The term "Khalistan" is in news again thanks to the biased activism of Indian news agencies, newspapers, SFJ, and YouTube channels. But does it have the support in the mainstream Sikh nation? Let me categorically state that I am fundamentally against this 'poorly named' and 'poorly defined' term.
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| The Sikh Nation |
Why I reject Khalistan?
I feel strongly that this term is poorly named and poorly defined and that's why it does not have support of the Sikh nation. Here are six reasons why I reject the concept of 'Khalistan':
Reason 1: Is it a Religious Term?
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| Ek Ongkar - Core Concept of Sikhism |
The term Khalistan does not align well with the Sikh spiritual beliefs. Sikhism is a universal path that reject boundaries in the name of caste, race, region, or religion. Guru Nanak traveled across the globe and gave the message of 'One God for All" to the entire humankind and not just to the Sikhs or Punjabis. In my opinion, the creation of new political boundaries is against the core tenets of Sikhism
Reason 2: Is it Linguistic Term?
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| Gurmukhi Script of Sri Guru Granth Sahib |
The language of Sri Guru Granth Sahib is universal and documented in the sacred Gurmukhi script. It uses the local dialects of the people wherever the Gurus were traveling. Not only it uses various dialects of Punjabi - Pothohari, Multani, Majhi, etc. but also other Indian languages such as Haryanvi, Marwari, Bihari, Braj, Sindhi, Sorashtri, Gujarati, and Marathi. Dividing people in the name of language is against the universal concept of Sikhism
Reason 3: Is it Political Term?
Guru Hargobind Rai ji moved from Punjab to Kiratpur Sahib in the hill region of Punjab, Guru Gobind Singh was born in Patna, Bihar; he initiated Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib in the Punjab hills, and he departed from Nanderh, Maharashtra.
Baba Banda Singh Bahadur liberated the farmers of Haryana and Western UP before liberating Punjab. The Sikh political history is not just limited to Punjab but distributed across the entire geography of India. The successful Sikh empire of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was secular and extended beyond the boundaries of Punjab.
Reason 4: Is it Sectarian Term?
Limiting the philosophy of Sikhism and the teachings of Sikh Gurus and Sri Guru Granth Sahib to just the Sikhs of Punjab is a myopic view. How about the Punjabi Hindus who believe in Sikh Gurus? How about the Sindhis who revere Guru Nanak more than us Punjabis? How about our cousins from Haryana and Western UP who love the concepts of Sikhism? and how about the millions of Indians from across the geography who respect the Gurus and their teachings?
Reason 5: Is it a Business?
Khalistanis can be divided into three categories: Firstly, hardcore ideological people whose families have suffered during the period from 1984 to 1992. Secondly, those who consider Khalistan a business. They are small in numbers but very vocal and control most Gurdwaras outside India. These shrewd politicians spew venom in public speeches but are hand in glove with the Indian agencies,
The third category are those who sells the narrative of Khalistan and those who gain from the Hindi-Sikh polarization - Pakistani agencies, some Indian politicians, some biased Indian journalists, biased YouTubers, corrupt Punjab Police, self-victimized Hindu Shivsena activists who use it to gain notoriety and police protection; and the radical Sikh leaders who lack support among the Sikh masses. It is this group that floats the controversial term again and again so it lives on to haunt the people of Punjab.
Reason 6: Enemy of Enemy is My Friend?
A Sanskrit treatise on statecraft, the Arthashastra of Kautilya states:
The kingdom situated close to me, but separated from the enemy only by me, is termed a friend.I have a lot of friends from West Punjab and I trust them with my life. These are not aliens but our own blood and brethren from the same mother. But I do not have the same trust for the politicians of Islamic State of Pakistan. Did Pakistan government support Sikhs in 1984? No. Targeted murders, kidnapping, and conversion of Sikh girls in Pakistan remind me of sectarian violence during partition. Do the Sikhs living in Pakistan enjoy more freedom to practice their religion and way of life?
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| Mobs attack Nankana Sahib in 2020 |
Lack of Sikh Sentiments in Khalistani Activism
No one should question the rights of Sikhs to protest peacefully against the Indian embassies or high commissions. But some of the antics of Khalistani protesters has been baffling and somewhat embarrassing. The use of colorful language and slogan shouting has been below par lacking civilized decency.
But I draw the line when it comes to insulting the national flag of India. I can understand how some Sikhs feel that this flag represents the state oppression of Sikhs but the Indian Tricolor represents the people's republic of India. It represents all Indians, including the Sikhs. Our ancestors have shed blood for the concept represented by this flag - whether during the freedom movement against the colonial British, INA rebellion, bloody partition, or post-independence wars against Pakistan and China.
Equally repugnant is the attack on Hindu temples in Australia. The Sikh Gurus taught us to respect all religions. Baba Banda Singh Bahadur destoyed the city of Sirhind brick by brick but spared the mosques. Sikh rule protected the right of worship by Hindus in Kashmir. Even during the dark period of 80s, not a single Hindu temple was attacked in Punjab.
This kind of stupidity needs to be condemned by all.
Need of a Sikh Homeland
The origins of a Sikh Homeland was first floated during the time of India’s independence from Britain in 1947.It was unanimously rejected by the Sikh political leaders, clergy, as well as the wider Sikh nation. The Sikhs aligned wholeheartedly with ta united India and opposed the partition of India on religious lines. Unfortunately, the subsequent ethnic cleansing resulted in a bloody Partition hastily dividing the British colony along religious lines – sending Muslims to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and Hindus and Sikhs to newly a secular Republic of India.
The Sikhs ended up the biggest losers of this partition for the following three reasons:
- Loss of Sikh capital city of Lahore
- Loss of Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak and other historic Gurdwaras
- Loss of Sikh heartland of 'Majha" or mid region of West Punjab
The migrations took place hastily and with little warning. It is
thought that between 14 million and 18 million people were displaced
from their ancestral homes and arrived in India homeless.
There had been a “big call from the Sikh community for better representation in politics,” said Ashutosh Kumar, a professor of political science at Panjab University, adding “the basic idea was the Sikh people should have their own territorial homeland – a Sikh majority state.”
Indian politicians ranging from Mahatma Gandhi, Pundit Nehru, and Sardar Patel made numerous promises to the Sikhs who joined the Indian republic unconditionally. A new city of Chandigarh was built to compensate for loss of Lahore but Sikhs felt marginalized in the Indian state of 'Panjab" whose official language was now Hindi and Sikh population was in minority.
Shiromani Akali Dal, the Sikh political party started the 'Punjabi Suba'
movement asking for a Sikh dominated state within India created on the
Punjabi speaking regions of East Punjab. Finally Indira Gandhi agreed to
trifurcation of United East Panjab into Haryana, Himachal, and Punjab.
Incorrect Linguistic Partition of 'Panjab'
Should We Forget False Promises and 1984?
So, shall we forget the false promises made by Gandhi, Nehru, Indira, and Rajiv? Shall we forget Operation Bluestar, the attack on Harmander sahib? Shall we forget the genocide of Sikhs in Delhi and the rest of India in 1984? Shall we forget about Punjabi language, legitimate rights of Sikhs, Chandigarh, unfair distribution of river water from Punjab?
I DO NOT support the concept of Khalistan but I do empathize with the sentiments of broader Sikh community who feel deceived, marginalized, demonized, and targeted. Generations of Sikh families have suffered at the hands of polarizing politicians, corrupt police, and gangs of rioters.
"Punjabi society cannot be tackled from the point of view of the personal interest of particular parties," says Ramesh Inder Singh, former chief secretary of Punjab and district magistrate of Amritsar during Operation Blue Star. "The Sikh community has to be tackled with tact," he tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih and Nikhil Lakshman.
These are solvable issues that can be handled with empathy and political will power.The Sikhs in Punjab, India, and the diaspora living outside India, needs a 'healing touch' and a lasting solution to their genuine grievances. Indulging in propaganda to castigate all Sikhs as Khalistanis, demonizing the Sikh diaspora, and ignoring the sentiments of the Sikh nation will result in a backlash that no one needs.
I close with the anguished appeal by Lt. General Jagjit Singh Aurora in 1984, ''a healing touch'' is needed quickly to prevent a permanent alienation of the Sikhs from the central authority in New Delhi. ''To pass off inaction as showing patience is an excuse that cannot be stomached,'' the general had said, "... if Mrs. Gandhi does not make some healing touches to the Sikhs now, she will only play into the hands of extremists ... and those with prejudices against the Sikhs.''
Smouldering Embers
39 years later, the Sikhs are still waiting for that "healing touch" to the wounds of 1984 but the politicians of all colors begin gassing out meaningless rhetoric before elections - year after year.
Its never too late but so far no one dared to offer a formal apology to the Sikhs for 1984, many culprits of Sikh genocide still walk free, Sikh prisoners still languish in jails years after their sentenced prison term is long completed, river water distribution, Chandigarh, and youth unemployment still smoulder as embers in the background ready to explode again .. to the misery of Punjab, Punjabis, and Sikhs.
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