Book Description

Sikh sovereignty is analyzed first within Sikh traditions and scriptures, and second within the theoretical framework of subaltern studies and nationalism. It is argued that Sikh sovereignty has roots in Sikh principles such as miri-piri, sant-sipahi, and patishahi and the physical structure of the Akal Takhat. Guru Nanak Dev Ji put these principles into action in the 15th century to guide Sikh sovereignty, which flourished under the subsequent nine Gurus, ending with Guru Granth Sahib Ji as a guide in contemporary society. In some respects, Sikhs in present-day India are subalterns whose interests are ignored because of a rise in religious Hindu nationalism. In the fight for postcolonial independence, Sikh interests, including the right to key elements of sovereignty such as freedom of speech and self-determination and a demarcated land, were originally recognized but ultimately neglected once India became an established postcolonial nation. Khalistan, an independent and autonomous Sikh state, is thus rooted in Sikhi but driven by nationalism and anti-colonial sentiments. It ensures Sikh representation in the modern world where they are not fully incorporated or where their actions on behalf of better representation are criminalized, as with Hindu hegemony in India. The idea of Khalistan, conceived as a sovereign space for Sikhs separate from India, raises the question of pluralism. However, it is fundamentally part of the battle for sovereignty, and social, political, and economic representation that has existed from the formation of Sikhi, which has included resistance to oppressive regimes through the creation of the Akal Takhat under the Mughal Empire in the 15th through 18th century, and the launch of Punjabi newspapers dedicated to Sikhi under the British Raj in the 19th and 20th centuries.