Abstract:
The extremist secessionist movement in favour of Khalistan was a contentious issue in India during the last two decades of the twentieth century. Epicentered in Punjab, the campaign put the entire nation in turmoil, endangering national security and leading to a series of events that included the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Only in the 1990s was the movement subdued after several attempts and interventions by the state forces. However, the sentiment is sustained outside the national borders, in countries with a considerable Sikh diaspora. Khalistani organisations continued to incite violence in the country and at Indian Embassies, High Commissions, and Consulates overseas. Arguably, the involvement of these elements was observed during the 2020-21 protests against the 'Three Farm Laws' in India. However, Amritpal Singh's rise and role in refuelling the movement in Punjab turned out to be a groundbreaking change in this conundrum. While his escape and arrest involve ambiguity, the recent trends suggest that the government keeps no interest in having a soft approach towards such miscreants. This notion is complemented by the mysterious deaths and disappearances of prominent Pro-Khalistani overseas. Back home, the domestic politics of Punjab has already thrown upon new political combinations, which may complicate the situation further.
This article explores the recent developments in the Khalistan conflict, assessing the possibilities and the foreseeable future.
Keywords: Khalistan, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Amritpal Singh, Punjab, Farmers’ Protest
Background to the Khalistani Movement in Punjab
The Punjab politics that kept evolving after that saw a binary between Congress and the Akali Dal. 1977 Punjab Legislative Assembly Elections saw Congress losing power in the state, as a result of atrocities and tyrannical policies adopted during the emergency. Akali Dal and Janata Party came to power with an overwhelming majority as Parkash Singh Badal took the oath as the Chief Minister for the second time. The Congress under Sanjay Gandhi decided to prop up a ‘Sant’ who would put a challenge to the Akali government. As Sanjay Gandhi’s friend and Former MP Kamal Nath (Now also the Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh) recalled - “The first one we interviewed did not look a “courageous type”. Bhindranwale, strong in tone and tenor, seemed to fit the bill. We would give him money off and on, but we never thought he would turn into a terrorist.” {1} (Nayar, 2012)
The rise of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale facilitated the rise of the secessionist Khalistani sentiment. The Khalistanis managed to wage a violent movement threatening India’s sovereignty, centred at the Akal Takht of Sri Harmandir Sahib. All attempts to negate this issue peacefully bore no fruit which culminated in Operation Blue Star in June 1984. Under Operation Blue Star, the armed forces entered the premises of the Golden Temple, using ammunition to eliminate the Khalistani terrorists. This incident is still debated over - whether the government put an end to the Khalistan Movement by doing so or fueled latent anger in the minds of the Sikh Community, which keeps the notion of anger and alienation amongst them.
The latter proposition is complemented by the fact that governments of the past did little to educate the concerned sub-sections of society about the reality of the issue or to try to assimilate them into the mainstream completely. This anger was reflected in the unfortunate assassination of Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi by her own Sikh bodyguards. This was followed by anti-Sikh riots in the country which worsened the situation, The Punjabi society faces a bipolarity today- with the Khalistani elements still very much active in India and the diaspora, while Punjab also has the largest per capita contribution to the armed forces.
Operation Blue Star, however, could not eliminate the Khalistanis or curb the violence altogether. Restoration of peace in the state is largely credited to the state action that was undertaken in the late 1980s, under the leadership of KPS Gill. Since then, there had been no instance of a major direct conflict in the state of Punjab up until the rise of Amritpal Singh. Despite this, the notion and narrative of Khalistan sustained beyond the Indian borders, especially in the US, UK, and Canada.
In recent years, there have been several attempts to revive the Khalistani sentiment within the Indian territory as well. Secessionists have also resorted to using a ‘surrogate propaganda mechanism’, assimilating the Khalistani narratives within a more mainstream protest or movement, discussed further in this article.
Involvement of Overseas Forces
With the dawn of the 21st century, the Khalistani movement deepened its roots overseas. This involves the emergence of a violent community within the diaspora which has sustained as it collaborated with and became religious and ethnopolitical stakeholders. They have used the same power at their disposal to wage a war against the state.{2} (Pandya, 2023)
For instance, a terrorist outfit named Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has gained limelight over the organisation of a referendum for the secession of Punjab. The outfit also celebrated the anniversary of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination. {3} (Milewski, 2023)
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a spokesperson of Sikhs for Justice, is a regular offender in fueling anti-India sentiment. He recently claimed responsibility for putting up ‘Kill India’ banners in Canada. {4} (Deccan Herald, 2023)
While the Government of India issued strong objections about this issue, the Canadian Prime Minister refused to condemn the Khalistani antics upholding the terroristic activities under the pretext of recalling freedom of speech in his state. {5} (Bhaumik, 2023)
It is to be noted that the purpose behind Ottawa’s silence on the Khalistan issue is not diplomatic but political. Prime Minister Trudeau leads a minority government in Canada which has been extended support by the New Democratic Party led by Jagmeet Singh. Singh has had a track record of not only sympathising but openly supporting Khalistani terrorists. In one such instance, he attended a Pro-Khalistan rally in San Francisco in 2015. {6} (Ibbitson, 2015)
This is also a major roadblock in India-Canada bilateral relations, with the latter hesitating to act upon the Khalistani terrorists due to political compulsions.
The Pandora’s Box – Farmers’ Protest in India
The Farmers’ Protest was a contentious issue in 2020-21. The movement invited global traction, which became a matter of criticism for the Union government and culminated in the ‘Three Farm Laws’ being repealed.
It was claimed that the Khalistani outfits infiltrated the Farmers’ protest. This claim was made by the Attorney General, K K Venugopal in the honourable Supreme Court on 12 January 2021. Citing inputs from the Intelligence Bureau. {7} (The Indian Express, 2021)
The protesting section included Farmers’ Union and organisations that claimed to be civil society organisations, an example being Waris Punjab De. Led by Punjabi Actor Sandeep Singh Sindhu, known as Deep Sidhu, the organisation played an active role in the protests and was accused of inciting violence on Republic Day. {8} (“FIR No. 98/21 PS : Kotwali (Crime Branch), 2021)
The Rise and Fall of Amritpal Singh
‘Waris Punjab De’, led by Deep Sidhu was an organisation that was becoming fairly successful in carving a niche for itself in Punjab before it faced a roadblock with Sidhu’s death in a road accident. Around this time, Amritpal Singh, a rather novice party to this case was arbitrarily proclaimed the head of the organisation. It was alleged that the social media handles of the organisation were hacked to carry out this transfer of authority. {9} (Singh, 2023)
“However, it seemed police remained as an observer only on his activities as Amritpal denounced violence in his first speeches. He organised the Amrit Parchaar campaign to attract Sikh youths into baptism to support turban and long hair. His first program was in Ganganagar, Rajasthan and later many in Punjab and even Haryana. He announced a Khalsa Vaheer yatra across the region for ‘Ghar Wapsi’ of Sikhs who had adopted Christian or other religions or had cut their hair and shaved beards. His functions attracted thousands, but the security agencies remained at a distance.” {10} (Singh, 2023)
These actions taken by Amritpal Singh follow the same trajectory of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who initially carved a niche for himself by undertaking youth-centric initiatives by effectively using Damdami Taksal, the organisation that he led. This, however, is not coincidental. Amritpal’s rise was premised upon building his image as the Bhindranwale of the twenty-first century. This is also reflected in the appearance overhaul that he went through before assuming the leadership of the secessionist conspiracy. {11} (Singh, 2023)
Arguably, this also involved a suspicious financial trail as Amritpal, a former truck driver in Dubai, suddenly transitioned to using luxury cars. Amritpal Singh effectively used religion to fuel his treasonous ambition. He made it to the headlines when he along with his supporters stormed the Ajnala police station in February 2023 and took control of it, also releasing some of their associates. It is to be noted that the terrorists carried Guru Granth Sahib during the procession, using it as a shield to prevent any police action. {12} (Singh, 2023)
On 18 March, a day before Amritpal planned his second Khalsa Vaheer Yatra, police cracked down on terrorists, arresting his 78 associates, who were also carrying arms and ammunition illegally. This incident also shed light on the true face of this movement, exposing ISI links in this context. (Singh, 2023)
Amritpal Singh’s treason was short-lived, as the Punjab police arrested him on 23 April 2023 in the state’s Moga district. {14} (The Indian Express, 2023)
Although his treason was short-lived, it only went on to bring the issue of Khalistan back into the mainstream media. It has underlined the relevance of and the threats that India faces from the foreign lobbies that have consistently attempted to fund and fuel the Khalistan conflict in India.
The Political Angle of the Khalistan Conflict in India
It is appalling to note that Jagmeet Singh is not only the mainstream political example that openly sympathises with the Khalistan movement. Back in Punjab as well, pro-Khalistani politicians can be seen thriving and gaining electoral success. There is much reluctance in admitting the anti-state and anti-humanity activities that Bhindranwale indulged in.
This has also kept the domestic politics in Punjab in a state of uncertainty. The Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) has also been proactive in ensuring that Bhindranwale is not defamed in the contemporary discourse in Punjab This was also reflected in the strong objection that was raised by SGPC when the Panjab University referred to him as a terrorist in one of their course curriculums. {15} (Khanna, 2022)
The Aam Aadmi Party has been accused of having a soft approach against Khalistani terrorists in Punjab. This allegation surfaced dramatically when the Chief Minister of Delhi – Arvind Kejriwal stayed at the house of Gurinder Singh, an ex-official of the Khalistan Commando Force (KCF), which has been designated as a banned terrorist organisation by the Government of India. {16} (Hindustan Times, 2017)
These allegations transcended the boundaries of Punjab and went on to bring the political party in a fix even in the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh, where they had to expel the Social Media Head for the state unit – Harpreet Singh Bedi over his alleged Pro-Khalistani tweets. While the party sideline Bedi’s views as his personal, this reflected poorly upon the party’s reputation amidst the pre-existing allegations. {17} (Times of India, 2022)
In this aspect, the political discourse in Punjab has also turned alarming. Simranjit Singh Mann, a Khalistani supporter and the supremo of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), won the by-election to the Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency in 2022, that had been vacated by the newly sworn-in Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann
According to Pramod Kumar, the Director of the Institute for Development and Communication in Chandigarh – there is a resurgence of Akali politics in Punjab, “with dominant shades of radicalism”, and Mann’s victory is reflective of this. “There are three broad components of this politics — panthic, provincial and peasantry. It seems like [Mann] got support from all these components,” {18} (Dey, 2022)
Crackdown on Khalistani Forces
As in August 2023, there have been proactive measures taken by the government in the past quarter to crack down on Khalistani forces. For instance, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) cracked down on the Khalistan Tiger Force in June 2023, while raiding 10 locations in Punjab and the adjacent state of Haryana. {19} (Hindustan Times, 2023)
Prior to this, Paramjit Singh Panjwar, a key leader of the banned Khalistan Commando Force was killed by unidentified men in May 2023 in Pakistan. Panjwar was also designated as an ‘individual terrorist’ by the Government of India under the UAPA Act. {20} (The Hindu, 2023)
Similarly, Avtar Singh Khanda, a member of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) died of unknown causes in a UK Hospital. He was also charged by the NIA for anti-national activities outside the High Commission of India in London. {21} (The Quint, 2023)
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force was killed by unidentified men in June 2023. This accounted to be the third such incident within a span of 45 days, all three being either under mysterious circumstances or by unidentified assailants. {22} (The Wire, 2023)
Conclusion
The Khaistan conflict in India has come a long way. As understood, it took great efforts to curb militancy in Punjab and yet left the state in a position of latent turmoil and turbulence, which forces outside and within have been trying to leverage over the years. In the last five years, the involvement of secessionist forces in the farmers’ protest and the resurgence of extremism within politics have re-instigated Khalistani sentiments.
The recent trends suggest the government of India is not in favour of adopting any kind of complacency in dealing with those who are a party to this violent secessionist line of events. Amritpal Singh’s arrest and the mysterious killings of Panjwar, Khanda, and Nijjar point toward the same. Moreover, the Khalistan conflict is no longer restricted to an internal dispute but has been a contentious issue in determining India’s bilateral ties with Canada and UK.
As far as the overall nature of Khalistan is considered in a political and theological sense, it had quite successfully seen a downward graph towards the end of the 20th century. However, the recent situation suggests that there have been vicious attempts to refuel the fire – that once set Punjab ablaze.
End Notes
1. (Nayar, Beyond the lines: An Autobiography, 2012)
2. (Pandya, Decoding Khalistan’s playbook in the West, 2023)
3. (Milewski, Khalistan separatist propaganda continues - Gateway House, 2021)
4. (Deccan Herald, 7 July 2023)
5. (Bhaumik, Trudeau says Canada has freedom of expression, India argues it must not be misused by Khalistanis, 7 June 2023)
6. (Ibbitson, Jagmeet Singh attended Sikh separatist rally in 2015, 2018
7. (The Indian Express, Khalistanis' have infiltrated farmers protest, will show IB inputs: Centre tells SC., 12 January 2021)
8. (FIR No. 98/21, Sandeep Singh Sidhu @ Deep Sidhu Vs. State (The NCT of Delhi))
9. (Singh, The rise and fall of Amritpal Singh, 2023)
10. (ibid)
11. (ibid)
12. (ibid)
13. (ibid)
14. (The Indian Express, Radical Sikh ‘preacher’ Amritpal Singh arrested: Who is he and what are the cases against him?, 24 April 2023)
15. (Khanna, Punjab: Panel to probe content about Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in syllabus, 2022)
16. (Hindustan Times, Kejriwal spends night at ex- militant’s house, kicks off political row in Punjab, 2017)
17. (Times of India, AAP Expels HP Leader over Khalistan Tweets, 2022)
18. (Dey, What comeback of Simranjit Singh Mann, a vocal Khalistan advocate, means for Punjab politics, 2022)
19. (Hindustan Times, NIA raids 10 places in Punjab, Haryana in crackdown on Khalistan Tiger Force, 2023)
20. (The Hindu, Wanted Khalistani terrorist shot dead in Pakistan, 2023)
21. (The Quint, Pro-Khalistan Leader Avtar Singh Khanda Dies of Unknown Causes in UK Hospital, 2023)
22. (The Wire, Hardeep Nijjar is Third Pro-Khalistani Activist to Die Abroad in 45 Days, Canada Probing Motive, 2023)
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