Khalistani Extremists Ignite Cinema Fires, Escalating Threats And New Tensions For India

New Delhi: The Bishnoi Syndicate and Khalistan supporters are currently in the news in Canada. While Canadian police are focused on combating the Bishnoi Syndicate, pro-Khalistan elements have attempted to set fire to a cinema in Ontario twice within a week. The theatre has since stopped showing Hindi films. These attacks occurred on October 2 and September 25. In the second incident, the suspects opened fire to spread panic.

Demand for Sikh for Justice

The militant group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) issued a statement on Friday calling on the Karni government to ban all 'Made in India' films. In the first incident, two masked suspects dressed in black tried to set fire to the entrance of the theatre by spraying flammable liquid from red gas cans, CCTV footage released by Khalistani elements showed.

However, the fire was contained outside. It caused minor damage. The incident occurred at 5:30 a.m. on September 25. Then, on October 2, at approximately 1:50 a.m., a suspect fired several shots at the theater entrance. Local police described the suspect as a tall, strong man wearing dark clothing and a face mask. Halton Regional Police said they were investigating both incidents as targeted attacks.

Pannu spewing venom against India

SFJ chief Pannun claimed that "Make in India" is no longer a cultural label but has become a political weapon of the Modi government. He said that every screening and every product labeled "Made in India" carries the imprint of a violent ideology that is moving India towards a Hindutva authoritarian state.

Pannu warned that allowing Indian films and products into the Canadian market was tantamount to opening the door to propaganda that normalises violence against pro-Khalistan Sikhs and undermines the values ​​enshrined in the Canadian Charter.

What is the concern for India?

Canada recently designated the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist organization. The Indian government stated that the recent National Security Advisor-level meeting between Delhi and Canada had productive discussions on advancing bilateral relations in areas such as counterterrorism, combating transnational organized crime, and intelligence sharing. The

Strengthening Bilateral Security Cooperation

Ministry of External Affairs stated that security cooperation is an important agenda for continued bilateral cooperation. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that transnational organized crime is a particular concern for both countries. Indeed, all countries must unite to combat this menace. He further stated that they agreed to strengthen security cooperation and further strengthen existing engagement mechanisms.