California Assembly urges US to recognise 1984 anti-Sikh violence as ‘genocide’

Sikh protesters burnt effigies of Congress party leaders
Image Source : AP/File Sikh protesters burn effigies of Congress party leaders Sajjan Kumar and Kamal Nath during a protest in New Delhi.

Riots of 1984: The California State Assembly has passed a resolution urging the United States Congress to formally recognize and condemn the 1984 anti-Sikh violence in India as “genocide”.

The resolution was introduced on March 22 by Member of the Legislative Assembly Jasmeet Kaur Bains, the first elected Sikh member of the state assembly, and was passed unanimously by the state assembly on Monday.

It was co-sponsored by Assembly member Carlos Villapadua. The only other Hindu member, Aish Kalra, also voted in favour.

Noting that the Sikh community in America has not recovered from the physical and psychological trauma of the riots, the resolution urged the US Congress to formally recognize and condemn the anti-Sikh violence of November 1984 as “genocide”.

“Widow Colony” still seeking justice: Sankalp

The resolution states that the ‘Widow Colony’ in New Delhi is still home to Sikh women who have been attacked, raped, tortured and their families mutilated, burned and murdered. were forced to watch, and who are still demanding justice for the perpetrators.

In a statement, Pritpal Singh, coordinator of the American Sikh Caucus Committee and other American Sikh bodies, expressed gratitude to members of the California State Assembly for introducing and passing the resolution.

In 2015, the California Assembly also passed a resolution declaring anti-Sikh violence a program.

Violence erupted in Delhi and other parts of the country following the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. More than 3,000 Sikhs were killed across India in the violence, mostly in the national capital.

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