New Jersey Senate condemns 1984 anti-Sikh riots

Amritsar/New Delhi, Jan 11

The New Jersey Senate has passed a resolution condemning the 1984 anti-Sikh violence in India and termed it as genocide.

Resolutions passed by other senates

Earlier, the California State Assembly in 2015 had passed a resolution, which recognised the “systematic and organised killings of Sikhs” in Delhi. In 2018, the Pennsylvania Assembly unanimously passed a resolution decrying the November 1984 anti-Sikh violence as genocide.

“Yadwinder Singh, Pritpal Singh and Harpreet Singh of Sikh Caucus Committee appreciate the State Senate’s passing of this resolution,” said a statement from the Sikh Caucus. The move has also been hailed by the Sikh Coordination Committee East Coast and American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.

The resolution was submitted by State Senator Stephen Sweeney and a Hindu member Veenu Gopal also voted in its favour.

The resolution stated that the killings of Sikhs began on November 1, 1984, and lasted for three days in which Sikhs were brutally murdered in several states.

Earlier, the California State Assembly in 2015 had passed a resolution which recognised the systematic and organised killings of Sikhs in Delhi. In 2018, the Pennsylvania Assembly unanimously passed a resolution decrying the November 1984 anti-Sikh violence as genocide.

The New Jersey Resolution noted that many of the survivors of the Sikh killings eventually immigrated to the US and established large communities in places such as Fresno, Yuba City, Stockton, Fremont, Glenrock, Pine Hill, Carteret, New York City, and Philadelphia.

The Sikh community in the US and New Jersey has recovered from the material damages of the genocide as they continue to keep the memory of those who were killed alive and will never forget the Sikh genocide, it said.

Dr Pritpal Singh of the American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee said: “The resolution recognises and condemns the state-sponsored violence that targeted Sikhs across India in 1984. It is an important and historic step towards justice, accountability, and reconciliation.”

The resolution was sent to the US President and Vice-President and all elected officials of the US Senate of the US Congress.