KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
Terming attempts at Khalistan referendum in a
few Western countries by an outfit banned by India as "pakhand" and a
handiwork of Pakistan's ISI, Dal Khalsa founder Jaswant Singh Thekedar has said
that it is an attempt to mislead people and has nothing to do with Sikhs in
India.
In an interview with ANI, Thekedar, who is
UK-based Sikh separatist leader, also said Pakistan is the real enemy of
Khalistan and "some Sikhs are working as tools" in hands of Pakistan
government.
He said people of Punjab are not demanding any
referendum.
"The referendum you are talking about,
those in Punjab do not demand it. It's an organisation 2020, they talk of
referendum on the instructions of ISI. Referendum does not mean... if Indian
passport holders or Indian citizens want it then it is understandable, but it
is not that Canadian, American or British people vote. They do not have any
right," he said answering queries.
"It is 'pakhand' (sham) to mislead people.
People are understanding it a source of income for them," he added.
Asked about reports last year of Khalistani
slogans painted on walls of Indian Consulate in San Francisco in the United
States last year, he said such an act had never been done.
"It is not right (to write Khalistan Zindabad) on the consulate building. It was never done in the past, during the movement in the past 40 years. As I said, there is an ISI role in it. They are misleading them, hiring people and getting this done. There is no hand of Sikhs in this," he said.
On Wednesday the Indian consulate in Brisbane
in Australia was forced to close down due to safety concerns following
unauthorised gathering by Khalistani supporters.
Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday
that India's Honorary Consulate in Brisbane was "halted for little
while" and the matter had been taken up with Australian authorities and
the teams of two countries are in touch.
Asked about to 'Warris Punjab De' chief
Amritpal Singh, whose supporters had last month stormed Ajnala Police station
in Amritsar seeking release of his associate, Thakedar said Amritpal Singh does
not know about Sikh history and he will not succeed.
"He (Amritpal Singh) himself, when he was
in Dubai, was clean-shaven. He was not a (traditional) Sikh. He does not know
anything about Sikh history. I must add that several Amritpal like him will
come because those who are used by ISI, they are not used for lifetime. When
they feel that a person is no longer of use, they keep other people in line.
They pick others then," he said.
"Amritpal is not a Khalistani, he knows
nothing about it. But this is for sure, he has earned a lot on the name of
Khalistan. I don't think he will succeed further," Thekedar added.
He said Pakistan government now thinks that
they do not need to fight with India. "Some Sikhs are working as tools in
their hands. They think they do not need to get into war in which thousands
will die (on their side). They now use and feed people, and disturb the Indian
government."
Thekedar said every issue has a political
solution.
"Those who were previously pro-Khalistan,
their committee should be constituted by the Indian government. If solutions
like these are found, the Khalistan movement will end."
He also slammed the Aam Aadmi Party government
in Punjab over the law and order situation in the state.
"The Punjab government is not capable of
dealing with this. There is no face in it which can handle this. I feel they,
by not taking right actions, are giving a boost to this movement,"
Thekedar said.
He also said that Pakistan is enemy of
Khalistan and it wants to foment trouble.
"Pakistan knows that if a country of Sikhs
comes into being, they will next come to Lahore only. They will come to Nankana
Sahib and Panja Sahib. They themselves won't let this happen. Pakistan is the
real enemy of Khalistan," Thekedar said.
He said Pakistan has never given political
asylum to any Sikh, because it does not want them to get any status.
"The Khalistanis know that Pakistan wants
us to get killed and use us. They know it internally," he added.
Answering a query, he said that
"movement" has almost ended in United Kingdom.
He said Indian government should fulfil demands
such as release of Sikh political prisoners as it will create goodwill and
check those who want separatism to rise. (ANI)