Sukhdev Dhindsa: 1984’s Sikh Genocide Victims Deserve Justice from Indian Government

NEW DELHI—The Rajya Sabha, upper house of the Parliament of India, was almost empty, and the few officials who were present paid no attention to Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa when he spoke about various issues on March 3, 2016.

“Dear speaker, I beg to you, please ask these members to step aside if they want to discuss something else,” he asked the speaker.  Meanwhile, the speaker too remained unconcerned about the forthcoming remarks by Dhindsa.

Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa praised PM Narendra Modi for his policies and being able to have a firm command of the country.  He criticised Congress for its role in 1984 anti-Sikh genocide and demanded justice for the community.

Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa appealed to the Modi led government to punish those responsible for the 1984 Sikh Genocide.  Dhindsa said that Sikhs were being treated as third class citizens in the country, despite the contributions and sacrifices they had made for India.  Drawing parallels, Dhindsa said while nothing was done to those related to Nathuram Godse after Mohandas Gandhi’s killing, and to the Tamils after the killing of Rajiv Gandhi, 3000 Sikhs were killed after Indira Gandhi’s assassination.  He said it was the duty of the NDA Government to now deliver justice to the Sikhs.

The Akali Dal leaders have been trying to take up “Panthik” issues in recent past in an attempt to rebuild their base within the Sikh community.  While Aam Aadmi Party leader ramped up the issue of 1984 Sikh massacres during his recent visit to Canada, Akali leaders in Punjab and outside have also highlighted this issue in an attempt to capture the Sikh vote bank again.