Khalistan

The Pro Khalistan movement, a Sikh separatist campaign, seeks an independent Sikh state in Punjab, India, rooted in grievances from the 1978 Sikh-Nirankari clash and intensified by the 1984 Operation Blue Star and anti-Sikh riots. Figures like Sukhdev Singh Babbar, Talwinder Singh Parmar, Jagjit Singh Chohan, Inderjit Singh Reyat, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Jagtar Singh Tara, Gurbachan Singh Manochahal, Seetal Singh Matewal, Jasbir Singh Rode, Manbir Singh Chaheru, and Giani Aroor Singh Dula played pivotal roles. Babbar and Parmar led Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), executing violent operations like the Air India bombing. Chohan globalized the cause through political advocacy, while Reyat provided technical expertise. Nijjar and Tara advanced militancy via Khalistan Tiger Force, Manochahal and Matewal led guerrilla warfare, Rode mobilized diaspora, Chaheru founded Khalistan Commando Force, and Aroor Singh unified efforts through the Panthic Committee. Despite crackdowns, the movement persists in the Sikh diaspora, sparking debates over heroism and terrorism.