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SGPC marks anniversary of 1984 anti-Sikh riots at Golden Temple
Wounds of government-sponsored “genocide” of Sikhs in Delhi, Kanpur and Bokaro and other cities in November 1984 have not healed yet, says SGPC president Jagir Kaur
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Tuesday organised an event in the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar to commemorate those killed on the 37th anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
A bhog (concluding) ceremony and akhand path (48-hour long uninterrupted recitation of Guru Granth Sahib) were held at Gurdwara Jhanda Bunga Sahib in the memory of the victims.
It was followed by gurbani kirtan and address by Golden Temple granthi Giani Baljit Singh who termed the violence as major attack on the Sikh community.
SGPC senior vice-president Surjit Singh Bhitewad and general secretary Bhagwant Singh Sialka said the community can never forget the tragedy that occurred in November 1984.
Speaking on the sidelines of the function, SGPC president Jagir Kaur said the wounds of the government-sponsored “genocide” of Sikhs in Delhi, Kanpur and Bokaro and other cities in November 1984 have not healed even after 37 years and the community was not delivered justice since.
“In November 1984, at the instigation of the then Congress government, the Sikhs were attacked. It was a cruel act against humanity, from which the Congress can never be absolved. The perpetrators of the Sikh genocide should have been punished but the Congress is backing the culprits even today,” said Kaur.
Foundation stone of 1,400-room serai laid
The SGPC president also laid the foundation stone of a 1,400 room serai (inn) named Sri Guru Teg Bahadar Ji Niwas near the Golden Temple.
The sarai will be constructed on the site of old Hansli near Ram Talai Chowk, which is dedicated to the 400th Prakash Gurpurb (birth anniversary) of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh master. Kaur said work is underway to increase the number of serais at various places for the pilgrims arriving at the shrine.
