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1984 Anti-Sikh Pogrom Revisiting A Carnage - Ghost Of Chhillar Haunts Haryana

Jan 6, 2005
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Metro-Vancouver, B.C., Canada
REVISITING A CARNAGE
Ghost of Chhillar haunts Haryana
20 persons were killed in the Rewari village in the ’84 riots
Raman Mohan/TNS

Chhillar (Rewari), February 23
More than 26 years after 20 men, women and children (the number mentioned in the FIR according to the police) were allegedly burnt alive in riots following the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the mystery remains unresolved.

All main characters in this sordid drama — the police, the residents and the survivors — have a lot to answer for. The police must explain why the case was closed and how the FIR, which was registered after the incident, was lost or misplaced.

Villagers need to explain why they failed to intervene when, according to them, an estimated 300-strong mob of “outsiders” went on a killing spree that lasted (as per their own version) for six to eight hours. This happened even when the villagers outnumbered the mob.

As for survivors, they too need to come forward and explain why they have kept quiet all these years. In the words of 83-year-old Dhanpat Singh Yadav, the then sarpanch of Chhillar, this is what happened on the morning of November 2, 1984.

“It was a bright sunny day. Around 10 am, a mob of 250 to 300 men, all outsiders, arrived in the village in a Haryana Roadways bus and a truck. They carried jerry cans of diesel and were armed with rods and sticks. They headed straight for the Sikh settlement, about 1 km from the main village, where 13 Sikh families had been living since they migrated from Pakistan in 1947,” recalls Yadav. The settlement was known as Haud, a reference to the pond built there by a Muslim fakir in 1920, he tells.

“When I was informed about the mob, I rushed there with around six villagers. We challenged them. But they threatened to burn us alive. We were made to sit there as several of them stood guard over us. The mob attacked men, women and children who were outside. A few were set ablaze outside their houses. Others fled to the safety of their homes and locked themselves up,” he says.

“The mobsters dug holes in the roofs, poured diesel inside and set fire. At least 20 of the victims were trapped inside. Meanwhile, 30 men, women and children locked themselves up inside a room on the first floor of a house. At around 5 pm, a section of the mob approached the room. One young Sikh, Balwant Singh, suddenly came out and attacked the mob. One mobster got a deep cut on his shoulder. The mob then withdrew and left the village. The villagers then escorted the survivors safely to Rewari,” he says. None of them ever came back to the village, he adds. “In the following years, they sold their land and houses, most of which have now been demolished.”
 

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Jan 6, 2005
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Metro-Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Haryana govt admitted killing of 32 Sikhs in Hond Chillar village

Punjab Newsline Network

Thursday, 24 February 2011

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CHANDIGARH: Haryana Government Thursday clarified that 32 persons had lost their lives in village Hond-Chillar in district Rewari during anti-Sikh riots in 1984.

While stating this here today, an official spokesman said that a compensation amounting to Rs seven lakh each was given by the Government under State and Central Schemes to the next of kin of the deceased. A total of Rs 2.24 crore was given to the next of the kin of the deceased.

He said that a compensation of Rs one lakh each for damage to property was also given in the year 2006 for 36 properties.

The total compensation disbursed to victims of the unfortunate violence is Rs 2.55 crore.

It may be recalled that Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda has already sought a report on the issue from Divisional Commissioner, Gurgaon. In a recent press conference in Chandigarh, Mr Hooda had said that those guilty of this heinous act should be brought to book.

Interestingly, in the government records only three persons were claimed to have been killed in the state in 1984 riots.

source: http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/haryana-govt-admitted-killing-32-sikhs-hond-chillar-village/28924
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Gyani Jarnail Singh

Sawa lakh se EK larraoan
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Gyani Jarnail Singh

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Jul 4, 2004
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Brief English Translation of above Editorial in Rozaana Spokesman. ( Gist of Op-Ed)

HONDH-CHILARR EPISODE.....DONT RAISE FALSE HOPES....

The 1984 Genocide was an abject failure and Abdication of Responsibility of the Sikh Leadership.....REVISITING this via Hondh-Chillarr will only serve to REVIVE painful memories.

The Starrkly staring ruins of Hondh-Chilarr village in Haryana speak volumes of how the propserous sikh families living there were served a severe blow...this was not an isolated incident..in those dark days of November 1984 amny manysuch incidents happened to sikh communities scaterred all over India- especially around the Delhi Metropolis and various other cities. The prosperous sections of the Sikh Minority were razed to the ground and inhabitants killed mercilessly in retaliation for the "crime" committed by 2 of Indira's personal security guards who happened to be Sikhs. NO LOgic and no mercy applied....sheer mob justice.Even the Official car of the Sikh President was stoned by frenzied mobs baying for Sikh Blood. Many high ranking Sikhs suffered humilation. When the Presidnet's relative was killed in one such mob attack, the Sikh President of India had to literally beg BJP high Ranking officials for permission to retrieve his dead body for cremation. World class famous Journalist-writer cum historian Khushwant Singh had to flee his residence and hide out in a Foreign Embassy. High ranking Sikhs suhc as Hero of the Bangladesh War General Jagjit Singh Arora, Vice Air Marshal Arjen Singh and many others met with then Home Minister Narasihma Rao to call in the Army in Delhi and stop the carnage - no response. was forthcoming .

This was a time of no logic and no mercy. Sikhs were being mercilessly targetted and being killed on the streets their properties being torched. Any individual Sikh who had licensed weapons was forcibly asked to surrender it to the police, all kirpans etc were confiscated so as to protect the raging mobs from coming to any untoward harm. High ranking politicians were spearheading the rampaging mobs and urging them on to more murder and pillage. No Law and Order situation existed and the Authorities were meek bystanders. Sikhs were dragged out of burning houses to be burnt in public..sikh women and girls were raped in public by mobs, even Gurdwaras were attacked SGGS thrown on the streets and people dnaced on them with boots on. None of this was done in secret or in private. It was all done in public on public roads in front of the police the law authorities, the Political and Civil authorites.

All this was repeated in a similar way at Hondh Chillarr a propserous sikh community just on the outskirts of delhi. A raging mob attacked the 35 sikh houses and the Gurdwara there- all houses were razed and the Gurdwara was burnt to the ground. This is NOT a new incident, it was a small "battle" of a much bigger "WAR" on Sikhs. A FIR was registered in 1984...a mention of this incident also happened in the Haryana assembly, and the 35 relatives of these victims living in PUNJAB have been trying ever since to get help from Akal Takhat/SGPC etc.They have been approaching these Akali leaders for the past 26 years with no result. How and WHY this long ago incident has been searched out by some news reporter and highlighted to its peak is anybody's guess.

AS to conditions in Amrtisar - even when the 1984 widows approached the Akal Takhat jathedar for asistance they were chased out and physically abused and called names by the powers to be. The Dharmee faujis - members of the Indian defence Forces that expressed anguish at Ops Bluestar in 1984, staged a mutiny and marched to Amrtisar in the heat of the moment..were unceremoniously sacked from their jobs have also been going from pillar to post in Amritsar in hopes of getting assistance have been facing insults as well...what else can we expect when even the Jaswant Singh Khalra case, thousands of unclaimed bodies identified, etc are also an embarassing truth to be swept under the carpet and classified as NO ACTION taken or necessary. IF thousands of bodies cannot shake the Sikh leadership in Amrtisar and Chandigarh..what hopes can a mere 35 dead sikhs do ? Post 1984 the Akalis were in power at the Centre as co-partners of the BJP govt in Delhi - they did absolutley NOTHING for the 1984 victims or even attempted to get any compensation or justice.Silence is Golden was adopted then as policy. Not even a feeble attempt at introducing a resolution of sympathy or atonement for 1984 was ever discussed.

BUT as it is always the case..approaching ELECTIONS always necessitates the re-opening of the Pandora Box of 1984...solely to garner sympathy votes of Sikhs and arouse emotions of sikhs. Beyond this altruistic motive no Sikh leader has any use of such incidents.The Pandora Box will be closed and sealed for the next 5 years ..

Looking at the Hondh Chillar incidnet based on the above background..we will get to hear loud and boisterous resolutions, rallies, Foundation Stones to Memorials will be laid with Press and Media in full attendance, calls will be made for compensation justice fair play , Akhand Paaths and ardass samgams will be held..and 1984 will be revisited and tears will flow in public as prolifically as the Beas River of Punjab..but all this will be forgotten and the rivers of Crocodile tears will dry up the moment the elections are over and doen with..all the donations etc collected will be "hazam"..DIGESTED. DIDNT this happen after Chittisinghpura Massacre ?? What Memorial has been set up to commemorate Bluestar Massacre in Darbar sahib since 1984 ? Where and where is the So called Sikh Memorial to 1984 in DELHI....??? In the light of the upheavel and outcry about Hondh Chillar it will eb wise to Open the Past record of Sikh Leaders especially the Aklais in this regard. The record speaks for itself. Empty promises, Crocodile tears, green meadows and rivers of honey that will never materialise.. Neither the Sikh Leadership nor the Ruling side have been sincere in balming the open wounds of 1984...each excels only in sprinkling salt on these wounds. Instead of making all these loud claims and calls for justice, the Sikh Leaders making the most noise should come clean and reveal what they have done for the 1984 victims so far....Before raising such a hue and cry, it would be wise to show results of achievements otherwise its just an opportunity to further lose whatever little credibility remains. (NOT a word for word translation - all ommissions and exceptions accepted).japposatnamwaheguru: 1984 is not entertainment !! its REALITY and an OPEN WOUND.japposatnamwaheguru:japposatnamwaheguru:japposatnamwaheguru:japposatnamwaheguru:
 
Oct 10, 2009
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This incident further proves that this was a mass murder of innocent people only God knows how many more places CHILLAR HONDH which are yet to be discovered?
 

Gyani Jarnail Singh

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Jul 4, 2004
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These incidents remain "hidden" or become "exposed" at the whims and fancies of politicians. BOTH sides - Akali and Sikh Religious leadership and GOI/Congress/Bjp/Communists etc etc are DISHONEST and dont want to solve anything, grant compensation, sympathy and end this matter. ALL of them want this matter to continue burning so they can make use of it for votes...
 
Oct 21, 2009
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India
1984 is a part of history. It has pained us much beyond expression , we shall be in circular loop unless we learn something from it. We cannot forget it when reminded but each incidence of misery should make us bounce back as and and when time demands in future.
Let '84 be be part of history of sikh's /sikhism and it should be taken care of by it.
Why always feel miserable for which we can hardly do anything except to make us sad?
I have over come it though my mother is always with me to remind me of it as she was a direct victim as she lost her husband. It was HIS will......
 

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