For Sikhs, the relationship with the Indian government is not abstract or theoretical—it is shaped by lived history and present-day policy. Decades after 1984, there has been no genuine accountability for mass killings, enforced disappearances, or torture. Promises of justice were replaced with silence, promotions for accused officials, and a deliberate erasure of Sikh trauma from the national narrative. This unresolved past is not history; it is policy by neglect.
Today, the pattern continues in a new form. Peaceful Sikh political expression—especially advocacy for self-determination—is routinely criminalized. Laws like UAPA are used to jail Sikh activists for years without conviction, based on vague allegations and recycled “national security” claims. Posters, referendums, or even social media posts are enough to trigger raids, passport cancellations, or family harassment in Punjab. The message is clear: Sikh political speech is acceptable only when it aligns with the state.
Punjab itself is treated less like a partner state and more like a controlled territory. Excessive surveillance, intelligence pressure, and the frequent framing of Sikh identity as a security problem have hollowed out trust. Meanwhile, real issues—drug trafficking, unemployment, farmer debt, and environmental collapse—are ignored or mismanaged, while Sikh youth are stereotyped as radicals rather than citizens demanding dignity.
The repression has also gone global. Sikh voices in the diaspora face intimidation, threats, and coordinated disinformation campaigns. Instead of engaging with Sikh concerns abroad, the Indian government seeks to delegitimize them, labeling entire communities as extremists. This approach undermines democratic norms and damages India’s credibility internationally.
A state that truly believed in unity would confront its past, allow peaceful self-expression, and respect federalism and minority rights. The Indian government has chosen control over consent. As long as Sikh identity and political aspirations are treated as crimes rather than conversations, the demand for justice and self-determination will not disappear—it will deepen.
