In view of the recent spate of incidents surrounding the ‘Khalistan’ connection in Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, debate over the revival of the ‘Khalistan’ movement has gained momentum even as experts dismiss the movement’s revival at this point in the absence of ‘popular support’. However, the concern over the presence of ‘sleeper cells’ or the pro-militant elements spread across Punjab and other states cannot be ignored.
They feel that with the change of guard at the helm in Punjab, the radical elements are attempting to measure the strength of the new system.
Punjab has seen an era of militancy between the mid-1980s to early-1990s over the demand for ‘Khalistan’ (sovereign state for Sikhs). The movement has lost popular support but sporadic incidents have occurred lately in an apparent attempt to revive the movement from fringe groups, though these have failed.
