Sikh History

[Bharatvarsh]

Parents‘ anger at Khalistan project
fury over religious education homework

ANGRY parents have expressed their shock after schoolchildren were asked to create an imaginary Sikh state of Khalistan as part of a homework project.
In the 1980s, India was rocked by a bloody separatist movement that demanded a homeland for Sikhs.

The controversial subject incensed one mother so much she pulled her son from the assignment given to a religious education (RE) class at Valentines High School in Ilford last month.

The primary schoolteacher, who complained to the school’s RE co-ordinator, told Eastern Eye: “I called up the school to say my son won’t be doing this homework.
“During my discussion, I was told that the school will not include this from the new term in September. A number of other Asian parents I spoke to were equally furious.
“Most of these kids have never been to India. They may have a better understanding if asked to imagine a Muslim state in England. But something sensitive like the Khalistan movement would not give them a complete picture of the issue.”
The 13-year-old Year 8 students were asked to design a flag for the fictional state, draw up its laws and political boundaries as part of their lesson on Sikhism.
Khalistan was a movement for an independent Sikh state that led to the violent incident of Operation Blue Star at Golden Temple in 1986, when soldiers stormed the Sikh holy shrine to capture suspects holed up there.
It led to the assassination of India’s prime minister Indira Gandhi and a cycle of violence where thousands were brutally murdered.
Activist group Hindu Human Rights expressed fears that projects like these could portray a very “one-sided” view of religion.
A spokesperson said: “We need more debates and seminars to ensure there is a wider understanding on such subjects. There has been a growing trend to reject that Sikhism was actually born out of the Hindu religion.
“We must ensure there is no recreation or whitewashing of history.”
Sikh groups were divided on the school’s decision. “Clearly this is a peculiar choice for such a project, mixing a political subject with that of religion,” the Network of Sikh Organisations said.
“There may however be opportunity in so far as research into the ecumenic nature of Sikhism in an ‘imaginary state’.. This would equate to freedom, equality and justice for all citizens.”
Jagtar Singh, spokesperson for Sikh Federation UK, added: “We do not separate religion and politics in the Sikh faith. Discussing politics within religious education must be encouraged because all people of faith live in the real world. Emotive subjects like this, as long as they are carefully handled, should not be a no-no.”
Valentines High School said that it could not comment until the school reopens next month.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families said RE syllabuses are not prescribed by the state as part of the national curriculum, but every parent has the right to withdraw their child from all or any part of religious education studies.