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News18
17-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Radicalised Khalistanis, A Canadian Problem
For years, Canada's mainstream parties have courted Sikh immigrants to win votes. Now, they pander to Khalistani extremists for political gains As Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Canada for the G7 summit, an unsettling scene greeted international media: young children brandished 'Khalistan" flags and even defaced a Hindu temple in Surrey with secessionist graffiti. These images of toddlers taught to chant separatist slogans sparked outrage in India and around the world. Spokesman Sudeep Singh of the revered Patna Sahib Gurdwara, the birthplace of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji warned that 'the way children were used in the protests is highly condemnable". Similarly, Sikh seminary leader Sarchand Singh Khyala condemned the videos as 'spreading hatred by brainwashing children". Dressed-up flags and violent symbols at public parades horrify many Sikhs abroad who see these stunts as political theatre, not Sikhism. Mainstream Sikh leaders make the same point: Khalistanis in Canada are a tiny fringe, not the Sikh community. In late realisation of sorts, former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has emphasised, 'Many supporters of Khalistan in Canada… do not represent the Sikh community as a whole." Leading Sikh voices echo this. Jasdip Singh Jassee of Sikhs of America reminds Americans that 'the vast majority of Sikhs globally, including in the US and Canada, do not support separatist agendas". In India, religious seats like Takht Patna Sahib and Damdami Taksal have publicly denounced the protests. Their message is unequivocal: the Khalistan protesters are not Sikh martyrs. Patna Sahib's spokesman notes that all of Sikhism's pending issues are being resolved in India, so 'there should not be such protests" against PM Modi, 'no Sikh can tolerate this". In fact, these Khalistani stunts run directly counter to Sikh teachings. Sikhism emphasises service and harmony, not hate or violence. Provincial Sikh leaders emphasise, 'Sikhs have protected mandirs (Hindu temples)", as their sacred Dharmic duty. Yet last April in Surrey, vandals scrawled 'Khalistan" on the pillars of Shree Lakshmi Narayana Mandir. This hate-crime—denounced by the temple as 'an attack on a sacred space"—would deeply sadden ordinary Sikhs. Jasdip Jassee said it was 'disgusting" that extremists chose Diwali (a Sikh-protected festival) to vandalise a mandir, calling it 'shameful" and against Sikh values. Similarly, Damdami Taksal (a mainstream Sikh seminary) has openly criticized Canadians who use children to insult India's PM, saying these pro-Khalistan people 'are spewing venom against India". These Sikh authorities unanimously emphasise that Khalistan is not a Sikh cause and certainly not one worth teaching to children. On the contrary, Sikhism is deeply Dharmic and Indian. From the Punjabi heartland to global diaspora, Sikhs celebrate their faith's founder Guru Nanak and their tenets of service (seva) and protection. India's own armed forces and civil institutions reflect Sikh contributions: for example, Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh (a Sikh) was made India's first Air Force Field Marshal, and Sikh generals have led the Army in multiple wars. Sikh entrepreneurs, scholars and saints likewise uplifted Indian society. For modern Sikhs, the idea of carving out a separate nation feels alien—only a 'microscopic" minority even entertains it. A former Punjab Chief Secretary notes that hardcore Khalistani ideologues are 'not even one percent" of Sikh population while many others view Khalistan more as a business or polarizing narrative. Polls agree—Punjab elections show pro-Khalistan candidates picking up well under 1–2 percent of votes in Sikh-majority districts. In short, the Khalistan idea has virtually no grassroots support back in India; it lives on only in select pockets abroad. So why does the Khalistan fringe loom so large in Canada? The answer lies in Canadian diaspora politics and foreign meddling. For years Canada's mainstream parties have courted Sikh immigrants to win votes, often ignoring their excesses. Observers note a growing consensus among all Canadian parties to pander to Khalistan sympathies for electoral gain. Minister S. Jaishankar put it bluntly: By giving radical Sikhs impunity, 'the Canadian government… is repeatedly showing that its vote bank is more powerful than its rule of law." Veteran broadcaster Terry Milewski described it as a dirty deal: Canadian MPs attend Sikh parades and 'look the other way" at posters of terrorists, in exchange for '10,000 votes… because the people of the gurdwaras will vote as we tell them". In such a climate, small separatist groups found refuge on Canadian soil under the banner of free speech. Worse, intelligence services have cynically empowered them. Indian officials repeatedly assert that Pakistan's ISI funds the Khalistani network in Canada. Union Minister Hardeep Puri openly called protesters 'kiraye ke tattu" (mercenaries on hire) whose demonstrations were staged 'from the neighbouring country [Pakistan] where they get funding." Security analysts back this up. Several top analysts observe that these activists have their own underworld and are often involved in deadly gang rivalries and are essentially 'helping Pakistanis spend whatever remains of their money". Indeed, he warns that Sikh extremists in Canada 'will continue to be funded and fuelled by the ISI". Put bluntly, this looks less like a grass-roots Sikh movement than a criminal-intelligence network. It is a problem imported into Canada by a hostile state, not spawned by Sikh communities. The political consequences in Canada have been dramatic. In the 2025 federal elections, Jagmeet Singh, NDP leader who long voiced support for Sikh protestors, saw his party collapse. Singh lost his own seat and announced he would step down as leader. Earlier, in September 2024, Singh had even 'ripped up" his confidence-and-supply deal with Trudeau's 'Liberals", erasing the government majority he once helped engineer. Meanwhile Trudeau's gamble backfired. As Sikh ally Singh turned on him, Trudeau's Liberals barely clung to power under newcomer Mark Carney. By early 2025 Trudeau himself resigned as a result of his Khalistan miscalculation. In short, Ottawa's flirtation with diaspora extremism not only frayed Canada-India ties, it torpedoed the careers of Western politicians. Against this turmoil, Sikhs have reaffirmed their core values. Sikh institutions wasted no time republishing lessons of unity. Damdami Taksal's Sarchand Singh praised PM Modi for resolving Sikh concerns 'not done in 70 years" by previous governments, noting Modi even received the SGPC's 'Qaumi Seva Award" for Sikh welfare. Jasdip Jassee urged local Sikh majorities to publicly condemn the Khalistan fringe, stressing Sikhism's long history of Hindu-Sikh oneness and harmony. Even survivors of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots say their fight is now within India's democratic fabric, not through separatism. The real Sikh agenda is contributing to India's progress, not division. In the end, the Khalistan agitation proves to be a Canadian export problem. As journalist Terry Milewski notes, the movement in India is essentially dead; it survives only where foreign money flows. Canada's own spin on multiculturalism created a 'Khalistani Frankenstein's monster", normalised by political expediency. top videos View all Around the world, Sikhs insist that this beast is not their child. Sikhism is proudly Indian in heritage: its generals and air marshals defended India, its entrepreneurs and scholars build the nation. As one Patna Sahib leader put it simply, 'no Sikh can tolerate" these anti-India theatrics. The Khalistan crisis is Canada's headache, not a fault of the Sikh faith or its global community. (Rahul Pawa is an international criminal lawyer and director of research at New Delhi based think tank Centre for Integrated and Holistic Studies. He tweets @imrahulpawa. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views) view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 18, 2025, 18:49 IST News opinion Opinion | Radicalised Khalistanis, A Canadian Problem Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. 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New Indian Express
05-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Sukhbir Badal declared 'Tankhaiya' by Takht Patna Sahib for failing to appear before it
CHANDIGARH: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has been declared "tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Takht Patna Sahib (one of the five supreme temporal seats of sikhs) due to his failure to appear before it and thereby undermining its authority. Sources said the decision is an outcome of Sukhbir's failure to appear before the Takht despite being summoned twice. It is understood that this development would further escalate clashes between Sikh religious authorities and political figures. Badal was called to present himself before the panj pyaras (five beloved ones) following allegations related to his role in supporting individuals found guilty of violating a 'hukamnama' (religious edict). While making this announcement, Takht Patna Sahib Jathedar Giani Baldev Singh said, "This action has been taken in view of the events that began on May 21 when unauthorized and unconstitutional interference was carried out by the Jathedars of Akal Takht and Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, challenging the established norms, constitution and authority of Takht Patna Sahib. Sukhbir Badal was involved in influencing and interfering with the affairs of Takht Patna Sahib, particularly during a series of controversial decisions and actions surrounding the status of fromer Patna Sahib Jathedar Giani Ranjit Singh Gohar.'' Despite repeated summons, Badal did not appear before the Panj Pyaras (five beloved ones) at the Takht Patna Sahib. However, citing ill health Badal had sought more time thus thereafter the takht in mid-June issued a fresh edict granting him twenty days more to appear before the Takht. "Badal was given two opportunities to appear and present his position, but he failed to do so. Even after an extension of twenty days reportedly granted at the request of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami, Badal did not comply. By repeatedly ignoring the summons and undermining the authority of Takht Patna Sahib, Badal has violated the religious code. As a result, he is hereby declared Tankhayia,'' he said.
Time of India
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Rahul's remarks applauded in Pakistan, says BJP MP
Patna: Former Union minister and senior functionary on Saturday launched a sharp attack on Congress MP , claiming the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha lacked an understanding of India's foreign policy. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Patna Sahib MP, who led one of the seven parliamentary delegations sent to various countries after Operation Sindoor following the Pahalgam terror attack, highlighted the global support India received for its counter-terrorism operations across the border. Addressing a press conference at the BJP office in Patna, Prasad said, "Rahul's irresponsible statements were shown and applauded in Pakistan." He accused the Congress MP of weakening the country's global standing. Prasad said countries across the world were eager to strengthen ties with India. On , he said, "It will be decided between the two countries. There is no role of any third party in this." Speaking about his delegation's visit to France, Rome and other European nations, Prasad said, "We went to tell them that if the life of an American or European citizen has value, then the life of an innocent Indian also has value."
India Today
05-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Battle of the Takhts: What's tearing Sikh institutions apart?
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated June 9, 2025)In a faith where five thrones symbolise unity, two just went to war. On May 21, a religious cannonball was fired from the east: Takht Sri Patna Sahib, one of Sikhism's five revered seats, located in Bihar. The Panj Pyare or 'five beloved' leaders of Patna have declared as tankhaiya, i.e. guilty of religious misconduct, two of their senior clerical peers back in Punjab: the acting jathedar of Akal Takht, the supreme seat of Sikh authority in Amritsar, as well as the Takht Damdama Sahib flashpoint? A decision by the Akal Takht to reinstate a controversial former jathedar, Giani Ranjit Singh Gauhar, without so much as consulting Patna Sahib, which had dismissed him in 2022 amidst a welter of corruption and other response from Amritsar was instant. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which controls the Akal Takht's management, thundered its disapproval and demanded that Patna Sahib retract its edict. The latter refused to blink. What started as a personnel shuffle is now an all-out turf war. At stake: not just religious authority but the very idea of Sikh unity. The battlelines are blurring faith, power and politics in a way that's left the global Sikh community rattled. advertisement If this feels unprecedented, it's not. In 2008, then jathedar of Patna Sahib, Giani Iqbal Singh, had openly challen-ged the Akal Takht's supremacy. That spat was hushed up via backchannel diplomacy. This one is being livestreamed—on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram. Every edict, every insult, every act of defiance is now a global push notification. The timing couldn't be worse. Sikh institutions are already reeling from the recent sacking of three jathedars—the previous Akal Takht chief and heads of two other Punjab-based Takhts—by the SGPC, in a move seen by many as politically engineered. It was supposed to be a course correction. Instead, it has triggered a FAULT LINESFor the faithful, the crisis is more than administrative. And it's exposing fault lines long buried under the surface. The Akal Takht, established by Guru Hargobind in 1606 as a seat of power and justice, has operated as the first among equals: issuing hukamnamas (edicts), settling disputes, excommunicating those deemed out of line. That moral supremacy was sanctified not just by tradition, but by proximity to power—the SGPC and Punjab's political aura that itself drew from its centrality to Sahib is no upstart. It was formally accepted as one of the five Takhts by the SGPC in the 1950s, but its sanctity predates that by centuries. It is the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh—the tenth Guru and founder of the warrior Khalsa order—and has long been revered as a spiritual centre for Sikhs in Bihar, Jharkhand, Bengal and eastern Uttar Pradesh. The tensions with Takht Hazur Sahib in Nanded, Maharashtra, are another powder keg. Nanded has often bristled at attempts by Amritsar to assert supremacy: on calendar reforms, clergy appointments, even on rituals. It, too, has been known to issue independent the global Sikh diaspora, this is nothing short of disillusionment. The schism isn't just geographic—it's ideological. Sikh preachers from California to Calgary are offering counter-narratives—filling the vacuum left by dithering Takhts. This doctrinal free market may be democratising discourse, but it's also breeding chaos. With no clear line of command, contradictory edicts are now routine. The current stand-off may still be walked back through closed-door parleys. But some damage seems to have been done to India Today Magazine
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Takht Patna Sahib panel: Satkar committee members from Punjab harassing people on pretext of ‘maryada'
Jalandhar: The management committee of Takht Patna Sahib has alleged that members of a Guru Granth Sahib satkar committee from Punjab were harassing local devotees in the Rajauli area of Bihar in the name of " maryada " (code of religious conduct) and were defaming the Patna Sahib committee too. The management committee also claimed that after they questioned satkar committee members, they apologised for their "mistakes" and assured to not repeat their acts in future. In a statement issued on Monday, management committee president Jagjot Singh Sodhi said were receiving complaints about the activities of satkar committee members for harassing people in Rajauli and defaming the takht committee. "I asked dharam parchar (religious propagation) committee chairman Mohinderpal Singh Dhillon and member Harpal Singh Johl to visit the area and get first-hand information. During their visit to Rajauli, they found that members of the satkar committee were harassing people in the name of maryada and were also issuing statements against the Takht Patna Sahib management committee. All this was vitiating the atmosphere in Rajauli, and chances of some scuffle also increased," Sodhi said. "The management of gurdwaras in eastern India comes under the jurisdiction of the Takht Patna Sahib committee. In case, there were any issues about the violation of maryada, these should be brought to their notice. However, satkar committee members were working in Rajauli without informing the takht committee. They were called and questioned, and they admitted to their mistakes and apologised, promising they would not repeat these again," said Sodhi. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Breaks His Silence: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Sodhi said the satkar committee members wanted to forcibly remove very old birs of Guru Granth Sahib from traditional maths of the Udasi order on the pretext that maryada was not being maintained. "Those preserving these very old birs were strongly opposing any such move, and this could have lead to confrontation. Such elements are pushing people away from Guru Granth Sahib, instead of bringing people close to Sikhism," he said.
