Historical Context: The Origins of the Khalistan Movement? (Part 1)

The Full History of Khalistan Movement.

 

The name Khalistan often emerges whenever there are elections or farmers' protests in Punjab, or any issue is raised in the region. Despite the occurrence of Operation Bluestar in 1984, the reference to Bhindranwale continues to be made even today. Before discussing the Amritpal Singh case, it is crucial to understand the underlying reasons behind these events.

The situation is not as simple as it appears, and it dates back to 1823 when Maharaja Ranjit Singh ruled the Sikh Empire. The Sikh Empire remained under his control until his demise, after which it grew weaker and eventually fell to the British who annexed it and added Haryana to it.

Haryana was not a part of the Sikh Empire initially, and as we progress, the details I am providing will start to become relevant. When the British captured the Sikh Empire, they sent the children of Raja Ranjit Singh to Britain for education, ensuring no future resistance to their control. As a result, there was no one to lead or represent the Sikh Empire. Local Gurudwara priests took control, which the Sikh community did not approve of, leading to the Akali movement in 1920.

The movement created pressure on the British, leading to the formation of a 175-member committee called the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) to regulate the gurdwaras. The SGPC remains the front face of the Sikh community, and its president is elected through proper elections. The Sikhs believed that British rule was temporary and that the Sikh Empire would regain power.

But this belief was shaken in 1929 when the Purna Swaraj movement began. The movement aimed to create an independent Indian nation, which would follow a democratic system. The Sikh community was not pleased with this idea and expected the return of the Sikh Empire upon independence. However, in 1946, a year before independence, Sikh leaders raised concerns that the British had deceived them by capturing Punjab.

 

When the past becomes irrelevant to Sikhs.

 

As they departed, it was suggested that Punjab be returned to the Sikhs. However, the British claimed that the past was irrelevant and that the most significant factor was population. This meant that the group with the largest number of people would have the most say.

In 1941, a census was conducted in Punjab, revealing that 53% of the population were Muslims, 30% were Hindus, and a mere 15% were Sikhs. In the overall population of India, Sikhs accounted for only 1%. This put the Sikhs at a significant disadvantage, and they found themselves in a difficult situation.

Realizing that they were vastly outnumbered, they supported the notion of a united India. They agreed to be part of one India, assuming that they would be granted their own state. However, since the Muslims had a greater population, they proposed the partition idea as the British departed. The Sikh community was not pleased with this suggestion since they knew that even in Punjab, Muslims outnumbered them. Therefore, the Sikhs announced that while they had no objections to a united India, they too wanted a separate Sikh Nation if the country was to be partitioned.

 

The concern of a separate Sikh Nation.

 

The concern was raised that if Muslims were given Pakistan and Hindus were given Hindustan, what would the Sikhs get? To address this, the Shiromani Akali Dal passed a resolution asking for Sikhistan, but this demand was contingent on whether there was a partition. If there was no partition, the Sikhs were content with staying with India.

In 1946, Jawaharlal Nehru tried to reassure the Sikhs, stating that they deserved special consideration and that they should be allowed to live with freedom in a specific area in the north. However, there were differing opinions on whether Nehru had promised the Sikhs a separate state, as some felt that he betrayed them later on. Nevertheless, the partition took place, and a portion of Punjab was given to Pakistan, while the other remained with India.

The Sikh community was divided as they were spread throughout small parts of Punjab, and there seemed to be no viable solution. The Sikhs did not want to be divided, but unfortunately, the part of Punjab that was given to Pakistan contained 62% of their land, 55% of their population, and over 150 historical Sikh shrines, along with their richest lands. More than half of their population was trapped in Pakistan, and those who remained had to leave their homes, lands, and property to come to India due to the violence that ensued during the partition.

 

The impact of partition on the Sikh community.

 

The partition had a significant impact on the Sikh community, as they suffered the largest harm among all communities. However, the Sikhs managed to revive themselves in a short period of time.

When many Sikhs migrated from Pakistan, they became a majority in Punjab. This led to the revival of the idea of a separate Sikh state, but there were still many challenges to overcome. The Sikh community was unhappy about various issues, such as the nationalization of road transport, which had been a monopoly of Sikhs, and the preference given to Bengali refugees over Sikhs in the bus and taxi services in Kolkata.

The Sikh community was also disappointed with the reduced preference given to Sikhs in army selection, as Sikhs had a strong culture of serving in the military. The Punjabi Suba Movement was initiated to demand a separate state for Sikhs, and for a while, the government granted a separate state to them called Patiala and East Punjab State Union (PEPSU).

However, this was later taken back by the Congress party. In 1956, the Indian government introduced the State Reorganization Act, which divided states based on language. The Sikhs demanded a separate Punjab state, as Punjabi was the predominant language and script in the region, but their demand was rejected by the government. This rejection led to growing discontent among the Sikh community, which would eventually lead to the demand for Khalistan

The leader of the Akali Dal, Master Tara Singh, expressed his concern that the discrimination against Sikhs was becoming unbearable and that they would not tolerate it any longer, especially in Punjab where a few Sikhs and Hindus had engaged in small riots.

According to him, the only way to safeguard the Sikh religion was to establish a separate Sikh state. This led to the emergence of the Punjabi Suba movement, which gained momentum quickly. However, the government banned the use of "Punjabi Suba" as a slogan and arrested 12,000 Akalis in response. 

Click here to read part 2