Militarisation of Sikhism (17th century) Sikhism, founded in the late 15th century by
Guru Nanak in the
Punjab region, which was conquered by the
Mughal Empire in the early 16th century, is generally considered to have been pacifist until the early 17th century. trained themselves to become warriors and
nihangs, and organised themselves in
jathas. In 1621, the first acts of open rebellion led to the eruption of the Mughal-Sikh Wars.
Sikh imperialism (1716–1849) Sikh warriors, one carrying a flag, one on horseback.|19th-century
Akali Sikh warriors. Over the course of several decades, small Sikh states known as
misls combined to form the
Sikh Confederacy in 1716, that jointly fought against Mughal power. Professionalisation of combat led the last
Guru Gobind Singh to create the
Khalsa, a special class of Sikh warriors, in 1699. In 1735, the jathas would be merged into a single army, the
Dal Khalsa. During the
Afghan–Sikh Wars, the Sikhs expanded even further and in 1799 the
Sikh Empire was founded, which would last until 1849, when it was
defeated and annexed by the
British East India Company. Sikh soldiers would continue to serve in the
British Indian Army.
Modern period (1970s–1995) The Dharam Yudh Morcha ("righteous campaign"; While this movement advocated for more autonomy for Punjab within India, the more radical separatist
Khalistan movement also emerged, demanding a fully independent Sikh state. Over 150,000 protestors would be arrested over the course of the
morcha. The central government, instead of preempting the agitation regarding
Punjab state by constitutionally referring all the legal issues to the
Supreme Court of India as demanded, played up the threat to law and order, and was ineffective in resolving the issues politically. Extrajudicial killings by police forces of orthodox Sikh youth in rural areas during the summer and winter of 1982 and early 1983 resulted in retaliatory violence. In June 1984, the movement reached its zenith during
Operation Blue Star, when Indian security forces stormed the holiest Sikh site, the
Golden Temple in
Amritsar, where militants had set up their headquarters. In retaliation, the two Sikh bodyguards of
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi assassinated her in October 1984. The killing was followed by many
massacres of Sikhs as well as more Sikh militant attacks which cost dozens of lives. In the end, Sikh militancy did not bring about a separate state, and the
Indian Government achieved victory in 1995. == References ==