India to revoke OCI cards of Khalistan supporters, including those living in the UK

As the India-Canada diplomatic ties worsen and fall to an all-time low, reports of the Indian government cancelling the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card for Khalistan supporters has come to light.

An OCI card is a form of permanent residence granted by the Government of India to people of Indian origin who are settled abroad. People with this status can live and work in India indefinitely, but are not allowed vote during elections. However, overseas citizens of India can buy and own land as well as make other investments in the country.

Authorities ordered investigative agencies to identify all Khalistanis across the US, UK, Canada and Australia, where support for the movement has gained traction over the years, last week. Demands of the Indian state of Punjab as a separate nation forms the essence of the Khalistan movement.

Whilst the Indian government has deemed Khalistan leaders as “terrorists”, other western nations have failed to address this issue or take any action against protesters vandalising Indian embassies and staging protests blatantly disrespecting the Indian flag and political leaders, several government officials have stated.

The move to rescind the OCI cards came only a day after the National Investigative Agency (NIA) confiscated the properties of Canada-based leader of the movement – Gurpatwant Singh Pannun – legal advisor and spokesperson for Sikhs for Justice.

Based on sources from the news agency IANS, the government has also instructed the agencies to identify the properties owned by people associated with the Khalistan movement, who are residing abroad.

The source added that it intends to revoke the OCI cards of such individuals mostly settled in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, to prevent them from entering India in the future.

Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, made the shocking announcement of the alleged involvement of “the agents of the Indian government” in the killing of “Canadian citizen” and Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India had previously issued two Interpol notices against Nijjar and deemed him a wanted “terrorist”.

Despite the Indian government repeatedly asking Canada to take action against separatists, it has been reported that nothing was done to stop violent protests