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Sikh Republic of Khalistan
Anthem: Deh Shiva Bar Mohe
Official languages		Punjabi and English[citation needed]

Khālistān (East Punjabi: ਖਾਲਿਸਤਾਨ), official title Sikh Republic of Khalistan, was the name given by Jagjit Singh Chauhan, to a proposed nation-state based on theocratic fundamentalism.^[1]. It was instigated by a few Sikh leaders who believed they, like Muslims of Pakistan, Sikhs too should get a new state. The Sikhs had an independent state with Lahore as the capital until 1849 until it invaded British territory and was therefore conquered. Under the Treaty of Amritsar the state was to restored to the Sikhs once Duleep Singh attained the age of 21. ^[2] Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... An anthem is a composition to an English religious text sung in the context of an Anglican service. ... An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... Punjabi redirects here. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Punjabi redirects here. ... Jagjit Singh Chauhan ( - 04/03/2007) was the original founder of the Khalistan movement that sought to create an independent Sikh state. ... A Sikh man wearing a turban The adherents of Sikhism are called Sikhs. ...

Since some separatist Sikh leaders only claim territory that is part of India while ignoring the fact that Lahore (which is now in Pakistan) was the capital of the independent state and also do not claim any territory in Punjab province of Pakistan that houses some well known sikh religious shrines, it is seen as anti-india movement by other sikh leaders who claim an Independent Khalistan should also include territory that is part of the Punjab province in Pakistan along with Lahore as its Capital.   (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور, pronounced ) is the capital of the Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. ...

History

Main article: Khalistan movement

In the 1970s and 80s, a movement began in the Indian state of Punjab to secede from the Indian Union and create a separate sovereign Sikh state of Khalistan. Supported by the Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence^[3][4] agency,the movement reached its peak during mid 1980s under Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. It then slowly ebbed out, primarily due to the loss of popular support. The movement also hindered economic investment, became increasingly militant, and threw Punjab into a state of anarchy with increased levels of terrorism. The movement was also countered by counter-terrorism operations conducted by the Indian Army and the Punjab Police led by KPS Gill which caused the deaths of thousands of innocent Sikhs ^[5]. Punjab State A proposed flag for Khalistan Proposed Khalistani Currency The Khālistān movement (Punjabi: ) is a movement in Indian Punjab in the 1970s and 80s to create The Land of the Pure as an independent state in all Punjabi-speaking areas contiguous to the borders of Indian Punjab... India is a federal republic comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. ... , This article is about the Indian state of Punjab. ... Inter Services Intelligence or ISI refers to the Pakistani intelligence agency. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale or Jarnail Singh (Punjabi: ; February 12, 1947–June 6, 1984) was the leader of the Damdami Taksal, a Sikh religious group based in India. ... For other uses, see Anarchy (disambiguation). ... Terrorist redirects here. ... This article is about the post-independence Indian Army. ... The Punjab police is responsible for policing in Punjab. ... KPG Gill // Background KPS Gill began his career as a police officer in the north-eastern state of Assam, quickly earning a reputation as a tough officer. ...

After the bombing of Air India Flight 182 that claimed the lives of 329 Canadian civilians over the Irish Sea (the worst aviation terrorist attack before September 11, 2001 attacks ), support for Khalistan lessened to a large extent. Two of the accused in the case, the Sikh separatists Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri were found not guilty for lack of admissable evidence and released, while a third accused Inderjit Singh Reyat was sentenced to ten years after pleading guilty.^[6] In 1989 Canadian journalists Zuhair Kashmeri and Brian McAndrew in their book Soft Target propounded a conspiracy theory that the Government of India could have staged the attack to portray the separatists in bad light. This book was later viewed by the official Commission of Inquiry in Canada as a work of fiction based on the events surrouding Flight 182 especially after the plead of guilt by Inderjit Singh Reyat^[7] Air-India Flight 182 was en-route to Sahar, India via London Heathrow, as it entered airspace over the Atlantic Ocean on the South coast of Ireland on June 23, 1985, the Boeing 747 was destroyed while at an altitude of 31,000 feet (9500 m). ... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... Air India Flight 182 was a Boeing 747 that exploded on June 23, 1985 while at an altitude of 31,000 feet (9500 m) above the Atlantic Ocean, south of Ireland; all 329 on board were killed, of whom eighty two were children and 280 were Canadian citizens. ... Air India Flight 182 was a Boeing 747 that exploded on June 23, 1985 while at an altitude of 31,000 feet (9500 m) above the Atlantic Ocean, south of Ireland; all 329 on board were killed, of whom eighty two were children and 280 were Canadian citizens. ... Air India Flight 182 was a Boeing 747 that exploded on June 23, 1985 while at an altitude of 31,000 feet (9500 m) above the Atlantic Ocean, south of Ireland; all 329 on board were killed, of whom eighty two were children and 280 were Canadian citizens. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Conspiracy theory (disambiguation). ... Air India Flight 182 was a Boeing 747 that exploded on June 23, 1985 while at an altitude of 31,000 feet (9500 m) above the Atlantic Ocean, south of Ireland; all 329 on board were killed, of whom eighty two were children and 280 were Canadian citizens. ...

Another book written by acclaimed investigative journalist Salim Jiwa titled 'Margin of Terror': A Reporter's Twenty-Year Odyssey Covering The Tragedies of the Air India Bombing, gives an eye-witness account of the terrorist bombing of Flight 182 and appears to be more in line with the findings of Canadian Law Enforecement.^[8]

Other prominent journalists who have had death threats against them for their investigative journalism on Khalistan terrorism include Vancouver Sun journalist, Kim Bolan and Tara Singh Hayer who was murdered on November 18th 1998. In 1999, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression renamed its Press Freedom Award the "Tara Singh Hayer Press Freedom Award" in Hayer's honour. Each year, the award is given to a Canadian journalist who, through his or her work, has made an important contribution to reinforcing and promoting the principle of freedom of the press in Canada or elsewhere. Terrorist redirects here. ... The Vancouver Sun is a daily newspaper published in British Columbia by the Pacific Newspaper Group Inc, a CanWest Global Communications Company. ... Kim Bolan has been a reporter at The Vancouver Sun since she started in journalism in 1984. ... Image:Tara Singh Hayer OBC.jpg Tara Singh Hayer, wearing his Order of British Columbia medal. ... Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) is a Canadian non-governmental organization supported by Canadian journalists and advocates of free expression. ...

Geography

According to the Khalistan web-site:

The geographical boundaries of Khalistan will include current East Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pardesh, part of Rajasthan and small part of Uttar Pardesh. River Ravi on the west and river Jamuna on the east will be some of the boundary lines between Khalistan & Pakistan, Khalistan & India respectively. In the north, part of Himalayan range and in south, part of Thar Deset will make the geographical boundaries of Khalistan. (Source: http://www.khalistan.net)

This would make the proposed region a Hindu majority ^[9]. Paramjit Singh Ajrawat states that Khalistan will be a theocratic state with Sikh ethos and ecumenical principles will make some of the fundamentals of Khalistan's constitution, but this led to thousands of Hindus fleeing Punjab^[10] when thousands were killed by Sikh militants during the 1980's ^[11] This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ... Theocracy is a form of government in which a religion and the government are allied. ...

References

Sources

• List of terrorist violence in Punjab
• List of terrorist groups banned across Europe
• List of terrorist groups banned by US Government
• Amnesty International on Punjab lack of Justice and Impunity
• Death of Flight 182 website
• Human Rights Watch; Time for India to Deliver Justice in Punjab