KHALISTAN MOVEMENT—BACK GROUND
SARASIJ MAJUMDER
Khalistan Movement is a Separatist Movement with only aim to
create a Nation State which would serve as a Homeland for Sikhs only by
extending existing Punjab Region of Indian Subcontinent. The proposed state
would consist of land that currently forms Punjab, Haryana, HP, part of
Rajasthan, India & Punjab, Pakistan.
Ever since the movement garnered support in1980s, the territorial ambitions of
Khalistan resorted to only violent means. Former PM of Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto, according Jagjit Singh Chouhan had proposed to extend all out help to
create Khalistan during his talks with Chouhan, following the conclusion of the
Indo Pak War of 1971 which resulted in creation of Bangladesh.
The call for a separate Sikh state began in wake of the fall of the British
Rule. In 1940, the first explicit call for Khalistan was made in a pamphlet
titled "Khalistan". Master Tara Singh fled from West Punjab, to save his life—reached
India, in 1947 and made the infamous statement--- “Hindus got Hindustan,
Muslims got Pakistan, Sikhs got what??” With financial & political support of Sikh
diaspora, and mainly Pakistan, the movement flourished in the Indian state of Punjab.
With Sikh majority population, this movement continuing through the 1970s &
reaching zenith in the late 1980s.Operation BLUE STAR dented the movement. In
1990s, insurgency almost ended & the movement failed due to heavy police
crackdown on separatists, factional fighting, & loss of support.
Historical Background
Sikhs were concentrated in the Punjab Region of INDIA. Before it’s conquest by
the British, the region around Punjab had been ruled by the confederacy of 12
Sikh Misls (Under the Dal Khalsa twelve jathas were organised. These
were called Misls founded by Banda Singh Bahadur. They controlled Punjab region
after defeating Mughals & Afghans from 1767 to 1799, until their
unification in the Sikh Empire by Maharaja Ranjit Singh from 1799 to 1849.
In 1849, the Sikh Empire dissolved into separate princely states & the
Punjab Province of British India. As a result of the British policy of divide
& rule, which involved differentiating & dividing Indians, Punjabis
were also divided in religious line.
British Indian Empire began to weaken in 1930s, Sikh Leadership come with
demand of Separate Sikh Nation. When the Lahore Resolution of Muslim League
demanded Punjab be made into Pakistan, the Akalis viewed it as an attempt to
usurp historically Sikh territory. In response, Shiromani Akali Dal argued for
a community that was separate from Hindus & Muslims.
British India was partitioned on religious basis in 1947, where the Punjab
province was divided between India & Pakistan.
As result, a majority of Sikhs, along Hindus, migrated from Pakistani region to
India's Punjab, which then included present-day Haryana & Himachal Pradesh.
The Sikh population dropped to 0.1% in Pakistan which was 19.1 % at partition
& rose in the districts assigned to India.
Then Akali Dal demanded a Punjabi speaking Suba on basis of language, which
resulted into decade long agitation. Punjab was reorganized in 1966 with
creation of Haryana & Chandigarh UT. With The Green Revolution in India,
Punjab State was the frontrunner to implement in agriculture & to make
India Self Sufficient in Foodgrains with contribution of other states.
This created issue to farmers who faced difficulties due to new techniques in
Agriculture caused by Green Revolution, So Farmer Movement started at that
time. Shiromani Akali Dal was defeated in the 1972 Assembly Elections. To
regain public appeal, SAD put forward the Anandpur Resolution in 1973 to demand
division of power & further autonomy to Punjab. The Resolution consisted of
Religious & Political Demands which also included to Transfer of Chandigarh
& other areas back to Punjab.
It also demanded that power be radically divided from Centre to State &
also a creation of River Water Tribunal to decide sharing Of River Water of
Sutlej, Beas, Ravi Rivers with Non Riparian States like Haryana & Rajasthan
WHICH ARE GETTING WATER with
creations of Canals like S.Y.L Canal , IG Canal , BML Canal etc from Punjab.
GOI termed it as SEPARATIST MOVEMENT which led to Insurgency in Punjab. During
this militancy in Punjab Innocents were being killed by militants &
communal tension rose in Punjab & leader of Damdami Taksal Jarnail Singh
Bhindranwala gained popularity & he favoured Anandpur Resolution which supported
these demands. Killings of innocents were happening on the name of Khalistan
& to curb this GOI ordered Army Action against Bhindranwala & his armed
supporters in Golden Temple Complex Codenamed Operation Blue Star in June 1984
which hurt the sentiments of Sikhs worldwide.
As a Consequence, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her SIKH
bodyguards which resulted into anti Sikh riots of Nov 1984 in DELHI. After this
all, Insurgency was at peak. Innocent were being killed by militants. In 1992
INC won Punjab Assembly Elections & Beant Singh became CM of Punjab. He
ordered to curb militancy under DGP K.P.S. Gill.
There was a mass reaction by SHIKHS in Punjab, which was
controlled by POLICE.
Myth &
Real Fact
The basic cause of this was British policy of divide & rule. After
enactment of Indian Constitution , a claim was made & spread that Sikhs are
being clubbed & included as a part of Hinduism under Article 25(2)(b)
which explains that "the reference
to Hindus shall be construed as including a reference to persons professing the
Sikh, Jaina, and Buddhist religion.
If the constitution makers had NO COMMUNAL
IDEA then why they added Article 25(1) while implicitly recognizing Sikhism as
distinct religion. 25(b) also states "the wearing and carrying of kirpans
shall be deemed to be included in the profession of the Sikh religion.” ?? ALL THESE ARE A BIG HOTPOTCHCREATING
CONFUSION.
This is a very clear & contradicting provision to facilitate the
separatists on the name of Khalistan as Sikhism is recognised as separate (?)
religion in Article 25(1).
So, this spread misunderstanding, and KHALISTAN claim, which has resulted in
hate & loss of life.
Article 25(2)(b) was added for purpose of some laws enacted by Parliament to
enforce them on 4 Religions i.e., Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhist & Jains by
including them into wider Umbrella Term Hindu
Khalistani started hoisting separate FLAGS. This Act of hoisting separate flags
was totally wrong & idiotic as India is democratic State & National
Flag's respect is supreme. Some Communist Red Flags were also tried to hoist.
Farmer Leaders & Politicians condemned this act. In 1783 Sikh victory on
Mughals, Nishan Sahib was hoisted but now circumstances are different &
this is totally wrong.
Conclusion: - Sikhism is a part of HINDUISM, and movement
for creating KHALISTAN is a separatist movement and shall be dealt very
strongly.
References:-- 1.0 History of India—Dr. R.C. Majumder. 2.0
OLD TOI, HT, STATESMAN.
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