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.