Revival of Khalistan Movement

On August 12^th pro-Khalistan forces met at Trafalgar Square, London to back non-binding referendum-2020. The event organised by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) bolstered the idea is working towards garnering support of Sikhs living across 20 countries to “liberate Punjab from Indian occupation”. The website created under the same name recommends employing two radical methods for self determination or independence. First one being, “unilaterally declaring independence from India” or secession from the parent country unilaterally and secondly “dissolution of India as a nation state resulting in the creation of several small states”. Legally, it is exploring doctrines like Montevideo Convection applicable to Israel and Uti Possidetis Juris of Kosovo for gaining international recognition and seeking justification for the movement. Besides, it has charted out various options to explore the possibility of carving out a new state for Sikhs.

Essentially, the organisation is weighing all options like the internal and external self-determination. Effectively, building a strong case for self-determination, the organisation invoked the “1984 Sikh genocide during which over 30,000 people were systematically exterminated the period of three days. This includes the systematic campaign of terrorism unleashed by the Indian state through its paramilitary forces and police during the period of 1984 and 1996”.  Besides it argues as per the definition of Supreme Court of Canada, internal self-determination is “a people’s pursuit of its political, economic, social and cultural development within the frame work of existing state” is acceptable. While the call for self-determination is grievous distraction for the integrity of sovereign country, the second option of advocating “disintegration” of India is deeply disturbing and dangerous. Drawing parallels to the dissolution of Yugoslavia into smaller countries like Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo, the organisation hasn’t shirked away from mooting such a fate for India. It is presaging spurt of such independence movements within India by various states living harmoniously under the Indian flag. By brazenly encouraging separate state demands, it is suggesting that by collectively working towards independence from Indian states can aspire to get Universal acceptance as well.

It doesn’t take a rocket science to decipher that this dangerous ideation is implanted by Pakistani Islamists who repeatedly invoke Ghawza-e-Hind, referenced in Hadees (sayings of Mohammed Prophet) a final Jihad to completely invade India. Given the robust Military-Masjid nexus in Pakistan the doctrine has become cornerstone for Rawalpindi’s policy towards India. But Pakistan’s jihadist ideology of conquering India suffered a massive setback after its humiliating defeat in 1970 Indo-Bangladesh war and surrender of 93,000 Pakistani soldiers. Taken, aback by this utter loss of face in conventional warfare against India, General Zia-ul-Haq championed a new doctrine of “bleeding India by thousand cuts”. Ever since, Pakistan began to wage proxy war against India by cultivating terrorists, its prized strategic assets. Pakistan began to perpetrate insurgency in Kashmir and Punjab, the border states of India. In the process touched raw nerve of Sikhs who silently aspired for an independent homeland Khalistan (Land of the Pure) comprising regions ruled by earlier Sikh rulers.

The idea of separate homeland for Sikhs can be traced to Divide and Rule policy of British who midwifed Pakistan based on religion from India. Days after passage of Lahore Resolution, Dr. Vir Singh Bhatti who coined the term Khalistan overwhelmed by concerns of Sikhs who might be left homeless between the Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan fervently desired for a designated land for Sikhs. His imagined theocratic state would include the current state of Punjab, regions in Pakistani Punjab including Lahore, Shimla Hills to be reigned by Maharaja of Patiala. But by early 1940’s Sikhs weren’t the dominant majority in Punjab. Soon, Sikhs called for territorialisation of Sikhs and Akali Dal passed a resolution to this effect in 1946. But tormented by the brutal partition and unprecedented bloodshed Indian government rejected the demand for yet another religion-based partition.  

Instead in 1966, government of India under the Punjab State Reorganisation Act approved creation of Punjab on linguistic basis. Punjab province was trifurcated into Punjab, Haryana and transferred certain regions to Himachal Pradesh. But the staunch advocates of Khalistan movement who remained dissatisfied to the core having moved out of India began to popularise the demand for an independent Khalistan.  Akali Dal party having lost elections, to position itself as leader of Sikh politics passed Anandpur Sahib resolution in 1973 for autonomy of Punjab. Around the same time, Jagjit Singh Chouhan who espoused the idea of Khalistan having moved to UK relaunched the movement and raised Khalistan flag at Birmingham. He started the Khalistan National Council giving a massive boost to regrouping of Sikhs. Pakistan-backed Chauhan declared his intention to run a parallel Sikh Home Rule from Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, the birth place of Guru Nanak Dev and released albums, stamps of Khalistan Movement.

Influenced by Anand Sahib resolution Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale spurred dormant Khalistan movement and favoured Khalsa movement or orthodox Sikhism, instigated Sikhs to kill Hindus. He was instrumental in killing of Lala Jagat Narain founder of Hindu Samachar for criticising Bhindranwale. Bhindranwale’s secessionist ideas resonated well with small and marginal farmers majority of them who were affiliated to All India Sikh Student Federation (AISSF) leading to emergence of militant Sikh cult. Bhindrawale’s militancy received a shot in arm after Congress extended support to him to counter the growing influence of Akali Dal in Punjab. Indeed, in early 1980s both Bhindranwale and Harcharan Singh Longowal, President of Akali Dal unequivocally demanded for a separate state and launched Dharma Yudh Morcha. They eventually set up respective camps in the Golden temple. Under political duress of being labelled as separatist party, Akali Dal retreated from the Golden temple. To evacuate Bhindranwale and his supporters who stashed armoury and weapons, Congress launched the Operation Blue Star to crush the secessionist movement. Sikhs later heavily criticised Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for excess use of force that led to heavy loss of life. Antagonised Sikh avenged Blue Star by assassinating Indira Gandhi. This triggered mass killings of ordinary Sikhs Delhi and other cities. The inhuman wave of killings intensified a sense of alienation among Sikh Diaspora who have migrated to Canada and other Western countries. Secessionists eventually capitalised on this anger and alienation. Canada become hub of Sikh extremism. Sikh separatists in Canada planted two bombs in Air India flights. While one exploded in Tokyo airport killing the luggage handlers, the other one exploded mid-air over Atlantic killing all the 329 passengers on board. After the Kanishka bomb blast Sikh separatism received international attention. Barbaric killings of innocent citizens in bomb explosions created fissures in Khalistan movement with people opposing violent activities leaving the groups. Meanwhile, rampant killings, rapes, massacres became a regular affair in Punjab. Chief Minister of Punjab Beant Singh with the help of K.P.S. Gill crackdown the violence with iron hand and restored normalcy by 1993.

In late 1970’s General Haq started according special hospitality to Sikhs pilgrims to Pakistan and even met them. Sikh rebels who are banned entry into India after the Operation Blue star established firm relations with political leaders. Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) financed and organised training camps for Khalistan organisations like Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) founded by Talwinder Singh Parmar and International Sikh Youth Foundation (ISYF). Though Pakistan refutes charges of involvement in Khalistan movement levelled by India, in an interview, Lt Gen. Hamid Gul, former of Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) admitted having sold weapons to Sikh separatists. Ever since, Pakistan’s involvement in Khalistan Movement there has been a sharp surge in Sikh militancy. After India signed friendship treaty with Russia, irked by India’s growing closeness to Russia, US and UK sought to use the Sikh-card to foment trouble, turned blind eye to rising secessionist activities in their countries that fuelled anti-India sentiments. Post-cold war west’s interest in Khalistan movement totally subsided. But Pakistan whose “national ideology is nothing except anti-Indianism” hasn’t refrained from plotting and reviving the Khalistan movement. ISI blatantly supported Khalistan movement to turn away India’s attention from Pakistani fomented insurgency in Kashmir. Since shutdown of Punjab will close supply lines to Kashmir, Kashmiri insurgents can intensify anti-India attacks. Kashmir is the real target of Pakistan and ISI used every dirty trick to separate Kashmir from India.

After ruthless combing operations against separatist organisations in Punjab, the top brass of BKl, Khalistan Zindabad Force moved to Pakistan. Some settled in Canada, US and other Western countries. India cognizant of ISI tacit support to Khalistan leaders post Mumbai attacks, submitted a dossier containing the list of five separatists, sheltered in Pakistan, prominent among them Lakbir Singh Rode of ISYF operating from Lahore. These pro-Khalistan groups developed strong relations with Islamists and anti-India forces. ISI has been playing a phenomenal role in creating a common front between the Khalistan forces and Kashmiri jihadi groups. This camaraderie was on display when leaders from both groups carried out protests during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to UK this March and earlier in 2015.

By mid-1990s ISYF is reported to have interacted with Salafist parent body of LeT, Markaze-Dawat-Wal-Irshad and subsequently strengthened ties with LeT. ISYF and LeT have set up joint office outside Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. While there is brief respite in Sikh militancy after 1993 when India banned most of the Khalistan groups like the ISFY, Khalistan Commando Force, Khalistan Liberation Force, BKI, Khalistan Zindabad Force, Bhindranwale Tiger Force all these groups thrived in Pakistan with support of ISI and Sikh Diaspora. Since 2007, there has been slow revival of this militancy with Punjab experiencing spurt in kidnappings, bombings, abductions and sectarian clashes. Emulating the pattern of 1970s when separatist forces incited anti-India passions among the scores of unemployed Sikhs migrated to Western lands, ISI used unemployed Punjabi youth to launch attacks in India. ISI in collusion with Khalistan forces began peddling drugs, arms, weapons into Punjab. Separatist forces strongly believed secession of Punjab from India can alone render true justice for “Operation Blue Star”. Though Police have foiled multiple attempts of these groups in 2010 to kill politicians, the movement hasn’t died down completely. Khalistan Tiger Force Chief Jagat Singh Tara who was arrested in Thailand in January 2015 confirmed the role of ISI in assassination of Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and revealed the details of a syndicate operating in Thailand.

Sikh militants have set up modules in US, UK, Thailand, Italy, Canada and Germany with the help of ISI. Fresh details about the revival of the Khalistan movement emerged after police busted a module in Punjab carrying out the Referendum 2020 campaign on social media and even planning to arrange meeting between like-minded people during IPL matches. NIA investigations of killing of RSS Worker, Christian Priest Father Sultan Masih in 2017 besides five other murders in 2017 and 2016 indicate that they were planned in Pakistan, funded by groups in Canada, Italy and UK. Militant groups engaged some local youth to murder Hindu leaders to create unrest and destabilise states law and order situation.

Though the impact of the pro-Khalistan forces in London was effectively drowned by loud drums and display of solidarity of Pro-India groups, the message is loud and clear. A popular observation of Pakistan is “weaker it gets, stronger it will adopt to Islamic vocabulary”. Facing tough scrutiny from FATF and unsure of financial relief from IMF, Pakistan is bound to intensify its nefarious activities against India. Worryingly, UK is steadily becoming a hot bed for anti-Indian activities with Pakistan Diaspora increasingly emerging as the most influential group in the UK parliament. Over years ISI funded think-tanks Justice Foundation and Kashmir American Council have escalated Kashmir issue in British Parliament and managed to influence Pakistani-Origin politicians in British Parliament. Telegraph has carried out an article titled, “Pakistani spies in the house of parliament” condemning Baroness Sayeeda Warsi for attending the conferences hosted by the Justice Foundation. In the snap elections of 2017 to UK parliament, 12 Pakistani Origin members, nine from Labour party and three of conservative party got elected. After Sadiq Khan’s win in the London mayoral elections and Sajid Javid’s appointment as the home secretary after the resignation of Amber Rudd Pakistani influence in UK received a big boost. It is no brainer that Pakistani origin parliamentarians will not be reluctant to be part of ISI’s game-plan. More over a call for balkanising India and splitting Kashmir, Punjab and Nagaland by legislator Lord Nazir Ahmed at the pro-Khalistan and anti-India protests suffice to say Pakistani leaders buy ISI’s anti-Indianism. Aside the support from leftist Green Party of UK, Pakistani Labour party MP has openly sympathised with the demand of Khalistanis.

Sikhs for Justice (SFY), campaigning for referendum 2020 initiated in Canada worked hand-in-glove with ISI handler Lt Colonel Shahid Mehmood Malhi known as Chaudary Sahib who launched “Operation Express” on June 6^th spearheading protests in London. Indeed, even Referendum2020 website is operated and developed from Pakistan. August 12^th London Declaration is managed by Paramjit Singh Pamma, member of banned BKI is wanted for Pro-Khalistan activities. Indian government requested British government to ban the demonstration. UK has turned down India's request indicating that every group has right to protest. At this juncture, it is imperative to understand Pakistani Muslim community is steadily gaining strength in UK. Over the years, a formidable alliance is shaping up between the Islamists and Liberals in UK. Labour Party which is on a rise in Britain practically squashed the threats of rising radicalism, rapid proliferation of mosques, subsequent increase in indoctrination campaigns and growing threat of grooming gangs across the UK at its own peril. Despite the reports of UK turning to be a hub of radical Islam, Britain seems to have turned deaf ear to it. Emboldened by UK's inaction, Pakistan is now intensifying anti-Indian activities in UK as well with its proxies and cohorts. While the pro-Khalistan is just a mere beginning, it is a subtle warning. India must now intensify its intelligence and under-cover operations to unearth clandestine activities of ISI agents of Pakistan. Besides, it is time India walks its talk on Baluchistan and prepares ground for unravelling Pakistan.

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