New Delhi: Leader of Canada's second largest party, Jagmeet Singh, may be a kingmaker in Ottawa, but for New Delhi he remains a 'pro-Khalistani and a pro-Pakistani' ringleader despite his deep Punjabi roots In India.
Latest dossier prepared by Indian Intelligence agencies says that Jagmeet, leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), not only shelters activists of Khalistan in Canada, he leads the anti-Indian movement in the Americas, more vociferously, after India revoked special status to Jammu and Kashmir, early August 2019.
To the surprise of many diplomats in South Block -- the seat of India's foreign office in New Delhi -- Singh, born to immigrant Indian parents, organised a conference of pro-Khalistan activists in Ontario in 2013, aimed at maligning the image of India abroad.
Two years later in 2015, as legislature member of NDP, Singh appeared at a pro-Khalistan rally in San-Francisco. He blatantly showered praises for dreaded terror leader Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale, killed in a gunfight in Operation Blue Star.
In 2016, Singh went a step further when he endorsed the use of violence as a legitimate form of resistance to achieve an independent Sikh homeland out of India.
Since 2012, Jagmeet Singh now 40, has been on the radar of Indian Intelligence agencies.
On a specific report of Research and Analysis Wing (RA&W), India's external Intelligence agency, Singh was denied a visa in 2013 for his anti-Indian stance.
The RA&W revealed in one its report that Singh had been funding Khalistani outfits, operating from Pakistan. He is also connected with prominent Khalistani and Kashmiri separatist groups based in different countries of Europe.
Latest reports suggest that Jagmeet Singh is also trying to bring Khalistani and Kashmiri separatists under one umbrella in Canada. Recently he held a meeting in this connection at his residence in Ontario.
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After the abrogation of Article 370 by the Modi government, Singh had expressed his support to pro-Pakistan propaganda on Kashmir. In various local media platforms Singh issued statements against India and accused the country of human rights violations in the region.
"I want the people of Kashmir to know that I stand with you, I stand against the injustices happening, and I denounce what India is doing to the people of Kashmir," he told the media.
Though Singh's meteoric rise in Canadian politics is seen as triumph of multiculturalism but there are many Canadians of Indian origin who are now questioning NDP leader on his proximity to sympathisers of slain terror kingpin Talwinder Singh Parmar, prime suspect in Kanishka (Air India) bombing.
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Parmat, the militant who lead the Babbar Khalsa outfit still has many followers in Canada, allegedly having close ties with Singh.
Sources in the Ministry Of External Affairs said that India is watching the developments in Ottawa closely. As far the political rise of Jagmeet Singh is concerned, New Delhi's stand is quite clear. Those found harbouring terror outfits or their supporters would not be entertained in India. A point also endorsed and acknowledged by foreign policy makers in Canada.
