Chandigarh: Attempts were being made to revive the Khalistani movement once again in Punjab and the inter service intelligence (ISI) was behind this, former Punjab police chief K P S Gill on June 8 said cautioning the government to view the development seriously.

"Attempts are being made to revive the Khalistani movement and the ISI is heading that attempt. After losing 25,000 lives to militancy, people in Punjab want peace and development, but there are elements who could brainwash young, impressionable minds," Gill, credited with firmly putting down militancy in Punjab, said.

"Even though revival of this movement in Punjab once again appears a remote possibility, but if we are not extra cautious at this stage then may be after 4-5 years it may again raise its head," Gill said.

Terming the Akal Takht's decision to grant "martyr” status to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as an attempt to revive the Khalistani movement, Gill said the ISI was desperately trying to get all foreign Sikh groups to come under the banner of Pak Sikh Gurudwara Committee.

"I do not understand how you can call him (Bhindranwale) a martyr when he talked about only spreading of violence and hatred," Gill said recalling that once he had listened to a tape-recorded speech of Bhindranwale while posted in Assam and in that he only talked about violence and hatred.

Without naming anybody he took a dig at one of the pro Khalistan protagonist (Jagjit Singh Chohan who returned to India about two years ago after spending many years in London), saying, he (Chohan) had once said that he would never involve himself in any political activity, but was now openly doing so.

PTI