Punjab Outlook

The tragedy of November 1984 must not become a symbol of hatred, but a source
of awareness, unity, and justice.1984 was not merely a year on the calendar—it was a turning point in Sikh history that
awakened the community to a new consciousness about its identity, security, and
struggle for justice.The attack on Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) ordered by Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi in June 1984, followed six months later by her assassination on
31 October, and the organized Sikh genocide that swept across Delhi and many other
cities in the first week of November, are two of the most painful chapters in 20th-century
Sikh history. Their memory has neither faded nor lost its sting, even 41 years
later—they remain deeply etched in the collective Sikh psyche.
The assault on the Golden Temple with tanks and artillery was a result of Indira
Gandhi’s political motives. This has been confirmed by testimonies of senior officers of
that time—DGMO V.N. Sharma, Major General P.K. Sehgal, intelligence officer G.B.S.
Sidhu, former IAS officer Sarbjit Singh, among others.
It was the gravest historical blunder of Indira Gandhi’s career, which shook the very
roots of Sikh consciousness. The desecration of the sacred precincts of the Guru’s
house through military assault inflicted an unhealable wound on the Sikh soul.
On 31 October 1984, when Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh
bodyguards, a venomous wave of hatred against Sikhs erupted within the Congress
ranks. In Delhi, Kanpur, Bokaro, Ranchi, Indore, and many other cities, thousands of
innocent Sikhs were brutally massacred. Sikh men were dragged from their homes,
doused in kerosene, and burnt alive with tires around their necks. Gurdwaras and
homes were set on fire, women were subjected to unspeakable atrocities, and even
children were not spared. Over 2,733 Sikhs were killed in Delhi alone, and across India,
the toll exceeded seven thousand.
The government, administration, and police not only remained silent spectators but also
assisted the mobs. Rajiv Gandhi’s infamous statement, “When a big tree falls, the earth
shakes,” served as a clear signal that the State stood with the killers. This was no
spontaneous riot but a state-sponsored, politically engineered pogrom.
Eyewitnesses and investigative reports have consistently implicated Congress leaders
such as Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar, and H.K.L. Bhagat in inciting and directing mobs,
while police forces aided the attackers.
By the time the violence subsided, nearly five thousand Sikhs had been murdered.
International media and human rights groups described it as a “State-Sponsored
Pogrom.”
The central government remained silent during the carnage, and even after, no real
justice was delivered. From the Marwah Commission to the Nanavati Commission, ten
different inquiries were formed—but justice remained elusive. Many perpetrators were
acquitted on the pretext of “lack of evidence,” despite thousands of witnesses.
The Nanavati Commission Report (August 2005) clearly stated that senior Congress
leaders were directly involved in the killings. Yet, instead of punishment, the Congress
government shielded them and even rewarded them with higher positions. H.K.L.

Bhagat, Kamal Nath, Jagdish Tytler, and Sajjan Kumar continued to enjoy power and
privilege.
Though a few upright judges, like Justice Dhingra, listened to their
conscience—convicting H.K.L. Bhagat in 1995—most witnesses passed away waiting
for justice that never came.
1984 shattered the Sikh community’s faith in the Indian State and its constitutional
promise of secularism. Thousands of widows were forced to live in “widow colonies.” It
was not just a social tragedy—it was a wound upon the soul that still bleeds.
This genocide fundamentally altered India’s political landscape and strengthened
among Sikhs the resolve to preserve their identity and dignity.
The real question is not only what happened in 1984, but why was the nation silent?
When innocent citizens of any faith are massacred with State complicity, and society
remains mute, that silence itself becomes a form of violence.
In India’s own capital, thousands of Sikh men, women, and children were murdered
simply for being Sikh. This was not “mob violence”—it was a planned genocide
involving political leaders, police, and government machinery.
The Sikhs, who had sacrificed their lives for India’s freedom and reconstruction, could
never have imagined being targeted in their own homeland.

Modi Government’s Historic Steps Toward Justice and Truth
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recognizing the pain and trauma of Sikhs, took the first
decisive steps toward justice in 2014.
In March 2015, the Ministry of Home Affairs constituted a new Special Investigation
Team (SIT) to reopen 186 unresolved cases.
Under the Modi government, in 2018, Congress leader Sajjan Kumar was sentenced to
life imprisonment — a landmark victory in the Sikh genocide cases, achieved 34 years
after the tragedy.
Other perpetrators like Yashpal Singh were sentenced to death, and Naresh Sherawat
to life imprisonment. The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh also arrested
several culprits involved in the Kanpur massacre.
Today, Jagdish Tytler himself faces trial — a reflection of Modi government’s
commitment to justice.
In 2019, for the first time, the central government officially reclassified the 1984 violence
not merely as “riots,” but as “Organized Mass Violence.”
Addressing a rally in Hoshiarpur on May 10, 2019, Prime Minister Modi said:
“The 1984 massacre is a black stain on the soul of the nation. Justice may
come late, but it will not stop.”
He also said it was a crime against humanity, and that the new generation must
remember it as a lesson that political violence can never be justified.
This statement offered emotional reassurance to the Sikh community — not political, but
moral and spiritual.

The Modi government provided ₹5 lakh compensation, housing, employment, and
educational support to the victims’ families.
In Delhi, the BJP administration under Rekha Gupta granted government jobs to 125
survivors, while Haryana’s Nayab Saini government gave employment to 121 affected
families.
The central government also initiated dialogues with Sikh representatives from abroad
and laid the foundation of “Sikh Justice Memorials” — a step no previous government
had taken.
Even today, the Sikh community contributes immensely to India’s progress and
prosperity.
But the alienation and hurt created by the third “Ghallughara” of 1984 still linger.
Removing this sense of estrangement is a national necessity.
Governments must recognize that several domestic and foreign forces seek to exploit
Sikh sentiments to pit the community against the nation.
The Centre and states must act decisively to bridge the emotional distance caused by
the Congress-era wrongs.
Prime Minister Modi’s reconciliatory and justice-driven approach deserves appreciation.

Should the Sikh Genocide Be Forgotten?
Sikhism teaches forgiveness, not forgetfulness.
The Gurus taught us that to endure oppression and not resist it is itself a sin.
The Sikh Panth has never harbored revenge but has always demanded truth and
justice.
Even today, many of the guilty roam free.
Let it be said clearly — the Sikhs must not forget 1984.
But the tragedy should be remembered not as a wound of hatred, but as a source of
awakening, unity, and justice.
Because —
“A nation that forgets its history, forfeits its future.”