89-578: The Khalistan Liberation Force ( KLF ) is a Khalistani militant organisation operating in the Punjab with prominent members based in Canada, United Kingdom and Pakistan. Its objective is the creation of a sovereign Sikh nation‐state of Khalistan through armed struggle. It is responsible for numerous assassinations, abductions, and military engagements with the Indian Armed Forces during
178-623: A New York Times article written just a few weeks after the operation, "Before the raid on the Golden Temple, neither the Government nor anyone else appeared to put much credence in the Khalistan movement. Mr. Bhindranwale himself said many times that he was not seeking an independent country for Sikhs, merely greater autonomy for Punjab within the Indian Union.... One possible explanation advanced for
267-454: A public address system , the Army repeatedly demanded the militants to surrender, asking them to at least allow pilgrims to leave the temple premises before commencing battle. Nothing happened until 7:00 pm ( IST ). The Army, equipped with tanks and heavy artillery , had grossly underestimated the firepower possessed by the militants, who attacked with anti-tank and machine-gun fire from
356-483: A "life of perpetual slavery". In December 2009, Dera and its volunteers took a step towards reducing sex trafficking in the country and also preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS virus, by giving consent for marriage with adult sex workers and to "help them escape their dreary existence". In January 2010, a mass marriage ceremony for former sex workers took place in Sirsa . Dera Sacha Sauda's 400-bed multi-specialty hospital
445-478: A 2-day notice from police to surrender weapons, DSS members turned in 67 firearms, almost half of which were licensed. Police confiscated 33 of the weapons. The Dera's teachings emphasise the recitation of sacred words and the achievement of transcendence. The devotees are asked to practice alcohol abstinence, vegetarianism, marital fidelity, and truth. They are also asked to abstain from ritualism and from making monetary religious donations (see Funding ). During
534-507: A Cabinet and declared himself president of the "Republic of Khalistan," issuing symbolic Khalistan 'passports,' 'postage stamps,' and 'Khalistan dollars.' Moreover, embassies in Britain and other European countries were opened by Chohan. It is reported that, with the support of a wealthy Californian peach magnate, Chohan opened an Ecuadorian bank account to further support his operation. As well as maintaining contacts among various groups in Canada,
623-673: A DSS defector seeking refuge in Austria had sent a complaint to the Austrian government regarding the wrongdoings of the Dera. However, the complaint was rejected. Its leader, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, was accused of murder and convicted of rape by an Indian court. On 25 August 2017, a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Panchkula, Haryana, found him guilty of sexually assaulting two Dera sadhvis (female followers), one of whom had written to
712-547: A London press conference, though being largely dismissed by the community as fanatical fringe without any support. Following the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 , Chohan visited Pakistan as a guest of such leaders as Chaudhuri Zahoor Elahi . Visiting Nankana Sahib and several historical gurdwaras in Pakistan, Chohan utilized the opportunity to spread the notion of an independent Sikh state. Widely publicized by Pakistani press,
801-644: A Muslim state, the Akalis viewed it as an attempt to usurp a historically Sikh territory. In response, the Sikh party Shiromani Akali Dal argued for a community that was separate from Hindus and Muslims. The Akali Dal imagined Khalistan as a theocratic state led by the Maharaja of Patiala with the aid of a cabinet consisting of the representatives of other units. The country would include parts of present-day Punjab, India , present-day Punjab, Pakistan (including Lahore ), and
890-452: A centre for religious learning. After Baba Sawan Singh, the movement split into four groups, one of them led by Mastana Balochistani. After the death of Mastana Balochistani, his movement was split into three groups, with Shah Satnam Singh Ji also known as Param Pita Ji leading the Sirsa group, who then selected Gurmeet Ram Rahim to be his successor. Dera Sacha Sauda's main centre is situated in
979-473: A minority in the Punjab province of India, which remained a Hindu-majority province. Sikh historian Harjot Singh Oberoi argues that, despite the historical linkages between Sikhs and Punjab, territory has never been a major element of Sikh self-definition. He makes the case that the attachment of Punjab with Sikhism is a recent phenomenon, stemming from the 1940s. Historically, Sikhism has been pan-Indian, with
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#17330846215241068-501: A mountain of a molehill where none existed," that the agency created seven posts in West Europe and North America in 1981 to counter non-existent Khalistan activities, and that the deployed officers were "not always familiar with the Sikhs or the Punjab issue." He described the secessionist movement as a "chimera" until the army operation, after which the insurgency would start. According to
1157-460: A reference to persons professing the Sikh, Jaina , or Buddhist religion," while also implicitly recognizing Sikhism as a separate religion: "the wearing and carrying of kripans [ sic ] shall be deemed to be included in the profession of the Sikh religion." Even today, this clause is deemed offensive by many religious minorities in India due to its failure to recognise such religions separately under
1246-493: A result of Khalistani violence and riots. As negotiations held with Bhindranwale and his supporters proved unsuccessful, Indira Gandhi ordered the Indian Army to launch Operation Blue Star. Along with the Army, the operation would involve Central Reserve Police Force , Border Security Force , and Punjab Police . Army units led by Lt. Gen. Kuldip Singh Brar (a Sikh), surrounded the temple complex on 3 June 1984. Just before
1335-593: A state based on religious grounds. On 7 September 1966, the Punjab Reorganisation Act was passed in Parliament, implemented with effect beginning 1 November 1966. Accordingly, Punjab was divided into the state of Punjab and Haryana , with certain areas to Himachal Pradesh . Chandigarh was made a centrally administered Union territory . While the Union Government led by Indira Gandhi agreed with
1424-421: A supermarket, Canteens, a biscuit factory, a restaurant, etc. These businesses, managed by its "sadhus," are said to be for the benefit of its devotees. Dera Sacha Sauda is the only among the various Dera s, which openly asks its supporters to vote for particular political parties. The previous Congress government enjoyed the organisation's support and it reciprocated by providing a Z-plus security cover for
1513-487: A team of volunteers and doctors provided medical care to people, distributed food packets and conducted rescue missions. The area of Deoli-Brahmgram village which was called a 'village of widows' after the floods are still facing issues of hardship, the life of widows at a standstill. Anti-prostitution initiatives began in November 2009, when Singh called on his followers to counter prostitution, and to help sex-workers escape
1602-465: Is a controversial figure in India and has been convicted for murder and rape. On 25 August 2017, a special CBI court in the city of Panchkula , Haryana, found him guilty of raping two Dera sadhvis (female followers). Subsequently, the special CBI court sentenced Singh for a period of 20-year prison term on 28 August 2017. In January 2019, Singh was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapatti . In October 2021, he
1691-545: Is provided by the Khalistan Council which had moorings in West London , where the Khalistan movement is said to have been launched in 1970. Davinder Singh Parmar migrated to London in 1954. According to Parmar, his first pro-Khalistan meeting was attended by less than 20 people and he was labelled as a madman, receiving only one person's support. Parmar continued his efforts despite the lack of following, eventually raising
1780-866: The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 . The Akalis demanded replacement of such rules with laws specific to Sikhism . Operation Blue Star was an Indian military operation ordered by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi , between 1 and 8 June 1984, to remove militant religious leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the buildings of the Harmandir Sahib complex (aka the Golden Temple) in Amritsar , Punjab – the most sacred site in Sikhism. In July 1983, Akali Dal President Harchand Singh Longowal had invited Bhindranwale to take up residence at
1869-550: The satsang gatherings, the Guru of the Dera sits beneath Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and Christian symbols organised in a way that depicts him as the union of these religions. All the Dera Sacha Sauda Gurus have come from Sikh backgrounds, and the organisation has several Sikh adherents. However, the vast majority of its supporters are working-class and middle-class Hindus from the rural areas of Haryana and Rajasthan. In 2009,
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#17330846215241958-546: The Council of Khalistan , declaring its formation at Anandpur Sahib on 12 April 1980. Chohan designated himself as President of the Council and Balbir Singh Sandhu as its Secretary General. In May 1980, Chohan travelled to London to announce the formation of Khalistan. A similar announcement was made in Amritsar by Sandhu, who released stamps and currency of Khalistan. Operating from a building termed "Khalistan House", Chohan named
2047-602: The Guru Granth Sahib (the main scripture of Sikhism) drawing from works of saints in both North and South India, while several major seats in Sikhism (e.g. Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, Takht Sri Patna Sahib in Bihar , and Hazur Sahib in Maharashtra ) are located outside of Punjab. Oberoi makes the case that Sikh leaders in the late 1930s and 1940s realized that the dominance of Muslims in Pakistan and of Hindus in India
2136-566: The INC party, responded by sealing the Delhi-Punjab border, and ordering all Sikh visitors travelling from to Delhi from Punjab to be frisked. While such measures were seen as discriminatory and humiliating by Sikhs, they proved effective as Akali Dal could only organize small and scattered protests in Delhi. Consequently, many Sikhs who did not initially support Akalis and Bhindranwale began sympathizing with
2225-682: The Insurgency in Punjab . The KLF is also listed as a designated terrorist group by India . The KLF was responsible for several bombings of military targets in India during the 1980s and 1990s, sometimes in conjunction with Kashmir separatists. KLF was among the Sikh groups that claimed responsibility for the 1991 abduction of the Romanian chargé d'affaires in New Delhi, Liviu Radu. This appeared to be retaliation for Romanian arrests of KLF members suspected of
2314-577: The Khalsa Sikhs and the followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda over the Dera leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's appearance in a newspaper advertisement. Sikhs alleged that he had impersonated their Guru Gobind Singh , thus insulting their faith. At least one person died in these clashes; several more were injured. The news media described the violence as the most serious since the Sikh–Nirankari clashes of
2403-516: The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), the foreign-intelligence agency of India, R&AW itself helped "build the Khalistan legend," actively participating in the planning of Operation Blue Star . While posted in Ottawa , Canada in 1976 to look into the "Khalistan problem" among the Sikh diaspora, Sidhu found "nothing amiss" during the three years he was there, stating that "Delhi was unnecessarily making
2492-530: The Simla Hill States . 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 (where Sikhs formed 41.6% of the population). Rather, districts in the region had a majority of either the Hindus or Muslims depending on its location in the province. British India was partitioned on a religious basis in 1947, where
2581-615: The UK . Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) is currently the only pro-Khalistan party recognised by the Election Commission of India . As of 2024, two seats in the Indian Parliament are held by Amritpal Singh , an incarcerated pro-Khalistan activist, and Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa , who is the son of the assassin of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Sikhs have been concentrated in the Punjab region of South Asia . Before its conquest by
2670-526: The 1970s and the separatist insurgency of the 1980s. The Akal Takht of the Sikhs demanded closure of all the Deras in Punjab, and asked its followers to organise protest marches and bandhs . Ultimately, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh issued an apology. However, this apology was rejected by the Akal Takht. The marches and boycotts against the Dera continued, until the situation subsided after several weeks. In 2008,
2759-531: The Akali Dal and the government failed at the last moment due to disagreements regarding the transfer of areas between Punjab and Haryana. Knowing that the Games would receive extensive coverage, Akali leaders vowed to overwhelm Delhi with a flood of protestors, aiming to heighten the perception of Sikh "plight" among the international audience. A week before the Games, Bhajan Lal , Chief Minister of Haryana and member of
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2848-576: The Akali Morcha. Following the conclusion of the Games, Longowal organised a convention of Sikh veterans at the Darbar Sahib . It was attended by a large number of Sikh ex-servicemen, including retd. Major General Shabeg Singh who subsequently became Bhindranwale's military advisor. Widespread murders by followers of Bhindranwale occurred in 1980s' Punjab. Armed Khalistani militants of this period described themselves as kharku . On its own,
2937-825: The British, the region around Punjab had been ruled by the confederacy of Sikh Misls . The Misls ruled over the eastern Punjab from 1733 to 1799, until their confederacy was unified into the Sikh Empire by Maharajah Ranjit Singh from 1799 to 1849. At the end of the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849, the Sikh Empire was dissolved into separate princely states and the British province of Punjab . In newly conquered regions, "religio-nationalist movements emerged in response to British ' divide and rule ' administrative policies,
3026-486: The Dera Sacha Sauda claimed to have over a million devotees. It had 38 ashram s, most of them in northern India. The word "Dera" is similar connotations to " ashram ", while the word "Sacha Sauda" means "true deal"—a reference to the claim that the organisation does not accept monetary gifts from its devotees. The Dera Sacha Sauda claims to be autarkic : it owns extensive lands in Haryana, Punjab and other states; and operates
3115-494: The Dera broke its own record during the mortuary ceremony of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's father. This time it attracted 17,921 donors, and collected 12,002,450 ml units of blood in a single day. This was recognised by the Guinness World Records as the largest ever amount of blood collected on a single day. The official publication of Dera Sacha Sauda claims that the world record was created by "sheer chance", thus denying
3204-585: The Dharam Yudh Morcha in order to implement the resolution. Thousands of people joined the movement, feeling that it represented a real solution to such demands as larger shares of water for irrigation and the return of Chandigarh to Punjab. According to the 'events outside India' narrative, particularly after 1971, the notion of a sovereign and independent state of Khalistan began to get popularized among Sikhs in North America and Europe . One such account
3293-583: The Government choose not to take action. Finally, following the murder of six Hindu bus passengers in October 1983, emergency rule was imposed in Punjab, which would continue for more than a decade. The Akali Dal began more agitation in February 1984, protesting against Article 25, clause (2)(b), of the Indian Constitution , which ambiguously explains that "the reference to Hindus shall be construed as including
3382-465: The Government's raising of the Khalistan question is that it needs to take every opportunity to justify the killing in Amritsar and the invasion of the Sikhs' holiest shrine." Khushwant Singh had written that "considerable Khalistan sentiment seems to have arisen since the raid on the temple, which many Sikhs, if not most, have taken as a deep offense to their religion and their sensibilities," referring to
3471-483: The KLF passed to Dr. Pritam Singh Sekhon. Following Sekhon's death in 1999, the organization remained a leaderless group, presumed dead, though small activities occurred under its name, heading into the 21st century. This organization was regrouped in 2008 under the leadership of Harminder Singh Nihang after the occurrence of many "Anti-Sikh" incidents in the Punjab state by Dera Sacha Sauda . Harminder Singh Nihang remained as
3560-696: The Khalistan Liberation Force as a banned organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The KLF organisation ( Jathebandi ) was founded by Aroor Singh and Sukhvinder Singh Babbar in 1986. Other KLF leaders who headed KLF after Aroor Singh were Avtar Singh Brahma (killed by Punjab police 22 July 1988), Gurjant Singh Budhsinghwala (Killed by Indian security forces on 29 July 1992), Navroop Singh (killed by Punjab police on 4 August 1992), and Navneet Singh Khadian (killed 25 Feb 1994). After Navneet Singh Kadian's death, command of
3649-404: The Khalistan movement in retaliation for the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war , which resulted in the secession of Bangladesh from Pakistan. The separatist insurgency in Punjab started in the early 1980s. Several Khalistani groups were involved in the armed insurgency, including Babbar Khalsa and Khalistan Commando Force , among others. In 1986, Khalistan Commando Force took responsibility for
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3738-630: The Khalistani flag in Birmingham in the 1970s. In 1969, two years after losing the Punjab Assembly elections, Indian politician Jagjit Singh Chohan moved to the United Kingdom to start his campaign for the creation of Khalistan. Chohan's proposal included Punjab, Himachal, Haryana, as well as some parts of Rajasthan . Parmar and Chohan met in 1970 and formally announced the Khalistan movement at
3827-446: The Punjab conflict tied down our troops, and threatened our logistical lines into Jammu and Kashmir." The KLF was listed in 1995 one of the 4 "major militant groups" in the Khalistan movement. India, in the 1995 era, alleged that Pakistan provided Sikh militants with shelter and support. The separatist movement was largely crushed in the mid-1990s. In 1999 it was reported that former KLF operative Manjinder Singh Issi, who took part in
3916-500: The Punjab province was divided between India and the newly created Pakistan. As result, a majority of Sikhs, along with the Hindus, migrated from the Pakistani region to India's Punjab, which included present-day Haryana and Himachal Pradesh . The Sikh population, which had gone as high as 19.8% in some Pakistani districts in 1941, dropped to 0.1% in Pakistan, and rose sharply in the districts assigned to India. However, they would still be
4005-460: The Punjab. Established on 14 December 1920, Akali Dal was a Sikh political party that sought to form a government in Punjab. Following the 1947 independence of India, the Punjabi Suba movement , led by the Akali Dal, sought the creation of a province ( suba ) for Punjabi people . The Akali Dal's maximal position of demands was a sovereign state (i.e. Khalistan), while its minimal position
4094-505: The Radu kidnapping, became disillusioned with KLF when he realized that its Pakistani supporters were more interested in disruptive violence in Punjab than Sikh autonomy. Arrests still occur as of 2023. The KLF was the primary fighting force of Khalistan movement in the 1980s and 1990s. It was responsible for assassinations, abductions and military engagements with the Indian Forces. Based on
4183-498: The Sikh population. There is some support within India and the Sikh diaspora, with yearly demonstrations in protest of those killed during Operation Blue Star . In early 2018, some militant groups were arrested by police in Punjab, India. Former Chief Minister of Punjab Amarinder Singh claimed that the recent extremism is backed by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and "Khalistani sympathisers" in Canada , Italy , and
4272-529: The US, and Germany, Chohan kept in contact with the Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale who was campaigning for a theocratic Sikh homeland. The globalized Sikh diaspora invested efforts and resources for Khalistan, but the Khalistan movement remained nearly invisible on the global political scene until the Operation Blue Star of June 1984. In later disclosures from former special secretary G.B.S. Sidhu of
4361-632: The United States at the invitation of his supporters in the Sikh diaspora , Chohan placed an advertisement in the New York Times proclaiming an independent Sikh state. Such promotion enabled him to collect millions of dollars from the diaspora, eventually leading to charges in India relating to sedition and other crimes in connection with his separatist activities. After returning to India in 1977, Chohan travelled to Britain in 1979. There, he would establish
4450-454: The assassination of General Arun Vaidya , in retaliation for 1984's Operation Blue Star . By the mid-1990s, the insurgency petered out, with the last major incident being the assassination of Chief Minister Beant Singh , who was killed in a bomb blast by a member of Babbar Khalsa . The movement failed to reach its objective for multiple reasons, including violent police crackdowns on separatists, factional infighting, and disillusionment from
4539-608: The attempted assassination of Julio Francis Ribeiro , 62, the Indian ambassador to Romania, in Bucharest . Radu was released unharmed after Sikh politicians criticized the action. In the year 1991, Khalistan Liberation Force along with Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan and Dr. Sohan Singh (Head of Panthic Committee) etc. participated in the secret peace negotiations with India in the city of Ludhiana . These meetings were initiated by Union Minister of State for Home Subodh Kant Sahay on
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#17330846215244628-564: The city of Sirsa in Haryana state, northern India. The organisation has 46 ashrams (divisions) across India and other countries. Under the leadership of Mastana Balochistani, 25 Ashrams were established in Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan, where Naam-Shabad, method of Meditation was taught to the followers who accepted three principles for the rest of their life: 1. No consumption of meat, egg or gelatin, 2. no consumption of alcohol, drugs, tobacco etc. and 3. no adultery or illicit sex. He also laid
4717-477: The commencement of the operation, Lt. Gen. Brar addressed the soldiers: The action is not against the Sikhs or the Sikh religion; it is against terrorism. If there is anyone amongst them, who have strong religious sentiments or other reservations, and do not wish to take part in the operation he can opt out, and it will not be held against him. However, none of the soldiers opted out, including many "Sikh officers, junior commissioned officers and other ranks." Using
4806-525: The constitution. Members of the Akali Dal demanded that the removal of any ambiguity in the Constitution that refers to Sikhs as Hindu, as such prompts various concerns for the Sikh population, both in principle and in practice. For instance, a Sikh couple who would marry in accordance to the rites of their religion would have to register their union either under the Special Marriage Act, 1954 or
4895-539: The creation of Punjab state but refused to make Chandigarh as its capital and also refused to make it autonomous. The outcome of the Punjabi Suba movement failed to meet demands of its leaders. As Punjab and Haryana now shared the capital of Chandigarh, resentment was felt among Sikhs in Punjab. Adding further grievance, a canal system was put in place over the rivers of Ravi , Beas , and Sutlej , which flowed through Punjab, in order for water to also reach Haryana and Rajasthan . As result, Punjab would only receive 23% of
4984-439: The drastic change in community sentiments after the army attack. The Akali leaders, having planned to announce a victory for Dharam Yudh Morcha, were outraged by the changes to the agreed-upon settlement. In November 1982, Akali leader Harchand Singh Longowal announced that the party would disrupt the 9th annual Asian Games by sending groups of Akali workers to Delhi to intentionally get arrested. Following negotiations between
5073-450: The election. The poor performance of Congress in Malwa in 2012 was seen as a signal of the downfall of Dera's political power. In 2014 Haryana polls and Lok Sabha Polls, Bharatiya Janata Party requested support from Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim. In February 2015, the organisation openly supported BJP in Delhi elections. The organisation supported BJP in the Bihar assembly election in 2015, and nearly 3,000 Dera followers campaigned for BJP in
5162-428: The entirety of the Sikh-majority Indian state of Punjab , while larger claims include Pakistani Punjab and other parts of North India such as Chandigarh , Haryana , and Himachal Pradesh . Shimla and Lahore have been proposed as the capital of Khalistan. The call for a separate Sikh state began during the 1930s, when British rule in India was nearing its end. In 1940, the first explicit call for Khalistan
5251-428: The extensive coverage of his remarks introduced the international community, including those in India, to the demand of Khalistan for the first time. Though lacking public support, the term Khalistan became more and more recognizable. According to Chohan, during a talk with Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan, Bhutto had proposed to make Nankana Sahib the capital of Khalistan. On 13 October 1971, visiting
5340-493: The foundation of the main ashram in 1948 and coined the expression "Dhan Dhan Satguru Tera Hi Asra" (Dhanay hai tu Satguru, or humein tera hi sahara hai) widely used by the Dera. Shah Satnam Singh lead the Dera from 1963 to 1990. He was succeeded by controversial Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in 1990, who added more than a dozen ashrams and made Dera a much more visible organization. The current leader, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who claims to have more than 60 million followers worldwide,
5429-413: The group's leader. Singh's son is married to the daughter of the Congress leader Harminder Singh Jassi. The DSS supported Congress in the 2007 Punjab state elections , and helped the party take control of the Malwa region. However, the Shiromani Akali Dal won the overall majority in the state, and allegedly persecuted the Dera supporters during the 2007 violence . When the Congress did not come out in
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#17330846215245518-462: The heavily fortified Akal Takht , and who possessed Chinese-made, rocket-propelled grenade launchers with armour-piercing capabilities. After a 24-hour shootout , the army finally wrested control of the temple complex. Bhindranwale was killed in the operation, while many of his followers managed to escape. Army casualty figures counted 83 dead and 249 injured, although Rajiv Gandhi would later admit that over 700 Indian soldiers died. According to
5607-469: The information acquired from the interrogation of three pro-Khalistan militants arrested on 4 August 2014 revealed that Funding of the organisation comes from United Kingdom , Malaysia , Spain and Canada . The Khalistan Liberation Army (KLA) is reputed to have been a wing of, or possibly associated with, or possibly a breakaway group from, the KLF. On 26 December 2018 the Ministry of Home Affairs of Government of India, issued to notification to proscribe
5696-402: The leader until his death in April 2018 at Patiala jail due to heart attack . Harmeet Singh PHD became acting Jathedar in 2014 after Harminder Singh was arrested and became the official Jathedar. He succeeded Harminder Singh until his murder in the beginning of 2020. After Harmeet Singh’s murder Avtar Singh Khanda a UK resident took over KLF. His father was a slain KLF member. Khanda would go by
5785-456: The legal status of the third gender . DSS also initiated a series of sanitation drives and as of 2016, about 30 Mega Cleanliness Campaigns have been conducted in several states of India and also in other countries. Like several other religious groups in India, the Dera Sacha Sauda has organised large-scale blood donation camps. In December 2003, a camp held on the death anniversary of its former guru attracted 15,432 donors. In October 2004,
5874-473: The losses incurred due to the violence. A few incidents were reported in the Indian capital, New Delhi, which is 243 kilometres (151 mi) away from the epicentre. The incident led to widespread criticism of the ruling government, in that, despite the high court's repeated warnings, it failed to gauge the severity of the situation, and failed to enforce Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The latter prohibits an assembly of any more than four people, and
5963-420: The militants, diverging from the recommendations provided by the U.K. Military . Opponents of Gandhi also criticised the operation for its excessive use of force. Lieutenant General Brar later stated that the Government had "no other recourse" due to a "complete breakdown" of the situation: state machinery was under the militants' control, declaration of Khalistan was imminent, and Pakistan would have come into
6052-462: The name Ranjodh Singh. Khanda would die of a suspected poisoning on 14 June 2023. April 2018 (Official) Khalistan movement The Khalistan movement is a separatist movement seeking to create a homeland for Sikhs by establishing an ethno ‐ religious sovereign state called Khalistan ( lit. ' land of the Khalsa ' ) in the Punjab region . The proposed boundaries of Khalistan vary between different groups; some suggest
6141-410: The natural association of Punjab and the Sikh religious community. Oberoi argues that despite having its beginnings in the early 20th century, Khalistan as a separatist movement was never a major issue until the late 1970s and 1980s when it began to militarize. There are two distinct narratives about the origins of the calls for a sovereign Khalistan. One refers to the events within India itself, while
6230-402: The official estimate presented by the Indian Government, the event resulted in a combined total of 493 militant and civilian casualties, as well as the apprehension of 1592 individuals. Independent estimates say over 5,000 civilians and only 200 militants. U.K. Foreign Secretary William Hague attributed high civilian casualties to the Indian Government's attempt at a full frontal assault on
6319-449: The open support of DSS, the DSS decided not to endorse a single party in the 2009 parliamentary elections . Before the 2012 Punjab state elections , the Congress leader Amarinder Singh , his wife Preneet Kaur and his son Raninder Singh visited Singh, asking him to extend his support to Congress. However, Dera's support to Congress alienated the party's Sikh vote bank . In the 2012 elections, Congress performed poorly, and Jassi lost
6408-537: The orders of the (then) Prime Minister of India Chandra Shekhar . It is said that this peace effort was sabotaged by Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence . Former Indian Intelligence Bureau Joint Director, Maloy Krishna Dhar stated in a press report published by The Hindu that "Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and her ISI advisers were determined not to let peace succeed. Pakistan's covert war in Jammu and Kashmir had exploded in 1990, and its establishment understood that
6497-406: The other privileges the role of the Sikh diaspora . Both of these narratives vary in the form of governance proposed for this state (e.g. theocracy vs democracy ) as well as the proposed name (i.e. Sikhistan vs Khalistan). Even the precise geographical borders of the proposed state differs among them although it was generally imagined to be carved out from one of various historical constructions of
6586-572: The perceived success of Christian missionaries converting Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims, and a general belief that the solution to the downfall among India's religious communities was a grassroots religious revival." As the British Empire began to dissolve in the 1930s, Sikhs made their first call for a Sikh homeland. When the Lahore Resolution of the Muslim League demanded Punjab be made into
6675-571: The picture declaring its support for Khalistan. Nonetheless, the operation did not crush Khalistani militancy, as it continued. Dera Sacha Sauda Dera Sacha Sauda ("Camp of the True Deal"; colloquially DSS ) is an Indian non-governmental organization described as a "religious cult " and "non-profit social welfare dera " that was established on 29 April 1948 by Mastana Balochistani , an ascetic follower of Baba Sawan Singh (the second Satguru of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB)), as
6764-427: The recognition of Sikhism as a religion separate from Hinduism, as well as the transfer of Chandigarh and certain other areas to Punjab. It also demanded that power be radically devolved from the central to state governments. The document was largely forgotten for some time after its adoption until gaining attention in the following decade. In 1982, the Akali Dal and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale joined hands to launch
6853-433: The sacred temple complex, which the government would allege that Bhindranwale would later make into an armoury and headquarters for his armed uprising. Since the inception of the Dharam Yudh Morcha to the violent events leading up to Operation Blue Star, Khalistani militants had directly killed 165 Hindus and Nirankaris , as well as 39 Sikhs opposed to Bhindranwale, while a total of 410 were killed and 1,180 injured as
6942-529: The state. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh formed a welfare and disaster relief organisation called Shah Satnam Ji Green-S Welfare Force, which now has more than 70,000 doctors, engineers, rescuers, paramedics, and tradesmen participating. The organisation has rendered aid during many of India's natural disasters like Kolkata fire and the factory collapse in Jalandhar . During the 2013 flash floods in Uttarakhand ,
7031-512: The suggestions that it was a show-off for media attention and the glorification of their guru. However, in 2003, the Dera had sent an e-mail to the Guinness Book compilers, seeking clarifications on the conditions that needed to be met to break the previous record. During the donation exercise, the Dera had meticulously collected proofs needed to qualify for the world record. After creating the record, several Dera devotees also stated that their aim
7120-462: The then prime minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee about it in 2002. More than 150,000 followers of DSS had gathered at Panchkula, where the hearing was taking place, and a few other places. Upon learning of the court's verdict, they were involved in a mass riot which led to the death of at least 30 people and left more than 250 people seriously injured. The Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered all of DSS's properties to be attached to pay for
7209-541: The water while the rest would go to the two other states. The fact that the issue would not be revisited brought on additional turmoil to Sikh resentment against Congress. The Akali Dal was defeated in the 1972 Punjab elections . To regain public appeal, the party put forward the Anandpur Sahib Resolution in 1973 to demand radical devolution of power and further autonomy to Punjab. The resolution document included both religious and political issues, asking for
7298-540: The year 1984 (from 1 January to 3 June) saw 775 violent incidents, resulting in 298 people killed and 525 injured. Though it was common knowledge that those responsible for such bombings and murders were taking shelter in gurdwaras , the INC Government of India declared that it could not enter these places of worship, for the fear of hurting Sikh sentiments. Even as detailed reports on the open shipping of arms-laden trucks were sent to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ,
7387-583: Was awarded another life imprisonment for the murder of a DSS follower Ranjit Singh. Which was acquitted On 28 May 2024 by Punjab and Haryana High Court including Gurmeet Ram Rahim and four others in 2002 Ranjit Singh murder case. Dera Sacha Sauda was established in 1948 at Sirsa by Mastana Balochistani . He was born in Kotra, Tehsil Gandhey, Kalat (Now in Balochistan ), in undivided India, now in Pakistan in 1891. He
7476-459: Was imminent. To justify a separate Sikh state within the Punjab, Sikh leaders started to mobilize meta-commentaries and signs to argue that Punjab belonged to Sikhs and Sikhs belong to Punjab. This began the territorialization of the Sikh community. This territorialization of the Sikh community would be formalized in March 1946, when the Sikh political party of Akali Dal passed a resolution proclaiming
7565-454: Was in effect at the time of the verdict. Allegedly 400 followers of the sect have been castrated inside the sect’s headquarters to "bring them closer to god". One of the castrated men came forward and filed a complaint in court against the guru. According to India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the sect defended castrations as done to "safeguard female followers from possible sexual advances". On 4 September 2017, after receiving
7654-628: Was inaugurated by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in Sirsa in March 2014 and was named Shah Satnam ji Speciality Hospital. Dera Sacha Sauda had launched a social welfare campaign and had filed a petition in the Supreme Court of India to grant legal status to transgender people. On 15 April 2014 the Apex Court gave a judgement in favour of the Eunuchs and ordered that the Hijras and transgender people will now be given
7743-427: Was made in a pamphlet titled "Khalistan". With financial and political support from the Sikh diaspora , the movement flourished in the Indian state of Punjab – which has a Sikh-majority population – continuing through the 1970s and 1980s, and reaching its zenith in the late 1980s. The Sikh separatist leader Jagjit Singh Chohan said that during his talks with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto , the latter affirmed his support for
7832-435: Was popularly known among his devotees as His Holiness Beparawah Mastana. He died on 18 April 1960. Shah Satnam Singh , born on 25 January 1919 took over the spiritual leadership position from Balochistani at the age of 41 and served until 1990. He died on 13 December 1991. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh became the third master of DSS on 23 September 1990. DSS is a registered NGO . In May 2007, violent clashes broke out between
7921-466: Was to have an autonomous state within India. 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. As the religious-based partition of India led to much bloodshed, the Indian government initially rejected the demand, concerned that creating a Punjabi-majority state would effectively mean yet again creating
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