Since the BJP, led by Narendra Modi, assumed power in 2014, religious minorities have experienced the worst kind of persecution. The Modi government has left no stone unturned to bring about India’s transformation into a Hindu Rashtra, disregarding the Constitutional obligation enshrined in Article 25 (1), which stipulates equal rights for all persons to practice, profess, and propagate religion. By disregarding the concerns of minorities including Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs, who have been subjected to unfair treatment in regard to their rights to food, clothing, marriage, and places for worship, their efforts to maintain India’s secular character have proven fruitless. This has exposed the ultra-nationalistic and oppressive nature of Modi’s administration.

In June 1984, Indian Army attacked the familiar Golden Temple along with 41 other gurdwaras of the Sikh community all across the Indian Punjab. This assault was codenamed “Operation Blue Star” and this marked the beginning of gross violations of Human Rights. This operation was marked by Sikh leaders as the genocide of the Sikh community. They are still wounded by the thought that their leader was killed in this operation. The Indian government had imposed draconian media censorship to hide the gruesome war crimes against Sikhs during ‘Operation Blue Star’ by their Army. 

Post this gruesome incident, 20,000 Sikh families fearing for their life migrated out from India. Many of them resigned from their jobs and returned medals they had received from the Indian authorities as a protest against the attack on Golden Temple. These historical moves were always deliberate in nature whether it was the Golden temple or Babri Masjid, whether it was Sikhs or Muslims. Perturbed by demands of the Khalistan referendum, the Indian establishment, using RAW and other tools working on a deliberate plan to repeat the episode of Operation Blue Star. In such circumstances possibility of India using the Army to oppress the Sikh’s peaceful struggle cannot be ruled out. Sikhs need to be aware of Indian machinations and the world community must take notice of Indian high-handedness. 

Indian political leadership has built up a case against ‘Sikh for Justice’ and other pro-Khalistan set-ups abroad. “India is using its discredited media to establish a link between the Khalistan movement with Pakistan. Indian history is full of such false flag operations. On the pretext of Khalistan separatism, India might use security forces to break the will of those having dissenting views with New Delhi.