Sikh Insurgency 2.0

The last couple of months have witnessed a rapid intensification of the Khalistan narrative in international media. A renewed struggle of Sikh separatism in going on especially in Indian Punjab, a region accommodating more than 30 million population with nearly 60% Sikh demographic contribution. The local efforts to hush up the new insurgency, which is getting its strength from the historical Sikh struggle for an independent homeland, are not producing the desired results. Previously, an Indian Police Officer, KPS Gill, suppressed it with verve and vigour. The Gill doctrine is based on four pillars. First, transparency of action in which he let the media sit by his side to watch the major counter-insurgency operation in Golden Temple in which insurgents laid down their arms and came out to surrender before the police. Second, a close-knit formation with military in which the latter agreed to act in the outer cordon and support the police operations against the insurgents. Third, a number of excesses were committed during the counter-insurgency operations but Gill remained steadfast and he thoroughly enjoyed the situation rather than subdued by internal or external criticism. Lastly, the political will was defining which extended a free hand to chief of police operations to deal with the insurgents in any manner. The present insurgency, however, has been raging with new instruments and a different ground situation.

The bitter reality unfolding today is that the police and political dispensation is trying to mitigate the sparks of insurgency with a totally different approach. Though Amritpal Singh, a symbol of Khalistan narrative, has been arrested after a month-long search, the Indian police need to understand the strategy of insurgents. No doubt leadership plays a major role in the success of any insurgency, but means of communication especially social media platforms have now become central to success in such a situation. It cannot be blocked permanently as it would further boost the prospects of insurgents rather than mitigating it. Hence, controlling the cyberspace is the first step followed by arresting the miscreants in which the police should spearhead the field operations. Planting individuals in chat rooms or social media groups should be done extensively without further loss of time so that intelligence is obtained in a timely manner. Moreover, central government should activate National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the disturbed regions and wherever it deems fit the local police should rope in military support as well. Since the new insurgency has now been supported by Sikh diaspora, NIA has the mandate and wherewithal to deal with it effectively. In short, police must be dove-tailed with cybercrime coordination centre to act on specific leads related to social media counter-insurgency actions.

The new insurgency is thriving on the political vacuum created by sidelining the soft voices and the harsh actions against farmers in Punjab. The non-concessional and non-negotiating attitude of the central government has further squeezed chances of any type of support even from the government functionaries for counter-insurgency. The Sikh police officers are also working with circumspection and caution. There is an element of fear in their minds rather than any room for enjoyment in their field operations. Though a ban has been imposed over social media and internet, the government actions cannot block all types of communications. It is losing the fight against new instruments of insurgency. Today percentage of Sikh youth in India is highest at any point in time with extreme religious mindset. The search and sweep operations show that the local population and even local police forces are protecting and supporting the Sikh insurgents.

With the arrest of over two hundred Sikh supporters in Punjab and a central government obsessed with Hindutva ideology, the new insurgency might have wider and broader repercussions in the presence of social media platforms and widely covered Sikh agitation abroad.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 29^th, 2023.

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