There are occurrences in the history of an organization that are etched in its collective memory forever. Sikhs irrespective of their ideology will not easily forget the unfurling of Sikh Flag by Dal Khalsa at Amritsar on Jan 26, 2005.

The occasion was January 26- the day India adopted its constitution 55 years ago. With a sense of commitment towards Sikh cause, the Dal Khalsa members unfurled & saluted Sikh Flag-the symbol of rule & sovereignty. More importantly the party choose the day to register its defiance to Tricolor & the Constitution, under whose shadow thousands of Sikhs have been butchered in India since last 30 years. Harcharanjit Singh Dhami, the working president of the party read out a written statement addressed to the Sikh Diaspora urging them to spearhead the political agitation to break the shackles of the Indian hegemony. Our opposition to India's Republic doesn't auger well for the establishment.

Gauging the rebellion mood of the Dal Khalsa members the angry police slammed a case against our members under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including sedition.

It is worth mentioning that the ceremony that borne the brunt of the administration was held at a Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj where 13 Sikhs were gunned down by Neo-Nirankaris on 13 April 1978. While the function that lasted for nearly one hour passed on without provocation, the agitated police personnel who were present in large number at the venue since morning arrested Dr. Manjinder Singh & Avtar Singh the moments they came out after partaking langar. In an additional display of Sikh traditions both fired a volley of bullets from their licensed weapons to salute the flag. In a bid to suppress the democratic struggle for independence the entire state machinery swung into action & booked as many as 2 dozen members of the organization under section 124-A, 153-A, 120-B, 336 of the IPC.

The police viewed our step as seditions idea. According to the F.I.R. no. 10 register at Islamabad police station, Amritsar the contents of the message read out by party president amounts to "threat to the unity & integrity of the country". 19 members of the group were put behind bars at Central Jail, Amritsar. After remaining for 50 days in custody, they were granted bail by the Punjab & Haryana High Court. Finally they were released on 19 March 05.



We endorse the demand of Damdami Taksal to convert the ground floor of the Akal Takhat into "Shaheedhi Gallery". Apart from it there should be a monument in the open. The SGPC should decide the place and shape after taking the Sikh groups into confidence. We warn the SGPC not to overlook the mood and aspirations of the Sikhs owing allegiance to groups other than Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal).



It was on July 7th, 1799 when Ranjit Singh took control of Lahore and hoisted the Kesri Flag, symbolizing the sovereign rule of Sikh Raj in the Punjab. Ranjit Singh thus became the 'Maharaja' and 'Sher-e-Punjab' (Lion of Punjab). But in the fateful year of 1849, the independent kingdom of Punjab succumbed to the might of the British Empire, bringing an end to Punjab's cherished independence.

Since that dark year, the Sikh Flag has not been hoisted over a sovereign Sikh nation. But yet, the Flag still symbolizes the nationhood of the Sikhs and continued struggle for their lost independence.

206 years after Maharaja Ranjit Singh entered Lahore on the 26th of January 2005, the Sikh Flag was once more hoisted in the Punjab, this time in Amritsar by members of the Dal Khalsa. The objective of this act was loud and clear. The unfurling of the Sikh Flag at Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj in Amritsar has reaffirmed the Sikhs resolve to bring an end to Indian hegemony and political rule over the Punjab.

Members of the Dal Khalsa took a bold step by unfurling the Flag on January 26th and have symbolically ushered in a new era in the struggle for Khalistan, the effects of which were heard all around the Indian media and of which received much praise from the Sikh Diaspora. So panicked by this symbolic act was the Indian state that it had all senior members of the Dal Khalsa and numerous supporters rounded up and placed in custody for almost 50 days!
But despite the immediate set-back to this historic act, this single action by the Dal Khalsa is deserving of much praise and gratitude from Sikhs all over the World. The burning desire for political, cultural and religious freedom was expressed firmly when the Flag of Sikh sovereignty was hoisted in Amritsar. The effects of this step will surely have its impact on all things to come.

By A Soni (via e-mail)
E-mail: hitman9497@aol.com

 << CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE SPEECH BY HARCHARAN SINGH DHAMI,
WORKING PRESIDENT OF DAL KHALSA AT AMRITSAR ON JAN 26 2005 >>