Western countries are increasingly allowing organized Khalistani protests, which experts say is giving them diplomatic leverage while slowing India’s progress.
On India’s Independence Day, Khalistani supporters vandalized the Indian flag near the Indian embassy in Toronto. Similar protests happened in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, all organized by Sikhs for Justice, a group banned in India.
This isn’t new; such protests have been happening in Canada and other Commonwealth countries before. Dr. Ash Narain Roy, Director of the Institute of Social Science, told Sputnik India that these Khalistani protests are becoming more organized and frequent. He pointed out that India isn’t getting the support it hoped for from these countries, which might be encouraging these groups to act more boldly.
Dr. Roy believes that Canada has a strong and influential Punjabi community that is both wealthy and politically active. Because of this, Canadian politicians are careful not to upset these groups, allowing their protests to continue. He worries that Western nations might not be handling the situation well, and if they don’t act, they might seem ineffective and uncooperative.
The reasons for this support are unclear, but some political parties view these groups as valuable allies, especially in the U.S. and Canada. Dr. Roy suggests that the goal of these protests might be to embarrass India while limiting its growth, without prompting major government responses.
Maj Gen (Dr) S B Asthana, an International Strategic & Military Analyst, added that there is no real support for the Khalistan movement within India itself. Instead, the movement is mainly backed by criminals who have found refuge in Western countries. These criminals use religious networks to fund their activities and engage in various illegal activities.
Groups like Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and Dal Khalsa are banned in India, but some members have found shelter in Western countries where they can operate for political reasons. For example, in Canada, the ruling party might tolerate these groups to gain the support of the Sikh community.
Asthana noted that while some countries see these actions as free speech, groups like Sikhs for Justice, led by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who has threatened attacks on the Indian Parliament and Air India, are not held accountable. The protests mostly threaten embassy security rather than India’s internal security, and it’s up to the host nations to protect Indian diplomats.
Asthana concluded, “If Justin Trudeau wants to have a Khalistan, let him have one Khalistan in Canada, as there’s no real demand or support for Khalistan within India.”
