The correct answer is: a) An independent Sikh state.
The Khalistan movement was a Sikh nationalist movement that sought to create an independent Sikh state called Khalistan in the Punjab region of India. The movement was launched in the 1970s and gained momentum in the 1980s. The movement was led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a radical Sikh preacher who was killed in the Indian Army’s Operation Blue Star in 1984. The Khalistan movement was largely unsuccessful, but it did lead to a period of violence and unrest in Punjab.
The other options are incorrect because:
- Option b) is not correct because the Khalistan movement did not demand greater autonomy for Punjab. In fact, the movement demanded independence for Punjab.
- Option c) is not correct because the Khalistan movement did not demand recognition of Sikhism as a separate religion. Sikhism is already recognized as a separate religion in India.
- Option d) is not correct because the Khalistan movement did not demand economic reforms. The movement was primarily concerned with the creation of an independent Sikh state.