Historical Dictionary of Terrorism Third Edition

628 • SIKH MILITANTSIn August 1978 several Sikh political youth groups, disaffectedwith the ineffectiveness of the moderate Shiromani Akali Dal partyin securing Punjabi interests against the central government, formeda group assuming the historically charged name of the Dal Khalsa.Their proclaimed goal was to preserve the purity of Sikhism from Nirankariinfluence, which in practical terms meant opposing those whotolerated the Nirankaris, that is, the Shiromani Akali Dal. In the electionsto the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC),that is, the high Sikh council that oversees management of the Sikhshrines, Bhindranwale backed the Dal Khalsa, while Congress Partyleaders encouraged both Bhindranwale and the Dal Khalsa in thehope of weakening the Shiromani Akali Dal party.The idea of Khalistan came to the fore on 16 June 1980, when aNational Council of Khalistan announced its formation. On 13 March1981 the Dal Khalsa endorsed the idea of Khalistan to upstage themore hesitant Shiromani Akali Dal. That year witnessed a rise incommunal tensions between Sikhs and Hindus when the head ofthe All-India Sikh Students’ Federation (AISSF), who was closelyconnected to Bhindranwale, demanded special laws to protect thesanctity of Amritsar. Bhindranwale led a demonstration on 31 May1981 that ended in a clash with police, leading to several deaths.The subsequent assassination on 9 September 1981 of a Hindu publisher,whose paper heaped scorn on the idea of Khalistan and whohappened to be an enemy of Bhindranwale’s, led to Bhindranwale’sarrest on 20 September 1981 on suspicion of murder.On 29 September 1981, five Dal Khalsa members hijackedIndian Airlines Flight 423, a Boeing 737 flying from Delhi to Srinagarwith 111 passengers and six crew members, to Lahore, Pakistan,where they released 66 passengers but held the rest pendingthe release of Bhindranwale. The hijackers were overcome by Pakistanisoldiers on 30 September 1981. Bhindranwale was releasedfrom custody on 15 October 1981 but not before many shootings,bombings, and attacks between Hindus and Sikhs in Punjab tookplace. Bad federal relations between Indira Gandhi’s governmentand the Punjab state government added to these sectarian and communaltensions. Due to the role played by the Dal Khalsa in instigatinganti-Hindu violence in Punjabi cities, the organization wasbanned on 1 May 1982, while the head of the AISSF was arrestedon 19 July 1982.