Published on, Aug. 19 -- August 19, 2025 7:02 AM

The Sikh community's fight for justice reached a historic turning point as Washington D.C. hosted the Khalsa Referendum on August 17. This peaceful democratic exercise shines a harsh light on India's decades-long oppression of Sikh political rights, exposing the stark contrast between India's democratic claims and its authoritarian reality.

For over seventy years, the Indian state has systematically undermined Sikh aspirations through calculated policies of control. The 1966 trifurcation of Punjab wasn't about administrative efficiency, it was deliberate gerrymandering to fracture Sikh political power. New Delhi's water diversion projects didn't happen by accident; they were designed to r...