Sitting on foreign soil, a handful of Khalistani supporters often make statements that have repercussions in India, particularly in southern and eastern regions where the Sikh population is very small. In some areas, there may be only one or two Sikh families in the entire region, and they are often viewed with hatred. However, the current government is working to educate the public about the sacrifices of Sikh gurus and the Sikh community. Otherwise, in the 1980s, the Khalistani movement was dominant in Punjab, leading to people across the country viewing Sikhs with hatred. In schools, children were addressed as “Khalistani.” Even ordinary Sikhs, who had no connection to the Khalistan movement, became victims of hate violence.
However, one thing is certain: no common Sikh, whether living in any corner of India or abroad, has ever been or will ever be a supporter of Khalistan. One reason for this is that the Sikh community considers India as their home country. History testifies to the fact that since the country’s independence, Sikhs have consistently been at the forefront, contributing significantly to maintaining the nation’s dignity and honor. Furthermore, the Sikh community has already endured the pain of the partition in 1947. Sikh and Hindu families, who once lived like kings and queens, suddenly had to leave their homes, land, and property behind and flee to India for their safety because the region they lived in was handed over to Pakistan by the British government.
Many religious sites, including Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birthplace, Nankana Sahib, remained in Pakistan, and Sikhs still hope for the opportunity to visit these places. Therefore, they can never imagine a partition of the country again. Since 1947, the Sikh community has contributed by discovering and renovating historical sites, building Gurdwaras across India. The advisor of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, Parmjeet Singh Chandok, has appealed to the entire Sikh community to respond forcefully to those who deceive and lure our younger generation into their movement, trapping them in a web from which they cannot escape.
