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{{Short description|Radical Sikh outfit}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Dal Khalsa
| abbreviation =
| image = Dal Khalsa (International) logo.jpg
| caption =
| type = Sikh nationalism
| status =
| formation = {{start date and age|1978|4|13|p=y|df=yes}}<ref name="TIQ">{{Cite journal|url=https://thinkindiaquarterly.org/index.php/think-india/article/view/19232|title=Operation Blue Star and White Paper on Punjab Agitation|author=M.Arokia Selva Sundar, K. Sasikala|date=10 November 2019|language=English|journal=Think India Quarterly|volume=22 |issue=10 |pages=9361–9371 }}</ref>
| founder = Gajinder Singh<ref name="panch pardhani">{{Cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/features/panch-pardhani-merges-with-dal-khalsa-239913|title=Panch Pardhani merges with Dal Khalsa|access-date=26 April 2023|website=Tribune India}}</ref><ref name="Mahmood"/>
| headquarters = [[Amritsar]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[India]]
| coordinates =
| origins =
| key_people = Kanwarpal Singh<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/amritsar/dal-khalsa-to-convene-assembly-of-minorities-347380|title=Dal Khalsa to convene assembly of minorities|access-date=26 April 2023|date=7 December 2021|website=Tribune India}}</ref>
| region_served = Worldwide
| language = [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]
| leader_title = President
| leader_name = Paramjit Singh Mand
| main_organ =
| purpose = Creation of a Punjabi Sikh nation state
| affiliations =
| slogan =
| num_volunteers =
| num_members =
| former_name =
| footnotes =
}}

'''Dal Khalsa''' is a radical<ref name="Pandher 2015">{{cite web |last=Pandher |first=Sarabjit |date=3 January 2015 |title=Dal Khalsa for deadline to free ex-militants |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/dal-khalsa-for-deadline-to-free-exmilitants/article6749385.ece |access-date=1 October 2015 |website=The Hindu}}</ref><ref name="Link Newspaper 2009" /> Sikh organisation, based in the city of [[Amritsar]] in the state of Punjab. The outfit was formed in 1978 by Gajinder Singh, the leader of the hijackers<ref name="The Hindu">{{Cite news |date=2016-01-25 |title=On IC-423 hijack: Lahore to Pathankot, via Kandahar |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/On-IC-423-hijack-Lahore-to-Pathankot-via-Kandahar/article62116028.ece |access-date=2023-04-26 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2000-02-22 |title=Hijacker of IA flight discharged |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/2000/02/22/stories/0222000w.htm |access-date=2018-07-26 |archive-date=26 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726185239/https://www.thehindu.com/2000/02/22/stories/0222000w.htm |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1981-09-30 |title=SIKH SEPARATISTS HIJACK INDIAN JETLINER TO PAKISTAN |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/09/30/world/sikh-separatists-hijack-indian-jetliner-to-pakistan.html |access-date=2018-07-26 }}</ref> of [[Indian Airlines Flight 423]].<ref name="panch pardhani"/><ref name="Mahmood">{{cite book |last1=Mahmood |first1=Cynthia Keppley |title=Fighting for Faith and Nation: Dialogues with Sikh Militants |date=1996 |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. |isbn=978-0812215922 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FqvTRUrwt2UC|page=82}}</ref> It came to prominence during [[Insurgency in Punjab, India|Insurgency in Punjab]] along with [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] in 1981. Members of the Dal Khalsa have also been accused of the assassination of journalist [[Lala Jagat Narain]].<ref name="TIQ"/> The primary aim of Dal Khalsa is to form a [[Punjabis|Punjabi]] [[Sikhs|Sikh]] nation state called [[Khalistan movement|Khalistan]].<ref name="Link Newspaper 2009">{{cite web | title=Two Radical Sikh Groups Join Hands To Achieve Khalistan | website=Link Newspaper | date=2 January 2009 | url=http://thelinkpaper.ca/?p=49375 | access-date=1 October 2015}}</ref>

==History==
===Origin===
On 13 April 1978, the members and leaders of the [[Sant Nirankari Mission]] (regarded by orthodox sikh as [[heretics]]) held a convention at the [[Golden Temple]]. Opposed to this mission, [[Damdami Taksal]] and [[Akhand Kirtani Jatha]] formed a procession to protest the convention. Soon a clash broke out between the two sides in which 2 Nirankaris and 13 orthodox Sikhs were killed.<ref name="Mahmood 2">{{cite book |last1=Mahmood |first1=Cynthia Keppley |title=Fighting for Faith and Nation: Dialogues with Sikh Militants |date=1996 |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. |isbn=978-0812215922 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FqvTRUrwt2UC|pages=78–79}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=8 June 2003 |title=Other people's wars: A Review of Overseas Terrorism in Canada |url=http://www.mackenzieinstitute.com/2003/other_peoples_wars2.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051024120717/http://www.mackenzieinstitute.com/2003/other_peoples_wars2.htm |archive-date=24 October 2005 |access-date=17 July 2005 |publisher=The Mackenzie Institute |location=Toronto, Canada |df=dmy-all}}</ref> This clash was termed the [[1978 Sikh–Nirankari clash]].

Dal Khalsa (DK) was founded in the immediate aftermath of this incident by Gajinder Singh at a convention held at a [[Gurdwara]] in [[Chandigarh]] with the objective of establishing an independent Sikh state called [[Khalistan movement|Khalistan]], governed by Sikh religious laws.<ref name="Mahmood" />

Noted journalist [[Mark Tully]] in his book claimed that [[Sanjay Gandhi]] and [[Giani Zail Singh]] were instrumental in the formation of DK in order to promote [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale|Bhinderawale]] and to harass Akalis.<ref>{{cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=XC2L3JQ0i5UC&q=dal+khalsa+zail+singh&pg=PT14| title = Amritsar: Mrs Gandhi's Last Battle | author = Mark Tully & Satish Jacob |publisher=Rupa Publications
| year=1985
| isbn = 9788129109170 }}</ref>{{Page needed|date=April 2023}}

At its first annual conference held in [[Gurdaspur]] in December 1979, the DK, with the support of [[All India Sikh Students Federation]], passed a [[Resolution (law)|resolution]] demanding that [[Amritsar]] be officially declared a "holy city". This was later taken up with the Indian government by the [[SGPC]] in 1980 but the demand was rejected by the government. Sikh Students Federation organised a procession on 31 May 1981 which was opposed by a Hindu procession.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

On 1 August 1981, DK Activists raised the Khalistan Flag at the location of the 1978 Sikh-Nirankari clash. The flag was also raised at various places in the Punjab state during India's Independence Day on 15 August 1981.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Formation, ideology and modus operandi of Dal Khalsa |url=https://www.khalistanextremismmonitor.org/Groups/Dal-Khalsa-International-(DKI) |access-date=2023-04-26 |website=Khalistan Extremism Monitor |language=en}}</ref>

During 1981 the DK along with other [[Sikh]] organisations such as the [[Sikh Students Federation]], [[SGPC]] and [[Shiromani Akali Dal]] demanded associate membership in the [[United Nations]] for the 'Sikh Nation'.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

===Militancy and Ban===

A 10-year ban was put on the DK by the Indian government in 1982 following militant activities carried out by the organization.<ref name="uscis.gov">{{Cite web|url=http://www.uscis.gov/ilink/docView/INT/HTML/INT/0-0-0-7314/0-0-0-8312.html|title = Agency Decisions|date = 13 January 2015}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aVcG7EkuPgAC&q=%22dal+khalsa%22+&pg=PA628 |title = Historical Dictionary of Terrorism|isbn = 9780810863118|last1 = Sloan|first1 = Stephen|last2 = Anderson|first2 = Sean K.|date = 3 August 2009}}</ref>

These included the [[Indian Airlines Flight 423|hijacking of the Indian Airlines Flight 423]] on 29 September 1981. The plane was hijacked by five members of the DK including the founder Gajinder Singh. The hijackers forced the plane to land in [[Lahore]] and demanded 500,000 USD random and the release of Khalistani militant [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]]. Pakistani authorities were able to convince the release of most of the passengers and eventually Pakistani military conducted a commando operation to apprehend the hijackers and free the captives. Even though [[General Zia Ul-Haq]] promised full cooperation to the Indian authorities, the hijackers were never extradited to India.<ref name="The Hindu"/> The hijackers were identified as Gajinder Singh, Satnam Singh of [[Paonta Sahib]], Jasbir Singh of [[Ropar]], Tejinderpal Singh of [[Jalandhar]] and Karam Singh of [[Jammu]].

The DK and National Council of Khalistan were banned by the Indian government in May, 1982 after which the DK went underground.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aVcG7EkuPgAC&q=%22dal+khalsa%22+&pg=PA628 |title = Historical Dictionary of Terrorism|isbn = 9780810863118|last1 = Sloan|first1 = Stephen|last2 = Anderson|first2 = Sean K.|date = 3 August 2009|page=628}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Two years later, the DK announced its "Government in Exile" in June, 1984.

==Revival of Dal Khalsa==
The ban imposed on DK was lifted in 1992. The leader of the organisation, Gajinder Singh continued to reside in Pakistan even after this lift of the ban.<ref>Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, India: The treatment of the Dal Khalsa and Balbir Singh by the Indian authorities; recent activities of Dal Khalsa; whether the Indian government views Dal Khalsa as a "terrorist organization", 19 November 2002, IND40419.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3f7d4da926.html [accessed 27 April 2023]</ref> In 1996, Gajinder Singh tried to escape to Germany but he was deported back to Pakistan. Since the lifting of the ban, DK has openly operated in India.<ref>{{Cite web |last=PTI |date=2020-08-30 |title=Akal Takht set to honour radical Dal Khalsa founder & accused hijacker Gajinder Singh |url=https://theprint.in/india/akal-takht-set-to-honour-radical-dal-khalsa-founder-accused-hijacker-gajinder-singh/492242/ |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref>

On 30 September 2005, Gajinder Singh stepped down as chairman of the organisation with Satnam Singh Paonta, one of the co-founders,<ref name=":1" /> chosen as his successor.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

In June 2005, the DK became a constituent member of the Punjab Rights Forum.

Currently Harcharanjit Singh Dhami is the president of DK, and Kanwarpal Singh is the secretary general.<ref name="Link Newspaper 2009" />

In February 2007 the DK broke from its earlier stance regarding participation in Indian politics by supporting two candidates in the Punjab polls, most notably [[SGPC]] member Karnail Singh Panjoli. During the Punjab legislative assembly elections the DK also supported candidates from the [[Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar)]] led by [[Simranjit Singh Mann]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

==Recent activity==
In September, 2008, DK named the expatriate Sikh leader Manmohan Singh vice president. Singh had already been placed on an Indian government blacklist for past militant activities.<ref>
{{cite news
|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080921/punjab1.htm#9
|work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]
|title=Blacklisted Sikh leader appointed
|date=20 September 2008
}}</ref>

On 3 November 2009, marking 25 years of the [[1984 anti-Sikh riots]] following the [[Assassination of Indira Gandhi|assassination of then PM Indira Gandhi]], DK called for a [[Bandh]].<ref>
{{cite news
|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091111/punjab.htm#13
|title=Sikh leaders to meet UN official today
|date=10 November 2009
|work=The Tribune
}}</ref>

In November 2009, Kanwarpal Singh and other noted Sikh representatives from various organizations, under the leadership of Justice (retd) Ajit Singh Bains met Shalini Dewan, the director of [[United Nations Information Centres|United Nations Information Centre]] at New Delhi and urged the UN to intervene in getting justice for victims of 1984 incident.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

In January 2010, DK along with other separatist organisations in India, namely the [[National Socialist Council of Nagaland]] and [[All Parties Hurriyat Conference|All Parties Hurriyat Conference of Jammu Kashmir]] came together to demand "early solution to the impasse" of Kashmir, Nagaland and Punjab.<ref>{{Cite web |title=terrorist-group-incident-text-india-punjab-all-parties-hurriyat-conference-aphc_Jan-2010 |url=https://www.satp.org/terrorist-incident-text/india-punjab/all-parties-hurriyat-conference-aphc_Jan-2010 |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=www.satp.org}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> On 26 January 2010, DK wrote a letter to prime minister [[Manmohan Singh]] highlighting constitutional and legal discriminations faced by Sikhs in India. It demanded that Indian state should immediately abrogate [[Freedom of religion in India|Article 25]] (2)(b) of the Indian constitution as it violates the fundamental recognition of Sikhs as a separate religion.<ref>{{cite web |last=Singh |first=Prabh |url=http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2010/01/28/dal-khalsa-wrote-letter-to-indian-pm-on-constitutional-and-legal-discriminations/ |title=Dal khalsa wrote letter to Indian PM on constitutional and legal discriminations | SikhSiyasat.net – Sikh News and Multimedia |publisher=Sikhsiyasat.net |access-date=16 January 2012 |archive-date=4 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304071914/http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2010/01/28/dal-khalsa-wrote-letter-to-indian-pm-on-constitutional-and-legal-discriminations/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> On 12 May 2010, the important day of victory of [[Banda Singh Bahadur]], DK participated in parades where flags of Khalistan was unfurled pictures and slogans of Sikh militants were openly displayed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://punjabnewsline.com/content/khalistan-posters-slogans-mark-fateh-march-memory-baba-banda-singh-bahadur |title=Khalistan posters, slogans mark the Fateh March in memory of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur |publisher=Punjabnewsline.com |date=12 May 2010 |access-date=16 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301205006/http://punjabnewsline.com/content/khalistan-posters-slogans-mark-fateh-march-memory-baba-banda-singh-bahadur |archive-date=1 March 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/13/stories/2010051362270700.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100519082937/http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/13/stories/2010051362270700.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 May 2010 |title=Other States / Punjab News : Khalsa marches mark major Sikh |date=13 May 2010 |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=16 January 2012}}</ref>

In 2015, DK demanded opening of Cow-[[Slaughterhouse]]s in [[Punjab, India|Punjab]]<ref name="Punjab News 2015">{{cite web | title=Dal Khalsa favours cow slaughter houses in Punjab | website=Punjab News | date=18 September 2015 | url=http://jagopunjabjagoindia.com/dal-khalsa-favours-cow-slaughter-houses-in-punjab/ | access-date=18 September 2015}}</ref> and also questioned Beef-Ban in [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]].<ref name="Kashmir Life 2015">{{cite web | title=Beef Ban: Why is There No Ban on Liquor, asks Dal Khalsa | website=Kashmir Life | date=15 August 2015 | url=http://www.kashmirlife.net/beef-ban-why-is-there-no-ban-on-liquor-asks-dal-khalsa-85057/ | access-date=18 September 2015}}</ref>

In September 2015, DK and [[Shiromani Akali Dal (disambiguation)|Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pardani)]] merged into a single entity by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the main aim to achieve a separate Sikh home land.<ref name="India 2015">{{cite web | author=India | title=Sikh extremists merge parties, bring end to unsuccessful stint in electoral politics | website=The Indian Express | date=18 September 2015 | url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/sikh-extremists-merge-parties-bring-end-to-unsuccessful-stint-in-electoral-politics/ | access-date=18 September 2015}}</ref>

===Nanakshahi calendar===
On 14 March 2010 DK commemorated 227th anniversary of the historic event when Sikh warrior Baba Baghel Singh, unfurled Nishan Sahib atop the historic Red Fort in 1783. At a well-attended convention at a village gurdwara built in memory of Baba Baghel Singh, DK rejected the amended version of the SGPC Nanakshahi Calendar which went back to the original Sikh calendar with Bikrami dates (moon dates). They released the Nanakshahi calendar ([[Mool Nanakshahi Calendar]]) created by SGPC sponsored Sikh scholar [[Pal Singh Purewal]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sikhnet.com/news/mool-nanakshai-calendar-mnc-implementation-conference|title = Mool Nanakshai Calendar (MNC) Implementation Conference|date = 16 November 2017}}</ref><ref name="punjabnewsline1">{{cite web |url=http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/24166/38/ |title=Dal Khalsa rejects SGPC version, released original version of the Nanakshahi calendar |publisher=Punjabnewsline.com |date=14 March 2010 |access-date=16 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304023544/http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/24166/38/ |archive-date=4 March 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The calendar has been dedicated to the great Sikh warrior Baba Baghel Singh.<ref name="punjabnewsline1"/>

DK spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh rued that the SGPC has killed the letter and spirit of Nanakshahi calendar by mixing it with Bikrami calendar, which had its roots in Hinduism. "We had mentioned dates of Gurpurabs [Sikh religious days] according to original calendar adopted in April 2003 as we believe that the amended version has an imprint of RSS ideology," Singh said.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/24166/38/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304023544/http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/24166/38/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-03-04|title=Dal Khalsa rejects SGPC version, released original version of the Nanakshahi calendar {{!}} www.punjabnewsline.com|date=2012-03-04|access-date=2018-09-05}}</ref> "DK fully recognises the conspiracy behind this which is led by Hindutva Fanatics and the RSS. In principle, we are totally against the changes as per Bikrami calendar made by the SGPC on the dictates of SAD (Badal) to appease Sant Samaj," he alleged.{{Quote without source|date=January 2012}} On 3 January 2010, SGPC executive members had given approval to bring amendments in Nanak Shahi Calendar, following the green signal from Akal Takht. However, several Sikh organisations have condemned the changes brought in the calendar.<ref>[http://in.news.yahoo.com/20/20100313/1416/tnl-dal-khalsa-denounces-changes-in-nana.html Dal Khalsa denounces changes in Nanakshahi Calendar] {{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

===Sit-in and hunger strike===
DK party activists held 72 hours sit-in protest at outside the main entrance gate of Darbar Sahib Complex from 3 June to 6,2010.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

=== March 2023 controversy ===
On March 23, 2023, news reports showed Gurcharan Singh, a leader from Dal Khalsa UK, giving a controversial speech while addressing a group of protestors near the High Commission of India in London. A part of his speech in Punjabi translated to: "[[Bhagat Singh]] was a bootlicker and a traitor who showed the Sikh community as terrorists. He should not be called a great martyr (Shaheed-e-azam)."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-23 |title=WATCH: Khalistanis insult Bhagat Singh, call him a 'traitor' |url=https://www.firstpost.com/world/watch-khalistanis-insult-bhagat-singh-call-him-a-traitor-12341732.html |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=Firstpost |language=en}}</ref>

=== Death of Gajinder Singh ===
Gajinder Singh, the founder of the organization, died due to a heart attack in July 2024 in Pakistan.<ref>{{Cite news|title=1981 Indian Airlines Plane Hijacker Found Dead In Pakistan|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/1981-indian-airlines-plane-hijacker-found-dead-in-pakistan/articleshow/111503571.cms|access-date=2024-07-05|work=[[The Times of India]]|first=Raj|last=Shekhar|date=2024-07-05}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040219024221/http://www.dalkhalsa.com/ Archive of now-defunct official website]
{{Khalistan movement}}
{{India separatist movements}}

[[Category:Khalistan movement]]

Dal Khalsa (organization) - Revision history

ShantaeBpy: adding a data and citations