'From radicalisation to romanticisation': Khalistan groups rebrand recruitment drive

NEW DELHI: The pro-Khalistan elements operating in various parts of the world are now deploying the glamour quotient to recruit youth and urge them to commit crimes.

A new trend has been noticed on the social media accounts that are run by pro-Khalistan elements.

Earlier, there would be messages aimed at radicalising the youth. However, that failed to pick up any traction, and hence they decided to make the movement "glamorous".

Images of people posing with guns and pistols are being frequently posted on social media. Videos of people firing with AK-47s are also doing the rounds, officials say.

One video in particular that has gone viral and has got the most traction is the one of slain terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The video shows him firing an AK-series rifle at a training camp in British Columbia.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that these videos are gaining heavy traction on X, Facebook, and TikTok. The idea is to romanticise the guns, the official added.

This strategy is similar to the one that was followed by slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in Kashmir. He and his associates would often pose with rifles and pistols while also showing off expensive bikes on social media.

This was a major draw among the youth, and the Hizbul Mujahideen was able to recruit in large numbers after it decided to use glamour as a way to pull the youth into its fold, the official also added.

The Khalistan elements have, in many cases, successfully recruited using this strategy. In the name of the Khalistan movement, many have sourced guns and even put up their pictures on social media.

Armed with guns, many have indulged in shooting and extortion activities, another official said.

Officials say that the ideology of having a separate Khalistan nation carved out of Punjab has not resonated with the youth, be it abroad or in India. The teenagers and the younger lot are, however, impressed with the idea of wearing expensive clothes and also brandishing a gun. This is the audience that is being targeted by these Khalistani elements, officials say.

Another official pointed out that the idea is to make the Khalistan movement and the crimes associated with it look cool. The youth normally do not understand the consequences of joining such syndicates. The idea of being cool, getting rich and powerful is what attracts them, and hence there has been a change in the recruitment strategy, the official added.

There is a clear sense of desperation that has crept in. Newer strategies are being adopted as the Khalistan groups are under immense pressure from the ISI to ramp up activities in Punjab.