Punjab and the spectre of political radicalism
It is important that the State stays on guard and that political actors do not encourage radical groups for short-term gains
The grenade attack on a temple in Amritsar Saturday is only the latest in a series of disturbing incidents that suggest attempts by vested interests to upset the tenuous social peace in Punjab after its bruising tryst with terrorism in the 1980s and 1990s. One of the suspects in the temple incident — the 13th of this nature since November 2023, though the initial attacks were directed at police installations — was shot dead by the police on Monday.
These incidents need to be seen in the broader context of attempts to revive the separatist sentiment in the state by exploiting religious, economic and political fault lines. Terrorism in Punjab was largely eliminated through police action and political outreach, but the Khalistan agenda is kept alive by groups in Canada, the UK and the US. Economic factors that created the ground for extremist politics in the state are yet to be resolved: Protests by farmers and cases of illegal migration indicate an underlying economic crisis. The electoral rise of leaders such as Amritpal Singh, the Khadoor Sahib MP, indicates an expanding constituency that is soft towards radical agendas. Interestingly, the Punjab government has decided not to extend the custody of Amritpal Singh under the NSA, which may facilitate his return to public activism. Singh and his associates have already floated a political party, which will compete with the Shiromani Akali Dal, to represent the panthic agenda.
But the most important factor is the foreign hand that provides logistical support to radical groups. Police claim to have busted eight terror modules, including those affiliated with banned radical outfits such as Khalistan Zindabad Force and Babbar Khalsa, while investigating the recent terror incidents. Police have also pointed to the role of Pakistani agencies in the rise of fringe radical groups that seek to keep the extremism pot boiling. It is important that the State stays on guard and that political actors do not encourage radical groups for short-term gains.