Like many post-colonial states, India has inherited and maintained the control structures established by colonial rule.
“Elchi” reports that this was stated by Chahal Akashdeep Singh, a participant in the international Youth Forum titled “Strengthening the role of youth in the post-colonial period” held in Baku.
“Centralized power, artificially drawn borders, and the suppression of distinct sovereignties. We have seen this pattern in various parts of the world — in Africa, in the Middle East. Here, colonial powers drew arbitrary borders, forcibly incorporating essentially different peoples into a single political unit. India is no different, and this has had very concrete consequences for the Sikhs. Historically sovereign peoples have been incorporated into a state that does not reflect their political, spiritual, and civilizational frameworks, and violence has been repeatedly used to maintain this control. I must be very honest when saying this: today’s India is not a neutral state. It is a continuation of its colonial past, and its relationship with Sikh sovereignty is built on coercion and violence,” he noted.