Operation Hard Ball: US action caps Modi govt's push against gangster-Khalistan nexus
New Delhi, July 8
The gangster-terror nexus has always been cited by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government in its battle against terror that is threatening the security of both the Indian and international communities, and in a major boost to national security, the US FBI and Canada's RCMP, under Operation Hard Ball, targeted the leadership of criminal gangs that were terrorising law-abiding citizens, particularly those targeting the Punjabi community.
This operation, which targeted gangs run by the gangs headed by Lawrence Bishnoi, Goldy Brar and Rohit Godara, is an important step in the battle against the gangster-terror nexus, officials say.
These gangs were not just targeting Indian nationals abroad and attempting radicalisation, but were also promoting the Khalistan cause, officials also pointed out.
For India, the battle against the Khalistan movement has been very important. It has taken years to convince the international community about the dangers of this movement thriving. These actions suggest that the Modi government has managed to impress upon the international community, especially in the United States and Canada, that all must work together to beat down the Khalistan movement.
An Intelligence Bureau official said that the US action suggests that these groups, under the name of the Khalistan movement, were running transnational operations that were not just limited to one country, and the official said that these gangs had been running operations in Canada, the US, Europe, the UK, New Zealand, and Australia.
The official added that this is a major victory for the Indian agencies, and with such action, crimes such as the Khalistan issue, human trafficking, money laundering and narcotic smuggling would come largely under control.
Another official said that this action is a sign of what is set to come.
In Canada and the UK, the authorities have already started to act. This is largely due to the cooperation built under Prime Minister Modi.
The official said that the Modi government was quick to recognise this issue and warned these countries that backing such groups would have a detrimental effect. The US action led to the arrest of 37 persons who ran their global syndicates from jails in India. They have been charged in separate federal indictments which involve organised crimes and propaganda.
In addition to this, the US authorities have also seized narcotics that form the primary basis of the Khalistan movement. The movement thrives on the smuggling of drugs that is backed by the ISI.
In recent years, the ISI has been backing these elements to promote drug smuggling so that the movement is revived.
Post the operation, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) said: "Operation Hard Ball" was the result of a years-long federal investigation into Indian crime syndicates that engage in racketeering, targeted killings, shootings, extortion, the trafficking of bulk quantities of narcotics across international borders."
US First Assistant Attorney Bill Essayli said: "Transnational criminal gangs who spread fear, drugs, and violence will face the full force of justice and the weight of the federal government."
On the action against Bishnoi, the DoJ said: "In private, Bishnoi presided over a sweeping criminal enterprise that spanned multiple continents. Using contraband cellphones and other voice-over internet protocol devices smuggled into his jail cell, Bishnoi personally directed political assassinations, murders, shootings, extortions, kidnappings, drug trafficking, human smuggling, and other crimes committed by members and associates of the Bishnoi enterprise worldwide."
Officials say that this is not just any ordinary operation that the US authorities have carried out. The Khalistan and gangster-terror nexus has always been a major threat to several countries. However, some countries, for the sake of politics, had ignored this issue. However, India has made it clear that this issue is a major threat, and since the past several months, the cooperation between these countries and Indian agencies has been enhanced.
The Intelligence sharing has gone a long way in identifying this problem, and in the days to come, the Khalistan issue that is linked to drug and arms smuggling is bound to be tackled in a big manner, officials also say.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is a major win for national security. The way these gangs were running operations from inside Indian jails is shocking. The Punjab community has suffered so much due to drugs and violence. Finally, international cooperation is making a difference. But we must remain vigilant – the network is deep and has many sympathizers abroad.
The problem is that some countries still treat Khalistan as a "legitimate political movement" instead of a violent separatist ideology backed by the ISI. This operation is a good step, but we need sustained pressure on Canada and the UK to crack down on these elements. They can't have it both ways – harboring extremists and then acting surprised when violence spreads.
While I appreciate the crackdown, I wish our government would also focus on the root causes – unemployment, drug addiction, and lack of opportunities in Punjab that make youth vulnerable to these gangs. Mere arrests won't solve the problem. We need development and education alongside these operations. But yes, kudos to the agencies for this operation. 👏
As someone living abroad, I can tell you the fear these gangs created in the Punjabi community here was real. People were afraid to speak against them. This operation is a relief for many families. The Modi government deserves credit for building the international consensus needed for this.
It's good that 37 people were arrested, but I wonder how many more are still operating. The ISI's involvement in drug smuggling to fund Khalistan is an open secret. We need to go after the kingpins, not just the foot soldiers. Also, I hope India uses this momentum to get Canada to extradite those wanted here.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.