Keshdhari Hindus

Keshdhari Hindus (Punjabi: ਕੇਸ਼ਧਾਰੀ ਹਿੰਦੂ (Gurmukhi)) means "Hindus with long hairs". It is a term used and promoted by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Vishva Hindu Parishad, and other Sangh Parivar organizations for Sikhs to describe them as the sword arm of Hindus and, hence, staunch Indian nationalists.

Usage
Many Hindus and Hindutva groups regard Sikhs as "turbaned Hindus", a label which most Sikhs reject. The former mentioned groups also seek to co-opt Sikhs as part of their anti-Islam and anti-Christian agenda, both of which are labelled as foreign religions. Hindutva groups also push the idea of Sikhs being the "sword arm of Hinduism". The RSS chief has used the term to describe Sikhs. The term is also used for people who are from Hindu backgrounds originally but on the border of established Sikh and Hindu beliefs and practices, possibly identifying with both faiths simultaneously or converting from Hinduism to Sikhism.

Reaction
The Sikh leadership rejects the categorization of Sikhs as Keshdhari Hindus and claims that Sikhism is a unique religion with a unique message.

Sikh leader, Harchand Singh Longowal, made the following comment in-response to Khushwant Singh claiming that Sikhs are "bearded Hindus": "'How can you say that Sikhs and Hindus are the same people? You say Sikhs are Keshdhari (sporting long hair) Hindus. Why don't you call the Muslims Sunnatdhari (circumcised) Hindus? After all, at some point of time, in history they must have been Hindus.'"