Khalistan Movements: Rising In Canada
Canada, home to the largest Sikh population outside India, has become a center for the Khalistan movement
The idea of Khalistan, a separate nation including Punjab, has existed since India's independence
The movement gained traction in the 1970s-80s under militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, killed by Indian forces in 1984
Canada emerged as a base for pro-Khalistan groups, plotting attacks on India and promoting unrest in Punjab
Separatists from Babbar Khalsa, responsible for the 1985 Air India bombing, faced minimal consequences in Canada
Over the decades, Khalistan has influenced Canadian politics, with funding reported to Canada's Liberal and NDP
Most Khalistan sympathizers are second-generation Canadians with little connection to Punjab, influenced by a simplified narrative
Khalistani groups in Canada disguise as immigration institutes, offering scholarships and jobs to recruit Sikh youth from Punjab
The Khalistan movement is nearly nonexistent in present-day Punjab, yet the election of Amritpal Singh suggests its relevance