Thread by @pallavipundir

It's been 6 days since India cut off the internet to millions and arrested 100+ to catch a high-profile Sikh activist. No one's sure if he's dead or alive, captive or on the run. But his fate could trigger serious unrest in India. Here's what's going on 🧵1/12 #AmritpalSingh

Amritpal Singh’s rise has been meteoric and the charismatic 30-year-old has quickly become an influential figure among Sikhs. He entered public life just last year and immediately grabbed national attention for one big demand considered controversial (even criminal)in India 2/12

Singh called for self-determination for India’s Sikh minority & even separation of Punjab (India’s only Sikh-majority state) from the rest of country. Is he a civil rights figure fighting for Sikh rights or a “national security threat”? The answer depends on who you ask. 3/12

Indian authorities call him a "national security threat," and have charged him and his aides under the National Security Act. This past week, they shut down protests, cut off the internet in Punjab, and blocked more than 100 Twitter accounts talking about Singh. 4/12

But in Punjab & with Sikhs nationwide (even worldwide), he’s a hero fighting for rights in Hindu-majority India. His energy, bluntness & online presence has breathed new life into Sikh nationalism. To understand what’s happening, one needs to know about Punjab’s history. 5/12

Singh is part of the #Khalistan movement, a decades-old struggle to achieve greater Sikh autonomy in India, one which was violently crushed by the govt in the 80s/90s as it grew in size and strength. There’s been a sustained "campaign" to end the movement, including… 6/12

Enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, alleged torture and extrajudicial killings. And while this campaign was at its peak in the 80s/90s, the scars of the past are still raw. A 2018 study found that people in Punjab have the highest fear of police violence in India. 7/12

Then Singh emerged loudly advocating for Sikh empowerment. In one interview he said: “Whenever you depend on state structures, they control your fate, including your politics as a community. Our hope is to provide alternative parallel structures that provide us independence" 8/12

In Feb, home minister Amit Shah said the Khalistan movement can’t be allowed to return. Singh responded by saying suppression could lead to a repeat of history, when PM Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards (Sikh nationalists) in ‘84. This was taken as a threat. 9/12

In a subsequent TV interview, Singh said: “Why is Khalistan such a bad thing? We have the right to self-determination and say we want a separate country in a peaceful manner. Why am I being threatened by my home minister for asking for my democratic right?” 10/12

As of this week, there's a weird mystery surrounding Singh's whereabouts. On Mar 18, an outlet reported he’s been detained, but police quickly refuted this and released dramatic details of his apparent escape. @SimranjitSADA expressed fears of an extrajudicial killing… 11/12

“Sikh historical memory makes us believe that Singh’s life is in danger,” @JaskaranSandhu_ told me. In the meantime, detentions and protests continue—whether Singh turns up alive or not, in custody or not, will dictate how this ends. Read more: tinyurl.com/55y7behe 12/12