The Khalistan movement has been spreading rapidly across the world, where the Sikh fanatics are demanding for a separate Sikh nation for the Sikhs in India. Referendums are being held by Sikh leaders in USA, New Zealand , Canada , Australia and UK, calling it the five eyes . Are these countries turning a blind eye to the Khalistan movement which is against India’s interest? . The Khalistan movement has a long history in India. The partition of India witnessed violent killings of the Sikhs , who were displaced from their place of origin. The 1966 state’s reorganization act divided the state of Punjab into three distinct provinces- namely Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, with Chandigarh as the common capital of Punjab and Haryana. But the demand for a separate Sikh state has been going on since a very long time in Indian politics.
The operation blue star under Indira Gandhi witnessed the killings of a lot of Sikh people, some of them were also Sikh terrorists. The Sikhs have always been adamant about their demand for a Sikh state to be carved out of the Indian Union .
The Sikh movement has been subdued in India over the years, but the current issue is about its escalation in foreign countries namely Canada, UK , USA , New Zealand and Australia, where the Sikh fanatics have been adamant about a separate Sikh state called Khalistan for the Sikhs in India. It’s not just about the referendum but also about pro Khalistan leaders instigating the Sikhs to initiate attacks against the Indian government, including a plot to assassinate the prime minister of India.
The movement of Sikhs in these countries is known as the Sikhs for justice campaign, which is led by a Sikh activist and lawyer named Gurpatwant Singh Pannun , who founded the campaign in 2009 and demanded for a conviction of those who were responsible for the massacre of Sikhs in the 1984 riots. The movement has now gained a lot of popularity in these countries and a referendum was held in New Zealand recently.
Why are countries like Canada turning a blind eye to the movement?
The movement has been going on in these countries for a long time, which is obviously against India’s interests. However what’s more troublesome is India’s strained relations with Canada as a result of this movement. We all know that the Trudeau Government accused the Indian government last year, for its involvement in the killing of a Khalistan activist in Canada , which has strained the diplomatic relations between the two countries. The Trudeau administration has been working very closely with the leaders of the Sikhs for justice which can be very detrimental for India’s interests in the future. Should everything be ignored under the garb of freedom of speech and expression?. It is not a hidden fact that the Sikhs for justice campaign has been violent in its approach. There have been reports of them engaging in murder and vandalism in India, so why isn’t Trudeau labeling it as a terrorist group ?. The problem here lies in the appeasement policies of politicians. The Sikhs are definitely an important vote bank for Justin Trudeau , which certainly restricts him from taking steps which go against the interests of the Sikhs . However, what he should also realize is that the sovereignty of another country is at stake. It’s surprising to see him turn such a blind eye to the Sikh movement even after threats were made to the people of his own administration in Canada.
What lies ahead?
The situation is quite tense as far as the relations between India and Canada are concerned. However, along with Canada its also the other four countries which are allowing these anti India activities to take place, which can be disastrous for India in the long run . The movement is now gaining a lot of momentum with the recent referendum that was held in New Zealand for a separate Sikh nation in India. A global attention is required to deal with the issue. More talks between India and these countries are crucial to come to a conclusion.
India’s sovereignty is definitely at stake, hence it becomes important for India to raise this issue in the global arena and come to a consensus with these countries. It is certainly not a wise thing to support a movement which is far from peaceful and is violative of India’s interests. How far can appeasement politics go?
