Khalistan supporters in UK creating security challenges, radicalizing Sikhs

London, Apr 16: The recent surge in violence by Khalistan supporters in the UK is creating security challenges for Britain, as well as, radicalizing the Sikhs in the country. Britain has seen a recent upsurge in activity by the Khalistan supporters, a faction of Sikh extremists.

 

 

 

 

To many, even within the counter-extremism community, the Khalistanis are rather obscure, but it is a social and security challenge, with an international network operating, reported European Eye on Radicalization (EER). Khalistani supporters have been propagating an ideology and a set of conspiracy theory narratives that encourage Sikhs in Britain to believe they are under relentless attack and thus violence is justified in "self-defence".

 

 

 

 

 

This is dangerous for Sikhs, risking drawing young people and others into terrorism and criminality, and it endangers the wider society by creating divisions within a diverse population that needs cross-community understanding and harmony to thrive, reported EER. In March this year, the Indian community in Britain erupted in anger following the vandalism of the Indian High Commission in London and the desecration of the Tricolour by Khalistani supporters. This led to an unprecedented outpouring of support from the diverse Indian community in Britain.

 

 

In the last few months, the reach of the Khalistan supporters in Britain has made itself known. In February, the Independent Review of Prevent, the British counter-extremism program, by William Shawcross, warned of "pro-Khalistan extremism emerging from the UK's Sikh communities". Shawcross recorded that the Khalistanis were inciting Sikhs in Britain against the government, spreading misinformation that the British government was repressing Sikhs and helping the Indian government do the same in India, while "glorify[ing] violence carried out by the pro-Khalistan movement in India". This was, said Shawcross, "a potentially toxic combination for the future," reported EER.

 

 

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