Anti-Sikh riots of 1984: Families remember tragedy and demand long-delayed justice

Sonia was three years old when her parents and uncles were murdered during the war 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi.

Her sister, who was 13 at the time, later told Sonia about the violence and killings of people from the Sikh community after the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, she said at a press conference in Delhi on Saturday to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the riots .

• Read:‘Declare 1984 anti-Sikh riots as genocide’

“I was three years old… My sister told me about the incident and how my father and uncles were killed,” she said.

She tearfully described how her sister cared for her in her parents’ absence. Sonia now works at an NGO and has two children.

• Read: Anti-Sikh riots in 1984: Congress leader Sajjan Kumar jailed for ‘rest of his life’

Gandhi was assassinated in her home on October 31, 1984 by her two bodyguards, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh.

Speaking at the press conference, senior advocate HS Phoolka said he and his team released 20 documentary videos titled “1984 Genocide Unending Quest for Justice” to mark the 40th anniversary of the riots.

• Read: No one thought Congress leaders would be convicted: Modi on the 1984 Sikh massacre

The documentary videos follow survivors of the riots as they recount their experiences during that time, Phoolka said.

Twelve videos were released on Saturday. The rest will be released in Chandigarh on November 9.

• Also read: BJP reminds Congress of 1984 anti-Sikh riots

“The events of 1984 marked not only the murder of countless civilians, but also the death of justice itself,” Phoolka said.

The entire justice system collapsed and the ‘blindfolded’ Lady Justice reflected the blindness of judges who failed to see the atrocities around them, he claimed.

“It was only in 2017 that the Supreme Court began to take an active interest in punishing the perpetrators of this genocide. Judge Dipak Misra has established a new special investigation team to reopen cases, signaling a long-awaited commitment to seeking justice for the victims,” the senior lawyer added.

• Also read: Congress leader Tytler sets voting example in anti-Sikh riot case

Darshan Kaur, who was caring for a son and two toddlers at the time of the riots, talked about the day her life changed forever.

A mob entered her home and despite her repeated pleas, she watched helplessly as her loved ones were attacked.

“We had no television, no warning. The next day (November 1, 1984), when we heard of Gandhi’s death, chaos broke out. They (the gang) came, threw bottles filled with chemicals at our house and my husband was taken from me,” she said.

• Read more: BJP targets Gandhis for anti-Sikh riots in 1984

“Forty years have passed and we are still grieving for our loved ones,” Kaur said.

“But justice remains elusive,” she said.

The pain of that day lingers as a haunting reminder of a tragedy that left indelible scars on families and communities, she added.

According to the Nanavati Commission report, 587 FIRs were registered in connection with the riots that witnessed the death of 2,733 people in Delhi. Police closed about 240 cases as ‘not traced’ and about 250 resulted in acquittals.

In May 2023, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a chargesheet against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler for his alleged role in the murder of three people on November 1, 1984.

About 400 people were convicted in 27 cases. Among them, about fifty people were convicted of murder, including former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar.