Khalistan Movement [UPSC Notes]

As of March 2023, the Punjab police are carrying out a massive manhunt for the Sikh separatist leader, Amritpal Singh – a radical preacher and pro-Khalistan leader. Amritpal Singh is a follower of the slain Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. He took the reigns of the “Waris Punjab De” (Heirs of Punjab) Organisation following the death of its founder, actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu who had advocated a religious approach to the farmers’ protests.

In this article, you will learn about the ‘Khalistan Movement’, its origins, impact and current status. This topic is important for the IAS exam internal security segment.

Khalistan Movement

The Khalistan movement is a Sikh separatist movement demanding a separate homeland for Sikhs by establishing a sovereign state called Khalistan (The land of the pure) in present-day Punjab (of both India and Pakistan).

• Over the years, the movement has survived in various forms, in various places and amongst different populations.
• The movement was suppressed and crushed in India followed by Operation Blue Star (1984) and Operation Black Thunder (1986 & 1988). However, the movement continues to get support from sections of the Sikh population especially the Sikh diaspora in Canada, Australia and the U.K.

Origin of the Khalistan Movement

Independence in 1947 and the partition of India brought a massive reorganisation of Punjab’s territorial boundaries.

• The capital of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s great Sikh Empire – Lahore went to Pakistan and so did the holy Sikh sites including Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.
• Sikhs are a minority in India and constitute about 2% of the total Indian population.
• In 1952, in the wake of India’s first general elections, the Akali Dal issued a memorandum pressing for establishing a culturally congruent Punjabi Speaking Suba. The States Reorganisation Commission, in its 1955 report rejected the demand but in 1966, the state of Punjab was reorganised to reflect the Punjabi Suba demand.
• With the 1966 Punjab State Reorganisation Bill, Punjab was trifurcated – Punjabi-speaking, Sikh majority Punjab (54% Sikh and 44% Hindus), the Hindi-speaking south broke off to form the state of Haryana and the Hindi-speaking northern region merged with neighbouring Himachal Pradesh.

Anandpur Sahib Resolution

In 1973, at a meeting in Anandpur Sahib, Punjab (the birthplace of the Khalsa), the Akali Dal which became a major force in the new Sikh majority Punjab, adopted a resolution containing both political and religious demands. The resolution is commonly referred to as the ‘Anandpur Sahib Resolution.’

• Among other things, the Anandpur Sahib Resolution demanded autonomy for the state of Punjab, identified regions that would be a part of a separate state and sought the right to frame its own internal constitution. 

Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale

Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was a charismatic leader who positioned himself as the ‘authentic voice’ of the Sikhs.

• He became the head of Damdami Taksal in 1977 and his emergence started after the Nirankari Sikh clash on April 13, 1978, in which 13 Sikhs were killed in Amritsar.
• By the 1980s, the appeal of Bhindranwale had grown so much that he started to become a problem for the government. He had a massive youth following. 
• In 1982, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was part of the ‘Dharam Yudh Morcha’ launched by Shiromani Akali Dal, headed by Sant Harchand Singh Longowal. This was to seek implementation of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution, a document calling for greater autonomy for the state within the Union of India. Bhindranwale set up a base inside the Golden Temple complex, with ammunition and his followers.
• Amidst growing religious polarisation and sectarian violence, Indira Gandhi’s government declared the movement tantamount to secession.

Operation Blue Star

Operation Blue Star was an Indian army operation that was conducted to remove separatists that were inside the Golden Temple at Amritsar.

• The Indian military stormed into the premises of the Golden Temple with the aim to drive out Bhindranwale and his armed followers.
• The operation was launched between June 1 & June 6, 1984, and resulted in the death of Bhindranwale and a high casualty figure among the army, the civilians and the militants.
• The assault on Golden Temple was highly criticised by Sikhs worldwide and led to several Sikhs resigning from administrative positions. 

Read more about it in the link – Operation Blue Star, 1984

Operation Blue Star Aftermath

The operation gravely wounded the sentiments of Sikhs all over the world and also galvanised the demand for ‘Khalistan.’

• On 31st October 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards. This triggered the worst communal violence since partition in which thousands of Sikhs were massacred in massive anti-Sikh street violence.
• Punjab became the hub of a long drawn-out insurgency that lasted till 1995. The movement was allegedly supported by Pakistan to cause unrest in India and it gradually became weak by the 1990s as the violence took its toll, the majority of the population turned against the movement and India headed towards economic liberalisation.

Khalistan Movement at Present

The deep-rooted anger over Operation Blue Star continues to resonate with some in the newer generation of Sikhs. 

• There is a small minority that is clinging to the past and that small minority remains significant not because of popular support but rather because they are trying to keep up their political influence with various political parties.
• The Khalistan movement lives on in some Sikh communities overseas and they are trying to revive it in India as well.
• During the anti-farm bills protests (2020), there was the alleged involvement of the banned pro-Khalistani group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). It is believed that the SFJ tried to use the protests and revive the Khalistan movement in India.

Khalistan Movement:- Download PDF Here