India weaning Sikhs from Khalistan lobby

Varinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Toronto, April 18

Canada is no longer a ‘safe haven’ for the Sikh radicals. India is making all-out efforts to wean away GenX from the ‘ebbing’ Khalistan movement.

While on the one hand, the control of many gurdwaras has passed into the hands of moderates, on the other hand the Indian government was busy striving to bury the hatchet by adopting Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), including, its ‘Community Outreach Programme.’

These initiatives got a jolt in wake of the official recognition of 1984 events as ‘Genocide’ by Ontario’s Provincial Parliament.

Amidst this ongoing ‘battle of wits’, India’s Consul General Dinesh Bhatia has emerged as the ‘Architect’ of the ‘building of the bridges’ between the new generation of Candaian Sikhs, aging radical elements and the Indian government through his ‘bold’ personal initiatives.

Bhatia was perhaps, the first Indian diplomat who made a series of whirlwind trips to ‘Khalistani controlled’ gurdwaras -known to have been ‘Out of bounds’ for Indian diplomats for years. Some of these were based in Greater Toronto Area (GTA), including the one in Dixie—Ontario Sikh Durbar, Mississauga- considered for long as the ‘epicentre’ of the Khalistan movement in North America.

Though, a section of radicals were labelling Bhatia’s efforts as ‘Indian interference in Sikh affairs’, he had also been frequenting other Sikh temples in Brampton, Rexdale, Malton and Scarborough attending one or the other community events amidst opposition by the radical Sikh organisations like the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).

The SFJ had dubbed Bhatia’s acts as an‘effort to intimidate Canadian Sikhs’.

Such tours by any Indian diplomats could not have been conceived five years ago when these shrines prominently displayed photographs of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the Legal advisor of the SFJ had even lodged a complaint against Bhatia with the Canadian Foreign Minister.

The recent phenomenon was also indicative of ‘softening’ of stance of a section of the new generation of Canadian Sikhs who hardly objected to their entry to these Khalistani citadels.’

What had invoked the ire of the Sikh radicals, including the SFJ, was the recent Indian gesture of issuing 10- year visas to Sikhs who landed in Canada as refugees with their dependents. This move was aimed at improving ties with the powerful Canada-based Sikh community ahead of PM Justin Trudeau’s proposed visit to India in January.