OTTAWA, Canada (Kashmir English): ‘Sikhs for Justice’, an organization active for the establishment of a Sikh state ‘Khalistan’ in India, has proposed a separate Christian state comprising the northeastern states of India and has suggested the name ‘Trump Land’ for this new Christian country.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, head of ‘Sikhs for Justice’, recently released a video in which he detailed the establishment of Trump Land and also released a map highlighting six Indian states.
The demand for the establishment of Trump Land in India has come at a time when there has been an increase in violent incidents against Christians in various parts of the country on the occasion of Christmas.
According to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, this proposal has been presented in response to the alleged atrocities against minorities, especially Christians and Sikhs, in India and the attacks that occurred on Christmas.
According to him, the purpose of attributing the new Christian state to Trump is to acknowledge the American President’s protection of religious freedom and oppressed communities.
Violence against Christians in India
This year, several videos of incidents of violence against the Christian community in various parts of India went viral on social media on the occasion of Christmas.
On December 21, Hindu extremists broke into a church during a prayer service in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, and assaulted the people present and the religious leader.
Similarly, a video from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, also went viral on the internet, in which extremists broke the Christmas decorations and Christmas tree despite repeated pleas from the host.
After the recent incidents with Christians, ‘Sikhs for Justice’ presented the concept of ‘Trump Land’, where the Christian community, persecuted by extremists, can live freely, and this state is being called a safe haven for Christians.
The Indian government has not officially issued any statement on the proposed Christian state named ‘Trump Land’, but local media is covering the issue, and it is also being discussed on social media.
Gurpatwant Singh claimed that Christian community in India is currently facing violence, attacks, and restrictions on religious preaching.
That is why he has demanded a separate country comprising Christian-majority states under the UN-recognized right to self-determination.
The proposed Christian country ‘Trump Land’ released by ‘Sikhs for Justice’ includes the Indian states of Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, and Assam.
The states included in ‘Trump Land’ are located in the northeast of India, which are geographically important. These states share borders with three countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar.
Although none of these six states directly border China, the state of Arunachal Pradesh, which borders Assam and Nagaland, has a long border with China, which makes this entire region even more important.
In these states, there are strong disagreements with the central government over issues of religious identity, ethnic rights, and land ownership.
The majority population of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Meghalaya is Christian. Being in the majority, the people of these states feel threatened by the growing influence of ‘Hindutva’ on their unique religious and tribal identity.
The demand for a separate state by the people of Nagaland is also decades old. The tribes living here claim that their accession to India was never voluntary. This is why some sections of the state keep demanding complete independence or autonomy.
The Christian community constitutes a large part of the minority in Manipur. The control of this state is currently directly with the central government (New Delhi).
Here, conflicts often occur between Christian tribes (Kuki and Zomi) and the majority Hindu community (Meitei) over land ownership and administrative rights, as a result of which the Kuki tribes demand a separate administrative unit.
According to Amnesty International, more than 250 people were killed and over 60,000 displaced in the riots between these tribes in May 2023.
Thousands of homes, churches, and temples were set on fire. Due to the insurgency, the Kuki tribes are now settled in the hills and the Meitei tribes in the valley.
In the other two states included in the proposed ‘Trump Land’, Assam and Tripura, the Christian population is very small.
