Jagtar Singh

  Dal Khalsa hijacking headline that globalized Khalistan narrative 42 ago as narrative bounces back Ground Zero Jagtar Singh   “Khalistan men hijack Boeing to Lahore” screamed the headlines on the morning of September 30, 1981. The hitherto little-known Khalistan demand stood globalized at one level. The action was carried out by young Sikh activists of 1978-born Dal Khalsa advocating creation of independent Sikh state of Khalistan in Indian part of Sikh dominated border state of Punjab. The media had earlier virtually ignored the setting up of National Council of Khalistan headed by Dr. Jagjit Singh Chohan announced on  June 16, 1980 from Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) complex. This proclamation was signed by its general secretary Balbir Singh Sandhu who used to stay in the complex. These were the only two main activists of the National Council of Khalistan then. This proclamation stated, “ After going into the political character of the Hindu majority government of India...

  Air India Kanishka Bombing 1985: Action that went horribly wrong, design was not to kill but hit India’s economy Ground Zero Jagtar Singh At the time when Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has triggered tremors in the geopolitics by unleashing “credible allegations” of   hand of Indian agencies in the killing of Khalistani Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjer in Surrey in British Columbia in June last outside a gurdwara, the bombing of Air India Kanishka in 1985 in which 329 people were killed as Flight 182 originating from Toronto exploded mid-air near Irish coast has returned to the news columns. This dark chapter is part of the Sikh radical narrative. Bombs were placed in two flights to avenge Operation Bluestar, the army attack on Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) complex in Amritsar in June 1984. USA has backed Canada in this narrative associated with alleged Indian hand despite strategic importance of India as counterweight to China. It has now come out that ...

  Khalistan narrative is back with a bang via Canada close to 2024 Lok Sabha polls in India as two countries expel diplomats Ground Zero Jagtar Singh With parliamentary elections a few months away in 2024, India’s relations with Canada enter troubled waters on the issues relating to Sikh religio-political discourse revolving around sovereign Sikh homeland of Khalistan in Indian Punjab. Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, after returning from India where he participated in G20 conclave but received cold, has kicked up storm by revelation in Canada’s House of Common’s saying he had credible information that India could be linked to the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjer who headed a gurdwara in Sikh dominated Surrey in British Columbia. India had declared him a wanted terrorist. “Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty”, Trudeau told Parliament on Monday adding...

  With India pausing trade talks with Canada, Khalistan narrative assume new dimension Ground Zero Jagtar Singh The decades old Khalistan narrative relating to an independent Sikh state has, for the first time, impacted India’s international relations. Pakistan is in different category. Going by the media reports, India has suspended trade talks with Canada, the country that is the most sought after by the youth from Punjab, the region where the issue of Khalistan is the most vibrant. Canada, as per these reports, has “indefinitely postponed a trade mission to India scheduled for October”. Though no direct reference has been made, tension has escalated between the two countries on the issue of Khalistan. Earlier, India has been accusing neighbouring Pakistan for aiding and abetting Sikh separatists in this part of Punjab. But one can’t choose a neighbour. However, Canada is not a neighbour and hence is in a different category. But then Indian settlers abroad being...

  Crumbling Amritsar heritage around Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) that is crying to be preserved Ground Zero Jagtar Singh Amritsar needs no introduction. The city founded by the Sikh Gurus is on the global map due to Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple). Darbar Sahib is the centre of Sikh Faith and struggle of the Sikhs. The Punjab government organized the first ever Punjab Tourism summit at Mohali recently where he announced special schemes to develop the holy   city as wedding destination too. The   proposal should be welcomed. Already, about one lakh people visit the city every day on an average. Gone are the days when one would go to Darbar Sahib and pay obeisance at the sanctum sanctorum with standing in the queue. The issue here, however, is that part of the heritage and that too around Darbar Sahib that is crying to be preserved. The Akali Dal developed the main access to Darbar Sahib from the Town Hall as the ‘Heritage Street’, although it is less of he...

  Lacking vocal support in Punjab, globalized Khalistan narrative continues to concern India Ground Zero Jagtar Singh Chandigarh: One of the stories associated with sidelines of G20 front-paged by the media is the meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau whose focus was intensified activities of the secessionists who happen to be migrants of Indian origin. In simple and straight terms, the issue was the activities of those demanding setting up of Khalistan in Indian Punjab. Neither the demand for Khalistan nor the narrative between India and Canada   is new. Thousands of people died in Punjab including innocents and hundreds of those killed by security forces in fake encounters in the armed struggle that got triggered with the gunning down of Nirankari chief Gurbachan Singh on April 24, 1980 in Delhi by then unknown ordinary Sikh Ranjit Singh accompanied by Kabul Singh from Damdami Taksal. This was to avenge the killing ...