Situation in Punjab

Apropos of ‘Crackdown, at last’; India can ill afford another Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. The security agencies must investigate Amritpal Singh’s links with Pakistan’s ISI. The attacks by Khalistan supporters on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco (US) and the Indian High Commission in the UK are a matter of concern. Rising above party lines, the Centre and Punjab should work in tandem to prevent the situation from spinning out of control.

Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai

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Police action

The Punjab Government has finally come out of its dilemma to grab the bull by its horns. The decisive action against Amritpal and his supporters would not have come about without the active support and tacit understanding with the Centre. However, the invisible hand of the ISI, vandalism by Khalistan sympathisers in the US and UK, moral support and funding by Indian diaspora abroad continue to be a matter of concern mandating effective countering. Punjab desperately needs peace and harmony. Disproportionate publicity of police action should not make unnecessary headlines, as it makes such people heroes overnight and leads to the disruption of normal life and causes inconvenience to the law-abiding public.

GP CAPT JS BOPARAI (RETD), by mail

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Double-faced West

The blatant laxity shown by the UK and US governments in launching a crackdown on Khalistan sympathisers attacking the Indian High Commission in London and Indian Consulate in San Francisco exposes their duplicity with regard to taking action in favour of their so-called friends. It is not tough visualising how these nations and their police would have acted against Khalistan sympathisers had the latter stormed into their government offices and buildings. These powerful nations ignored Vienna Convention rules.

Upant Sharma, Una

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Arrest Amritpal first

Refer to ‘Punjab Govt not afraid of taking strict measures to curb criminal activities, says Kejriwal’; the Punjab Police has launched a major crackdown against the radical preacher, Amritpal Singh, and members of his outfit Waris Punjab De. Kejriwal proudly claimed that strict action being taken against criminals by the government had shown that ‘AAP is a hardcore patriotic party’. However, Amritpal continues to escape the police dragnet. It may be too early for the government to pat its back till he is arrested.

Vinayak G, by mail

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No further division

The demand for Khalistan is not justified as India cannot be further broken into pieces. But equally wrong are those who want India to be declared a ‘Hindu rashtra’ since people do not want India to become a ‘Hindu Pakistan’. India is a secular country and cannot be based on a religion. Action should also be taken against those who raise such obnoxious demands.

Vidwan Singh Soni, Patiala

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Protest vandalism

The acts of vandalism by Khalistan supporters at Indian missions abroad is a matter of serious concern. It was obligatory for the authorities in London and San Francisco to provide security to the Indian missions and the staff in anticipation of threat. The host nations not only dishonoured Vienna Convention guidelines, but also remained a mute spectator. The sovereignty of the Indian republic has been compromised. India must issue démarches to the host nations as they have failed in the past too. India should show its global prowess during its G20 presidency.

Anil Vinayak, Amritsar

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Collapse of banks

The collapse of two banks in the US and Credit Suisse in Switzerland speaks volumes about the regulatory mechanism prevailing in these countries. India’s RBI Governor has been claiming that all is well in India, but he inspires little confidence. Firstly, the Adani shares collapsed by mere publication of a Hindenburg report, despite having so-called robust watchdogs — Sebi and the RBI. Secondly, in the early Covid days when people were badly hit in the US and EU, we were made to believe that Indians have immunity and all Covid protocols were thrown out of the window. The rest is history. Lastly, the ripple effect of financial instability is already being felt at the bourses and there is flight of capital as FIIs are aggressive sellers. Many branches of foreign banks exist in India and have large chunks of deposits. The RBI does not have the requisite wherewithal to bail out Indian banks.

Deepak Singhal, Noida

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