Wily Pakistan and its Punjabi pals

The silence of the Congress over its MP from Punjab, Oujla's comments against the Indian government and his defence of Pakistan's support to Khalistan movement is shocking. Earlier it was Navjoth Singh Siddhu who embarrassed India repeatedly by hugging Pak Army chief and then praising Imran Khan, his ‘yaar’. He went ahead and mocked even the Chief Minister, Captain Amrinder Singh, disowning his captaincy in the State.

Yet, Rahul Gandhi could not speak against either of these. Now comes the news of pro-Khalistan elements in Pakistan upping their anti-India campaign by seeking a referendum 2020 at all Sikh religious sites there. Places, particularly, like Nankana Sahib, do attract thousands of Sikhs from across the world every year. Having failed in its attempts to alienate Kashmiris or Kashmir from India despite spending vast sums on raising anti-Kashmir forces and in meddling in the internal affairs of India, Pakistan turned its attention to Khalistan to open up a second front.

It has found the right breeding ground in Punjab where a section of the Congress leadership is ready to join hands with them in sabotaging India internally. Siddhu and the other leaders only are playing into their hands. The hunger of Rahul Gandhi to grab power by hook or crook is evident in his silence. Newspaper reports suggest that when Indian pilgrims arrived on November 23 at Gurdwara Janamsthan in Nankana Sahib – built on the site where Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak was born – they found the grounds of the shrine and buildings festooned with banners and posters on “Referendum 2020” and an “independent” Punjab.

The banners featured provocative slogans such as “Referendum 2020 will end India’s occupation of Punjab” and “Referendum 2020 is resistance against Indian occupation of Punjab”. Khalistan flags and life-size images of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the terrorist killed during the 1984 military operation against extremists holed up in the Golden Temple, were placed on several buildings, reports, both in Pakistan and India, indicated. Siddhu was repeatedly warned against getting pally with the Pakistani establishment precisely because of these developments.

The recent attack in Amritsar by Pakistani terrorists notwithstanding, he preferred to hug the enemy Army chief. It is neither in the interest of the Congress nor the country. Anyone who joins hands with Pakistan against India is certainly an anti-national. Something is wrong with such Punjab Congress leaders who are unmindful of the danger lurking for India because of their actions. The non-binding referendum on creating a separate nation of Khalistan is being spearheaded by Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), which has announced plans for opening an office in Lahore.

A statement issued by the external affairs ministry on November 23 expressed “grave concern” at attempts to “incite communal disharmony and intolerance and promote secessionist tendencies” during the visit of Indian pilgrims. Pakistani establishment keeps a hawk eye on such anti-India groups, only to hug them into its fold. No one could hug or support Pakistani leadership without hugging and supporting the anti-Indian in them. Will Rahul understand this? Or, does he care for his petty political gains alone? What kind of a leader is he?