WASHINGTON DC, USA—Sikhs for Justice, a Sikh rights group based out of the United States has commended a resolution passed in the California Senate terming 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms as a “genocide”. The California State Senate had unanimously passed a resolution remembering the victims of 1984 Sikh Genocide in April 2015. The resolution clearly describes the role of the Indian government in the massacre.
The resolution passed in the California Senate was followed by another report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) which has enlisted India in Tier 2 countries responsible for abuse of human rights of minorities. India has been listed along with countries such as Russia, Turkey and Afghanistan where human rights of minorities are not prevalent.
The report released by USCIRF states that “Sikhs are often harassed and pressured to reject religious practices and beliefs that are distinct to Sikhism, such as dress, unshorn hair, and the carrying of religious items, including the kirpan.”
It further adds that “India’s Sikh community has long pursued a change to Article 25 of India’s constitution which states, Hindus shall be construed as including a reference to persons professing the Sikh, Jain or Buddhist religion, and the reference to Hindu religious institutions shall be construed accordingly.”
Sikhs for Justice has labelled the report a landmark in ensuring equal rights of Sikhs in India.
