Parupkar Dullai alias Parry Dullai and Bhagat Singh Brar, who lost an appeal in the Canadian court to get off the country’s no-fly list, are not new names for the Indian security establishment who have dossiers on them for garnering political support for the creation of Khalistan and links in Pakistan to support the secessionist agenda.
While sources in the security establishment are viewing the development as a corroboration of New Delhi’s stand that Canada has been soft-pedalling on the Khalistan issue with threat actors finding a safe haven on its soil, concerns around some of them enjoying political patronage have once again gathered steam.
The union home ministry had put Dullai on its blacklist, which meant he could face visa restrictions or immediate deportation on arrival. The reasons being that Dullai often visited Pakistan and met Paranjit Singh Panjwar, chief of Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) in Lahore during a jatha visit to Pakistan in November 2015, said sources. Panjwar was killed in Lahore in May 2023.
Security agencies also found Dullai’s links with Pak-based International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) leader Lakhbir Singh Rode for allegedly funding terror acts in Punjab. Rode died of a heart attack in Pakistan in December 2023.
But the pro-Khalistan trans national lobby has been buzzing with actors like Dullai and Brar spending time mobilising the diaspora to support Khalistan not just within Canada but also in countries like the UK.
With Surrey as the base, secessionist activities were branched out to Vancouver and Abbotsford to collect donations. Besides, the pro-Khalistan propaganda has been actively supported by Dullai and his associates, said a security official, using media outlets to propagate secessionist ideology.
Brar, on the other hand, is the son of Lakhbir Singh Brar, also known as Lakhbir Singh Rode, the Pakistan-based Khalistani separatist and nephew of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale who led the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF). He was also connected with the Khalistan Zindabad Force.
Known to be highly active in many Khalistani protests, sources said he frequently collaborates with Sikh youth groups, often speaking at anti-India protests.
Brar alias Baggu travelled to Pakistan and stayed there from March 30 to April 20, 2018, as per intelligence reports, and held meetings with ISI officials in Islamabad. Baggu’s links with deceased Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar are being cited by security officials to explain the transnational Khalistan networks running from Nijjar to ISI for plotting terror strikes in the country.
According to intelligence officials, another Canadian national hailing from Punjab, Gurjeet Singh Cheema was tasked to arrange arms and ammunition in India in 2015. Later, Cheema motivated two Punjab-based youths Mann Singh and Sher Singh alias Sarabjit Singh to carry out the terror attack. The duo was arrested on May 21, 2017, near the Indo-Pak border. Brar’s alleged support to radical elements in Punjab and moral support to some of the arrested accused in Dibrugarh jail is also under the scanner of security agencies who are on their toes to keep the trans-national Khalistan threat at bay.
