New Delhi, April 30: Malaysia has reportedly become a base for supporters of the Khalistan movement, with claims that they are running propaganda and plotting attacks in India. The ISI has prioritized keeping these supporters in countries close to India before sending them to Malaysia.
This marks yet another attempt by these individuals to reignite the Khalistan movement in India. The ISI has also noted that countries like Canada and the United Kingdom are no longer viable for operations.
Indian agencies are closely monitoring developments in Malaysia. An official stated that the area of concern is the route for narcotic smuggling, which the ISI and these Khalistani elements may exploit to send drugs into India. While propaganda is currently not a major concern, narcotics smuggling poses a significant threat.
Due to major actions by Indian agencies, drug smuggling in Punjab has become increasingly difficult. Previous attempts to smuggle narcotics using drones were successful, but detection rates have significantly increased due to agency efforts.
An officer from the Intelligence Bureau mentioned that the Malaysian module is unlikely to be as brazen as those seen in Canada or the UK. These individuals will not openly protest against India or engage in vandalism. The ISI aims to prevent this module from adopting radical ideologies that could attract scrutiny. Instead, it has proposed an operation that would be challenging for agencies to trace.
The Malaysian module is expected to be relatively small, with its members remotely controlled from Pakistan. Currently, a person named Pradeep Singh Khalsa is managing it, having radicalized several youths before sending them to Malaysia. Their primary tasks will involve discreetly raising funds and smuggling narcotics into India.
The official noted that the main agenda will be to gather funds. Due to several drug networks being dismantled in Punjab, funding sources are gradually diminishing. Additionally, donors have withdrawn, realizing that the so-called movement is aimed at spreading terror rather than achieving any legitimate cause.
The ISI believes that over time, these Khalistani elements may persuade the large Sikh population in Malaysia to support the movement. The country is home to approximately 100,000 Sikhs and 100 gurdwaras. However, this is not the first attempt by Khalistani elements to establish a significant base in Malaysia; previous efforts have been rejected by the Sikh community, which primarily focuses on preserving its culture and language.
Another official expressed skepticism about the module’s chances of success, citing the strong relations between India and Malaysia, which can effectively manage such modules together.