Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, December 10

The Government strongly denied the existence of a “secret memo” issued by the MEA which reportedly asked its consulates in North America to launch a “sophisticated crackdown scheme” against Sikh diaspora organisations in Western countries.

“This is part of a sustained disinformation campaign against India. The outlet in question is known for propagating fake narratives peddled by Pakistani intelligence. The posts of the authors confirm this linkage,” said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi while reacting to a report in The Intercept which said the so-called memo called for “concrete measures” to “hold the suspects accountable”.

Sikh terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was murdered in Vancouver in June, two months after being named as a target in the alleged document sent to consulates in April this year. Around the same time, the US has alleged Indian government involvement in an attempt to murder another Sikh terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

Bagchi said, “We strongly assert that such reports are fake and completely fabricated. There is no such memo. Those who amplify such fake news only do so at the cost of their own credibility.”

The document, which The Intercept says is titled “Action Points on Khalistan Extremism” and MEA claims is fabricated, instructs its consulates to cooperate with Indian intelligence agencies to confront separatist Sikh groups including Sikhs for Justice, Babbar Khalsa International, Sikh Youth of America, Sikh Coordination Committee East Coast, World Sikh Parliament, and Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar America.

India has banned most of these organisations while the US and Canada have also banned Babbar Khalsa International. India had declared both Pannun and Nijjar as terrorists.