What Are The Obstacles That Stand In The Way Of Khalistan

[hsisingh]

I don't support the idea of an independent 'Sikh' nation carved out of the current Punjab and possibly some neighbouring states.....and neither do the majority of people born into the Sikh faith....and it is not because they are naive and ignorant...it is because they are thoughtful and take a rational view.

A nation is a political construction and has nothing to do with the practice of the Sikh faith. Name one nation which is a theocracy that is democratic, prosperous and respects the needs/rights of minority faiths??

Sikhs in India are free to practice their faith. Yes, there are extremist groups who cause communal violence in the name of faith (e.g. the Godhra Riots) and yes, the events of 1984 and the subsequent insurgency were appalling and the guilty should be brought to justice...but...The often poor treatment of minority/excluded groups in India is not primarily about faith - it is about political influence, corruption and power. Ask the indigenous people of the North East states or the Muslims in Gujarat.

We all live abroad in our comfortable, secular countries preaching about the apparent difficulty of being a Sikh in India ...I am afraid it is nonsense.

A 'Khalistan' would rapidly become a narco-economy built on acting as a transit point for drugs into India from Pakistan/Afghanistan. No one would invest in jobs, infrastructure, education and every 'Khalistani' would be desperate to go abroad. How many of you are planning to go back and live there??

[HSD1]

I'd go tomorrow if Khalistan was like how I would think it would be. And if it actually existed.

[proactive]

I don't support the idea of an independent 'Sikh' nation carved out of the current Punjab and possibly some neighbouring states.....and neither do the majority of people born into the Sikh faith....and it is not because they are naive and ignorant...it is because they are thoughtful and take a rational view.

A nation is a political construction and has nothing to do with the practice of the Sikh faith. Name one nation which is a theocracy that is democratic, prosperous and respects the needs/rights of minority faiths??

Sikhs in India are free to practice their faith. Yes, there are extremist groups who cause communal violence in the name of faith (e.g. the Godhra Riots) and yes, the events of 1984 and the subsequent insurgency were appalling and the guilty should be brought to justice...but...The often poor treatment of minority/excluded groups in India is not primarily about faith - it is about political influence, corruption and power. Ask the indigenous people of the North East states or the Muslims in Gujarat.

We all live abroad in our comfortable, secular countries preaching about the apparent difficulty of being a Sikh in India ...I am afraid it is nonsense.

A 'Khalistan' would rapidly become a narco-economy built on acting as a transit point for drugs into India from Pakistan/Afghanistan. No one would invest in jobs, infrastructure, education and every 'Khalistani' would be desperate to go abroad. How many of you are planning to go back and live there??

I think you are selling Sikhi short. The other theocratic countries fail to protect their religious minorities because discrimination against other religions in built into their religious doctrine. As most theocratic countries today are Islamic countries then the inherent bias against non-Muslims which is in the Quran shows itself in the way the state deals with it's religious minorities.

The question then is, is there inherent bias against non-Sikhs in the Guru Granth Sahib?

The concept of Khalistan was based on two things-;

1. The belief that the Khalsa was created to rule. That Raj Karaga Khalsa couplet was a manifesto of the Khalsa. It was not just relevant for the 18th century but for every century. Sorry to be so blunt but if you do not belief in the concept of Khalsa Raj and hence the cause of Khalistan then you really need to cut the line 'Raj Karega Khalsa' from the Ardas as otherwise you are just being a hypocrite on a daily basis.

2. The belief that Sikhs can only be safe in a state ruled by Sikhs. Look at our history. We have had peaceful periods and then violent periods. Each period of peace and success when the Sikhs have built up their resources is then followed by a violent period when then leads to the loss of these resources as well as valuable lives. If you are happy with this vicious circle then that is fine. But beware that the point you make about Sikhs being free to practice their faith in India is just a peaceful interlude which will be followed by a violent period just as sure a night follows day.

You make a point that in a future Khalistan the citizens will want to leave for foreign countries. If that is seen as a failure of Khalistan then why are you not similarly taking the Indian state to task for the amount of Punjabis who would leave tomorrow if they were given the chance? The desire to leave is because the Indian state does not offer any avenues for Punjabis to succeed in life. The level of corruption, the price inflation of basic foodstuffs, the lack of employment opportunities and restrictions on freedom is which makes Punjabis want to leave Punjab. You state that Khalistan will become a narco-economy, but isn't Punjab on it's way to becoming one already.

You have given the worst case scenario of what a future Khalistan could become and given the negatives of Khalistan, please be so good as to give the positives that Sikhs have of being a part of India.