Tracing the roots of 'Khalistan' idea, Sanjeev Sanyal touches upon the 'Hopkinson link'

A veteran figure in the field of economics and historian, Sanjeev Sanyal, in an eye-opening interview with Republic Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami highlighted his new book "Revolutionaries: The Other Story of How India Won Its Freedom” as an attempt to speak about the important figures that have been shadowed by the common perception of India’s freedom struggle. Sanyal, currently a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, spoke extensively about the narratives that have not surfaced due to systematic intervention in history and how the contribution of revolutionaries and their armed struggle has been undermined when talking about how India won its freedom from the British. 

Focussing extensively on the Ghadar movement, Sanyal highlighted the numerous attempts made by Ghadarites to overthrow the British rule in India by mutiny, especially during World War I. The Ghadar movement was an extensive network of Indians living overseas, particularly the US and Canada, who wanted to overthrow the British raj in India. Many underground anti-colonial actions were conducted by Ghadarites which led to mass persecution including execution of the members by the British. The organisation was formally disbanded in 1948 after India’s independence.

Ghadarites had a network through Gurudwaras

Being predominantly led by members from the Indian-Sikh community, the Ghadar movement had a network in Gurudwaras (holy places of worship for Sikhism) in Canada through which information of operations was shared and the message of national solidarity was affirmed, claimed Sanyal. Majority of Sikhs had served in the British Indian army in the Great War and were from Punjab province. The networks still persisted after Indian independence, and therefore came “under tremendous pressure from nationalist sikhs and Ghadarites in the initial years,” stated Sanyal.

Khalistani sentiment established in Canada?

“The Ghadarites’ network in Canada was infiltrated by British intelligence agent William Charles Hopkinson,” said Sanyal. Hopkinson used his position to the nationalist ideas that were spreading through the Gurudwaras in India, which to this day has an impact, claimed Sanyal. “The point is we do not read history and we did not understand how on earth is the Khalistan movement in Canada out of all the places, it is because of Hopkinson,” added Sanyal.  

Hopkinson’s cover was an immigration inspector in the Canadian Immigration Branch in Vancouver, British Columbia. He was notably shot dead in court by Sikh Ghadarite Mewa Singh Lopoke. Singh was hanged for his actions on January 11, 1916. For the Sikh community of Vancouver, Mewa Singh is a martyr and his martyrdom is celebrated every year in the Khalsa Diwan Society's Gurdwara on Ross Street. Also, this occasion is marked and celebrated by other Sikh temples across Canada, and in the United States as well. 

About Sanyal and his new book

Sanjeev Sanyal is set to release his book "Revolutionaries: The Other Story of How India Won Its Freedom," in the second week of January this year. He took to Twitter to make the announcement on December 15 last year. "It is the thrilling true story of incredible courage, diabolical treachery & incredible twists of fate," Sanyal tweeted.

Sanyal served as the Principal Economic Adviser to the Finance Minister of India for five years until February 2022. He is currently part of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council. His other authored books include "Land of the Seven Rivers," "The Ocean of Churn," "India in the Age of Ideas," and "The Indian Renaissance."

Before he introduced himself into economic policy in the Indian government, Sanyal worked in Deutsche Bank as a Global Strategist and a Managing Director till 2015. A Rhodes Scholar and Eisenhower Fellow, he was named “Young Global Leader 2010” by the World Economic Forum at Davos. He is also a visiting scholar at Oxford University, Adjunct Fellow at the Institute of Policy studies, Singapore, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, London, Visiting Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi and a Senior Fellow of the World Wildlife Fund.

Image: Republic