The Sikh struggle for identity

The word Sikh is derived from the Sanskrit Shishya or the Poli Sikha meaning disciple. The Sikhs are the disciples of their ten gurus and worship a book, the Granth Sahib. Sikhism founded by Nanak Dev who drew inspiration from Sufis and Bhagats. In 1499, he proclaimed a new religion and it was an open rebellion against the oppressive sociology of Hinduism. According to Sher Singh Sher, Nanak rejected the observance of Hindu ritualism and socio religious bondage as imposed by the Brahamans. His greatest attack was against the Hindu caste system; untouchability, hypocrisy, idolatry and cruelty. During his preaching and throughout he was accompanied by his Muslim servant Mardana. Nanak, the first guru of the Sikhs was born in Nankana Sahib Punjab, Pakistan and died in the village Kartarpur, Narowal, Pakistan. The Sikhs are strict monotheists not believing in idols or gods incarnate. According to Nanak a true Sikh would not be reborn on his death, he would find immediate peace. During the time of Mughal emperor Babur, Nanak was arrested and later released after the emperor found nothing prejudicial to Islam. Emperor Hamayoun and Akbar both were generous to Sikhs.

Akber even provided land for Hari Mandir in Ammritsar. The famous Sufi saint Hazrat Mian Mir is known to have laid the foundation stone of the Hari Mandir. It was in the tine of the fifth guru Arjun that Sikhism was established as a separate religious system as he was the first martyr of the Sikhs. According to Khushwant Singh, the ninth guru Gobind transformed the paccificist Sikhs into a militant fraternity and named the Khalsa (Khalis, meaning pure in persian). The British helped the Sikhs in the struggle for separate identity by making the observance of Khalsa traditions compulsory for the Sikh soldiers and civil servants.

They also gave Sikhs a separate electorate and reserved seats in legislative bodies. Most of the gurus fought the Mughals and lost their lives due to treachery of Hindus. The anti-Sikh role played by Raja Bhim Chand of Bilas Psur is a fact of history. After the collapse of Mughals and invasion of Nadir Shah, Sikhs re-emerged and organized into guerrilla band (misls).

The Hindus went to the extent of requesting emperor Akbar to take action against Sikhs when he refused they began to bribe local officials to harass the Sikhs. To protect their rights from Hindus, the Sikhs formed “Singh Sabh”, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, (SGPC) and Akali Dal. It was during this period the famous book “Ham Hindu Nahe Hain” was written by Kahan Singh of Nabha.

During the partition of 1947, Sikhs were against the creation of Pakistan because they opposed the division of Punjab. Master Tara Singh who campaigned against the creation of Pakistan and shouted death to Pakistan and which led to the killing of thousands of innocent Muslims. Before partition, congress promised that all Sikhs migrating from Pakistani Punjab would be settled in Indian Punjab where they could be autonomous. However, Hindus ensured it does not happened and Sikhs were settled in other states of India. It was in 1966, when first major political movement started by

Sikhs for the creation of a Punjabi Sabah. In 1973, the Sikhs also demanded a greater degree of provincial autonomy. Sikhs also demanded Punjabi speaking areas in the neighbouring states be made part of Punjab and also demanded that Chandrigarh be made the only capital of Punjab. However due to the political interests of the sitting government, the state did not take the issue seriously which led to the rise of radical Sikhs like Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as he organized armed bands of warriors and created law and order situation.

In 1981, the 54th Sikh Education Conference at Chandrigarh passed a resolution demanding a free Khalistan to include areas of Punjab, part of Haryana, Rajisthan and Jammu. In 1983, Bhindranwale made Akal Takht as his headquarters located within the premises of the Golden Temple. Historically, Akal Takht (throne of God) had been constructed by the Gurus to allow armed men to reside in it for the protection of the Guru. On the instruction of Indra Gandhi, the then prime minister an operation was planned to eliminate the Sikh leader along with his followers.

The operation was code named as Blue Star and it was executed on 2 Jan 1984. Curfew was imposed in Punjab and all entries and exits were sealed. The operation was the biggest internal security operation ever under taken by army in India. The operation was further divided into Operation Metal which was to kill Bhindranwale and his companions in the Golden Temple and Operation Shop which was carried out across Punjab to kill all those affiliated with Bindranwale. During the operation thousands of Sikhs were killed in and outside of the Golden Temple. The United Kingdom was also accused of helping India with operation Blue Star because it sold defence equipment to India. This was accused by Miller in his report “Sacrificing Sikhs” There was a serious backlash from Sikh community, soldiers mutinied and deserted at a large scale and culminated in the assassination of Indra Gandhi. On 31 October 1984, Indra Gandhi the prime minister of India was assassinated by two of her body guards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh who fired 33 bullets at her. In 2008, they were declared martyrs of Sikhism by Akal Takht.

After the assassination of Indra Gandhi anti-Sikh riots took place on 1 Nov 1984. Genocide of Sikhs were carried out across India as the killing was orchestrated and organized genocide by the sitting government. The Sikhs are concentrated in one area over eighty percent of them are in east Punjab and form over two percent of the population of India. Under British rule almost thirty percent of British Indian army was Sikh and even today 20 percent of India’s defense forces are Sikhs. The history of Khalistan movement can be traced back to 1940, when Nehru promised the Sikhs a semi-autonomous state. It was one Kapur Singh in 1947, who made the first attempt to start Khalistan movement.

According to Gurpatwant Singh Pannu of Sikhs for Justice, Sikhs living across the globe have to build consensus in favour of Khalistan and sign a declaration for a sovereign Punjabi country

On 4 July 1955, police raided Golden Temple and arrested thousands who were protesting for Punjabi to be made the official language. According to Doctor Shinder Purewal of Kwantlen University Canada that Khalistan movement had three phases. The first was home rule movement that began in 1960s and lasted till 1978. From 1978 to 1993, militancy was added to its struggle after its demand change to a separate Khalistan state. Thereafter the movement adopted the policies of grievances in 1994, and continues till today.

In 2007 the press trust of India released an intriguing report regarding United States involvement in the Sikh Issue. The Sikh community continues to be labelled as terrorist in India and Sikhs continue to live in fear in India. The gradual rise of extremism within the Sikh community especially in younger generations and much of the Khalistan movement is spear headed by the Sikh youths. On 12 August 2018, thousands of Sikhs gathered in London’s Trafalgar Square demanding a referendum as an independent homeland from the control of India. They carried banners “Free Punjab” “End Indian Occupation” and Punjab Referendum 2020. Though the Indian government expressed serious reservations over this event to United Kingdom, they (UK) government conveyed their inability to stop such activities as it was within UK laws.

The pro-Khalistan groups in Canada are now planning a referendum, 2020 for Punjab’s Independence. It is being organized by an organization, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) which is planning similar events in Houston, Dallas, Philadelphia and New York.

According to Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) once there is consensus among the Punjabis that independence from India is now essential and they will approach United Nations for the independence of Punjab from India. According to Gurpatwant Singh Pannu of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) Sikhs living across the globe have to build consensus in favour of Khalistan and sign a declaration for a sovereign Punjabi country.

They also want to reject article 25(b) (2) of Indian constitution which says that Sikhism is a part of the Hindu religion. Through referendum they will ask United Nation to plan an official referendum. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended a Khalsa Day function in Toronto. The Kashmiri across the globe are supporting the pro Khalistan referendum 2020. The United Kingdom Green party also supported the idea of referendum 2020.

Hoardings of 2020 referendum already appeared in Mohali, Sangrur, Fatehgarah Sahib, Barnala, Gurdaspur, Moga, Patiala, Hoshiarpur, Tarn Taran and Amritsar. 90 percent of Sikh heritage is located in Pakistan. Pakistan is committed to ensure maintenance and up keep of Sikhs and Hindu heritage in Pakistan. During a recent visit by cricketer turned politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, Chief of Army Staff offered the opening and construction of corridor to link holy shrine of Kartarpur Sahib, Punjab (Pakistan) with Dera Baba Nanak (India) three kilometers away.

The Indian government initially ignored this good will gesture, however, now consented the development of corridor. The Kartarpur Gurdwara is built on the site where Guru settled after his missionary work and it is also his final resting place. Prime Minister Imran Khan will be doing ground breaking ceremony of corridor on 28 November, 2018. The decision of Pakistan has been well received across the globe especially by the Sikh community. Pakistan has given a message to world community that it stands for peace in the region. Sikhs have all the rights to determine for themselves whether they want to establish an independent Punjabi state through referendum similar to one held in Scotland and Catalonia.

Published in Daily Times, November 27^th 2018.