The Floods Should Radicalize Punjab
"Punjab cannot keep sacrificing itself for an ungrateful country."
Jaskaran Sandhu
September 2, 2025 | 3 min. read | Opinion
The Punjab floods are not just another environmental disaster.
India opened dams and closed canals, turning Punjab into a lake. And, as the waters rose, and the state did nothing, it was left to Sikh institutions, Gurdwaras, and ordinary Punjabis to mobilize.
Once again, we have been forced to save ourselves while the so-called largest democracy in the world looks away.
Modi has not uttered a single word, Bhagwant Mann has proven useless, and the Indian media has treated the unprecedented destruction with silence. Worse still, Hindu Nationalists have mocked Punjab online while villages sink.
That is how much contempt there is for Punjab and Sikhs. Our pain is not even worthy of acknowledgement in the halls of power in Delhi.
Juxtapose this with the rapid response of the Indian state to yesterday's earthquakes in Afghanistan. Aid has been sent, and Modi and his ministers tweeted support immediately.
Punjab has always sacrificed itself for the Indian state. We gave our rivers and our land to feed the country. We gave our sons and daughters to the Indian army. We gave our blood to defend its borders.
In return, we are rewarded with neglect and betrayal.
The floods only confirm what has always been true: Punjab is an afterthought for India, a colony to be exploited and abandoned.
The point is not to play victim here. In fact, what stands out even more about these floods is how Punjabis have responded. There has been no looting. No fighting. No collapse of social trust. Instead, there has been seva, langar, and community.
Ordinary people have been donating whatever they can. Volunteers are wading through waist-deep water to deliver food and medicine. Gurdwaras have opened their doors to anyone in need.
This is a high-trust society in action.
Punjabis are looking after each other because no one else will. Here lies the sharpest contrast. The very organizations and people that are routinely called “Khalistanis” by the Indian state were the first responders.
The SGPC. Diaspora groups. Punjabi artists. NGOs. They are the ones saving lives. Meanwhile, the Indian nationalists who love to tell us who the “real Sikhs” are have been nowhere to be found.
Let us be clear. “Khalistani” is not a bad word. We are sovereigns. We are different. And, everyone is welcome, as we build a society grounded in the principles of the Guru - no matter how much India tries to cast suspicion on the Panth.
It's those very principles you see in action now.
India does not just neglect Sikhs. It despises Sikhs who carry self-respect and honour. It wants to break our spirit. It wants us to see ourselves through the eyes of those who hate us. It wants us to internalize shame.
But we never will. Because we know who we are.
The waters will eventually recede, the mud will dry, and reconstruction will begin. It will be long and painful. But what cannot return is the status quo.
Punjab cannot keep sacrificing itself for an ungrateful country.
This flood has ripped away the last illusions. Sovereignty is no longer an abstract idea. It is quickly becoming the only option left.
There has always been one stubborn argument against Punjab's independence: that Punjab could not economically survive on its own and that we were too dependent on India.
But this argument collapses in the face of reality.
What is economic survival when India is already destroying our economy and flooding our fields every year? What is dependence when the state refuses to protect us or provide relief?
We were told that being part of India meant security and belonging. Instead, it has meant dispossession and abandonment.
We were told our sacrifices would be recognized. Instead, they are mocked.
We were told Punjab could thrive within India. Instead, Punjab has been systematically bled dry.
The floods are radicalizing because they expose the entire arrangement between Punjab and India as a lie - if it wasn’t clear post-1947 already.
Independence is not the risk. Remaining in India is the risk.
Jaskaran Sandhu hails from Brampton, Canada, and is the co-founder of Baaz. He is a lawyer and previously served as Executive Director for the World Sikh Organization of Canada and as a Senior Advisor to Brampton’s Office of the Mayor. You can find Jaskaran on Twitter at @JaskaranSandhu_
Baaz is home to opinions, ideas, and original reporting for the Sikh and Punjabi diaspora. Support us by subscribing. Find us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok at @BaazNewsOrg. If you would like to submit a written piece for consideration please email us at editor@baaznews.org.
The lack of any positive response by the govt and its Hindutva Right wing ecosystem is shameful and shows how low their standards are : in fact, some of them appear to be celebrating Punjabis’ suffering : a wider question that needs to be asked is : could the situation been averted ? Or has the official apathy made the floods worse ? After all, many advanced economies manage floods much better with real time monitoring and better management of flood gates , barrages and dams. While the article is well written , the separatist narrative doesn’t fit well. After all, it is Punjabis who run the govt in the state : are they sincere , competent and not corruptible ? While it’s easy to blame others , let’s look ourselves in the mirror first. The region thrived under capable leadership (esp Kairon) earlier too : however , arrogant , egotists ran every institution to the ground. We also need to plan for the worse to come : these devastating floods will have long term economic impact : can we help generate employment for the masses ? If the rest of the country doesn’t care , should Punjabis be so accommodating ? Let us create more employment / economic opportunities for Punjabis esp small landowners adversely impacted by these floods : let us use social media effectively to launch a campaign with clear action items