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Sikh History & Heritage
1984 Anti-Sikh Riots - The Causes And The Repercussions
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<blockquote data-quote="Admin" data-source="post: 114447" data-attributes="member: 1"><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Current Opinions</strong></span></p><p></p><p>As you can imagine these issues rouse deep sentiments in Sikhs even today. Below are the opinions of some people who were kind enough to answer my questions. </p><p></p><p><strong>I. Male, 60 </strong></p><p><strong> Madurai, India </strong></p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong><em>1. Did you lose a family member/friend in the 1984 riots?</em></strong></p><p><strong><em> </em></strong>We did lose 3 of our relatives. One was a retired Air Force Officer, his eldest son who was Test Pilot on Jaguars and the younger son who just got selected for Ranji Trophy. All were lynched in front of the lady of the house and then burnt alive. She was also mercilessly beaten up and had multiple fractures. </p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>2. What is your opinion of Operation Blue Star?</strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>The operation Blue Star was a shameless act by the Government of India. Surely there were other means of flushing out terrorists from the Golden Temple. What was required was more patience and complete cordoning off of the Golden Temple premises so that genuine pilgrims could come out. But Government (More specifically Mrs. Indira Gandhi) wanted to teach Sikhs a lesson. </p><p> In later years similar situation arose in Kashmir when the Militants were holed up in Hazratbal Shrine. But same Govt. did not issue orders to the Soldiers to enter the shrine. </p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>3. There have been many parallels drawn between the atrocities of the 1984 riots and those during of the partition, what is your view of this comparison?</strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>The atrocities of 1984 and what happened in 1947 have a few things in common. Both these events resulted in blood bath ending thousands of human lives. The common man was instigated by scruple-less Politicians. But during 1947 a large nation India was being split into 2 countries and such blood bath was expected. But in 1984, the innocent people were taken for a surprise. No one expected that in Democratic India such thing could happen. Let us face it, when Mahatma Gandhi was killed by Natural Gods, no Maharashtrians was killed. Then how come, when Indira Gandhi was murdered, a veritable hell was let loose on the innocent Sikhs. </p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>4. Did it occur to you that the atrocities committed during the riots would/should be "avenged" when Manmohan Singh became Prime Minister? </strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>So many lives have been lost. All the Sikhs have been asking is to punish the known guilty persons. Manmohan Singh being the PM has no significance on this. </p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>5. There have been many commissions to investigate the 1984 riots. In your opinion was the Nanavati Commission different and if so, why?</strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>None of the Commissions appointed by the Government has come out clearly to name the guilty politicians and murderers who were identified. Nanavati Commission is no exception. </p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>6. Why was the failure of the Nanavati Commission more disappointing than that any of the other commissions?</strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>Nanavati Commission had possibly the longest stint. Sikhs have been waiting for Justice for over 20 years. So people hoped that possibly this time there would be clear cut findings. But unfortunately this did not happen. </p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>7. Do you feel that the legal battles over the 1984 riots need to continue? If so, when, in your opinion would justice be served? </strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>I think the legal battle should continue till the guilty are punished.</p><p> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>II. Male, 51 </strong></p><p><strong> Bangalore, India. (Lived in Delhi for a number of years before 1975)</strong></p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>1. Did you lose a family member/friend in the 1984 riots?</strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>I lost an acquaintance.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>2. What is your opinion of Operation Blue Star? </strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>It was avoidable. There was excessive use of force. It was like using a canon to kill a fly.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>3. There have been many parallels drawn between the atrocities of the 1984 riots </strong></em></p><p><em><strong> and those during of the partition, what is your view of this comparison?</strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>This was worse than partition because it happened in a free democratic India where the President of the country was a Sikh himself.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>4. Did it occur to you that the atrocities committed during the riots </strong></em></p><p><em><strong> would/should be "avenged" when Manmohan Singh became Prime Minister?</strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>This was highly improbable because he represents congress which has scuttled all efforts to bring to justice those involved in the carnage. </p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>5. There have been many commissions to investigate the 1984 riots. In your </strong></em></p><p><em><strong> opinion was the Nanavati Commission different and if so, why?</strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>This commission was initiated by the BJP government which promised justice to 1984 riot victims, other than that it was like any other commission.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>6. Why was the failure of the Nanavati Commission more disappointing than that </strong></em></p><p><em><strong> any of the other commissions?</strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>Nanavati commission was seen as a last chance to bring justice to the victims of the 1984 riots, considering that 20 years had passed since the riots. Also the commissions report was being tabled in parliament with a Sikh prime minister.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>7. Do you feel that the legal battles over the 1984 riots need to continue? If </strong></em></p><p><em><strong> so, when, in your opinion would justice be served?</strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>They need to continue because giving up at this stage will be giving in to injustice and insensitive and conniving political leadership.</p><p> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>III. Female, 19 </strong></p><p><strong> Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.</strong></p><p></p><p> <strong>1. Did you lose a family member/friend in the 1984 riots?</strong></p><p><strong> </strong>No.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>2. What is your opinion of Operation Blue Star?</strong></p><p><strong> </strong>An extreme step taken, which could be avoided, I will not forgive the leadership of the Congress party of India for the operation. I’m not hurt that a ‘sacred’ place was destructed; it is not my religious sentiments that were hurt… I feel cheated as a citizen of the largest democracy, that my ruling party did not employ a method less severe such as starving the terrorists instead of storming the place. Operation blue star cannot be justified, it is known that the terrorists were desecrating the utensils used to make ‘prasad’ in the Golden Temple by excreting in them, nothing can be more insulting- to the purity and ‘sacredness’ of our religion than defiling the sanctum that holds our religious texts or the kitchen that serves many pilgrims. The sentiment I hold is entirely humanitarian, should not the then prime minister Mrs. Gandhi relied on more than just intelligence reports that warned her that if the operation was not swift a mass uprising in Punjab may occur? The inability of the government to curb militancy in its natal form led to the pain that the Sikh community carries today, those who might not have lost their loved ones did lose their faith in the secularity of our great country. Had operation blue star been conducted like black thunder, we might not have had to be victims of the carnage of 1984.</p><p> </p><p> <em><strong>3. There have been many parallels drawn between the atrocities of the 1984 riots and those during of the partition, what is your view of this comparison?</strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>I feel that atrocities, whether those committed during the partition or 1984 or more recently Gujarat cannot be compared, but yes an atrocity committed against an entire community because of the acts of one of its members is blasphemous! Which ‘mazhab’ teaches its followers to kill the innocent? There is no comparison between ‘atrocities’, the circumstances under which both carnages occurred may be compared but the shedding of blood in any year, of any individual or any community, by another individual or community or group is unacceptable simply because it is a crime. </p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>4. Did it occur to you that the atrocities committed during the riots would/should be “avenged” when Manmohan Singh became Prime Minister?</strong></p><p><strong> </strong>Avenged! I feel the reason why not only our PM, but our Chief of Army Staff and the Deputy of the Planning Commission Mr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia appointments have been made to make the Sikhs shut up. Does the Congress think it can get away with such blatant efforts! We do not want revenge or bloodshed, I wish nothing but the best for the Congress but I must be given justice for what happened in 1984- my puppet prime minister with his turban does not make me joyous for any reason other than the fact that he is a highly competent gentleman whom I respect and feel proud of as a member of my ‘community’, but it isn’t just another thing that he happens to be ‘Sikh’. I do not expect him to hasten the process of providing justice to those who were wronged on account of his sharing the same religion! This would equal the anguish operation blue star caused our people… You cannot compensate an entire generation of orphans 20 years later by putting a Sikh Prime Minister at the forefront… I’m offended if that was the intention!</p><p> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><em><strong>5. There have been many commissions to investigate the 1984 riots. In your opinion was the Nanavati Commission different and if so, why?</strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>It was not, where is the action? Who has been jailed? Who has been provided justice? Begging for forgiveness before the Granth Sahib did not help Mrs. Indira Gandhi, she did meet her nemesis, unfortunately. But it is funny, very funny, that it took 20 weeks to prosecute her assassins but 20 years later, the victims of 1984 don’t know who killed their loved ones… </p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>6. Do you feel that the legal battles over the 1984 riots need to continue? If so, when, in your opinion would justice be served?</strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>Yes, they MUST continue, even if the criminals are at their deathbeds they must be thrown behind bars that would be their euthanasia! Justice will be served only when the ‘ministers’ who encouraged the violence and officers who took no action are jailed and each victim is given not monetary but vocational and sustainable compensation. The prosecution of the accused must continue so that the citizens of India LEARN that if you commit a crime you will be punished and not in hell but in your own country and in your lifetime. </p><p> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>IV Male, 25 </strong></p><p><strong> Chandigarh, India</strong></p><p><strong></strong> </p><p> <em><strong>1. Did you lose a family member/friend in the 1984 riots?</strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>No, I did not.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>2. What is your opinion of Operation Blue Star? </strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>That is was the biggest mistake of Indira Gandhi.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>3. There have been many parallels drawn between the atrocities of the 1984 riots </strong></em></p><p><em><strong> and those during of the partition, what is your view of this comparison? </strong></em></p><p><em><strong></strong></em></p><p>During the partition, the Sikhs and the Hindus together were killing the Muslims, but in 1984 the Hindus turned against the Sikhs. Just makes me trust them less.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>4. Did it occur to you that the atrocities committed during the riots </strong></em></p><p><em><strong> would/should be "avenged" when Manmohan Singh became Prime Minister? </strong></em></p><p><em><strong></strong></em></p><p>No, that should not have happened, because the Sikhs have large hearts and our gurus have always taught us to forgive, so did Mahatma Gandhi.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>5. There have been many commissions to investigate the 1984 riots. In your </strong></em></p><p><em><strong> opinion was the Nanavati Commission different and if so, why?</strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>I do not know what the commission was but I have heard that Nanavati was a judge who was assigned to investigate the culprits but what I have heard from people is that one of them is dead and the other, Tytler, is free.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>6. Why was the failure of the Nanavati Commission more disappointing than that any of the other commissions?</strong></em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em>Well, because everyone knows who the culprit was but he is still free. Makes me believe in these commissions even less now.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><em><strong>7. Do you feel that the legal battles over the 1984 riots need to continue? If so, when, in your opinion would justice be served? </strong></em></p><p><em><strong></strong></em></p><p>Well, I feel that it’s been 22 years and no one has been found guilty. This makes me feel that being a minority does have its own drawbacks. The same has been the case with the anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat where the chief minister has not been prosecuted as there is no case against him.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Admin, post: 114447, member: 1"] [SIZE=4][B]Current Opinions[/B][/SIZE] As you can imagine these issues rouse deep sentiments in Sikhs even today. Below are the opinions of some people who were kind enough to answer my questions. [B]I. Male, 60 Madurai, India [/B] [B][I]1. Did you lose a family member/friend in the 1984 riots? [/I][/B]We did lose 3 of our relatives. One was a retired Air Force Officer, his eldest son who was Test Pilot on Jaguars and the younger son who just got selected for Ranji Trophy. All were lynched in front of the lady of the house and then burnt alive. She was also mercilessly beaten up and had multiple fractures. [I][B]2. What is your opinion of Operation Blue Star? [/B][/I]The operation Blue Star was a shameless act by the Government of India. Surely there were other means of flushing out terrorists from the Golden Temple. What was required was more patience and complete cordoning off of the Golden Temple premises so that genuine pilgrims could come out. But Government (More specifically Mrs. Indira Gandhi) wanted to teach Sikhs a lesson. In later years similar situation arose in Kashmir when the Militants were holed up in Hazratbal Shrine. But same Govt. did not issue orders to the Soldiers to enter the shrine. [I][B]3. There have been many parallels drawn between the atrocities of the 1984 riots and those during of the partition, what is your view of this comparison? [/B][/I]The atrocities of 1984 and what happened in 1947 have a few things in common. Both these events resulted in blood bath ending thousands of human lives. The common man was instigated by scruple-less Politicians. But during 1947 a large nation India was being split into 2 countries and such blood bath was expected. But in 1984, the innocent people were taken for a surprise. No one expected that in Democratic India such thing could happen. Let us face it, when Mahatma Gandhi was killed by Natural Gods, no Maharashtrians was killed. Then how come, when Indira Gandhi was murdered, a veritable hell was let loose on the innocent Sikhs. [I][B]4. Did it occur to you that the atrocities committed during the riots would/should be "avenged" when Manmohan Singh became Prime Minister? [/B][/I]So many lives have been lost. All the Sikhs have been asking is to punish the known guilty persons. Manmohan Singh being the PM has no significance on this. [I][B]5. There have been many commissions to investigate the 1984 riots. In your opinion was the Nanavati Commission different and if so, why? [/B][/I]None of the Commissions appointed by the Government has come out clearly to name the guilty politicians and murderers who were identified. Nanavati Commission is no exception. [I][B]6. Why was the failure of the Nanavati Commission more disappointing than that any of the other commissions? [/B][/I]Nanavati Commission had possibly the longest stint. Sikhs have been waiting for Justice for over 20 years. So people hoped that possibly this time there would be clear cut findings. But unfortunately this did not happen. [I][B]7. Do you feel that the legal battles over the 1984 riots need to continue? If so, when, in your opinion would justice be served? [/B][/I]I think the legal battle should continue till the guilty are punished. [B]II. Male, 51 Bangalore, India. (Lived in Delhi for a number of years before 1975)[/B] [I][B]1. Did you lose a family member/friend in the 1984 riots? [/B][/I]I lost an acquaintance. [I][B]2. What is your opinion of Operation Blue Star? [/B][/I]It was avoidable. There was excessive use of force. It was like using a canon to kill a fly. [I][B]3. There have been many parallels drawn between the atrocities of the 1984 riots and those during of the partition, what is your view of this comparison? [/B][/I]This was worse than partition because it happened in a free democratic India where the President of the country was a Sikh himself. [I][B]4. Did it occur to you that the atrocities committed during the riots would/should be "avenged" when Manmohan Singh became Prime Minister? [/B][/I]This was highly improbable because he represents congress which has scuttled all efforts to bring to justice those involved in the carnage. [I][B]5. There have been many commissions to investigate the 1984 riots. In your opinion was the Nanavati Commission different and if so, why? [/B][/I]This commission was initiated by the BJP government which promised justice to 1984 riot victims, other than that it was like any other commission. [I][B]6. Why was the failure of the Nanavati Commission more disappointing than that any of the other commissions? [/B][/I]Nanavati commission was seen as a last chance to bring justice to the victims of the 1984 riots, considering that 20 years had passed since the riots. Also the commissions report was being tabled in parliament with a Sikh prime minister. [I][B]7. Do you feel that the legal battles over the 1984 riots need to continue? If so, when, in your opinion would justice be served? [/B][/I]They need to continue because giving up at this stage will be giving in to injustice and insensitive and conniving political leadership. [B]III. Female, 19 Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.[/B] [B]1. Did you lose a family member/friend in the 1984 riots? [/B]No. [B]2. What is your opinion of Operation Blue Star? [/B]An extreme step taken, which could be avoided, I will not forgive the leadership of the Congress party of India for the operation. I’m not hurt that a ‘sacred’ place was destructed; it is not my religious sentiments that were hurt… I feel cheated as a citizen of the largest democracy, that my ruling party did not employ a method less severe such as starving the terrorists instead of storming the place. Operation blue star cannot be justified, it is known that the terrorists were desecrating the utensils used to make ‘prasad’ in the Golden Temple by excreting in them, nothing can be more insulting- to the purity and ‘sacredness’ of our religion than defiling the sanctum that holds our religious texts or the kitchen that serves many pilgrims. The sentiment I hold is entirely humanitarian, should not the then prime minister Mrs. Gandhi relied on more than just intelligence reports that warned her that if the operation was not swift a mass uprising in Punjab may occur? The inability of the government to curb militancy in its natal form led to the pain that the Sikh community carries today, those who might not have lost their loved ones did lose their faith in the secularity of our great country. Had operation blue star been conducted like black thunder, we might not have had to be victims of the carnage of 1984. [I][B]3. There have been many parallels drawn between the atrocities of the 1984 riots and those during of the partition, what is your view of this comparison? [/B][/I]I feel that atrocities, whether those committed during the partition or 1984 or more recently Gujarat cannot be compared, but yes an atrocity committed against an entire community because of the acts of one of its members is blasphemous! Which ‘mazhab’ teaches its followers to kill the innocent? There is no comparison between ‘atrocities’, the circumstances under which both carnages occurred may be compared but the shedding of blood in any year, of any individual or any community, by another individual or community or group is unacceptable simply because it is a crime. [B]4. Did it occur to you that the atrocities committed during the riots would/should be “avenged” when Manmohan Singh became Prime Minister? [/B]Avenged! I feel the reason why not only our PM, but our Chief of Army Staff and the Deputy of the Planning Commission Mr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia appointments have been made to make the Sikhs shut up. Does the Congress think it can get away with such blatant efforts! We do not want revenge or bloodshed, I wish nothing but the best for the Congress but I must be given justice for what happened in 1984- my puppet prime minister with his turban does not make me joyous for any reason other than the fact that he is a highly competent gentleman whom I respect and feel proud of as a member of my ‘community’, but it isn’t just another thing that he happens to be ‘Sikh’. I do not expect him to hasten the process of providing justice to those who were wronged on account of his sharing the same religion! This would equal the anguish operation blue star caused our people… You cannot compensate an entire generation of orphans 20 years later by putting a Sikh Prime Minister at the forefront… I’m offended if that was the intention! [I][B]5. There have been many commissions to investigate the 1984 riots. In your opinion was the Nanavati Commission different and if so, why? [/B][/I]It was not, where is the action? Who has been jailed? Who has been provided justice? Begging for forgiveness before the Granth Sahib did not help Mrs. Indira Gandhi, she did meet her nemesis, unfortunately. But it is funny, very funny, that it took 20 weeks to prosecute her assassins but 20 years later, the victims of 1984 don’t know who killed their loved ones… [I][B]6. Do you feel that the legal battles over the 1984 riots need to continue? If so, when, in your opinion would justice be served? [/B][/I]Yes, they MUST continue, even if the criminals are at their deathbeds they must be thrown behind bars that would be their euthanasia! Justice will be served only when the ‘ministers’ who encouraged the violence and officers who took no action are jailed and each victim is given not monetary but vocational and sustainable compensation. The prosecution of the accused must continue so that the citizens of India LEARN that if you commit a crime you will be punished and not in hell but in your own country and in your lifetime. [B]IV Male, 25 Chandigarh, India [/B] [I][B]1. Did you lose a family member/friend in the 1984 riots? [/B][/I]No, I did not. [I][B]2. What is your opinion of Operation Blue Star? [/B][/I]That is was the biggest mistake of Indira Gandhi. [I][B]3. There have been many parallels drawn between the atrocities of the 1984 riots and those during of the partition, what is your view of this comparison? [/B][/I] During the partition, the Sikhs and the Hindus together were killing the Muslims, but in 1984 the Hindus turned against the Sikhs. Just makes me trust them less. [I][B]4. Did it occur to you that the atrocities committed during the riots would/should be "avenged" when Manmohan Singh became Prime Minister? [/B][/I] No, that should not have happened, because the Sikhs have large hearts and our gurus have always taught us to forgive, so did Mahatma Gandhi. [I][B]5. There have been many commissions to investigate the 1984 riots. In your opinion was the Nanavati Commission different and if so, why? [/B][/I]I do not know what the commission was but I have heard that Nanavati was a judge who was assigned to investigate the culprits but what I have heard from people is that one of them is dead and the other, Tytler, is free. [I][B]6. Why was the failure of the Nanavati Commission more disappointing than that any of the other commissions? [/B][/I]Well, because everyone knows who the culprit was but he is still free. Makes me believe in these commissions even less now. [I][B]7. Do you feel that the legal battles over the 1984 riots need to continue? If so, when, in your opinion would justice be served? [/B][/I] Well, I feel that it’s been 22 years and no one has been found guilty. This makes me feel that being a minority does have its own drawbacks. The same has been the case with the anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat where the chief minister has not been prosecuted as there is no case against him. [/QUOTE]
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Sikh History & Heritage
1984 Anti-Sikh Riots - The Causes And The Repercussions
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