Sikh rights issue raised at Baku youth forum
At an international youth forum held in Baku, India’s policies toward the Sikh community came under criticism during a discussion on post-colonial governance and state structures.
Like many post-colonial states, India has inherited and preserved the control structures established by colonial rule, said Chahal Akashdeep Singh, one of the participants of the international Youth Forum titled “Strengthening the Role of Youth in the Post-Colonial Era” held in Baku, News.Az reports, citing local media.
“Centralized authority, artificially drawn borders, and the suppression of distinct sovereignties. We have seen this pattern in different parts of the world — in Africa and the Middle East. There, colonial powers drew arbitrary borders and essentially forced fundamentally different peoples into a single political entity. India is no different, and this has had very specific consequences for Sikhs. Historically sovereign peoples were incorporated into a state that does not reflect their political, moral, and civilizational frameworks, and violence has been repeatedly used to maintain this control. I must be very honest in saying this: modern India is not a neutral state. It is a continuation of a colonial past, and its relationship with Sikh sovereignty is built on coercion and violence,” he noted.
By Aysel Mammadzada
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