Queen’s Park: This week, Gurratan Singh, Member of Provincial Parliament from Brampton East, rose in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to remember the 1984 Sikh genocide. In his statement Singh described the widespread and targeted violence, “Lynch mobs prowling the streets, thousands killed, thousands more displaced, women subjected to unthinkable sexual violence, all under the direction of senior members of the Indian government. These are just some of the horrendous acts committed in India during the 1984 Sikh genocide. Thirty-four years later, the Sikh community still awaits justice, while those involved in the genocide still walk free.”
Singh said that this lack of justice for the Sikh community has allowed the Indian government to continue to , “act with impunity”
Singh stated further how this violence continues today with an alarming rise in lynching in India. “Human Rights Watch has reported on the alarming increase of lynching mobs in India, this time targeting minorities throughout India, including Christians, Muslims and Dalits, as well as journalists, human rights lawyers and activists—a rise in lynchings described by the Washington Post as a crisis.”
“Human Rights Watch reports further that, much like in 1984, members of the Indian government are accused of encouraging this violence, including Prime Minister Modi’s governing party, the BJP.”, said Singh.
Singh concluded his statement with a call to action, stating “We must end impunity in India, starting by bringing justice to the victims of the 1984 Sikh genocide, and continuing with the state violence that occurs today.”
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