The Centre is keeping an eye on the activities of Jagjit Singh Chouhan, a Khalistan ideologue, who returned to India a year ago after 21 years in exile, and has since renewed his vow to fight for a separate Sikh state.Minister of State for Home I.D. Swami said: ‘‘We are watching his activities and if need be we would take action against him.’’ He was reacting to Chouhan’s recent statement that ‘‘he would work for keeping the Khalistan movement alive’’.Once a high-profile Khalistani expatriate, Chouhan had since settled down to a rather non-controversial life as a physician in Punjab. He had kept a low profile and refrained from making pro-Khalistan statements. However, his remarks on Khalistan since they were made after the Akal Takht’s declaration of Bhindranwale a martyr have raised eyebrows.Swami said Chouhan should keep in mind that the Centre had shown a conciliatory approach in permitting him to return to India from London where had had waged a virtual war against New Delhi for nearly two decades. ‘‘Chouhan should remember that Centre’s move had raised a storm and there was a lot of political opposition to this.’’Just a week after the Akal Takht decision, Chouhan has announced formation of a Khalistan Front. Although Chouhan did not propose violence as part of the Front’s strategy, he said the support for Khalistan would be mobilised by building public opinion. Sources said since June 6, when Bhindranwale once again came into reckoning as a religious leader, he has been openly moving around in the company of former Khalistanis like Wassan Singh Zaffarwal and others. In fact both of them also attended the Akal Thakt meeting which declared Bhindranwale a martyr.Official sources said Chouhan’s activities, as such, were being watched closely by intelligence agencies.
