Editing Sikhs (section)

==History==
{{Main|History of Sikhism}}
[[File:Outside view of Gurdwara Janam Asthan.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.7|[[Gurdwara Janam Asthan]], the birthplace of Guru Nanak]]

[[Guru Nanak]] (1469–1539), the founder of [[Sikhism]], was born in a [[Hindu]] [[Khatri]] family to [[Mehta Kalu]] and [[Mata Tripta]] in the village of [[Talwandi]], present-day [[Nankana Sahib]], near [[Lahore]].<ref name=Singh_2006>{{cite book | last=Singh | first=Khushwant | author-link=Khushwant Singh | year=2006 | title=The Illustrated History of the Sikhs | publisher=Oxford University Press | location=India | isbn = 0-19-567747-1 | pages=12–13}}</ref> Throughout his life, Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer. However, Sikh political history may be said to begin in 1606, with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, [[Arjan Dev|Guru Arjan Dev]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/history/history_1.shtml|title=The Khalsa {{!}} History of Sikhism {{!}} Sikhism|date=29 August 2003|work=BBC Religion & Ethics|publisher=BBC|access-date=4 April 2008}}</ref> Religious practices were formalised by [[Guru Gobind Singh]] on March 30, 1699, when the Guru initiated five people from a variety of social backgrounds known as the ''[[Panj Piare]]'' ({{gloss|beloved five}}), to form a collective body of initiated Sikhs known as the ''[[Khalsa]]'' ({{gloss|pure}}).<ref>{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Patwant|url=https://archive.org/details/sikhs00sing/|title=The Sikhs|publisher=Knopf|year=2000|isbn=978-0-375-40728-4|location=New York|page=[https://archive.org/details/sikhs00sing/page/14 14]|url-access=registration|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>

The early followers of Guru Nanak were [[Khatri]]s, but later a large number of [[Jat]]s joined the faith.<ref>{{cite book|publisher=Penguin|title=India in the Persianate Age: 1000–1765|author=Richard M. Eaton|year=2019|pages=168–169|isbn=9780141966557|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aIF6DwAAQBAJ&pg=PP168|quote=The Sikh community grew rapidly in the sixteenth century. Nanak's earliest followers had been fellow Khatris engaged in petty trade, shopkeeping, or lower level civil service in the Lodi or Mughal bureaucracies. But as the movement grew, it experienced a significant influx of Jat cultivators.}}</ref> [[Khatri]]s and [[Brahmin]]s opposed "the demand that the Sikhs set aside the distinctive customs of their castes and families, including the older rituals."<ref>{{cite book|last=Dhavan|first=Purnima|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q0ZpAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA42|title=When Sparrows Became Hawks: The Making of the Sikh Warrior Tradition, 1699–1799|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2011|isbn=978-0-19987-717-1|pages=42, 47, 184}}</ref>

[[Pashaura Singh (Sikh scholar)|Pashaura Singh]] analyzed references made within the 11th ballad of the ''[[Varan Bhai Gurdas|Varan]]'' of [[Bhai Gurdas]] to form a picture of the caste-makeup of the early Sikh community.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Pashaura |title=Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory, and Biography in the Sikh Tradition |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2006 |isbn=9780199087808 |quote=The 11th var of Bhai Gurdas is extremely useful for assessing the social constituency of the early Panth. Apart from this, there is no other contemporary source which can be used to determine the actual numbers and proportions of various groups within the constitution of the Panth in the period of the early Gurus. Identifying the castes, a general profile of the Panth's leadership may be reconstructed with the help of the 11th var of Bhai Gurdas. In fact, 11 stanzas of this ballad (Var 11:18–28) exclusively provide lists of the actual names and places of prominent followers of Guru Arjan. The Khatri caste (e.g. Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli, and Puri sub-castes) was particularly prominent among the trading communities, and this was the caste to which all the Gurus belonged. There were certainly some Brahmins (Tiwari Pandit, Wissa, Gopi, and Tulsia of Bhardwaj sub-caste, and Jagna Brahmin from Agra) among the Sikhs, and some outcastes – for instance, the name of Paira Chandal appears in the list of prominent Sikhs. There was a preponderance of Jats (e.g. Randhawa, Khehra, Dhillon, and Pannu sub-castes) among the cultivators, who were followed by members of the artisan castes, notably Tarkhans ({{gloss|carpenters}}) and Lohars ({{gloss|blacksmiths}}). In addition, there were Nais ({{gloss|barbers}}), Chhimbas ({{gloss|cotton-printers}}), Machhis ({{gloss|water-carriers}}), Dhobis ({{gloss|washermen}}), Kumhars ({{gloss|potters}}), Telis ({{gloss|oil pressers}}), masons and goldsmiths. The name of a Muslim, Mian Jamal, figures prominently in the list of close associates (hazuri sikhs) of Guru Arjan. It should, however, be emphasized that Bhai Gurdas deals only with the more notable members of the Panth. These leaders will have had their own families, friends, and followers in large numbers from their particular areas, who collectively made up the general constituency of the Panth. On the one hand, there were rich merchants (like Seths and Sarrafs) in cities and towns and Chaudaris ({{gloss|headmen}}) in villages; on the other, there were labourers and slaves, with artisans and craftsmen, petty shopkeepers and peasants in between. Not surprisingly, in terms of the social background and the economic means of its members, the Panth was far from homogenous. Nevertheless, the cultural patterns of different sections of Puniabi society played a significant role in the evolution of the Sikh Panth.}}</ref> At the time of the writing the Vaar, the early Sikh community was composed of various castes and backgrounds, such as:<ref name=":2" />

* [[Khatri]]s (particularly the Sehgal, Ohri, Uppal, Julka, Bhalla, Passi, Khullar, Vohra, Vij, Kapur, Chaddha, Behl, Kohli, Marwah, Mehra, Soni, Jhanjhi, Sodhi, Beri, Nanda, Wadhawan, Tulli and Puri ''[[gotra]]s'')<ref name=":2" />
* [[Brahmin Sikhs|Brahmins]] (such as the [[Bhardwaj]] gotra)<ref name=":2" />
* [[Jat Sikh|Jats]] (particularly the [[Randhawa]], [[Khera|Khehra]], [[Dhillon]] and [[Pannu]] gotras)<ref name=":2" />
* [[Tarkhan (Punjab)|Tarkhans]] ('carpenters')<ref name=":2" />
* [[Lohar (caste)|Lohar]]s ('blacksmiths')<ref name=":2" />
* [[Nai (caste)|Nais]] ('barbers')<ref name=":2" />
* [[Chhimba]]s ('cotton-printers')<ref name=":2" />
* [[Jhinwar|Machhis]] ('water-carriers')<ref name=":2" />
* [[Dhobi]]s ('washermen')<ref name=":2" />
* [[Kumhar]]s ('potters')<ref name=":2" />
* [[Teli]]s ('oil pressers")<ref name=":2" />
* masons<ref name=":2" />
* goldsmiths<ref name=":2" />
* [[Dalit|Outcastes]] (such as [[Chandala|Chandals]])<ref name=":2" />
* [[Muslims]]<ref name=":2" />

The early Sikhs varied widely in their occupations and position in society's hierarchy: some were rich merchants ([[Seth (surname)|Seths]] and [[Sarraf]]s), others were heads of villages ([[Chowdhury]]), some were labourers, others were enslaved, whilst others still were artisans, craftsmen, shopkeepers or simple peasants.<ref name=":2" />

[[File:Sikh Empire tri-lingual.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Sikh Empire]] at its greatest extent]]

During the rule of the [[Mughal Empire]] in India, two [[Sikh gurus]] were martyred. ([[Guru Arjan]] was martyred on suspicion of helping in betrayal of Mughal Emperor [[Jahangir]] and [[Guru Tegh Bahadur]] was martyred by the Mughal Emperor [[Aurangzeb]])<ref>{{cite journal
| last =McLeod
| first =Hew
| title =Sikhs and Muslims in the Punjab
| journal =South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies
| volume =22
| issue =s1
| pages =155–165
| year =1987
| doi = 10.1080/00856408708723379 }}</ref> As the Sikh faith grew, the Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule.{{Citation needed|date=November 2015}}

[[File:Shrine of ranjit singh.jpg|thumb|The [[Samadhi of Ranjit Singh|Samadhi of Emperor Ranjit Singh]] in [[Lahore]], Pakistan]]
[[File:Darbar Sahib 27 September 2018.jpg|thumb|The [[Harmandir Sahib|Golden Temple]]]]
[[File:Sikh helmet.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Metal helmet in a museum|A [[Sikh Khalsa Army]] sowar's battle helmet]]
[[File:Photograph of Max Arthur Macauliffe wearing a turban.jpg|thumb|[[Max Arthur Macauliffe]] (1841–1913), a senior British administrator who was posted to India during the British rule of Punjab, converted to Sikhism in the 1860s.]]

After defeating the [[Afghan–Sikh Wars|Afghans]] and Mughals, sovereign states called [[Misl]]s were formed under [[Jassa Singh Ahluwalia]]. The Confederacy of these states was unified and transformed into the [[Sikh Empire]] under [[Ranjit Singh|Maharaja Ranjit Singh]]. This era was characterised by religious tolerance and [[Religious pluralism|pluralism]], including Christians, Muslims and  Hindus in positions of power. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and  governmental reforms. The empire is considered the zenith of political Sikhism,<ref name="Lafont">{{cite book|last=Lafont|first=Jean-Marie|title=Maharaja Ranjit Singh: Lord of the Five Rivers (French Sources of Indian History Sources)|date=16 May 2002|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=0-19-566111-7|location=New York|pages=23–29}}</ref> encompassing [[Kashmir]], [[Ladakh]] and  [[Peshawar]]. [[Hari Singh Nalwa]], the commander-in-chief of the [[Sikh Khalsa Army]] in the [[North-West Frontier Province|North-West Frontier]], expanded the confederacy to the [[Khyber Pass]].

=== British rule in India ===
[[File:Sikh Armour and weapons.jpg|thumb|upright|Sikh armour and weapons]]
[[File:“Sikh Sardar”, photograph by John McCosh taken in circa 1848-9.jpg|thumb|“Sikh Sardar”, photograph by [[John McCosh]] taken circa 1848–49]]

After the annexation of the Sikh kingdom by the British, the British Army began recruiting significant numbers of Sikhs and [[Punjabis]].{{citation needed|date=January 2021}} During the 1857 [[Indian mutiny]], the Sikhs stayed loyal to the British, resulting in heavy recruitment from Punjab to the [[British Indian Army]] for the next 90 years of the [[British Raj]] in [[colonial India]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ballantyne|first1=Tony|title=Between Colonialism and Diaspora: Sikh Cultural Formations in an Imperial World|date=2006|publisher=Duke University Press|location=United states|page=66|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cArhKfrY_IoC&pg=PR5 |access-date=21 January 2015|isbn=0822388111}}</ref> The distinct turban that differentiates a Sikh from other turban wearers is a relic of the rules of the British Indian Army.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Cohn|first1=Bernard S|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uIalYaenrTkC&pg=PR9|title=Colonialism and Its Forms of Knowledge: The British in India|date=1996|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=0691000433|location=Princeton, NJ|pages=107–109|access-date=26 January 2015}}</ref> The British colonial rule saw the emergence of many reform movements in India, including Punjab, such as the formation of the First and Second [[Singh Sabha Movement|Singh Sabha]] in 1873 and 1879 respectively. The Sikh leaders of the Singh Sabha worked to offer a clear definition of Sikh identity and tried to purify Sikh belief and practice.<ref>{{cite book|last=Oberoi|first=Harjot|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1NKC9g2ayJEC|title=The Construction of Religious Boundaries: Culture, Identity, and Diversity in the Sikh Tradition|publisher=University of Chicago Press|year=1994|isbn=9780226615929|location=Chicago|page=494|access-date=2013-09-18}}</ref>

The later years of British colonial rule saw the emergence of the [[Akali movement]] to bring reform in the [[gurdwara]]s during the early 1920s. The movement led to the introduction of ''Sikh [[Gurdwara]] Bill'' in 1925, which placed all the historical Sikh shrines in India under the control of the [[Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Nesbitt|first1=Eleanor|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ai-rpcY-rrgC&q=sgpc&pg=PT10|title=Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2005|isbn=0-19-280601-7|series=Very Short Introductions|location=Oxford|access-date=14 January 2016|via=Google Books}}</ref>

=== Partition and post-Partition ===
At the time of the [[Indian independence movement]], the Sikh ruler of the [[Kapurthala State]] fought to [[opposition to the partition of India|oppose the partition of India]] and advocated for a united, secular country.<ref name="NDTV2009">{{cite web |title=An undivided India? |url=https://www.ndtv.com/video/news/the-big-fight/an-undivided-india-100356 |publisher=[[NDTV]] |access-date=19 October 2020 |language=en |date=29 August 2009}}</ref> Sikh organizations, including the [[Chief Khalsa Diwan|Chief Khalsa Dewan]] and [[Shiromani Akali Dal]] led by [[Master Tara Singh]], condemned the [[Lahore Resolution]] and the movement to create Pakistan, viewing it as inviting possible persecution, with [[Shiromani Akali Dal|Akali Dal]] instead favouring an undivided Azad Punjab as an independent Sikh State or [[Khalistan movement|Khalistan]], having passed the Sikh State Resolution in 1946. The Sikhs therefore [[Tara Singh (activist)|strongly fought against the partition of Punjab]].<ref name="KudaisyaYong2004">{{cite book |last1=Kudaisya |first1=Gyanesh |last2=Yong |first2=Tan Tai |title=The Aftermath of Partition in South Asia |date=2004 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |location=Abingdon-on-Thames, England |isbn=978-1-134-44048-1 |page=100 |quote=No sooner was it made public than the Sikhs launched a virulent campaign against the Lahore Resolution. Pakistan was portrayed as a possible return to an unhappy past when Sikhs were persecuted and Muslims the persecutor. Public speeches by various Sikh political leaders on the subject of Pakistan invariably raised images of atrocities committed by Muslims on Sikhs and of the martyrdom of their ''gurus'' and heroes. Reactions to the Lahore Resolution were uniformly negative and Sikh leaders of all political persuasions made it clear that Pakistan would be "wholeheartedly resisted". The Shiromani Akali Dal, the party with a substantial following amongst the rural Sikhs, organized several well-attended conferences in Lahore to condemn the Muslim League. Master Tara Singh, leader of the Akali Dal, declared that his party would fight Pakistan "tooth and nail". Not be outdone, other Sikh political organizations, rivals to the Akali Dal, namely the Central Khalsa Young Men Union and the moderate and loyalist Chief Khalsa Dewan, declared in equally strong language their unequivocal opposition to the Pakistan scheme.}}</ref> The months leading up to the 1947 [[partition of India|partition of Punjab]] were marked by conflict in the [[Punjab]] between Sikhs and [[Muslims]].<ref name="Abid2014">{{cite web |last1=Abid |first1=Abdul Majeed |title=The forgotten massacre |url=https://nation.com.pk/29-Dec-2014/the-forgotten-massacre |website=The Nation |date=29 December 2014 |quote=On the same dates, Muslim League-led mobs fell with determination and full preparations on the helpless Hindus and Sikhs scattered in the villages of Multan, Rawalpindi, Campbellpur, Jhelum and Sargodha. The murderous mobs were well supplied with arms, such as daggers, swords, spears, and firearms. (A former civil servant mentioned in his autobiography that weapon supplies had been sent from NWFP and money was supplied by Delhi-based politicians.) They had bands of stabbers and their auxiliaries, who covered the assailant, ambushed the victim and if necessary disposed of his body. These bands were subsidized monetarily by the Muslim League, and cash payments were made to individual assassins based on the numbers of Hindus and Sikhs killed. There were also regular patrolling parties in jeeps that went about sniping and picking off any stray Hindu or Sikh. ... Thousands of non-combatants including women and children were killed or injured by mobs, supported by the All India Muslim League.}}</ref> This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and [[Hindus]] from [[Punjab (Pakistan)|West Punjab]] to the east (modern India), mirroring a simultaneous religious migration of [[Punjabi Muslims]] from [[Punjab (India)|East Punjab]] to the west (modern Pakistan).<ref name="Dutt et al.">{{cite journal|last1=Dutt|first1=Amitava|last2=Devgun|first2=Surinder|date=23 September 1977|title=Diffusion of Sikhism and recent migration patterns of Sikhs in India|journal=GeoJournal|volume=1|issue=5|pages=81–89|doi=10.1007/BF00704966|s2cid=189881872|issn=1572-9893}} {{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Following partition, the Government of India had begun to redraw states corresponding to demographic and linguistic boundaries. However, this was not effective in the northern part of the country,{{sfn|Doad|1997|p=392}} as the government reconsidered redrawing states in the north.{{sfn|Grewal|1998|p=186}} While states across the country were extensively redrawn on linguistic lines at the behest of linguistic groups, the only languages not considered for statehood were [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], [[Sindhi language|Sindhi]] and [[Urdu]]. {{sfn|Deol|2000|p=93}} Leading to the launch of the [[Punjabi Suba movement]] and the presentation for a Punjabi Suba as a policy in April 1948 by [[Tara Singh (activist)|Master Tara Singh]]. Also, on January 26, 1950, Sikh representatives refused to sign the Indian constitution. As Sikhs were recognized as Hindus and Sikhs were not provided with scheduled castes concessions given to Hindu scheduled castes.

The Punjab Suba experienced heavy government crackdown with the Congress Government arresting as many as 21,000 people. Attempted negotiations with Congress-led the agitation to be adjourned twice, though [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] continued to reject the demand.{{sfn|Deol|2000|p=96}}{{sfn|Grewal|1998|p=188}} On July 4, 1955, government police forces, led by [[Deputy inspector general of police|DIG]] Ashwini Kumar,<ref name="kirpal">{{cite book |last1=Dhillon |first1=Kirpal S. |title=Identity and Survival: Sikh Militancy in India, 1978–1993 |date=2006 |publisher=Penguin Books |location=London, United Kingdom |isbn=9780143100362 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_PU6CwAAQBAJ&pg=PT60| page=60}}</ref> forced entry into the Golden Temple premises and heavy-handedly arrested protestors and took them into custody, along with the head [[granthi]]s of the [[Akal Takht]] and [[Golden Temple]], volunteer protestors and  even cooks of the temple's [[Langar (Sikhism)|langar]].{{sfn|Bal|1985|p=426}} The Guru Ram Das Serai and Shiromani Akali Dal offices were also raided and batons used and tear gas and shells were fired to disperse the protestors gathered on the periphery of the temple, damaging the periphery and Sarovar, or pool, of the temple.{{sfn|Bal|1985|p=426}}{{sfn|Grewal|1998|p=189}} The government stopped volunteers on the way to the Golden Temple and troops were ordered to flag-march through the bazaars and streets surrounding the site.{{sfn|Grewal|1998|p=189}} Over 200 protestors were killed, thousands arrested,{{sfn|Grewal|1998|p=189}} and thousands, including women and children, were injured.

The Congress government agreed to the Punjab Suba in 1966 after protests and recommendation of the States Reorganisation Commission.<ref name="Jayanta484">{{citation|last1=Ray|first1=Jayanta Kumar|title=Aspects of India's International Relations, 1700 to 2000: South Asia and the World|date=2007|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nyk6oA2nOlgC&q=khalistan|page=484|publisher=Pearson Education India|isbn=978-81-317-0834-7}}</ref> The state of East Punjab was later split into the states of [[Himachal Pradesh]], the new state [[Haryana]] and current day [[Punjab, India|Punjab]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Singh|first=Atamjit|title=The Language Divide in Punjab|url=http://www.apnaorg.com/book-chapters/language/|journal=South Asian Graduate Research Journal|volume=4|issue=1, Spring 1997|publisher=Apna|access-date=4 April 2013}}</ref> However, there was a growing alienation between Punjabi Sikh and Hindu populations. The latter of which reported [[Hindi]] rather than Punjabi as their primary language. The result was that Punjabi-speaking areas were left out of the new state and given to Haryana and Himachal Pradesh{{sfn|Grewal|1998|p=205}} resulting in the state of Punjab to be roughly 35,000 square miles smaller than the Punjabi-speaking areas based on pre-1947 census figures. Moreover, the 1966 reorganization left Sikhs highly dissatisfied, with the capital [[Chandigarh]] being made into a shared [[union territory]] and the capital of Punjab and Haryana.

In the late 1960s, the [[Green Revolution]] in India was first introduced in Punjab as part of a development program issued by international donor agencies and the Government of India.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Dutta|first=Swarup|date=June 2012|title=Green Revolution Revisited: The Contemporary Agrarian Situation in Punjab, India|journal=Social Change|volume=42|issue=2|pages=229–247|doi=10.1177/004908571204200205|s2cid=55847236|issn=0049-0857}}</ref> While, Green Revolution in Punjab had several positive impacts, the introduction of the mechanised agricultural techniques led to uneven distribution of wealth. The industrial development was not done at the same pace as agricultural development, the Indian government had been reluctant to set up heavy industries in Punjab due to its status as a high-risk border state with Pakistan.<ref name="Larry2007">{{cite book | author1=Sumit Ganguly | author2=Larry Diamond | author3=Marc F. Plattner | title=The State of India's Democracy | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lgs1tFTh-JMC&pg=PA56 | access-date=18 August 2013 | date= 2007 | publisher=JHU Press | isbn=978-0-8018-8791-8 | page=56 }}</ref> The rapid increase in the higher education opportunities without an adequate rise in the jobs resulted in the increase in the unemployment of educated youth.<ref name="Jayanta484" />

In 1973 as a result, of unaddressed grievances and increasing inequality the [[Akali Dal]] put forward the [[Anandpur Sahib Resolution]].{{sfn|Karim|1991|p=30}} The resolution included both religious and political issues. It asked for recognising Sikhism as a religion, it also demanded the devolution of power from the Central to state governments.<ref name="Jayanta484" /> The Anandpur Resolution was rejected by the government as a secessionist document. Thousands of people joined the movement, feeling that it represented a real solution to demands such as a larger share of water for irrigation and the return of Chandigarh to Punjab.<ref name="Akshay1991">{{cite book|author=Akshayakumar Ramanlal Desai|title=Expanding Governmental Lawlessness and Organized Struggles | year=1991|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7154-529-2|pages=64–66 }}</ref>

After unsuccessful negotiations the Dharam Yuddh Morcha ({{gloss|righteous campaign}}){{sfn|Bakke|2015|p=143}} was launched on August 4, 1982,{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}} by the [[Akali Dal]] in partnership with [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]], with its stated aim being the fulfillment of a set of devolutionary objectives based on the [[Anandpur Sahib Resolution]].{{sfn|Bakke|2015|p=143}} Indian police responded to protestors with high-handed police methods creating state repression affecting a very large segment of Punjab's population. Police brutality resulted in retaliatory violence from a section of the Sikh population, widening the scope of the conflict by the use of violence of the state on its own people.{{sfn|Karim|1991|pp=32–33}} A "state of chaos and repressive police methods" combined to create "a mood of overwhelming anger and resentment in the Sikh masses against the authorities." Leading to Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale gaining prominence and demands of independence gain currency, even amongst moderates and Sikh intellectuals.{{sfn|Karim|1991|pp=32–33}} In 1982 and early 1983, extrajudicial killings by the police of orthodox Sikh youth in rural areas in Punjab provoked reprisals.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Pettigrew |first1=Joyce |title=In Search of a New Kingdom of Lahore |journal=Pacific Affairs |date=1987 |volume=60 |issue=1 |page=24 |doi=10.2307/2758827 |jstor=2758827}}</ref> Over 190 Sikhs had been killed in the first 19 months of the protest movement.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dhillon |first1=Gurdarshan Singh |title=Truth about Punjab: SGPC White Paper |date=1996 |publisher=Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee |location=Amritsar, Punjab |isbn=978-0836456547 |edition=1st |page=198 |url=https://archive.org/details/TruthAboutPunjab/mode/2up}}</ref>

In May 1984, a ''Grain Roko morcha'' was planned and to be initiated on June{{nbsp}}3{{sfn|Grewal|1998|p=226}} with protestors practising civil disobedience by refusing to pay land revenue, water or electricity bills and blocking the flow of grain out of Punjab. Indian Prime minister [[Indira Gandhi]] launched [[Operation Blue Star]] on June{{nbsp}}1 prior to the Grain Roko morcha in order to remove Bhindranwale from the [[Harmandir Sahib|Golden Temple]]. This subsequently led to Gandhi's assassination by her Sikh bodyguards.<ref name="NYT">{{Cite news|last=Pace|first=Eric|date=1 November 1984|title=Assassination in India: Sikhs at the centre of the drama; Sikh separation dates back to '47|page=24|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/01/world/assassination-india-sikhs-center-drama-sikh-separation-dates-back-47.html}}</ref> Her assassination was followed by government-sponsored pogroms against Sikh communities across India and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. These events triggered an [[Insurgency in Punjab]] which would consume Punjab until the early 1990s.

During the day of [[Vaisakhi]] in 1999, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the [[Khalsa]]. [[Canada Post]] honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the anniversary. Likewise, on April 9, 1999, Indian president [[K. R. Narayanan]] issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa as well.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canada Post to honour Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/khalsa/page16.htm|work=Tribune India|publisher=The Tribune|access-date=26 March 2013|archive-date=29 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129050454/https://www.tribuneindia.com/error/Error404?aspxerrorpath=%2Fkhalsa%2Fpage16.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>