India has provided evidence about Pak-backed Khalistani groups, US should take action: Report
Washington [US], September 15 (ANI): The Indian government has provided the United States considerable evidence of links between US-based Khalistan groups and militants and terrorists operating in India but Washington has been largely "unresponsive", says a report by a top American think tank which also noted that cooperation between Khalistani and Kashmiri groups has become increasingly apparent in North America, the United Kingdom, and Europe.
The report says there is recent increase in "Khalistan-related anti-India activism within the US" and that the likelihood of Khalistan groups receiving funding, support, and military training from Pakistan is also substantive.
The report notes that New Delhi has made appeal for action against such groups.
"Unfortunately, the United States government has shown no interest in violence committed by Khalistan activists, even though the Khalistan campaign's most ardent supporters are located in western countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. Despite urgent Indian requests to these countries to curb Khalistan separatist groups within their borders, their governments have remained unresponsive to India's appeals," the report said.
The report has been prepared by a study group that includes Dr Aparna Pande, Director, Initiative on the Future of India and South Asia and Husain Haqqani, Director for South and Central Asia.
It noted that campaigns such as the one for Khalistan could also serve to distract Washington and New Delhi from strengthening the Quad (Australia, India, Japan, US) partnership.
"The Indian government has provided the US government considerable evidence of links between US-based Khalistan groups and militants and terrorists operating in India. The likelihood of Khalistan groups receiving funding, support, and military training from Pakistan is also substantive. The US should therefore take India's concerns seriously and dedicate the requisite intelligence and law enforcement resources to help India address these concerns," the report added.
"Include all groups responsible for terrorist attacks in India in its list of designated global terrorist groups; designate as terrorists the various individuals that India and US intelligence and law enforcement have established as being connected to designated terrorist entities; apply terror financing laws and regulations to the various groups espousing Kashmiri and Khalistan separatism," it said.
The Hudson Institute report noted that the US government cannot afford to allow separatist movements from India, including those with ties to militant and terrorist groups, to grow unchecked among its otherwise lawabiding Sikh community.
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