Pennsylvania acknowledges ‘Sikh genocide’ of 1984

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, October 19

Sikh bodies have welcomed the decision of Pennsylvania's General Assembly to recognise the November 1984 violence as ‘Sikh Genocide’. The non controversial resolution was submitted by Republican representatives Alex Charlton and Jamie Santora under rule 35. 

The resolution stated that the Sikh genocide began on November 1, 1984, after the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in Delhi. It further says that the Sikh genocide lasted three days and over 30,000 Sikhs were brutally murdered. 

The move has been hailed by the American Sikh Caucas committee and Sikh coordinator committee of East Coast. The Sikh bodies expressed their gratitude to Charlton and Santora and to members of General Assembly for passing the resolution. 

“Dr. Pritpal Singh and Harpreet Singh of Sikh caucus committee and Himmat Singh and Harjinder Singh of Sikh coordinator committee urged that other state assemblies to recognize the anti-Sikh violence happened in India in November 1984, as ‘Sikh genocide’. Kewal Singh, Narinder Singh and the Sikh Sangat of the Pennsylvania Gurdwaras helped to mobilize the support,” said a statement from the Sikh organisations.