Possible Pakistani link in Bhindranwale unrest
Now that the dust is settling in Jammu, where pro-Khalistan demonstrators clashed with police last week over posters of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, it is time to take a clear-eyed view of the situation. First, while it is unfortunate that the appearance of Bhindranwale's poster at a local gurudwara led to violence and unrest, such literature and publicity material about the slain separatist leader is commonly seen among Sikhs, not just in Jammu but in parts of Punjab as well. Also, every year on Bhindranwale's June 7 death anniversary, more posters go up in and around Sikh localities and gurudwaras. Second, Bhindranwale's death anniversary (also the anniversary of Operation Bluestar) is always a sensitive time. Emotions run high and scuffles between radicals and moderates, police and protesters are not uncommon. This year was no different. The question then is: Why did the situation in Jammu spiral out of control this time to the extent that it claimed the life of a young SikhIJ This brings us to the third point: The flare-up was not merely because some protesters got carried away or the police got into an ill-advised confrontation with the public. It was also reportedly the result of a carefully planned attempt to disrupt law and order in the region.
As subsequent reports now show, the showdown seems to have been led by the Khalistan Zindabad Force, a Jammu-based proscribed group that aims to establish a sovereign state of Khalistan. It is no coincidence that the KZF's chief, Ranjit Singh Neeta, reportedly lives in Pakistan, and has close links to that country's Inter-Services Intelligence agency. It is an open secret that the ISI has sought to use pro-Khalistani terror groups to weaken the Indian state, much like it is known to have supported insurgent groups in the North-East or raise jihadi outfits such as the Indian Mujahideen. It is easy to see how the ISI could have used the KZF to stir the pot in Jammu. let us not forget that, only days earlier, New Delhi had strongly protested the June 8 Assembly election in Gilgit-Baltistan, a part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Also, the Modi Government, in general, has taken a no-nonsense approach towards Pakistan, opposing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor that is to run through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and clamping down on Islamabad's dalliances with Kashmiri separatists. Pakistan is obviously desperate to hit back, and what better way to do so than make trouble in Jammu, a BJP stronghold that the party is administering (in alliance with the PDP) for the first timeIJ
That said, the Government will be mistaken if it puts the blame on Pakistan and forgets about the issue. Sure, the Khalistani movement has long since been subdued but Bhindranwale's cult has been gaining new recruits in recent years. Also, there are still many opportunistic Khalistani supporters who allow the separatist flame to burn bright in foreign shores. These factors mustn't be ignored.