Khalistan Movement – India’s Unity Under Threat (A Brewing Civil War)

A force capable of breaking India into a civil war and driving a secondpartition is simmering in Punjab. After losing popularity in one of themost brutal times in Indian history, the Khalistan movement is rising onceagain. With a new face but the same old demands, a separate Sikh nation. Under Amritpal Singh Sandhu, the self-styled Chief of Khalistanis, themovement is un-stabilizing the political landscape. And with a comparativelyweak government head of state, the future seems more brim.But what is the Khalistan movement? Who is Amritpal Singh Sandhu? Whyshould the central government be worried about the uprising? And what does itmean for Punjab and India?

Understanding the Khalistan Movement

The Khalistan movement is a separatist movement that aims to establish a sovereign state for the Sikhs named Khalistan. This nation should include Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and a few districts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.The movement first emerged ten years into independent India in 1960. JagjitSingh Chohan, the former Finance Minister of Punjab, demanded a separate Khalistan, which gave rise to the movement in the 1970s and reached its peak in the 1980s under Indira Gandhi’s government.

While Jagjit Singh created a Sikh extremist government in Pakistan andcollected millions of dollars from the US to form Khalistan; in India, thereins of the movement were in Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale‘s hands.

Financed by Jagjit and supported by Pak ISI, Bhindranwale’s popularityskyrocketed in Punjab. Under his leadership, the Khalistan movement grew, withthousands of extremist Sikhs joining. He urged his followers to restore the Khalsa(Orthodox Sikh religion) in Sikh society.  His protests targeted Hindus and the ‘modernizedSikhs.’These were very violent times in Punjab, but all this was coming to an end with Operation Blue Star in 1984. While in a hideout in the Golden Temple, Bhindranwale’s followers continued bombing across Punjab. However, in operation, the Khalistan

the leader was assassinated and took control of the temple.According to official statements, about 500 militants and civilians died inthe attack, but independent organizations estimate over 3000 deaths. Four monthslater, on 31st October 1984, Prime Minister Indra Gandhi wasmurdered by her two Sikh bodyguards, which gave rise to anti-Sikh riots. This resulted in the deaths of 8000 Sikhs.

Resurfacing Khalistan Movement

The anti-Sikh riot rooted a hatred amongst Sikhs for the Indian governmentand made Bhindranwale a freedom fighter. Post the attack, numerous incidents, including the attack on an Air India Plan that left over 300 dead, followed.While the Indian government stabilized the situation in the country’s popularKahlistani militants started operating from the US, UK, and Canada. The groupeven used the latest farmer’s protest to increase militancy in Punjab.So Bhindranwale died, but the Khalistan movement survived, and now they have a new leader – Amritpal Singh Sandhu.

Who is Amritpal & How He Became the Leader of the Khalistan Movement?

Born in 1933, Amritpal Singh Sandhu was a normal man living in Dubai. But thename, unfamiliar just a few months back, has now become a popular leader inPunjab.Named Bhindranwale 2.0, Deep Sidhu became a controversial figure during the2020 farmer’s protest after starting the ‘Waris Punjab De’, a socialorganization. After his death, Amritpal took the leading position in theorganization.Before joining the organization two years back, Sandhu didn’t even wear aturban. But soon after joining, he underwent a remarkable transformation,rising to a position of influence and power in the Kahlistani movement.

Amritpal took his anointment in the native village of Bhindranwale, whoserves as Sandhu’s inspiration. Since September 2022, he started dressing likehis inspiration and even began carrying a steel arrow, precisely likeBhindranwale has done in the past.Amirtpal claims his agenda is to bring in the religious and social transformationo Punjab. But his group has also attacked and vandalized Gurudwaras (Sikhtemples). Similar to Bhindranwale, Sandhu delivers ferocious speeches in aneffort to pique the interest of Punjab’s youth.

He urges them to give up narcotics and get involved in the effort toresurrect the “panth” and rid it of its “slavery” mentality. He openly criticises other religions and supports “sampuran raj” in place of “Waziri,” or slavery, in a mannerreminiscent of Bhindranwale.For his controversial remarks, most recently directed at Union Home MinisterAmit Shah, he said, “his fate will be similar to that of former prime ministerIndira Gandhi.“All this soon bubbled up to the Anjala police station attack.

The Anjala Police Station Attack

“If the fire lodged against me isn’t scrapped within one hour, the administrationof Punjab should be held responsible for the consequences”Six months back, the Punjab police arrested Lavpreet Singh, a leading memberof the Waris Punjab De organization. Protesting against the arrest and the FIR on Amripal, the supporter of Sandhu surrounded the police station in massive numbers on 23rd February.To impede the aggressive demonstrators – armed with swords – policebarricaded the area with additional forces brought in from five districts. Innow-viral videos of the violent protests, a huge number of Khalistanis wereseen breaking barricades and attacking the police with swords.

India: Violence Against Women on Holi Reeks of Communal and Racial Tensions

Holi is a Hindu festival of colors and is celebrated across India with great enthusiasm. Numerous cases of violence, molestation, and harassment of women and minorities during March 7 and 8 when Holi was celebrated in various parts of the country came to light on social media. While “Bura na mano Holi Hai” (Don’t feel bad, it’s Holi) is used to justify all such nefarious behaviors, where women are most frequently the target, the celebration of Holi in India is frequently tarnished by incidences of molestation and harassment. However, in recent years, the festival has been marred by incidents of violence, particularly against women belonging to minority and marginalized communities.

This year, violence against women during the festivities of Holi emerged in the news of the incident met out to a Japanese woman. However, this was not the only incident of violence against women that took place at the festival of Holi. Other incidents with rather less to no reportage were the attacks to Muslim women and those belonging to marginalized communities. Over the years incidents of violence against women during Holi reek of not just communal but recently racial tensions.

‘I Was Terrified’: Japanese Woman Tweets After Being Assaulted During Holi

Recently, a video of a group of Indian men assaulting a Japanese woman in Delhi during the Holi celebrations went viral online. The woman responded to the incident on Twitter, calling it “unfortunate” and clarifying that her purpose was not to “defame the festival.” In a series of tweets roughly translated from Japanese, the woman wrote, “I had heard that it was very dangerous for a woman to go out alone during the daytime at the Holi festival, an Indian festival that I participated in, so I participated in the event with a total of 35 other friends. Unfortunately, this kind of situation happened…”In the video, the men are seen smearing color on a Japanese woman and groping her. One of them even smashes an egg on her head. Before she manages to step away, the woman slaps one of the men who tried to grab her.

The foreign national who had tweeted the video on Thursday quickly deleted it. She claimed she “deleted the tweet” because she “was terrified” by the responses to the video. She posted in Japanese, “On March 9, I tweeted a video of Holi, but after that, the number of RTs and DMs surged more than I had anticipated, and I was afraid, so I deleted the tweet. She continued by saying that she had no intention of “conveying the abnormalities and damages of the Holi festival in India.”

In response to the footage, the police detained three people, among them a minor, in connection with the event. The police have pledged to intensify their investigation, and the woman expressed hope that harassment of women would considerably diminish.

The Under-reported Crimes- Minor Muslim Girls Raped in Bihar during Holi

This Holi, two minor girls were raped by 2 men including the son of an ex-sarpanch in the Begusarai district of Bihar. Once news broke that two girls, aged 6 and 7, had reportedly been sexually assaulted by the son of a previous Sarpanch while others were playing Holi, the Begusarai district of Bihar was anxious. The girls are from a different community than the accused, who is a Hindu, according to the press statement. The accused Rajkumar alias Chhotu Mahato and his companion approached the minors as they were playing in a school near Panchdir Chowk, according to Begusarai police. The accused had both been drinking. After they raped the two minors, they fled the scene.

Other Incidents of Violence against Women and Minorities

In a separate incident, a 65-year-old woman in the eastern state of Jharkhand was beaten to death by a group of six people for allegedly stopping them from applying colors to her son. The incident happened during Holi when the woman, who has been identified as Bucchi Devi, got into a fight with the group and forbade them from painting her kid Murari with colors. According to the local police, the group beat the woman and her son until they both passed out. Murari woke up to see his mother laying dead, according to accounts.In another incident, a video was circulated on social media showing a lone Sikh man being attacked during the festivities of Holi. The disturbing visuals showed him being beaten and his turban being torn off.Read here, India: School Principal Booked After Students Recite Iqbal’s Poem- What Makes Muhammad Iqbal a Contentious Figure in India?

History of Violence Against Women during Holi Festivities

In some parts of India, Holi has been used as a pretext to attack Muslim communities. In 2018, a video surfaced on social media showing a group of men in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district, throwing color and attacking Muslim women, while chanting religious slogans. The violence is not limited to physical assault but also includes sexual harassment and molestation.The incidents of violence against women during Holi are a reflection of the larger problem of violence against women in India. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, in 2019, there were 4,05,861 cases of crimes against women reported in India. These included rape, sexual harassment, domestic violence, and dowry-related violence.

The government has taken several measures to address the issue of violence against women, including setting up fast-track courts to hear cases of sexual assault and harassment. The government has also launched a national helpline for women in distress. However, these measures have not been enough to curb the violence against women, particularly during festivals like Holi. It is important for the government and civil society to work together to address the underlying social and cultural attitudes that perpetuate violence against women.

The festival of Holi, traditionally a celebration of spring and love, has unfortunately become a time when women are targeted for sexual harassment and assault. The Indian government has taken steps to address violence against women, including the introduction of stricter laws and the establishment of special courts to handle cases of sexual violence. However, implementation and enforcement of these measures remain a challenge, and cultural attitudes toward gender and religion continue to perpetuate violence against women.

The nature of this violence is deeply concerning and highlights the intersectional discrimination faced by Muslim women in India. Not only are they vulnerable to gender-based violence, but they also face religious and communal hostility, which can exacerbate their situation. It is important to acknowledge and condemn all forms of violence against women, regardless of their religion or ethnicity. Muslim women, in particular, considering their unacknowledged minority status deserve to live in a society where they can freely practice their religion and move out of their homes without fear of harassment or discrimination.

Israel murders more innocent Palestinians including elderly worshipers at al-Aqsa mosque

With the world’s attention focused on the Ukrainian crisis, Israel murders more innocent Palestinians in droves, including absolutely innocent civilians. Palestinian sources have described the latest Israeli escalation as the most ” brutal and ferocious” since the devastating  Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip last year,  which left hundreds of Palestinian civilians dead and badly injured, including dozens of children.

On Friday, 15 April, when thousands of innocent Palestinian Muslims normally converge at the al-Masjidul Aqsa esplanade to perform the weekly congregational prayers, crack Israeli troops employed stringent methods, including rubber-coated bullets, to repress and savage worshipers who shouted “Allahu Akbar” or God is the Greatest.

According to eyewitnesses, the troops fired tear gas canisters inside the Mosque, causing numerous cases of suffocation to many elderly worshipers.  Moreover, soldiers were seen assaulting, beating, and brutalizing old men and women. At least 300 worshipers were injured and transferred to the Makased Hospital. 250 others were arrested.

Palestinians were particularly incensed by plans by some Talmudic messianic extremists to slaughter an animal offering inside the Aqsa esplanade, which would coincide with the Passover Jewish holiday. On 14 April, the Israeli police reportedly “seized” a goat at the home of one extremist activist. The goat was reportedly earmarked for the offering.

Israeli Talmudic circles make no secret of their morbid intentions to demolish Islamic shrines in Jerusalem, including the Aqsa Mosque and the golden-domed mosque  (Dome of the Rock)  to prepare the area for the building of a Jewish Temple that would herald the appearance of a Jewish Messiah or Redeemer.  The Redeemer would rule the entire world from his seat in Jerusalem and bring salvation and redemption for Jews.

Israel murders innocent Palestinians : Murderous state terror

Last week,  trigger-happy Israeli soldiers murdered six Palestinian civilians, bringing the number of victims since the beginning of the month of Ramadan to more than 24. The latest victims of Israel’s decades-old occupation included a boy from Bethlehem, a lawyer from Nablus, and a mother of six children from the village of Nahalin west of Bethlehem.
Israel murders innocent Palestinians

Israel murders innocent Palestinians: Shoot first, ask questions later!

The  47-year-old  mother, named Ghada Sabatin,  was shot dead in cold blood on 10 April, as she was returning home, not far from a Jewish colony.

An Israeli spokesman claimed that the woman “was walking suspiciously” and that “soldiers thought that she might have a terrorist tendency” However, as ample and irrefutable evidence became apparent that the killing was “a deliberate and premeditated murder,” the Israeli army decided to “investigate the matter,” a routine and disingenuous measure that means very little other than seeking to delude and trick international public opinion. Israel is known to have murdered hundreds, even thousands, of innocent Palestinians rather knowingly and deliberately.

The Biden administration refused to denounce the murder of the innocent Palestinian mother. However, a junior State Department official reportedly telephoned the victim’s family to voice his condolences. The pliant and increasingly irrelevant Palestinian Authority, while keeping its close but behind-the-curtain security coordination with Israel, called on the international community to protect our people from “Israel’s death machine.”

Some ostensibly demoralized PA spokesmen, like Jamal Nazzal, argued that it was futile to put up any resistance to Israeli occupation forces. He castigated Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and splintered Fatah elements for Israel’s murderous crimes in the West Bank, especially the northern district of Jenin.

He said the correct way to extricate Palestinian rights from Zionism was Abu Mazen’s way, namely his successful bid to join the International Criminal Court. Palestinian surfers and social media users scoffed at Nazzal, calling him “like Alice in Wonderland.”

Azzam al-Ahmed, another aide to PA leader Mahmoud Abbas claimed during an interview with Aljazeera TV network that the PA has oversight over the resistance. His remarks were similarly ridiculed by social media.

Interestingly, a majority of Palestinians, including a growing number of Fatah’s activists seem unwilling to give the PA the benefit of the doubt. The latest discourse comes against a backdrop of an impending implosion within Fatah, the ruling party in Ramallah.

Fatah leaders and activists have been warning that Fatah will not play deaf and dumb if the PA leadership continues harrowing toward capitulation to Israel.

“The PA  today is no longer responsible to the Palestinian people, It is responsible first and foremost, to the enemy, Israel, which makes it a quisling entity,” said Khalil Kawasmi, a regional Fatah leader from the Hebron area.

“You know, serving Israeli security is the ultimate raison d’etre of the PA. If the PA fails to do the job properly, it won’t survive for another 24 hours.”

Enter Hussein Sheikh!

The current Israeli government would like to achieve several short-term and long-term goals behind the latest round of killings in the West Bank.  These goals include a brazenly sadistic desire to narrow Palestinians’ horizons and coerce them to lower the ceiling of their national aspirations by giving up, once and for all, on their erstwhile aspirations for a sovereign and territorially- contiguous state with East Jerusalem as its capital and coming to terms with de facto apartheid as the final and permanent solution for the enduring conflict.

Moreover, the present government of Naftali Bennet apparently hopes to prolong the life-span of his fragile government by out-bidding and out-matching the Likud Bloc and other fascist elements in Israel by spilling more Palestinian blood. It is well-known that killing more Palestinians, including children, is the most effective tactic of acquiring political popularity in Israel.  

Bennet also wants to demonstrate to Jews as well as Arabs that the wanton and unrestrained killings of Palestinians would continue unabated and even increases, irrespective of any antithetical considerations pertaining to normalization with some Arab countries such as UAE, Bahrain, and Maghreb.  Thus, Bennet’s unspoken words  would sound like this” These cheap Arabs would still grovel at our feet no matter what we do to the Palestinians.”  Sadly, he might be correct on that.

Presently, Israel seems to prepare for the post-Abbas era. In fact, Israel has already taken some tactical measures towards that end, including “promoting Hussein Sheikh as would-be successor to the aging Mahmoud Abbas.”

Sheikh, whom numerous Palestinians view as Israel’s man inside the PA, advocates “arrangements with Israel that have all the hallmarks of Apartheid.”

Sheikh faces fierce opposition from within Fatah and the Palestinian people at large.

However, with Israel behind him and with him controlling the coffers of the PA, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to imagine him at the helm of the corrupt e Palestinian Judenrat after Abu Mazen’s departure.

Still, some Palestinian and Jewish observers believe that Israel won’t by any more successful with such a brazen feat than it was with the Village League in the late 1970s.

5.9 Million Tons of Lithium Found in Kashmir, India

The world is in dire need of cleaner and more sustainable energy sources, and Lithium has emerged as a powerful tool in the quest. This versatile element is playing a critical role in the transition away from polluting fossil fuels to greener and more eco-friendly power sources. And now, with the recent discovery of a Lithium mine in Kashmir valley by the Geological Survey of India, there’s hope for a more abundant and cost-effective supply of this valuable mineral.

Amounting to about 5.9 million tons, Kashmir’s lithium resource can potentially change India’s position in global green energy resources.

The discovery is huge for India’s energy reserves and Kashmir’s economy. However, the announcement has triggered both hopes and concerns from Indians and the world.

Why Does the Discovery of Lithium in Kashmir Matters?

Lithium is a shining gray metal with a nickname that’s just as brilliant – “white gold.” It’s a crucial component of electric batteries, making it an essential element in the quest for cleaner and more sustainable energy.

The recent discovery of lithium reserves in India is being celebrated by experts worldwide, and for good reasons. The discovery could be a game-changer for India’s energy independence, potentially reducing its reliance on imports to meet growing demand. In 2020-21 alone, India imported lithium and lithium ions worth INR 173 crore and INR 8,811 crore, respectively. As the country pushes towards electric vehicles, demand for lithium is only set to increase.

Moreover, Lithium deposits are rare, with only 98 million tonnes found globally, according to Rishabh Jain, senior program director for the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW).

India has already discovered 5.5% of these resources, which is significant in comparison to countries like Chile and Australia, which have 9.2 million tonnes and 6.2 million tonnes of lithium deposits, respectively.

The potential impact of this discovery is massive, particularly for the production of electric vehicles.

However, further assessments are needed to determine the exact quality and quantity of the resources and whether they can be extracted and used efficiently. If proven feasible, this discovery could pave the way for a more sustainable future for India and the world as a whole.

The Geographical Barriers

The Lithium reserve is discovered in Salal-Haimana, Reasi district of J&K, a region known for being seismically active. With the Reasi placed in the seismic zone IV, mining white gold from the area can pose a high risk.

Moreover, the region is also situated in the renowned Kashmir seismic gap, which experts have forecasted as the site of potential “great” earthquakes with a magnitude exceeding eight on the Richter scale.

According to Parveen Kumar, senior manager of Electric Mobility, WRI India; the most recent lithium discovery is “a significant step towards self-reliance in the LIB [lithium–ion battery] supply chain.”

“Although this is good news, a balanced appraisal that considers the region’s ecological sensitivity is also necessary,”

PARVEEN KUMAR

Lithium mining also adversely impacts the ecosystem and environment. Pollution of the soil, water, and air is among them. For example, one estimate states that it requires around 2.2 million liters of water to generate one tonne of lithium while extracting it from its ore.

Plus, with Reasi already living in water scarcity, and to sustainably extract Lithium, the authorities would have to tackle the issue first.

Can India Become the Leader in Lithium Refining, Outcompeting China?

China is an outlier in the lithium market. The nation held only 7.9% of the world’s lithium reserves at the end of 2020, according to BP’s Statistical Review of World Energy 2021. But the fabrication of metal is where the nation excels. As a result, 60% of the world’s capability for refining and processing lithium is estimated to be located in China.

However, lithium refining is a complex process. World’s major lithium producers, including spodumene, petalite, and lepidolite, need to process the minerals in order to get the lithium out. This procedure involves crushing the ore, followed by the extraction of the lithium using froth flotation, magnetic separation, and gravity separation, among other methods.

Lithium refining plants in China

Lithium can also be obtained from brine lakes, collected via sun concentration and evaporation. Although this process can take longer, it is often less complicated than mineral processing.

Amongst all this, India, a country that depended on exports for fulfilling its energy requirements, can now potentially be among the leader of the green energy revolution with the Lithium found in Kashmir.

And if extracted and refined wisely, India’s lithium reserves could enable it to compete with China. However, now the focus must shift to assessing the commercial extraction potential of Lithium reserves in Kashmir.

Extracting Lithium from Disputed Region Would be a Challenge

While developing lithium resources in Kashmir valley will require the Indian government to lure industrial development and investment in the region, the state continues to be volatile. Moreover, with Salal-Haimana just 30 miles from the Line of Control (India-Pakistan border), obtaining lithium from the region will be a huge challenge from a military standpoint.

J & K holds only 1% of the total Indian population but accounted for 57% of all deaths triggered by armed conflicts between 2019 and 2021. And Salal-Haimana is among such disputed areas.

It is difficult to predict whether a lithium boom might lessen or exacerbate these local governance issues. But, on the other hand, more economic benefits might be provided for the Indian economy and major regional advantages in employment possibilities and improved road and rail infrastructure.

Lithium in Kashmir: “The batteries of the Indian economy”

The Tribune and the Kashmir Picture, two Indian English-language media publications, have already published articles praising the discovery and referring to it as “the batteries of the Indian economy” to address the region’s unemployment issues. It’s impossible not to be excited.

Lithium Found in Kashim – Final Thoughts

The discovery of huge reserves of Lithium in Kashmir has the potential to bring India up to the competition in the green energy industry.

However, the government must ensure that to make India “atmanirbhar” (self-sufficient) in terms of this vital mineral to attain its net zero goals, they do not compromise the union territory’s delicate ecosystem.

In light of the fact that the agricultural sector is already vulnerable to climate change, if lithium mining operations are to be developed, their implications on agricultural productivity must be fairly and thoroughly evaluated.

Furthermore, it is critical that the government extract these minerals as ethically as possible; failing which, the fundamental motivation for developing these green technologies would be undermined.