A worrying report coming from Australia says that Khalistani radicals forced the shutting down of the Indian consulate in Brisbane, this week. The local police, apart from saying that it was an unauthorized gathering by the Khalistanis, apparently did nothing. This comes in the wake of the several attacks that have taken place on Hindu temples in Australia, all carried out by the Khalistanis, who seem to be growing in strength in that country, to the extent that the situation seems to be going the Canada way, where these radicals have a free run of the system. During his India visit last week, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised that attacks on temples did not have any place in Australian culture and that every action would be taken through the police and the security agencies “to make sure that anyone responsible for this faces the full force of the law”. But it seems the Australian Prime Minister’s message has not reached the police on the ground, else it is not understood how the Khalistani radicals can have a free run to the extent that they have the audacity to attack a foreign country’s consulate. This is not a case of freedom to protest. This is a matter of security. In India, no hostile entities would be allowed anywhere near a foreign mission if they are deemed as a threat to that mission—and it is well known that the Khalistanis are a threat to anything Indian, be they individuals or institutions. In fact, not just police action, what is needed is banning these groups, for they are hate groups and pose a threat to the lives of a whole section of people residing in Australia. What is the guarantee that these groups will not spill blood one of these days—indulge in acts of violence against Indian individuals? In the Quad, Australia is India’s partner. The two countries have joint naval exercises. Just like India, Australia is a frontline state against the aggression of the People’s Republic of China in the Indo-Pacific region. For allies and partners to work together it is but natural that the soft targets need to be secured first. Make no mistake, all these radical groups are a threat to freedom and democracy, and are funded by those who are inimical to India’s interests, including by countries in India’s neighbourhood. Surely the Australian agencies know well from where these groups get their funding and which places of worship they frequent to plan their activities. Some news reports coming from Australia have even named the areas and places of worship where the Khalistanis congregate. If journalists have such information, it’s difficult to believe that it’s not available with the local law enforcement and security agencies. So where is the exemplary action that must be taken?
Also, the public discourse on this matter must be sensitive to the needs of the victims—clearly the Indian community, especially those who are Hindus. There is no Hindu supremacy in India, or wherever this community is based all over the world. So there cannot be any justification of such violence by saying that it is a reaction to the rising Hindu supremacy in India. The Khalistani problem predates by several decades the current Indian government. But if the international commentariat starts linking India’s so-called Hindu supremacy with the Khalistan problem, they give these extremists a handle to legitimise their cause.
Australia needs to realise that unless these rowdies and radicals are checked, there will come a day when it will have a problem controlling its streets—a problem similar to what Canada is facing now, where the areas dominated by the Khalistanis have become no-go areas, with the law and order situation poised precariously. Australia must act and act now, before a major conflagration takes place.