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{{Short description|Stalemate between armed Sikhs and the Indian Government}}

{{Infobox civil conflict
| title = Kandu Khera Incident
| partof = the [[Insurgency in Punjab, India]]
| date = {{start date|1986|11|22}} - {{end date and age|1987|2|6}}
| place = Kandu Khera, [[Abohar]], [[Fazilka]]
| causes = Plan by the Centre to give 55 villages of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] to [[Haryana]].
| goals = Stop the villages from leaving [[Punjab, India|Punjab]].
| methods = Armed threats.
| status =
| result =
| side1 = [[Indian National Congress]]<br>[[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]]<br>[[Bajrang Dal]]
| side2 = [[Sikhs]]<br>[[Shiromani Akali Dal]]
| side3 =
| leadfigures1 = [[Rajiv Gandhi]]<br>[[Bansi Lal]]
| leadfigures2 = [[Captain Amarinder Singh]]
| leadfigures3 =
| howmany1 =
| howmany2 =
| howmany3 =
| injuries =
| fatalities = None
| arrests =
| notes =
| image_size =
}}{{Use Indian English}}
{{Use dmy dates}}

The '''Kandu Khera Incident''' was an armed stalemate between the forces of [[Amrinder Singh|Captain Amarinder Singh]] and the [[Government of India|Central Government]] in relation to the transfer of 55 villages into [[Haryana]] from [[Punjab, India|Punjab]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Khushwant |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q82MDgAAQBAJ&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PT199&dq=kandu+khera+khushwant+singh&hl=en |title=Captain Amarinder Singh: The People's Maharaja: An Authorized Biography |publisher=Hay House, Inc |isbn=978-93-85827-44-0 |language=en}}</ref> Captain Amarinder Singh was sent by [[List of chief ministers of Punjab (India)|Chief Minister]] [[Surjit Singh Barnala]] to restore the people's faith in [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] and stop being brainwashed by outsiders to learn [[Hindi]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Captain Amarinder Singh - 1986 ਕੰਦੂ ਖੇੜਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਈ ਰਾਤਾਂ ਕੱਟ ਕੇ ਫਾਜ਼ਿਲਕਾ, ਅਬੋਹਰ ਅਤੇ 100 ਤੋਂ ਵਧ ਪਿੰਡ ਹਰਿਆਣਾ 'ਚ ਜਾਣ ਤੋਂ ਬਚਾਏ In order to save Fazilka, Abohar and many other neighbouring villages from being shifted to Haryana in 1986, I spent many sleepless nights standing guard with the residents of Kandu Khera to protect Punjabi speaking areas, which were prone to infiltration by non Punjabis from across the state boundary. {{!}} Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/Capt.Amarinder/photos/a.207875649264775/950042355048097/ |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en}}</ref>

During the 1985 census, the [[Haryana Government]] decided to flood 55 villages with immigrants so that it could be transferred to [[Haryana]]. This greatly shocked [[Punjabis]] as their demands were to give the Punjabi speaking villages in Haryana and [[Himachal Pradesh]] to Punjab, along with [[Chandigarh]].<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=https://theprint.in/politics/full-text-of-amarinder-singhs-resignation-letter-to-congress-chief-sonia-gandhi/760984/ |url=https://theprint.in/politics/full-text-of-amarinder-singhs-resignation-letter-to-congress-chief-sonia-gandhi/760984/}}</ref> The [[Shiromani Akali Dal]] saw this as a major threat to the state as it could have led to a deeper rift between Punjabis and the centre,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sitrep {{!}} Things that Amarinder Singh learnt as soldier |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/sitrep-things-that-amarinder-singh-learnt-as-soldier/story-21JopzCL8LrUqRmjz5mPBO.html |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref> and could have led to further support for the [[Khalistan movement|Khalistan Liberation War]].<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Punjab’s claim on Chandigarh: Capt Amarinder has betrayed interests of Punjab: Bhagwant Mann - Yes Punjab - Latest News from Punjab, India & World |url=https://yespunjab.com/punjabs-claim-on-chandigarh-capt-amarinder-has-betrayed-interests-of-punjab-bhagwant-mann/ |access-date=2023-07-13 |language=en-US}}</ref> He also mentioned that he wanted to "teach the [[Bajrang Dal|Bajrang Bali Brigade]] a lesson" as they tried to declare a nation-wide [[1986 Proposed Anti-Sikh Genocide|Genocide against Sikhs in the same year]], and stated that they should come and challenge an equal force for once.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Capt defends aggressive style of campaigning |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/capt-defends-aggressive-style-of-campaigning/story-kHs6bf41tAYQvi3m5k8XRP.html |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref> Two journalists (Sondeep Shankar and Seema Mustafa) were sent to agree with the data that the Centre wanted, although they both disagreed and stated that it was clearly Punjabi speaking, they were kidnapped by the [[Punjab Police (India)|Punjab Police]] who threatened to break their bones and torture them; Captain Amarinder Singh's entourage saved them when they were reaching the border.<ref>{{Cite web |last=MUSTAFA |first=SEEMA |title=When Amarinder Singh Saved Us From the Punjab Police |url=https://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/NewsDetail/index/4/17049/When-Amarinder-Singh-Saved-Us-From-the-Punjab-Police-- |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=www.thecitizen.in |language=en}}</ref>

In order to save [[Fazilka]], [[Abohar]] and many other neighbouring villages from being shifted to Haryana in 1986, Captain spent many sleepless nights standing guard with the residents of Kandu Khera to protect Punjabi speaking areas, which were prone to infiltration by non-Punjabis from across the state boundary.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Punjab |url=https://m.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121102/punjab.htm |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=m.tribuneindia.com}}</ref> Captain and his Sikh forces were armed with many guns and ammunition, challenging to Centre to try and take it by force,<ref name=":1" /> Captain himself stayed at the Sarpanch's house with a licensed .12 bore gun.<ref name=":0" /> None of the Bajrang Dal members arrived and the plan to transfer the villages was given up by the government. Harcharan Singh Bains stated "Sent to Kandu Khera as a Captain, and came back as a General."<ref name=":0" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Incident, Kandu Khera}}

[[Category:Haryana]]
[[Category:Punjab]]
[[Category:1980s in Punjab, India]]

Kandu Khera Incident - Revision history

Saadath Mohi-ud-din: Page drafted.