1984 victim families meet Akal Takht Jathedar, seek ‘genocide’ status instead of ‘riot’ for violence
PTC Web Desk: Families affected by the 1984 anti-Sikh violence met the acting Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, demanding that the events of November 1984 be officially declared a “genocide” instead of being referred to as “riots.”
During the meeting, members of the delegation expressed deep anguish, stating that for over four decades they have endured the trauma of losing their loved ones. They recounted painful memories of witnessing the killings of fathers, grandfathers and even young children during the violence that followed the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984.
The families objected strongly to the continued use of the term “riots” by certain institutions and individuals, arguing that the violence was one-sided and targeted, amounting to genocide against the Sikh community. They urged religious and political authorities to take concrete steps to ensure that the events are officially recognised and recorded in history as “Sikh genocide.”
After hearing the delegation, Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj assured them that Panth stands firmly with the victims. According to members of the delegation, he gave his assurance that efforts would be made to pursue formal recognition of the 1984 events as “genocide” by November this year.
The families also demanded that those who lost their lives during the violence be accorded the status of martyrs. They expressed hope that, after 41 years, their long-standing demand for justice and proper historical acknowledgment would finally see progress.
- PTC NEWS
