Sikh leader begins “peaceful agitation” social reform campaign across Punjab

A campaign to encourage Sikhs to deepen their faith and tackle the addiction epidemic of the state has been launched by Bhai Amritpal Singh Sandhu, head of community organization Waris Punjab De (WPD- Protectors of Punjab).

The “Khalsa Vaheer” (Khalsa March) campaign started this week (23.11.22) from Amritsar and will go across Punjab for “months” according to Bhai Amritpal Singh, aiming to encourage Sikhs to become Amritdhari (initiated into the Khalsa collective), whilst also bringing support for Punjabis of any faith to come into the WPD fold for help fighting addiction.

Becoming Amritdhari (via the Amrit sanchar ceremony) means making a strict commitment to the Sikh Guru to maintain a spiritual lifestyle, be dedicated to service and justice and always wear the Punj Kakkar (Five Ks) uniform, including maintaining of kes (unshorn hair). Generally, it is considered within the faith that all Sikhs should aim to one-day join the Khalsa, to which there is no age or gender restriction. Becoming Amritdhari is often referred to as becoming “baptised”, although many Sikh educators prefer not to use Christian terminology for Sikh practices.

The “Khalsa Vaheer” will also challenge addiction in the state, which in 2015 was said to have at least 200,000 addicts (considered a conservative estimate), hooked to hard drugs such as alcohol, heroin and crack-cocaine. During previous speaking events where Bhai Amritpal Singh addressed Sikhs, families have come forward to ask for support to help their addicted kin, leading to this open call for those with issues to come forward. Drug addiction issues in Punjab have been linked with ongoing discontent among the people there, due to lack of life options, a poor social infrastructure and also a lack of policing on drug smuggling and use in the country. Part of this issue includes the constant stream of contaminated intoxicants – including alcohol – into Punjab, which result in the deaths of even moderate users. Due to the lack of policing on this issue, Bhai Amritpal Singh Sandhu has said he will stretch the issue into also challenging drug dealers, asking people to come forward and name perpetrators.

The campaign is the latest groundbreaking act of the charismatic young Sikh leader, who at just 29-years-old has quickly become an extremely popular and powerful figure among Sikhs after being given the role as head of WPD after the untimely and suspicious passing of activist and actor Deep Sidhu. For the past year, Bhai Amritpal Singh has been helping Sikhs make the step into the Khalsa whilst also highlighting the deep anti-Sikh issues of India which impact Punjab. This has all circled around the topic of Sikh sovereignty, which Bhai Amritpal Singh has spoken in favour of, including in the form of the Khalistan (free Sikh homeland) movement. His outspokenness and sudden rise has rocked the Indian establishment, with many media and ultranationalist figures demanding action be taken against him for the way he is organizing Sikhs. Hindutva (Hindu extremists) and Indian ultranationalist types have long demonized Sikh activism efforts as they threaten the hierarchy of India’s current tyrannical regime.

Speaking at the Khalsa Vaheer launch, Bhai Amritpal Singh said:

“We will cover around 20 kilometres every day. There will be a religious gathering every evening. Our aim is to make the youth initiated Sikhs. People from all religions are welcome to make Punjab free of drugs and other problems.”

One aspect of Bhai Amritpal Singh’s efforts which has particularly been attacked by Indian ultranationalists is the fact he travels with armed guards and has previously spoken in favour of Sikhs becoming armed. Sikhs are mandated to be armed and revere weapons as a faith practice, which includes guns. However, in modern times some outside of the panth (Sikh path/community) have attempted to suggest this is a backward practice, despite the fact Sikhs have suffered with a genocide from 1984 onwards.

Speaking on this, Bhai Amritpal Singh said:

“There are some organisations which are objecting to weapons of Sikhs. Weapons always had great importance and these are worshipped at all five Takhts of Sikhs. Even Hindu gods have the weapons. This controversy is unnecessary.”

Bhai Amritpal Singh has also demanded more internal focus from Sikhs, with the objective to bring more support to the issues of Punjab specifically.

In summary of the Khalsa Vaheer, Bhai Amritpal Singh said:

“It is a peaceful agitation. We are going to ask for our rights. We are going to do preaching.”

The Khalsa Vaheer is overwhelmingly supported by Sikhs in Punjab and in the diaspora. However, there are still concerns that the Indian state will aim to clamp down on it, which usually means police violence. Given the history of such issues in Punjab, many feel this is a tense time in the state, although many others are celebrating this revival in Sikh organization and parchar (education).