Sikh youth going abroad getting radicalised by Khalistanis in the West: Sukhi Chahal

California [USA], July 13 (ANI): The youth from Punjab migrating abroad for green pastures are being misled and radicalised by the Khalistanis living in the West, claims a Sikh activist based in the United States.
Sukhi Chahal, Chairman of Punjab Foundation, who is based in Silicon Valley, told in an interview to Defensive Offence, on online media, that the pro-Khalistanis who are running a huge nexus in the Western countries are targetting these Sikh youth in the wake of providing them political asylum.
"Youth coming from Punjab to the US, who is unemployed and uneducated, fall into their trap as they have run a massive propaganda. They radicalise these youth by luring them of providing help for political asylum", said Chahal in an interview.
"The Punjabi youth, who have never witnessed the militancy period in Punjab, are being radicalised. These pro-Khalistanis provide them t-shirts of 'Referendum2020' and mislead them about forming Khalistan," he added.
Sukhi said as a Sikh, he himself has witnessed that dark period of militancy and do not wish that time to come again in Punjab. "They are running their shops and it is Pakistan's ISI, which is behind them," claimed Chahal, who has been living in the United States for around three decades.
He said that these so-called Khalistan organisations abroad are damaging the image of the Sikhs.
"The gurdwaras abroad have great significance and reflects the Sikh culture, the social and religious aspect. The Khalistanis now have major penetration in these gurudwaras, which is a very dangerous trend," said Chahal.
Chahal believes that Khalistan is not the demand of Sikhs, but is a creation of Pakistan's ISI as it wanted to take revenge of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War with India.
He said, "For Sikhs, entire India is significant as the historical gurdwaras exist in Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and other states across the country. Entire India is like Khalistan for the Sikhs, but those who have created this phenomenon that Sikhs demand a separate Khalistan, it is just an exploitation of the Sikhs. Pakistan's ISI directly cannot target India so they mislead the few Sikhs and have opened shops for them."
Chahal believes that not all the Sikhs living abroad demand Khalistan. Those who are raising this issue have no agenda, but it is a business for them. "This is majorly damaging Sikhism. Those who talk about Khalistan cannot even tell about their single contribution
towards Sikhism. Sikhs abroad are facing huge problems due to them (Khalistanis)".
The Sikh activist believes that the government in New Delhi has taken significant decisions for the welfare of the Sikhs in the past few years.
"Be it celebrating Guru Gobind Singh's birthday on a grand scale or the celebration of 550th birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the opening of Kartarpur Corridor and removing the name from the blacklist of NRI Sikhs, who had taken asylum during abroad during the militancy in Punjab. 99.9 per cent Sikhs living abroad have no issue with India, it is only 0.1 per cent Sikhs who are funded by anti-India forces. It could be China or Pakistan's ISI. They have opened their shops on the directions of these people," he stated.
Chahal also said that if Khalistanis are so concerned about the welfare of the Sikhs, they should talk about the poor condition of Sikhs and their religious places in Pakistan.
"In Pakistan, the land of holy Nankana Sahib gurdwara has been forcibly occupied by the Muslims. See the situation of Sikh girls in Pakistan, the minority communities in Pakistan -- be it the Sikhs, Hindus or Christians, they are living in a bad condition. Those who demand Khalistan, never talk about it," he said. (ANI)