government on the abduction of the Sikh girl, who was forcibly converted and then married to a Muslim man.
India 01-Sep-2019
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is going to start various events for celebrating the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev at Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala District in Punjab from November 1.
Canada 02-Sep-2019
Canada’s Liberal MP, Ramesh Sangha, who represents Ontario’s Brampton Centre riding, criticised that his party has been “pandering” to Sikh separatists, threatening Canada’s relations with India in the process. Indian officials have previously accused the Liberals of trying to win favour with Canadians pushing for an independent Sikh homeland - Khalistan - in the Punjab region of India.
India 02-Sep-2019
The Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) decided to approach the United Nations (UN) against forced conversions of minorities in Pakistan. SGPC chief Gobind Singh Longowal said that the Sikh body is planning to write to the UN regarding the issue.
India 02-Sep-2019
President of the radical group Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) Simranjit Singh Mann stated that the Pakistan Government and PM Khan should take special care of Sikh minorities living in the country. He revealed that a statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was also vandalised in Lahore recently. Such incidents are not positive signs for the minority community in Pakistan, said Mann.
Pakistan 02-Sep-2019
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that his government would issue multiple and on-arrival visas to Sikh pilgrims coming from India and abroad and provide them maximum possible facilities during their visit to the holy sites.
India 03-Sep-2019
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and raised the issue of forceful conversion and marriage of a Sikh girl, Jagjit Kaur in Pakistan and said the neighbouring country should protect the rights of the minorities.
India 03-Sep-2019
According to reports, the Khalistani separatist elements are trying to radicalise Sikh youth in the Indian state of Punjab through sustained campaigns on social media run from countries like Canada, UK and Germany. Khalistani supporters have also organised rallies against India in connivance with the ISI in the UK.
United Kingdom 03-Sep-2019
Two persons were arrested on September 4 after Pakistani diaspora along with Khalistanis launched a massive protest outside the Indian High Commission in London on September 3 and broke a window pane, drawing widespread condemnation. UK's metropolitan police in a statement said that “there were two arrests for criminal damage at yesterday’s event outside the Indian High Commission”.
India 04-Sep-2019
Two persons, identified as Harpreet Singh (20) and Vikram Singh (28) were killed and another one, Gurjant Singh (27) injured in a low-intensity blast in an agricultural field near Kaler village in Tarn Taran in Tarn Taran District. Harpreet was a part-time carpenter, Vikram a mason, while Gurjant rears cattle to make a living. Punjab Police suspects that blast could have links with terror organisations. It is suspected that the two deceased and the person injured in the blast might have been assembling a crude bomb at the site. The police were conducting raids and questioning suspects to probe links of those killed in the blast with radical organisations.
India 04-Sep-2019
India snubbed Pakistan delegation when they tried to ‘indirectly’ raise issues relating to J&K when the two sides met for the third round of talks on the Kartarpur corridor, as they were bluntly told to ‘stick to the agenda’. The Indian side led by SCL Das, Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, was quick to “rebuff”, as he “snubbed” the Pakistan officials by saying “don’t talk about concerns other than Kartarpur corridor, as we have greater concerns (cross-border terrorism) than you. Better we stick to the agenda rather than delve on other issue”, said a source.
India 04-Sep-2019
The agreement on the Kartarpur Corridor project, which will open the famed pilgrimage centre to Indians, could not be signed after Pakistan declared that it would charge fees from the visitors. According to the sources, Pakistan has insisted on charging a service fee for allowing pilgrims to visit Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib, which is not agreeable in the spirit of smooth and easy access through the corridor.”
Pakistan 05-Sep-2019
The day after Pakistan announced to levy USD 20 service fee for the pilgrims going to Kartarpur Sahib via under construction Kartarpur corridor, the US-based pro-Khalistani organization Sikh For Justice (SFJ) offered to reimburse the fee. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun who claims to be the legal advisor of SFJ informed “People of Punjab who will visit Kartarpur Sahib between November 1 and 30 will have to submit proof of their visit to SFJ and receive USD 20 service fee reimbursement via Western Union.”
India 06-Sep-2019
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said that the two people killed and one injured in a blast in Tarn Taran District in Punjab were trying to make a bomb in a bottle."The three people were digging a pit during the night and were trying to make a bomb in a bottle with a mixture of some chemicals that exploded. Two died in this incident and one had injuries in his eyes," Singh said. He further added that "We will find out who were making these bombs, how were they being made and for whom these bombs were being made. It will be known".
India 06-Sep-2019
A National Security Guard (NSG) team along with Punjab Police inspected the site at Tarn Taran District’s Pandoori Gola village where a blast took place on September 4, and recorded statements of people living in the nearby areas. The Punjab Police’s Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) wing rounded up more than 100 suspects in connection with the case, but no one was arrested.
India 07-Sep-2019
The Sarbat Khalsa appointed Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara was produced before the Ludhiana based court of Judge Atul Kasana via video conference in a case pertaining to bomb blast occurred near Ludhiana’s clock tower in 1995. Sources said that the hearing of this case has been adjourned to September 18 for recording of Bhai Hawara’s statement under section 313 Cr.P.C through video conferencing.
India 07-Sep-2019
Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara was also produced before the court of Judge Arunveer Vashisht via video conferencing in a case registered against him under the Arms and Explosive Act in Police Station Kotwali of Ludhiana in 1995. Without any proceedings in this case, the next hearing was adjourned to October 5 for final arguments.
Pakistan 08-Sep-2019
Pakistan’s Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar stated that the Sikh community enjoyed complete freedom in Pakistan. CM Buzdar said that Sikh community, from around the world, was supporting the Pakistan’s stance on the core issue of Kashmir. He said, “The Sikh brethren have come very nearer to Pakistan and this has no resemblance in the past.”
India 08-Sep-2019
The Special Task Force (STF) arrested a gangster, Jatinder Kumar Chintu, and his accomplice, Shiv Kumar along with 500-grams heroin at Kakowal road in Ludhiana District of Punjab. Inspector Harbans Singh, in-charge STF Ludhiana Range said that the accused had confessed their involvement in procuring and selling heroin among his customers from different areas of Amritsar, Jammu and Delhi.