A CHRONOLOGY OF MAJoR EVeNTS DeSCRIBed 1469–1708 Growth of Sikhdom, under its ten Gurus, and as a distinct tradi- tion, respecting but distinctly departing from South Asia’s pre- vailing religions of Hinduism and Islam. Through these centuries, Sikh resistance to tyrannical rulers became legendary (starting with the first Guru, Nanak, till the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh) 1757 Mughal empire on decline; British expand control 1801 Ranjit Singh becomes Maharaja of Punjab 1809 Anglo-Sikh Treaty of friendship signed: Ranjit Singh’s empire continues north of river Sutlej, British India south of Sutlej 1839 Maharaja Ranjit Singh dies; instability of the Sikh empire ensues; British meddling in Lahore (Punjab) court accelerates instability 1849 End of Second Anglo-Sikh War; British annex Punjab 1872 Singh Sabha Movement launched in Punjab 1913 Ghadr Party organized in California 1919 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre 1920 Gurdwara Reform Movement begins (till 1925) 1921 Nanakana Sahib Massacre 1922 Guru-ka-Bagh protest, morcha 1922 Ajit Singh Bains born 1931 Inderjit Singh Jaijee born 1935 Baljit Kaur born 1946 Riots on communal lines in various cities, as rumors spread of Partition after British departure 1947 British prepone departure date; at least one million lives lost in the Partition of Punjab between India and Pakistan 1948 Patiala and East Punjab States Union, PEPSU, created from erstwhile princely states of Punjab © Mallika Kaur 2019 291 M. Kaur, Faith, Gender, and Activism in the Punjab Conflict, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24674-7 292 A CHRONOLOGY 1950 Indian Constitution promulgated; Sikh representatives refuse to sign in protest 1955 Morchas begin for Punjabi Suba, and recognition of Punjabi language 1956 PEPSU dissolved by Center 1960 Marches for Punjabi Suba intensify Green Revolution agricultural experiment underway in Punjab 1966 Trifurcation of Punjab: smaller Punjab, Haryana, Himachal 1967 Nand Singh commits suicide for Punjabi Suba 1969 Pheruman commits suicide for Punjabi Suba 1970 Naxal movement in Punjab gains popularity 1973 Anandpur Sahib Resolution prepared 1974 Ajit Singh Bains appointed Judge 1975 Emergency declared by Indira Gandhi Save Democracy morchas launched from Darbar Sahib; Akalis arrested in thousands 1976 Punjab’s water ordered to be significantly diverted to non-­ riparian states 1977 Emergency ends 1978 Nirankari protests and killings of unarmed Sikhs Anandpur Sahib Declaration endorsed at All India Akali Conference 1980 Indira Gandhi and Congress return to power 1981 Close to 30,000 Akalis court arrest around Anandpur Sahib Resolution Dharam Yudh Morcha declared by Akalis 1982 Asian Games and anti-Sikh violence in Haryana and Delhi 1983 Justice Bains retires Disturbed Area Ordinance and Armed Forces Special Powers Act enforced President’s Rule declared in Punjab 1984 Inderjit Singh Jaijee resigns job; moves from Delhi to Punjab June attacks on gurdwaras across Punjab, under code name “Operation Bluestar” Indian forces comb Punjab countryside, thousands affected, under code name “Operation Woodrose” Sarbat Khalsa at Darbar Sahib Indira Gandhi assassinated November anti-Sikh pogroms in Delhi and across India H.S. Jaijee dies 1985 Bains Committee appointed by new Punjab Government Baljit Kaur resigns job Inderjit Singh Jaijee elected MLA A CHRONOLOGY 293 Air India Flight 182 from Montreal to New Delhi explodes midair Rajiv-Longowal Accord signed Longowal murdered Baljit Kaur goes to Amnesty International, UK 1986 Bains Committee submits report for release of detainees Jaijee joins breakaway Akali MLAs in protest; dismissed from Party and Legislative Assembly Press conference at Akal Takht and Declaration of Khalistan “Operation Black Thunder I” on Darbar Sahib Rajiv Gandhi reneges on promised Chandigarh transfer Kulwider Singh, Kid, first arrested while a school student 1987 President’s Rule begins (till 1992) Movement Against State Repression, MASR formalized Justice Bains renames his organization Punjab Human Rights Organization, PHRO Sushil Muni sent to hold talks with Akalis 1988 “Operation Black Thunder II” on Darbar Sahib Bidar, Karnataka student massacres 59th Amendment passed for Punjab, extending legality of President’s Rule beyond one year KCF original leadership begins dying in quick succession Justice Bains’s ‘Siege of the Sikhs’ published 1989 Kulwinder Singh, Kid, killed Sarpanch Kuljit Singh Dhatt, Hoshiarpur, killed in custody Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh hanged in Indira Gandhi assas- sination case Parliamentary elections; Simranjit Singh Mann and Khalistani candidates sweep Simranjit Singh Mann released from jail, returns to Punjab 59th Amendment repealed Jaijee elected president of Minority and Dalit Front UK parliamentarians visit Punjab to assess police excesses Kanpur students murdered at Engineering College, Patiala Forty sarpanches simultaneously resign to protest police excesses in Punjab villages 1990 Sit-in outside Governor House, protesting police violence Mukerji (December 1989–1990) resigns as Governor 1991 Election opposition by Central Congress Government Election postponed: 29 candidates killed Kaale-Kachhe Vaale looters become prominent Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh bus massacre Chandigarh blast case; Multani abducted, killed, Bhullar family members abducted, killed Rajiv Gandhi assassinated 294 A CHRONOLOGY 1992 Rescheduled election boycotted by militants Beant Singh government elected Justice Bains abducted by police 1993 Chaman Lal’s son Gulshan Kumar abducted, killed Jathedar Kaunke abducted, disappeared Jaijee goes to UK Parliament World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna; Jaijee attends Kulbir Kaur Dhami abducted by police, kept in secret torture center 1994 Jaswant Singh Khalra discovers mass secret cremations Dhami exposé about fake surrender Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh jail massacre Vinod Kumar, Ashok Kumar, Mukhtiar Singh abducted; Sumedh Saini accused 1995 Chief Minister Beant Singh assassinated Jaswant Singh Khalra disappeared Bhullar deported from Germany, arrested at New Delhi Airport 1996 Justice Bains acquitted of all charges 1997 Kulbir Kaur Dhami released from jail; acquitted of all charges Ajaib Singh consumes poison in Darbar Sahib, leaves suicide note 1998 Punjab People’s Commission hearings held in Chandigarh 2001 High Court confirms sentence against policemen in Chaman Lal’s son’s case Supreme Court stays Chaman Lal’s son’s case 2007 High Court upholds sentences of five junior policemen in Khalra murder case 2010 Several arrests of alleged militants after seizure of RDX explo- sives; Narain Singh named as suspect, returns to hiding 2011 Supreme Court upholds five life sentences in Khalra murder case 2012 Punjab mass cremations case declared “complete” by Supreme Court Accused policemen in Kid case acquitted; Tarlochan Singh appeals Tarlochan Singh dies 2013 Narain Singh arrested, tortured, jailed 2014 Three policemen convicted in 1989 Dhatt case; family appeals for enhanced sentences 2016 Bhullar paroled after 20 years Supreme Court lifts stay on Chaman Lal’s son’s case after 15 years Chaman Lal dies two days before trial resumes Trial court finds 47 policemen guilty in Pilibhit bus massacre case A CHRONOLOGY 295 2017 Amar Kaur, pursuing the Saini case since 1994, dies at 102 New evidence of 8257 extrajudicial killings across Punjab between 1980 and 1995 released by Punjab Documentation and Advocacy Project 2018 Narain Singh released on bail Dhatt case appeal pending in High Court Chaman Lal’s son’s case stayed again by High Court GLOSSaRY1 Akal Takht Literally, timeless throne. This is the temporal seat of the Sikh nation, significantly built across the spiritual center, the Harmandir Sahib. Akali Literally, immortal. A person affiliated with an Akali party. The Akali Dal Party was first formed in the 1920 as Sikhs organized against British rule. Has since split many times, but remains a prominent force in Punjab. Amrit The baptism/initiation, through which a Sikh becomes a Khalsa. May be used literally for water from a spiritually significant place or ceremony. May also be used poetically as the Guru’s metaphysical blessing, loving gift to a Sikh. Amritdhari One who has received Amrit; has partaken in the initiation ceremony. Ardaas Literally, prayer. In Sikh practice, the part of the daily prayers said standing up, briefly reciting inspirational Sikh history, recognizing blessings, and making any supplications. Baba An elderly man. Also, someone considered, or who promotes himself as, a holy man. Beas One of undivided Punjab’s five large rivers, today entirely in India; origi- nating in the Himalayas and running into the Sutlej River. Betaa A child; masculine form, but often used neutrally. Beti A female child. Bhog Signifies the completion of the reading of the entire Guru Granth Sahib (1430 pages). This practice is undertaken on various occasions, notably after a Sikh death. BJP Bharatiya Janata Party is one of India’s two major political parties; overtly Hindu nationalist, with its roots in the right-wing paramilitary organization RSS. In coalition with regional parties, it is, under Narendra Modi’s prime ministership, the ruling party in India since 2014. Bluestar Code name for the army operation launched in June 1984 across Punjab, epicentered in Amritsar. BSF Border Security Force. © Mallika Kaur 2019 297 M. Kaur, Faith, Gender, and Activism in the Punjab Conflict, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24674-7 298 GLOSSARY CBI Central Bureau of Investigation; India’s highest investigative agency, based in capital New Delhi. Chunni Long