Engulfing over 10 districts of Punjab, organisations related to CPI (ML) New Democracy, raised protest rallies commemorating 38th anniversary of massacre of the Sikh Community in aftermath of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s killing yesterday from 4.30-5.30. Spirit of resistance reached it’s crescendo like a spark igniting, resurrecting memories of the 1984 blood path whose very path the RSS is trodding on at present. Punjab Students Union, Naujawan Bharat Sabha, Kirti Kisan Union, Pendu Mazdoor Union ad Democratic Lawyers Association participated. Around 200 persons participated in marches and effigy burning in Sangrur, Patiala, Amritsar.,Muktsar, Faridkot, Ludhiana .Barnala, Moga ,Jalandhar and Kapurthala.
In no uncertain terms the participants expressed agony with government placing Sikh activists as captives who inspite of completing their terms are t still languishing behind prison bars and no action undertaken to punish the culprits of 1984 Sikh killings in Delhi. Spirit of resistance reached it’s crescendo like a spark igniting, resurrecting memories of the 1984 blood path whose very pat the RSS is trodding on at present. The Leaders emphasise on the role the RSS played to defend the attack and linked the 1984 carnage to the Hindutva fascist phenomena of today. Students, Youth, farmers, agricultural labours and lawyers constituted the protests. Participation of youth, particularly inspiring. Regretful that such a programme was not undertaken uniting with other Communist revolutionary sections.
Most impactful protest was staged in Amritsar.Kirti Kisan Union (KKU) ystaged a march to press upon the government to release all Sikh prisoners who have served their terms but are still languishing behind prison bars and to demand action against the perpetrators of 1984 Sikh killings in Delhi. After assembling at Bhandari bridge, the protesters marched towards Jallianwala Bagh. Holding placards they voiced slogans in support of their demands. The KKU leaders stated that thousands of Sikhs were killed in Delhi, Kanpur and Bokaro to avenge the assassination of then PM Indira Gandhi.
KKU leader Jatinder Singh Chinna said thousands of Sikhs were targeted under the leadership of Congress leaders as Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Tytler, Lalit Makan and others. He added that even after 38 years, the real culprits were not brought to the book.
The protestors organised a rally outside Jallianwala Bagh, in which Chinna said, “The Sikh psyche was given indelible wounds which are fresh even today.” He said that many Sikh youths who got emotional and joined the militant Sikh struggle have spent twice their total jail sentence time in prison but have not been released till date.
He further said today, the government is under the control of the RSS and its political wing BJP and have stripped the minorities of the country of their constitutional rights.
After gathering at Bhandari Bridge, the protesters marched towards Jallianwala Bagh. They were carrying placards and shouted slogans in support of their demands. The KKU leaders stated that thousands of Sikhs were killed in Delhi, Kanpur and Bokaro to avenge the assassination of then PM Indira Gandhi.
Harsh Thakor is a free lance journalist who has covered mass movements around India and frequently toured Punjab.
