India may ask the U.K. to rein in Sikh television channels

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the United Kingdom on November 12, he is likely to raise the issue of radical Sikh organisations with his counterpart David Cameron. Mr. Modi is likely to ask the authorities there to rein in Sikh television channels promoting radical sentiments among the diaspora, a senior government official said.

He is also likely to tell Mr. Cameron that there was a strong possibility of these channels being funded by Pakistan’s ISI and an investigation should be launched by the authorities concerned.

This comes in the background of resurgence of pro-Khalistan sentiments in Punjab, which witnessed State-wide protests and violence on account of desecration of holy books of the Sikhs.

A senior Home Ministry official feels incidents reported last month where torn-up pages of the Guru Granth Sahib were found outside a gurdwara in Faridkot were part of a “design” to stir up militancy. A secret government note, accessed by The Hindu, has named a former police officer-turned-politician for the incidents.

Punjab, ruled by the BJP ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), goes to the polls in early 2017 and officials said these incidents were a cause of concern. The SAD government transferred the probe in these incidents to the Central Bureau of Investigation on Sunday.

In 2013, Sangat TV, a Birmingham-based television channel, was penalised by the U.K. authorities for featuring commentators who supported the assassination attempt on Lt. Gen. Kuldeep Singh Brar, one of the architects of Operation Bluestar (1984).

“We have prepared a detailed report on how the Sikh television channels being run in the U.K were promoting the separatist movement,” said the government official.

On June 16, the Research and Analysis Wing sent a detailed report to the Prime Minister’s Office detailing the resurgence of radical Sikh organisations across the globe.