New Delhi: The Government on Tuesday said Sikh
militant groups from abroad are trying to resurrect militancy
in Punjab.
"Available report suggest that Sikh militant groups
especially those based in abroad, are continuing their efforts
to revive militancy in Punjab," Minister of State for Home
Affairs Ajay Maken informed the Lok Sabha.
"A close watch is maintained on the activities of various
groups known to have been engaged in trying to foment
terrorist activities in Punjab," he said in a written reply.
The Minister said, "the government has adopted an
integrated approach to counter such attempts, inter alia,
include sustained vigilance along the borders, strengthening
of mechanisms for intelligence gathering and sharing,
modernisation and upgradation of police and security forces
with advanced and sophisticated weapons."
In addition, pro-Khalistan terrorist outfits namely,
Babbar Khalsa International, International Sikh Youth
Federation, Khalistan Commando Force and Khalistan Zindabad
Force continue to be listed as Terrorist Organisations in the
schedule of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment
Act, 2004, he said.
In reply to another question related to anti-national
activities being carried out along the Indo-Nepal border,
Maken said, "there are indications and incidental reports that
the India-Nepal border have been misused by anti-India
elements for creating false propaganda and for encouraging
trans-border criminal activities."
"The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has been deployed all
along the Indo-Nepal border to check illegal instances and to
stop cross border crimes," the Minister said.
PTI
