Ongoing impasse in Punjab stokes 'Khalistan' rhetoric

Raging controversies over incidents of sacrilege and other related issues have shown that there’s still space for radically driven demand for “Khalistan”.

T-shirts with images of Khalistan ideologue Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale were sold like hot cakes at a ceremony recently held in Faridkot in Punjab to offer condolences and prayers to the two Sikhs killed in police firing protesting sacrilege. Images of Bhindranwale on the rear of vehicles are not uncommon to spot on Punjab roads.

The upcoming “Sarbat Khalsa” (open deliberation assembly of Sikh masses), called for November 10 to discuss a number of issues and the impending crisis and more, has stoked this demand.

Political parties, including the ruling saffron party, have warned the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) led by former IPS officer Simranjit Singh Mann against raising any such demand for Khalistan during the congregation.

Mann has reportedly announced that a separate homeland for Sikhs will be one of the top priorities on the congregation’s agenda, something which hasn’t received support from many other stakeholders. State president of the BJP Kamal Sharma has condemned Mann in the strongest terms for his consistent “anti-national tirade”.

Sharma termed the utterances of Mann as a “desperate attempt of a spent force to make himself relevant by disturbing the peace of Punjab just to get political mileage”. He said the BJP had no objection to holding of “Sarbat Khalsa” or any other platform deemed fit by Sikh organisations to discuss and resolve their religious affairs, but no one should be allowed to vitiate the peace,harmony and brotherhood of Punjabis.

He warned Mann not to indulge in such anti-national activities and added that the BJP would not allow him to push the state towards shadows of darkness.

Ravnit Singh Bittu, Congress MP from Ludhiana, alleged there were some anti-national forces working backing Mann.

“The issue of Khalistan should not be raised at the congregation, instead there are more important issues. This is an attempt to derail the peace in the state once again,” he said. The focus of the Sarbat Khalsa should be on recent incidents of sacrilege, decreasing sanctity of Sikh institutions and reducing SGPC to mere political tool playing into the hands of one family, he said.