Project Kashmir to Khalistan: How Simranjit Singh Mann’s Kashmir visit was a part of ISI’s plans to unite Khalistani and Kashmiri terrorists

Project Kashmir to Khalistan: How Simranjit Singh Mann’s Kashmir visit was a part of ISI’s plans to unite Khalistani and Kashmiri terrorists

By: Abhinav Pandya

After Pakistan’s defeat in the 1947 war, Major General Robert Cawthome, a British army commander who joined the Pakistan Army after Partition, realised that Pakistan was no match for India in a conventional war; however, India was too big with many fault lines, which could easily be turned into India’s Achilles’ heel. He was the one who realised that Pakistan’s only chance of outmanoeuvring India was through proxy war, internal sabotage, and subversion. Later, he founded ISI and rose to the rank of its Director General. Since then, Cawthome’s brainchild has deftly used proxy war and internal sabotage as the most successful weapons against India.

Pakistan’s footprint has been in almost every fault line of India, i.e., insurgency in the northeastern states, Naxal violence, Islamist terrorism in Kashmir, terror funding and radicalisation in the Indian hinterland, and the Khalistan insurgency. As regards the Khalistan insurgency, it has always been the most sought-after dream of ISI’s strategic minds to unite Kashmir militancy with Khalistan terrorism as a part of its K2K (Kashmir to Khalistan) project. In the past, Pakistan supported Khalistan terrorists and leaders in Punjab in the 1980s; however, India successfully crushed it by the late 1990s. However, after that, Khalistan ideologues and saboteurs have been active in Europe, US, and Canada. The ISI has been a crucial support to their activities in western countries which I have discussed in detail in my article titled “India Fears Revival of Sikh Militancy”, written for the Fair Observer.

Over the last few years, the Khalistan movement has again picked up the pace in the western world, the result of which we can see in the form of hate crimes against Indians in Canada and the US. Simultaneously, in India, Pakistan has ramped up its efforts to unite Khalistan terrorism and Kashmiri terrorist groups. It is manifest in the form of rapidly rising drone droppings of weapons, cash, and drugs in Punjab and Jammu border region. The latest initiative in this direction was the proposed Kashmir visit of Simranjit Singh Maan, a pro-Khalistan leader, who has also established a J&K unit of his party, i.e., Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar). His visit was to begin on 17-18 October from the Lakhanpur border; however, DM Kathua denied Mann entry into Kashmir, citing the reasons of “disturbing public tranquility”. Though Mann has been denied entry into Kashmir, a glimpse at his Kashmir itinerary, agenda, and meetings can reveal eye-opening details of how it could have led to the strengthening of the emerging alliance of Khalistanis and Kashmiri separatists resulting in a serious threat to national security.

This author received a confidential schedule of his Jammu and Kashmir visit from his informed interlocutors (the details of his schedule given below are based on the information received from the author’s sources in Kashmir). The likelihood of ISI’s Kashmir and Khalistan desk masterminds supporting this initiative cannot be ruled out, given its history of supporting Khalistani elements in the past.

Mann’s Kashmir visit included holding Samagams and meetings in prominent gurdwaras in J&K. His schedule is as follows:

On 17 October, he planned to reach the Lakhanpur border and organise some meetings in gurdwaras in Samba-Kathua districts, RS Pura, and Gole Gujaral in the Jammu region. On 18th, he was supposed to address a press conference and meet local Sikh delegations. Also, he planned to meet members of the Jammu Bar Association, All parties United Morcha, Bhim Army, etc. On the 18th evening, he was scheduled to depart for Akhnoor Gurdwara Sahib for his night stay. On 19th, his meeting with Sikh delegations in Nangli Sahib gurdwara in Poonch was proposed, after which he was supposed to reach Srinagar via Mughal Road on 20 October. There, he planned to first visit Shahid Bangla Sahib Gurdwara in Burzula, Srinagar.

His Srinagar plans included a more extended stay of four to five days, the details of which are not known. Reportedly, he was planning to meet the leaders of the Gupkar alliance. Besides, the main agenda was to meet individuals and entities with separatist leanings. As per the author’s sources, if he had been allowed to visit Jammu and Kashmir, in all likelihood, he would have met the anti-India members of the bar association (Srinagar), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and the families of Yaseen Malik and Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Further, in his press briefings and meetings, he was highly likely to be rhetorical about sensitive issues such as statehood, special status, voting rights to outsiders, concerns of Kashmir fruit growers, custodial death of Altaf shah (Geelani’s son-in-law and accused in terror funding cases) and for peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue with Pakistan.

It is pertinent to mention that Simranjit Singh Maan has supported Amrit Pal Singh, a controversial Sikh religious and political leader who has become a matter of serious concern for the intelligence agencies for his aggressive stand on Sikh issues and pro-Khalistan attitude. He is the leader of “Waris Punjab De,” a pressure group created by actor-activist Deep Siddhu, who died in an accident. Amrit Pal Singh has supported the farmers’ agitation and spoken of a large-scale social and political transformation in Punjab. His frequent visits to slain Khalistan leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’s village, Rode, have alarmed intelligence agencies. Pro-Khalistan slogans were raised in his dastarbandi (Turban tying ceremony).

Reportedly, the ISI is trying to fill in the political and religious vacuum in Punjab, with Amrit Pal Singh projecting himself as a political and religious leader. His journey and rise have parallels with the rise of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. His get-up and ideas also remind one of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Amrit Pal Singh says that the drug menace, water crises, migration of people from UP and Bihar to Punjab, the emergence of pop culture encouraging Sikhs to give up turban, undermining of Punjabi language, and the arrest of political dissidents are leading to ‘silent genocide’ of the Sikhs. His aggressive and polarising rhetoric is creating a rift between Sikhs and other communities, especially Hindus.

Notably, before taking up the reins of Waris Punjab de, Amrit Pal Singh was in Dubai. As per credible intelligence sources, he had developed ties with the ISI station heads and assets in the Arab world. He also has close ties with Khalistani radical elements in the Sikh diaspora in Europe. Most recently, many influential Sikh political and religious leaders have supported Amrit Pal Singh in launching a movement called ‘Sikh Bandi” to get the Khalistani elements released from Indian jails. Allegedly, Mann and his party are facilitating the work of Amrit Pal Singh. Soon, Amrit Pal Singh is likely to organise a Samagam (meeting) in the Jammu region.

It is indeed a matter of great concern for national security. Though the visit stands cancelled, for now, the intelligence agencies are advised to keep a close watch on such efforts to unite Khalistanis and Kashmiri separatists and the activities of Amrit Pal Singh.

Views expressed are personal.

Source: https://www.firstpost.com/opinion-news-expert-views-news-analysis-firstpost-viewpoint/how-simranjit-singh-manns-kashmir-visit-was-a-part-of-isis-plans-to-unite-khalistani-and-kashmiri-terrorists-11476261.html

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