Sadly, the demand for Khalistan has reared its ugly head in the West, where some Sikhs can make statements about Khalistan without realising the consequences of their actions on the Sikh community in Punjab, India, and across the rest of the world.
It is disturbing, to say the least when a handful of unelected Sikhs claim to speak for the wider diaspora and demand a kingdom for themselves which the Sikh Gurus never did. These self-proclaimed leaders act as if they are greater visionaries than the Sikh Gurus and, in the process, damage the interests and respect of Sikhs worldwide. They project us as anti-India separatists when most of us are not that at all and are proud to be Indians and Sikhs like the Hindus, Muslims and Christians of India are. Sikhs have always been, and still are, in the forefront of India's defence and integrity.
The Sikh Gurus were visionaries who led exemplary lives so the world would respect them and their followers. Sadly, some of their followers are now behaving totally against the vision of our Gurus and bringing disrespect not only to themselves but also to us.
They are diminishing the respect of the Sikh Gurus who dedicated their lives to upholding human rights, freedom and justice throughout India and not just in Punjab. The Sikh Gurus were always above territorial claims and taught principles that crossed borders and cultures.
We are proud that it is due to the efforts of the Sikh Gurus that today India is a better place for everyone. Due to their contribution, we, the Sikhs, receive unparalleled respect throughout India and abroad. More importantly, more and more people are now beginning to realise the vision and sacrifices of the Sikh Gurus for humanity, and more and more are paying their respects to them and the Sikhs. As a result, the Government of India has also started to celebrate the lives and teachings of our Gurus on a national and international scale. Recently the Indian Govt declared on December 28th Veer Baal Din to commemorate the martyrdom of Sahibzadas (Sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji) for upholding their religion.
Frankly, the Sikhs can never get Khalistan, just as the Kashmiris cannot get Kashmir even with Pakistan's support and aid from the USA in the past. Pakistan fought four fully-fledged bloody wars to gain Kashmir but to no avail. All Kashmiris have achieved to date is to turn a paradise into a no-go area for tourists and, in the process, ruin the economy. If these handful of Sikhs are not careful, they will make Sikhs not only second class in India and beyond and destroy Punjab's economy and prosperity.
Before the militant movement in Punjab, which lead to operation Blue Star, approx. 20% of Sikhs were in the Indian Armed Forces, and now they have been reduced to a quota of just 2% due to the mutiny of some Sikhs soldiers after Operation Blue Star. Sadly, now the Sikh farmers are committing suicide due to a lack of employment prospects in Punjab and not to mention a drug epidemic blighting the region. These misguided Sikhs are scoring their own goals unwittingly and bring disrespect not only to their fellow Sikhs around the world but also to their Great Gurus by behaving in a manner which is incompatible with their teachings.
In 1947 Sikhs could have got an independent State as the British wanted to divide India based on religion. As an independent and sovereign country, India will never give an inch of its land to anyone, not even to mighty China. The Sikhs should learn from the Kashmir experience and reflect upon how many innocent young Sikhs have already lost their lives before and after Operation Blue Star and massive setbacks to Punjab's economy. Do we wish to repeat the same sad and bloody episode in the history of Punjab again?
Our Gurus established the Brotherhood of Khalsa to liberate Indians from the religious oppression of the Mughal kings through immense sacrifices and not to break up India.
They also gave us a modern and practical philosophy to serve humanity regardless and not divide humanity. The division of India in 1947 resulted in the death of over a million innocent people and over 15 million who became refugees in their own country of birth. Do we wish to insult our Gurus who never used religion to unite humanity? The effects of an artificially manufactured division of India are still being felt today and, I dare say, will be felt forever. Throughout their lives, our Gurus worked to unite humanity and also gave us a religion based on interfaith teachings by incorporating teachings of Hindu and Muslim holy men to bring people of different faiths closer to one another.
These lacklustre Sikhs should think about the Sikh farmers who are settled in UP, Haryana, Rajasthan and also in the rest of India and business-people in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata, along with many other Indian cities. What about Sikhs serving in the Indian Government and Armed Forces? How will the people of different faiths who come to Sikhs Gurdwaras in every part of India to pay their respect to Sikh Gurus feel?
Sikhs will continue to enjoy respect in India and the world if they live as their Gurus' teachings want. We should, as we have always done, rise on merit, and continue to spread the teachings and principles of our Gurus through our actions. No country promotes its disloyal citizens similarly as no one supports disloyal staff in their companies. For these handfuls of misguided Sikhs working to reduce the stature of our Gurus and their followers to just Punjab is reprehensible
Finally, Sikhs have roots in India, where Sikh Gurus were born. The Five Beloved Sikhs (Panj Pyare) who helped establish the Brotherhood of Khalsa were Hindu Indians who came from every corner of India and who, with Guru Gobind Singh Ji helped transform the lives of every Indian. Guru Gobind Singh Ji was born in Bihar and left for his heavenly abode in Maharashtra. Banda Singh Bahadur, a renowned Sikh warrior, came from Maharashtra. The 9th Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, paid the ultimate sacrifice, not for the Sikhs but for Hindu Kashmiri Pundits and in the capital of India, Delhi symbolising that Sikh Gurus were for every Indian and the universe.
We should also remember that present Sikh surnames like Malhotra, Sethi, Kohli, Khurana, Vohra, Sabharwal, Bedi, Sodhi and many more are originally Hindu surnames. This signifies that it was the Hindu families who made their eldest son a Sikh. To separate us from our roots will deny facts about our origins. We should be proud to say we have so much in common with Hindus whilst having our distinct identity.
We should continue to live together in a united India. Jai Hind.
