The Khalistan movement is a Sikh separatist movement aiming to establish an independent ethno-religious state called Khalistan in the Punjab region. Proposed boundaries differ, ranging from the Indian state of Punjab to larger claims encompassing Pakistani Punjab and parts of North India. The movement's core objective is to create a sovereign nation for Sikhs.
Canadian Hindu groups are reporting an increase in temple attacks and intimidation by pro-Khalistan extremists. Concerns are escalating regarding the safety of Hindu places of worship in Canada.
On 14 December 1920, Akali Dal, a Sikh political party was established that sought to form a government in Punjab.
In 1940, Master Tara Singh took up the proposal for an "independent Sikh nation" called Sikhistan. In the same year, V. S. Bhatti proposed a Sikh nation named 'Sikhistan' to be led by the Maharaja of Patiala, with a cabinet comprising representatives from various federating units.
In 1940, the first explicit call for Khalistan was made in a pamphlet titled "Khalistan".
In 1941, the Sikh population had gone as high as 19.8% in some Pakistani districts.
In 1943, The Akali Dal had previously supported Azad Punjab scheme.
In mid-1944, Sikhistan was proposed at the All-Parties Sikh Conference in Amritsar in response to the C. R. formula. It differed from the previously supported Azad Punjab scheme, demanding a separate Sikh state with a "Sikh complexion."
In March 1946, the Akali Dal passed a resolution proclaiming the natural association of Punjab and the Sikh religious community.
On March 22, 1946, the Akali Dal pressed the demand for Sikhistan to the Cabinet Mission. Another name used for the proposed Sikh country was Khalistan.
Before the 1947 partition of India, Sikhs were not in majority in any of the districts of pre-partition British Punjab Province other than Ludhiana.
Following the 1947 independence of India, the Punjabi Suba movement, led by the Akali Dal, sought the creation of a province for Punjabi people. The issues raised during the Punjabi Suba movement were later used as a premise for the creation of a separate Sikh country by proponents of Khalistan.
Following the Partition of India in 1947, a Sikh publication called 'The Liberator' advocated for Khalistan, proposing it should include East Punjab merged with the Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU).
In 1954, the Special Marriage Act of 1954 meant that a Sikh couple who would marry in accordance to the rites of their religion would have to register their union under it.
In 1955, the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 meant that a Sikh couple who would marry in accordance to the rites of their religion would have to register their union under it.
On 7 September 1966, the Punjab Reorganisation Act was passed in Parliament.
Beginning on November 1, 1966, the Punjab Reorganisation Act was implemented, dividing Punjab into Punjab and Haryana, with certain areas going to Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh becoming a Union territory.
In 1969, Indian politician Jagjit Singh Chohan moved to the United Kingdom to start his campaign for the creation of Khalistan.
In 1970, Davinder Singh Parmar and Jagjit Singh Chohan met and formally announced the Khalistan movement at a London press conference.
In 1970, the Khalistan movement is said to have been launched in West London.
On 13 October 1971, Jagjit Singh Chohan placed an advertisement in the New York Times proclaiming an independent Sikh state.
According to B. Raman, in 1971 the United States, in complicity with Pakistan's General Yahya Khan, initiated a plan to support an insurgency for Khalistan in Punjab.
Following the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Jagjit Singh Chohan visited Pakistan, using the opportunity to spread the notion of an independent Sikh state and introduce the international community to the demand for Khalistan.
In 1971, during talks with Jagjit Singh Chohan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto expressed support for the Khalistan movement as retaliation for the Indo-Pakistan war that led to the secession of Bangladesh from Pakistan.
Particularly after 1971, the notion of a sovereign and independent state of Khalistan began to get popularised among Sikhs in North America and Europe.
In 1972, the Akali Dal was defeated in the Punjab elections.
In 1973, to regain public appeal, the Akali Dal put forward the Anandpur Sahib Resolution to demand radical devolution of power and further autonomy to Punjab.
In 1976, G.B.S. Sidhu of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) was posted in Ottawa, Canada to look into the "Khalistan problem" among the Sikh diaspora.
In 1978, the Sikh-Nirankari clash marked the beginning of the insurgency in Punjab.
In 1979, Chohan travelled to Britain.
On 12 April 1980, Chohan established the Council of Khalistan, declaring its formation at Anandpur Sahib.
In May 1980, Jagjit Singh Chohan traveled to London to announce the formation of Khalistan, and Balbir Singh Sandhu made a similar announcement in Amritsar, releasing stamps and currency of Khalistan. Chohan, operating from "Khalistan House", named a Cabinet and declared himself president of the "Republic of Khalistan," issuing symbolic Khalistan 'passports,' 'postage stamps,' and 'Khalistan dollars.'
In April 1981, the first "International Convention of Sikhs" was held in New York, attended by approximately 200 delegates.
In 1981, the agency created seven posts in West Europe and North America to counter non-existent Khalistan activities.
In November 1982, Akali leader Harchand Singh Longowal announced that the party would disrupt the 9th annual Asian Games by sending Akali workers to Delhi to intentionally get arrested to protest the changes to the Dharam Yudh Morcha settlement.
According to the Mitrokhin Archive, in 1982, the Soviets used "Agent S" to provide disinformation to Indira Gandhi regarding Khalistan, falsely indicating Pakistani involvement to create religious disturbances.
In 1982, the Akali Dal and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale joined hands to launch the Dharam Yudh Morcha to implement the Anandpur Sahib Resolution.
In July 1983, Akali Dal President Harchand Singh Longowal invited Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale to take up residence at the Golden Temple complex. The government would later allege that Bhindranwale turned the temple into an armory and headquarters.
Following the murder of six Hindu bus passengers in October 1983, emergency rule was imposed in Punjab. This emergency rule would continue for more than a decade, marking a significant escalation in the government's response to the unrest.
After Rajiv Gandhi's visit to Moscow in 1983, the Soviets persuaded him that the US was engaged in secret support for the Sikhs.
In February 1984, the Akali Dal began agitating against Article 25, clause (2)(b), of the Indian Constitution. The Akali Dal protested the ambiguous explanation that references to Hindus include persons professing the Sikh, Jaina, or Buddhist religion.
Between 1 and 8 June 1984, Operation Blue Star, an Indian military operation ordered by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was initiated. Its purpose was to remove Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the Harmandir Sahib complex in Amritsar, Punjab, a sacred site in Sikhism.
In June 1984, The New York Times reported that Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi told Helmut Schmidt and Willy Brandt that the CIA was involved in causing unrest in Punjab. The Indian Express also quoted anonymous officials claiming the CIA "masterminded" a plan to support Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale by smuggling weapons through Pakistan, a claim the US embassy denied.
After 1984, Sikh organizations launched many fund-raising efforts to promote the Sikh version of "ethnonational history" and their relationship with the Indian state and to publicise a different image of Sikhs to the non-Sikh international community who regarded them as "terrorists".
Human Rights Watch reported that since 1984, government forces had resorted to widespread human rights violations to fight the militants, including: Arbitrary arrest and detention, indefinite detention without trial, torture, and summary executions of civilians and suspected militants.
In 1984, the military Operation Blue Star in the Golden Temple and the subsequent anti-Sikh riots were used by separatists to claim that the interests of Sikhs were not safe in India, fostering militancy and attracting financial and diplomatic support from the diaspora.
In 1984, the violence in Punjab dramatically escalated. During a six-month period alone, there were 775 violent incidents, resulting in 298 deaths and 525 injuries, highlighting the deteriorating security situation.
The Khalistani militant activities continued into the 1990s as the perpetrators of the 1984 riots remained uncaught.
On 23 June 1985, Air India Flight 182, operating on the Montreal-London-Delhi-Bombay route, was bombed mid-air off the coast of Ireland, killing 329 people. On the same day, a luggage bomb intended for Air India Flight 301 exploded at Narita International Airport in Tokyo, Japan, killing two baggage handlers.
Canadian journalist Kim Bolan has written extensively on Sikh extremism and, speaking at the Fraser Institute in 2007, reported that she still received death threats over her coverage of the 1985 Air India bombing.
In 1985, the Government of India sought a political solution to Sikh grievances through the Rajiv-Longowal Accord, concluded between Longowal and Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to resolve the Chandigarh issue and the river dispute.
On 29 April 1986, an assembly of separatist Sikhs at the Akal Takht made a declaration of an independent state of Khalistan, leading to a major insurgency against the Government of India and a decade of violence and conflict in Punjab.
In 1986, the Golden Temple was again occupied by militants belonging to the All India Sikh Students Federation and Damdami Taksal. On January 26, they passed a resolution in favor of the creation of Khalistan and appointed their own jathedar.
In November 2015, a Sarbat Khalsa reaffirmed the resolutions adopted by the Sarbat Khalsa in 1986, including the declaration of the sovereign state of Khalistan.
In April 1987, the third "International Convention of Sikhs" was held in Slough, Berkshire, where the Khalistan issue was addressed with the objective to "build unity in the Khalistan movement."
In 1987, the Lalru bus massacre near Lalru occurred as part of the Khalistani militant activities.
In the 1989 parliamentary elections, Sikh separatist representatives won 10 of Punjab's 13 national seats. These elections were then cancelled by the Indian National Congress.
On September 30, 1990, about 200 terrorists attacked Balwinder Singh's house in Bhikhiwind, Tarn Taran. The family fought back with police weapons, killing several terrorists and forcing the rest to flee.
In August 1991, Julio Ribeiro, the Indian ambassador to Romania, was attacked and wounded in Bucharest. Sikh groups claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of Liviu Radu, the Romanian chargé d'affaires in New Delhi, in retaliation for Romanian arrests of Khalistan Liberation Force members.
In October 1991, it was reported that violence had sharply increased in the months leading up to the kidnapping, with Indian security forces or Sikh militants killing 20 or more people per day.
In 1991, the Punjab killings in Ludhiana occurred as part of the Khalistani militant activities.
From 24 January 1993, Khalistan became a member of the NGO Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization.
Khalistan was a member of the NGO Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization from 24 January 1993 to 4 August 1993.
By 1993, most of the Sikh militant outfits involved in the Khalistan movement were crushed during counter-insurgency operations.
By the end of 1993, most of the separatist leadership was wiped out, and the moderates were suppressed.
In 1993, Khalistan was briefly admitted into the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO).
On 22 January 1995, Khalistan's membership to the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization was permanently suspended.
On 22 January 1995, the suspension of Khalistan's membership in the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), initially made in 1993, was made permanent.
On 24 January 1995, Tarsem Singh Purewal, editor of Britain's Punjabi-language weekly Des Pardes, was killed as he was closing his office in Southall, possibly related to Sikh extremism.
On 31 August 1995, Chief Minister Beant Singh was killed in a suicide bombing, for which the pro-Khalistan group Babbar Khalsa claimed responsibility, though some reports suggest the Khalistan Commando Force was responsible.
In 2024, A Globe and Mail report mentions that Hardeep Singh Nijjar had relations with the architects of the assassination of Punjab's chief minister Beant Singh in 1995.
A 1997 report by the US Department of State noted that although Sikh extremism had significantly decreased from 1992, Sikh militant cells were still active internationally and were gathering funds from overseas Sikh communities.
In 1997, the Shaheed Khalsa Force, a previously unknown group, claimed responsibility for marketplace bombings in New Delhi, but the group has not been heard of since.
On 18 November 1998, Canada-based Sikh journalist Tara Singh Hayer, publisher of the Indo-Canadian Times, was killed by suspected Khalistani militants after criticizing the bombing of Air India Flight 182.
In 1999, Kuldip Nayar wrote in an article titled "It is fundamentalism again" for Rediff.com, stating that the Sikh "masses" had rejected terrorists.
In 1999, Puri, Judge, and Sekhon suggested that some illiterate or under-educated young men joined pro-Khalistan militant groups primarily for "fun" due to a lack of job prospects, with only 5% motivated by the pursuit of Khalistan itself.
By 2001, Sikh extremism and the demand for Khalistan had largely subsided.
On 27 June 2002, the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) was added to the US Treasury Department's terrorism list.
By December 2002, Amnesty International alleged several cases of disappearances, torture, rape, and unlawful detentions by the police during the Punjab insurgency, for which 75–100 police officers had been convicted.
In 2003, Inderjit Singh Reyat, a Canadian national and member of the International Sikh Youth Federation, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for assembling the bombs that exploded on board Air India Flight 182 and at Narita International Airport.
A 2006 press release by the Embassy of the United States, New Delhi indicated that the Khalistan Commando Force was the organization responsible for the assassination of Chief Minister Beant Singh.
In 2006, an American court convicted Khalid Awan for "supporting terrorism" by providing money to Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) chief Paramjit Singh Panjwar, who was responsible for attacks against Indian civilians.
In September 2007, the Canadian Commission of Inquiry investigated reports that Lakhbir Singh Rode had masterminded the Air India Flight 182 bombing. However, the inquiries determined that Talwinder Singh Parmar was the mastermind.
Canadian journalist Kim Bolan, speaking at the Fraser Institute in 2007, reported that she still received death threats over her coverage of the 1985 Air India bombing.
In 2007, Simrat Dhillon noted that the Khalistan movement had lost popular support in India and within the Diaspora community, although some groups continued to fight for it.
In 2007, Terry Milewski reported in a documentary for the CBC that a minority within Canada's Sikh community was gaining political influence while supporting terrorist acts. The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) sued the CBC for defamation.
In February 2008, BBC Radio 4 reported that the Chief of the Punjab Police, NPS Aulakh, alleged that militant groups were receiving money from the British Sikh community. Babbar Khalsa was reportedly sending recruits to terrorist training camps in Pakistan.
In 2008, Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India, expressed his concern that there might be a resurgence of Sikh extremism.
In 2008, a CBC report stated that "a disturbing brand of extremist politics has surfaced" at some of the Vaisakhi and Vesak parades in Canada. Two leading Canadian Sikh politicians refused to attend the parade in Surrey, saying it was a glorification of terrorism.
In November 2015, a Sarbat Khalsa congregation of the Sikh community adopted 13 resolutions aimed at strengthening Sikh institutions and traditions in response to unrest in the Punjab region.
In 2015, the World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) unconditionally abandoned all claims in its lawsuit against the CBC, which had been filed in response to a 2007 documentary linking the organization to terrorism.
In 2017, Amarinder Singh refused to meet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling him a "Khalistani sympathiser".
In the 2017 Legislative Assembly election SAD(A) received 49,260 votes, which was 0.3% of the vote share.
On 22 February 2018, Justin Trudeau assured Amarinder Singh that Canada would not support the revival of the Khalistani separatist movement.
In 2020, a report by Canadian ex-journalist Terry Milewski criticized the Khalistan movement as driven by the Pakistani government and as a threat to Canadian interests.
In 2021, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) initiated an unofficial, non-binding referendum on creating a Khalistan state, encompassing Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and several districts of other Indian states. Referendums were held in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Italy, England, and the United States.
In February 2022, Deepak Punj, a Brampton radio host critical of the Khalistan movement, was attacked by three men who warned him against speaking about Deep Sidhu and Khalistan. The attackers used a gun and a beer bottle. Brampton's mayor condemned the attack, and police launched an investigation.
In June 2022, Simranjit Singh Mann, head of the SAD(A), won the Sangrur Lok Sabha by-election, receiving 35.61% of the vote share.
In August 2022, Amritpal Singh became the head of Waris Punjab De following Deep Sidhu's death. He advocated for Khalistan, religious austerities, and against drug use, while glorifying violence.
In January 2023, during a Khalistan referendum vote in Melbourne, clashes erupted between Khalistan supporters and pro-India demonstrators, resulting in injuries and arrests. Flag poles were used as weapons, and Australia's High Commissioner to India condemned the violence.
In March 2023, following the Indian police's search for Amritpal Singh, numerous protests occurred, particularly among diaspora Sikhs. These protests involved violent attacks on Indian consulates and officials, including an attempted arson in San Francisco and assaults on journalists.
On 18 March 2023, Indian authorities initiated a crackdown on Waris Punjab De, alleging their involvement in attempted murder and spreading disharmony. A manhunt for Amritpal Singh, ensued.
On 23 April 2023, Amritpal Singh, who had been evading police capture for 35 days, was finally arrested.
On 2 July 2023, Khalistani supporters set the Indian consulate in San Francisco on fire, an act promptly suppressed by the fire department. The incident was condemned and believed to be retaliation for the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
In September 2023, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent advocate of the Khalistan movement, leading to a diplomatic row.
In November 2023, an Indian government employee was the target of an indictment in New York for their alleged role in a plot by the Indian government to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a spokesperson for the pro-Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice.
In October 2024, Rishi Nagar, a Canadian radio host, was assaulted after reporting on a firearms incident at a Sikh temple in Calgary. Nagar attributed the attack to Khalistani elements, and police condemned the assault on a member of the media.
In November 2024, Khalistani demonstrators attacked people outside the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton. Politicians condemned the violence, and an off-duty police sergeant was suspended for participating in the protest. Sikhs for Justice protested a visit by the Indian consulate, alleging espionage, and their coordinator Inderjeet Singh Gosal was arrested for assault with a weapon.
As of 2024, Amritpal Singh, an incarcerated pro-Khalistan activist, and Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, the son of Indira Gandhi's assassin, held two seats in the Indian Parliament.
In 2024, Edward T.G. Anderson's book, Hindu Nationalism in the Indian Diaspora, was published by Oxford University Press.
In the 2024 Indian general election in Punjab, two MP candidates associated with the Khalistan movement, Amritpal Singh and Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, won in their respective constituencies and were elected as Indian Members of Parliament.
Simranjit Singh Mann went on to lose the 2024 Sangrur Lok Sabha election, receiving 18.55% of the vote.
Justin Trudeau served as the rd Prime Minister of Canada...
The United States of America is a federal republic located...
India officially the Republic of India is a South Asian...
San Francisco is a major commercial financial and cultural hub...
The Boeing Company is a multinational corporation and one of...
Japan is an East Asian island country located in the...
54 minutes ago Javier Reyes: Latin leadership in education, EXATEC award, and UFC debut.
54 minutes ago UN Addresses Iran Strikes: International Condemnation and Emergency Security Council Meeting.
54 minutes ago Shane van Gisbergen Dominates COTA, Winning First NASCAR Road Course Race of the Season.
54 minutes ago Aruba Hotel Achieves Dual Perfect Green Globe Scores, Promotes Sustainable Tourism Initiatives
55 minutes ago Regina Tarin makes short-notice UFC debut after Montenegro's withdrawal in Mexico City.
2 hours ago Cerundolo triumphs over Hanfmann in Santiago, secures 150th career win milestone.
Jesse Jackson is an American civil rights activist politician and...
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is a prominent American politician lawyer...
XXXTentacion born Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy was a controversial yet...
Michael Joseph Jackson the King of Pop was a highly...
Kashyap Pramod Patel is an American lawyer who became the...
Barack Obama the th U S President - was the...