Kharku
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Kharku (Punjabi: ਖਾੜਕੂ (
History
During the later years of British India and early decades following Indian independence, some slogans were coined during those times which invoked another similar sounding word to serve a political message, an example being "Khaṇḍā khaṛkū, Náirū pàjju", meaning: "when Sikh swords begin to clatter, Nehru shall flee".[3] The Kharkus fought an insurgency primarily between the years of 1978–1993, sparked by the 1978 Sikh-Nirankari clash, which led to the deaths of 13 orthodox Sikhs.[4]
Their ultimate goal was the establishment of a sovereign Sikh state (
They were generally supported by the Sikh masses, especially during the beginning of the insurgency. Support waned during the latter years until the movement faded, eventually relegated to the underground.[7] The reasons for their decline are a lack of common vision, lack of a commitment to a worthwhile cause, and losing trust of the common folk.[7] Hundreds of Kharkus were killed by police and military forces during the insurgency.[7] Many of those who survive remain in hiding or have escaped abroad.[7]
Terminology
Etymology
Kharku is etymologically derived from the word 'kharag' (honed), which originally referred to an iron scimitar.[9]
Other names
They were also referred to as 'Kharku Singhs' or simply as 'Mundey' (boys).[10] Other terms for them were 'Jujharu' (hardworker), 'Jangju Sikhs' (fighter), 'freedom fighters', and even 'Khalistani mujahideens'.[11][12] Controversially, the term is also used by some to describe Sikh terrorists who indiscriminately massacred local Hindus and other innocent civilians.[13] Kharkus viewed themselves as revolutionaries rather than as terrorists.[14] The English-language media outlets and the government referred to the militants as 'Uggarwadi' (ferocious).[9]
Titles
Kharkus took titles and names quite seriously and it was risky for media outlets to report on individual Kharkus without using their preferred terminology and honorifics.[11] They were against being labelled as "militants" or "terrorists" ('dehshatpasand', 'dehshatgard, or 'atankawadi') and demanded that Sikh honorifical terms, such as "Bhai", "Sant", and "Sardar", be appended as prefixes when reporting their names.[11] Journalists and editors who dared to not heed these demands put their life in danger.[11]
See also
- List of terrorist incidents in Punjab, India
- List of actions attributed to KCF
- Timeline of the Punjab insurgency
- Khalistani groups
- Martyrdom in Sikhism
- Punjabi Suba movement
- Dharam Yudh Morcha
- Anandpur Sahib Resolution
- Sutlej Yamuna link canal
- Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale
- National Security Guard, commonly known as 'Black Cats'
- Khalsa bole
References
- ^ Shabdkosh.com. "ਖਾੜਕੂ - Meaning in English - ਖਾੜਕੂ Translation in English". SHABDKOSH. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
- OCLC 793202946.
- OCLC 221848030.
- ^ S2CID 151568594.
- S2CID 214001941.
- )
- ^ a b c d e Rise, Dynamics, and Decline of Violence in Punjab: A Critical Reassessment of Existing Explanations (PDF). Sekhon & Singh: Violence in Punjab. Jagrup Singh Sekhon & Nirmal Singh. Amritsar: Guru Nanak Dev University. 2021. p. 61.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ Sandhu, Harmeet Singh (2016). Beyond the Land of Five Rivers: Social Inequality and Class Consciousness in the Canadian Sikh Diaspora (PDF). MA Research Paper. 9. London, Ontario, Canada: Sociology Department of the University of Western Ontario. p. 37.
Whereas Bhindranwale originated from the prosperous province of Malwa, Telford (1992: 976) maintains that his band of armed militants predominantly came from large, and relatively impoverished, Jat families in the Majha region.
- ^ S2CID 144432496.
Uggarwadi was the official term used freely in government statements and in the English-language media, state television and radio broadcasts. The official term stands in opposition to the more popular term Kharku, or freedom fighter. Both terms refer to masculine bodily styles – ugar or ferocious, kharag – honed; its etymological roots drawn from the weaponry – kharag – an iron scimitar.
- OCLC 42780241.
- ^ OCLC 1113233901.
- ^ Contemporary Affairs: A Quarterly Journal on Contemporary Issues in India and the Third World in a Global Context, Vol. 2, Issue 1. Vol. 2. Patriot Publishers. 1988. p. 53.
- OCLC 314318584.
- )
Further reading
- Mahmood, Cynthia Keppley (2010). Fighting for Faith and Nation: Dialogues with Sikh Militants. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 9780812200171.
- Dhillon, Kirpal (2006). Identity and Survival: Sikh Militancy in India 1978-1993. Penguin UK. ISBN 9789385890383.
