Rather than taking a rigid and simplistic approach, we must dissect any given topic over its own merit. The man you have in your avatar is someone i hold deep respect for. Remember the lengths he went to have an independent India.?
We must accept that all social/ethnic/religious groups have a right to self determination. This includes Sikhs as well, however it is a decision for them to make if they want to break away from an India that faces a bright economic future and make a smaller less powerful state,or work for more autonomy and freedom while living in the framework of the India constitution?
If you go,through my above posts you will find out why from a Pakistani perspective Khalistan is a bad idea. It remains India's internal matter and we should let them solve it. Sikh leaders are living in a fallacy that by creating an insurgency they can create Khalistan. They should if they want to, work within the framework of the Indian constitution to gain more economic and cultural independence if they so desire.
Perhaps a few decades down the track India will see it suitable to let them become a state through peaceful transition of power,however as the things are today it will be a blood bath in which Khalistani movement will be brutally crushed by the Indian army and air force.Indian intellectual class should recognize their demands, and should work to heed them as much as they can. If Gandhi geeri is going to be applied instead of Chankia doctrine,it will have desirable results for the both parties.
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The thing is Aeronaut, you are partially right. Pakistan does not want an independent nation on their door step, but that does not mean it does not a destabilized India.
Pakistan knows that regardless of the money and supplies it pours in the Khalistani movement, it will never be a reality. What it will be is however is that there is instability in India. And instability that would slow down India's growth and make it vulnerable.
Just like how Pakistan hates the idea of an independent Kashmir but still funds them.
Or how India would hate to have Pakistan break up and deal with multiple actors but that does not prevent India from taking steps that would keep Pakistan weaker.
The Khalistan movement in particular can never succeed because of the people - the Khalistani's want
Indian Sikhs to break away from India.
Culturally that is next to impossible. Sikhs are so well ingrained and integrated that it they will not let it happen. Sikhs now live all over India as compared to previous decades when they were concentrated in Punjab, The Indian Army has a ridiculous number of Sikhs infact Sikhs and Rajputs form the leading edge of Indian Army, the Chairman of the Planning Commission is Sikh, the PM, the bureaucrats, etc etc.
To say that Sikhs are now a part of the heart and soul of India would be an understatement - consider this statement - "Pakistani Punjabis want to create an independent country".
That statement is ridiculous because Pakistani Punjabis are already one of the biggest steel pillars in forming and holding Pakistan together and have great positions all over Pakistan - so why would they ever want to create a different country.
This same analogy is applicable to Sikhs in India.
As far as autonomy is concerned. You need to read up on Indian Constitution one day.
Every State in India is already like a mini country. The States governments own the police forces. The State uses its own language, no language is foisted upon them. For example Punjab has Gurumukhi, they elect their own leader - their own Chief Minister.
This is practically the only reason why the States dont want to secede. Every State is run by its own people and not from Delhi. And this to be honest is the reason why so many insurgencies have died down in India over the decades. People have realized that there is genuine self government in the States.
Had India tried to become more Centrally ruled country, there is no doubt there would have been many more and possibly successful rebellions from India.
There is nothing more left to demand in terms of autonomy and People of Punjab know this and like this. Khalistan is now run exclusively by the Sikhs who migrated to Canada/US/UK in the 80's and early 90's. Their hatred for India is visceral but..
no movement can succeed unless it has popular support on the ground and let me share an anecdote with you. The last time after the Khalistan movement was stopped, one of the Khalistani leaders went to Punjab to try and rake things up - he was beaten black and blue by the villagers
in Punjab and handed over to the police.
Khalistan has support only in UK/Canada and not in India. The SGPC(Sikh body) may constantly put up memoirs in India to pi$$ off the Congress government at the Center but they dont
want to secede. The People of Punjab dont want to do anything with Khalistani's. What they truly want - is justice for the riots of 84. And they curse the politicians for it, but there is a massive difference between the two.
To get a real feel of this I would urge you to talk with Indian Sikhs(living in India) and not the ones living in UK or Canada. That would give you a feel of the ground and trust me - you would be surprised to hear their views on the issue. They want justice for the riots and the whole nation but the politicians want that.
its time to provide justice to 84 genocide victims.
