Covert crimes

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India's prime spy agency has been repeatedly caught off guard. The sensational, but cautiously documented, revelation in The Washington Post that RAW has been working against dissident elements, busy taking them out abroad, should raise alarms. This is the second of its kind investigative report close on the heels of a story in The Guardian newspaper of Britain which had spilt the beans saying that Indian sleuths are operating in Pakistan and had murdered more than 20 people since 2020. This charge-sheet of gun-running in various foreign capitals was also seconded by American and Canadian authorities who went on record to castigate New Delhi, bringing their diplomatic ties to the brink.

This orchestrated covert campaign had also led to the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, and a plot to murder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US. Both the prestigious newspapers had simply pushed the envelope in professionalism, which should come as a grim reminder to the world community of India's extra-territorial designs and hegemonic ambitions in contravention to International Law and norms of diplomacy. Moreover, such outlawed tactics are a blatant violation of human rights and also of Geneva Conventions. India, perhaps, had opted for this deadly strategy against Pakistan specifically as it believes that it could not take on a nuclear state overtly, and had been working to destabilise it through spy missions and assassinations. The arrest of Kulbushan Yadav, RAW's operative in Balochistan, is a case in point.

The devil in details can be read as Pakistan had been threatened more than once not only by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi but also by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The ultimatum to opt for hot pursuit is an extension of thinking that the incumbent National Security Adviser, Ajit Doval, has been advocating since 2014, wherein he is on record saying that "…India should use covert means to punish Pakistan…" for its support to freedom struggle in occupied Kashmir. This hawkish and war-mongering psyche of India is a threat to the region, and its aftershocks are now being felt by Toronto and Washington too. It's time to expose India's belligerency behind the curtains.