In a significant move targeting anti-India extremism, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government has reportedly formed a special task force to dismantle the funding network of Khalistan supporters. The task force tackling pro-Khalistan extremism was launched last year and a fund of around Rs 1 crore was announced last year following a meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and UK Security Minister Tom Tugendhat in Delhi.
Consequently, recently this has resulted in the freezing of over 300 bank accounts and the seizure of approximately Rs 100 crore (roughly £10 million) linked to these supporters. The UK government’s actions demonstrate a firm stance against extremism and underscore their commitment to upholding peace and stability within their borders and beyond. The crackdown sends a clear message that support for terrorism and separatist movements will face severe consequences.
It has been reported and unveiled that the suspicious transactions across Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, highlighted the global reach of such extremist networks. Disrupting this financial infrastructure strikes a significant blow to any anti-India activity that relies on these funds.
Among the notable seizures was a sum of Rs 20 crore (£2 million) found in the account of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a pro-Khalistan organization advocating for a separate Sikh state. The group’s previous deposit for a pro-Khalistan referendum in Scotland further solidifies SFJ’s efforts to promote its separatist agenda internationally. While there are no official statements from the UK government yet to confirm these reports, however this vehemently
outlines the message to any group or individual promoting extremist ideologies.
The task force created by the UK has over 5000 accounts on its watchlist. They have been divided into two categories. First category is classified as those accounts which belong to the Khalistan’s leaders directly. Second category is categorised as accounts of the supporters of Khalistan. It has also been reported that this British task force has also reached out to the American counterparts like FBI as well to crackdown the Khalistan
support groups in the US. It has been revealed that to put a full stop to the Khalistan’s leaders’ funding, the task force will be going to the US. This developing story underscores the importance of international cooperation in the ongoing fight against extremism and separatist movements around the world.
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