New Delhi, Mar 21 (UNI) The Central government has expressed concern on 'some developments' on the Sikh militancy front and said that at the instance of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the Sikh youth in Europe, the US and Canada are being instigated and misguided against India.
'Interdictions and interrogations have revealed use of jailed cadres, unemployed youth, criminals and smugglers by Pak based Sikh terror groups for facilitating terror attacks,' said the Home Ministry in its note to the Committee on Estimates of the Lok Sabha.
There has been developments on the Sikh front with the youth joining the intelligence agency ISI and the government is closely monitoring the situation and have directed the Intelligence and Security agencies to keep a close watch, said the Home Ministry in its note to the panel headed by Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, also a former Home Minister in the Vajpayee government in 1996.
'Commanders of Sikh militancy front, based in Pakistan are under the pressure from ISI to further its terror plans not only in Punjab but also in other parts of the country. Sikh youth are being trained in Pakistan,' said the note in the 28th committee report on 'Central Armed Police Forces and Internal Security Challenges - Evaluation and Response Mechanism'.
The report was presented by Dr Joshi in the Lok Sabha on March 19 and released to the media on Wednesday in a press conference held by Dr Joshi.
Sikh youth based in Europe, the US and Canada are being misguided and instigated against India with false and malicious propaganda, the note said and pointed out that the situation is being closely watched by Central and state agencies and they are taking action, as and when required.
Regarding the problem of youth joining the ISIS, the government is closely monitoring the situation and has directed the Intelligence and security agencies to identify such elements and keep a watch on such activities. The cyber space is also being closely watched in this regard.
As per available intelligence inputs, few Indian youth have joined the ISIS after travelling to Iraq and Syria. Security agencies, including the National Investigation Agency, have registered cases and so far, arrested 67 ISIS supporters in these cases.
The Home ministry had held meetings with all central agencies concerned and 12 state governments.
The 32-member Committee, which also has members Ashok Chavan (Cong), Ramen Deka and Sanjay Jaiswal (both BJP), K Kavitha (TRS), Mohammad Salim (CPI-M), said there was an extreme level of frustration among the Central armed Police Forces due to acute frustration in promotions and lasck of cadre review .
UNI RSA/DEVN 1726