MEA denies 'secret memo' targeting Sikh separatists abroad

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, December 10

The MEA on Sunday strongly denied existence of a “secret memo” allegedly issued by it asking the country’s consulates in north America to launch a “sophisticated crackdown” on Sikh separatist groups in Western countries.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, reacting to a report in ‘The Intercept’, said: “This is part of a sustained disinformation campaign against India. The outlet in question is known for propagating fake narratives peddled by Pakistani intelligence. Posts of (report’s) authors confirm this…. We strongly assert that such reports are fake and completely fabricated. There is no such memo”.

‘The Intercept’ report claimed the memo called for “concrete measures” to “hold the suspects accountable”. Terrorist Hardeep Nijjar was murdered in Vancouver in June, two months after being named as a target in the alleged document sent to Indian consulates in April. Around the same time, the US has alleged the Indian government’s involvement in an attempt to murder another terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The memo allegedly instructs Indian consulates to cooperate with agencies to confront Sikh separatist groups.