The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday organised the “Zakhm 84 De” conclave to remember the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, with party leaders demanding an apology from the Gandhi family.
The event, featuring six sessions, brought together survivors, political leaders and legal experts, who revisited the circumstances surrounding the killings and the prolonged struggle for justice.
The conclave began with the inauguration of an exhibition on the riots by Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon and the party’s national general secretary and Punjab in-charge Satish Poonia.
Addressing the inaugural session, senior BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Punjab carried two deep scars — the wounds of 1984 and the continuing drug menace.
“Today, Punjab’s conscience bears two deep scars the wounds of 1984 and the agony caused by drugs. These wounds cannot heal until justice is delivered without compromise,” he said.
Questioning Rahul Gandhi over the remark made by his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on November 19, 1984—“When a big tree falls, the earth shakes”—Prasad asked why the Congress leader and his family had never offered a sincere apology.
“What is your stand on your father’s statement? Why have you or your family never offered a sincere apology to the nation?” he asked.
{{/usCountry}}“What is your stand on your father’s statement? Why have you or your family never offered a sincere apology to the nation?” he asked.
{{/usCountry}}Prasad accused successive Congress governments of following a policy of delaying, diverting and denying justice. He credited the Narendra Modi government with constituting a special investigation team (SIT) and implementing the recommendations of the Justice Dhingra committee, which, he said, paved the way for convictions, including that of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar.
Dhillon said the party would not allow the wounds of 1984 to be forgotten. “We have neither forgotten 1984 nor will we ever allow it to be forgotten. While Rahul Gandhi is holding rallies in Sangrur and speaking about justice for political show, people of Punjab know that justice can never come from those responsible for inflicting these wounds,” he said.
The conference saw survivors recounting harrowing accounts of killings, arson and displacement. Atma Singh Lubana, Bibi Nirpreet Kaur, Darshan Kaur, Satpal Kaur and other survivors shared their experiences.
Former Delhi high court judge justice Shiv Narayan Dhingra (retd), BJP leaders HS Phoolka and RP Singh, and former National Commission for Minorities chairman Tarlok Singh also addressed the gathering.