KARNAL, HARYANA — In the wake of the recent bomb blast outside the BJP office in Chandigarh, M.S. Bitta, Chairman of the Anti-Terrorist Front of India, delivered a strong statement in Karnal today, directly implicating Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) as the mastermind behind the attack and broader militant activities in the country.
Addressing the media, Bitta asserted that domestic terrorist and Khalistani factions do not operate independently. “Based on my life’s experience, there are no independent terrorists or Khalistanis here. Behind them is Pakistan’s ISI,” he stated. He described notorious organizations such as Babbar Khalsa, the Khalistan Commando Force, and Lashkar-e-Taiba as mere “masks” or “faces” used by the ISI to execute violent plots, spread fear, and create instability within India.
Youth Exploited by Foreign Handlers Expressing deep anguish over the deteriorating situation in Punjab, the Anti-Terrorist Front Chief highlighted a disturbing trend of radicalization and targeted violence driven by petty cash. He claimed that handlers sitting abroad, acting in the name of Khalistan, are exploiting local youth. “Today, a man’s life is priced at ₹2,000 to ₹5,000,” Bitta lamented, pointing out that young men are being lured by the ISI to commit severe crimes, including the murder of police officers, for negligible sums.
A Call for Community Unity and Condemnation of Extremism Bitta passionately reminded the public of the foundational tenets of Sikhism, emphasizing that the religion was established to protect humanity, not to destroy it. He strongly condemned the recent attacks on political offices in India and the vandalism of Hindu temples, such as the Hanuman Mandir and Akshardham, in Canada.
Stressing the unbreakable “roti-beti” (bread and daughter) and “flesh and nail” relationship between the Hindu and Sikh communities, he urged Sikh leaders and citizens to raise their voices against those defaming their faith. He also praised Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini for recently donning a traditional turban in the assembly, viewing it as a powerful gesture of cross-cultural respect.
Rejecting the Khalistan Narrative Taking aim at radical figures, Bitta explicitly labeled Gurpatwant Singh Pannun an “ISI agent.” He urged the Sikh community to loudly and collectively reject the Khalistan movement. “India is the land of our Gurus… We must make it clear that we do not want Khalistan, and we have no ties with these ISI agents who survive on scraps from Pakistan,” he declared.
To counter the narrative of hate and prevent further radicalization, Bitta called for the intervention of positive influencers. He emphasized the pressing need for good preachers and artists, specifically naming Punjabi singer Kanwar Grewal, to step forward and guide the youth toward a constructive and peaceful path.
