Ahead of Patiala clash, a build-up on social media to counter Sena march

While it is yet not clear who led the group that reached the spot outside the temple where the clash took place, a Sena leader claimed that they had planned the march to counter the alleged announcement by the outlawed overseas group 'Sikhs for Justice' to mark the ‘foundation day of Khalistan' on April 29.

6 min readAmritsarUpdated: May 1, 2022 07:44 AM IST

A group of Sikh activists, who were present near Temple, when the clash took place, accused Baljinder Singh Parwana, a social media influencer, of giving the call for the protest against the Sena event but not turning up to after clash erupted. (Express Photo By Harmeet Sodhi)

The clash between Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) activists and Sikh bodies over the issue of ‘Khalistan Day’ came at the end of a gradual build-up with sharp exchanges and heated arguments on social media.

On Friday, members of Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) began a ‘Khalistan Murdabad March’ in Patiala while Sikh activists, including Nihangs, took out another march opposing that event. The two groups came face to face outside Kali Mata temple and hurled stones at each other. Police had to fire in air to disperse the mob.

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While it is yet not clear who led the group that reached the spot outside the temple where the clash took place, a Sena leader had claimed that they had planned the march to counter the alleged announcement by the outlawed overseas group ‘Sikhs for Justice’ to mark the ‘foundation day of Khalistan’ on April 29.

The announcement by the SFJ, in fact, had pitted several Sikh bodies and social media influencers against each other.

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Punjab has in the recent past seen a rise in the number of Sikh bodies, activists and social media influencers coming together despite the lack of any common ideology. Experts attribute this phenomenon to the weakening of mainstream Sikh parties such as the Shiromani Akali Dal and its rival groups such as SAD (Amritsar), Dal Khalsa and others.

Clashes erupted between Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) workers and Nihang Sikhs near Kali Mata Mandir in Patiala on Friday. (Express Photo By Harmeet Sodhi)

SAD (Amritsar), the only political outfit in Punjab that still contests elections on the issue of Khalistan, claimed it was not involved in the clash. “We were protesting peacefully outside the mini secretariat. We were not involved in the clash,” said the party’s Patiala unit president, Harbhajan Singh Kashmiri.

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The group protesting against the Sena march had no clear leader or established face. The first such surge of unorganised Sikh youth and small outfits was witnessed on June 6, 2014, during an event to mark the 30th anniversary of Operation Blue Star. Some unknown Sikh youths had then clashed with officials and staff of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) inside the premises of the Golden Temple. Some of the arrested youths had no affiliation with any political outfit.

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A year later, Punjab witnessed a complete shutdown for more than seven days following the death of two Sikh youth in police firing at Kotakpura during a protest against the alleged sacrilege incidents. Though there was no call for a shutdown by the established parties, it was spontaneously enforced by the youths.

A view of the clash site in Patiala where bricks and stones lay scattered after the clashes. (Express Photo By Harmeet Sodhi)

In 2016, several Sikh outfits gathered on a bridge on Beas river in Beas town to protest against a call given by a Shiv Sena faction to organise a ‘Lalkar Rally’ in Amritsar. The Sikh outfits had gathered following calls made on social media.

In the case of Patiala, Parwana was the first to take to Facebook to oppose the call of Shiv Sena leader Harish Singla. He also met police officials seeking a ban on the march planned by the Sena. Parwana, who was also linked to lynching of an unidentified person over allegations of sacrilege at a gurdwara in Kapurthala, also uploaded several videos and gave a call to the community to be ready for April 29 in case police fail to stop the Sena group from carrying out its march.

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Apart from Parwana, some other fringe organisations too responded to the Sena call and decided to oppose their march. Since there was no clear leader, those opposed to the Sena march gathered at least three places in Patiala. While police was managing one group of protesters at Fountain Chowk, another group reached near Kali Mata temple where they clashed with the Sena members.

Punjab has in the recent past seen a rise in the number of Sikh bodies, activists and social media influencers coming together despite the lack of any common ideology. (Express Photo By Harmeet Sodhi)

A common thread connecting these disparate Sikh outfits is the idea of ‘Khalistan’, with most of them either supporting the idea or being sympathetic to it.

Mahant Ravi Kant, chairman of the Hindu Welfare Board, said, “Some people demand Khalistan, some demand Hindu Rashtra. Making these demands peacefully is their constitutional right. But nobody should be allowed to disturb the peace of state”.

Kamaldeep Singh Brar

Kamaldeep Singh Brar is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, primarily covering Amritsar and the Majha region of Punjab. He is one of the publication's key reporters for stories involving the Akal Takht, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and the sensitive socio-political issues of the border districts. Core Beats & Specializations Religious & Panthic Affairs: He has deep expertise in the internal workings of the Akal Takht and SGPC, frequently reporting on religious sentences (Tankhah), Panthic politics, and the influence of Sikh institutions. National Security & Crime: His reporting covers cross-border drug smuggling, drone activities from Pakistan, and the activities of radical groups. Regional Politics: He is the primary correspondent for the Majha belt, covering elections and political shifts in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His work in late 2025 has been centered on judicial developments, local body elections, and religious controversies: 1. Religious Politics & Akal Takht "Akal Takht pronounces religious sentences against former Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh" (Dec 8, 2025): Covering the historic decision to hold the former Jathedar guilty for granting a pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2015. "YouTube suspends SGPC’s channel for a week over video on 1984 Army action" (Nov 20, 2025): Reporting on the digital friction between global tech platforms and Sikh religious bodies. "As AAP govt grants Amritsar holy tag, a look at its fraught demand" (Nov 28, 2025): An analytical piece on the long-standing demand for declaring Amritsar a "holy city" and its political implications. 2. Crime & National Security "Mostly Khalistanis on Amritpal’s hit list: Punjab govt to High Court" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on the state government's claims regarding jailed MP Amritpal Singh orchestrating activity from prison. "Punjab man with links to Pakistan’s ISI handlers killed in encounter" (Nov 20, 2025): Detailing a police operation in Amritsar involving "newly refurbished" firearms likely sent from across the border. "15 schools in Amritsar get bomb threat emails; police launch probe" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering the panic and police response to mass threats against educational institutions. 3. Political Analysis & Elections "AAP wins 12 of 15 zones in SAD stronghold Majitha" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant shift in the 2025 rural elections where the Akali Dal lost its grip on a traditional fortress. "Tarn Taran bypoll: woman faces threats after complaining to CM Mann about drug menace" (Nov 9, 2025): A ground report on the personal risks faced by citizens speaking out against the illegal drug trade in border villages. "AAP wins Tarn Taran bypoll, but SAD finds silver lining" (Nov 14, 2025): Analyzing the 2025 assembly by-election results and the surprising performance of Independents backed by radical factions. 4. Human Interest "Two couples and a baby: Punjab drug addiction tragedy has new victims" (Nov 20, 2025): A tragic investigative piece about parents selling an infant to fund their addiction. "Kashmiri women artisans debut at Amritsar’s PITEX" (Dec 8, 2025): A feature on financial independence initiatives for rural women at the Punjab International Trade Expo. Signature Beat Kamaldeep is known for his nuanced understanding of border dynamics. His reporting often highlights the "drug crisis in the underprivileged localities" (like Muradpur in Tarn Taran, Nov 9, 2025), providing a voice to marginalized communities affected by addiction and administrative neglect. X (Twitter): @kamalsbrar ... Read More

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