BJP leads protest march in Delhi over 1984 anti-Sikh violence
Thousands of protesters marched in West Delhi seeking an apology from Congress for holding a rally on the anniversary of the riots.
Thousands of members of the Sikh community and BJP workers took part in a protest march in West Delhi on Sunday. According to The Tribune, the march was organised by the Delhi BJP under the banner of the 1984 Sikh Genocide Protest Forum to demand an apology from the Congress and justice for victims' families.
The protesters marched from the Hari Nagar bus depot towards the Tilak Nagar Metro station. Participants wore black bands on their arms and foreheads to condemn the Congress decision to hold a political rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri led the march alongside Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra, and Delhi Government Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa. Other attendees included Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Darshana Jardosh, and Supreme Court senior advocate H S Phoolka.
Addressing the gathering, Puri stated that official figures show 2,733 Sikhs were killed in Delhi during the violence. He described the event as a well-planned massacre and a genocide rather than a spontaneous riot.
Chief Minister Gupta said that neither the Congress nor the Gandhi family could escape responsibility for the 1984 violence. She noted that thousands of Sikh families are still waiting for justice.
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who coordinated the march, said the decision to hold a rally on the anniversary reflected insensitivity towards the Sikh community. He also noted that the Narendra Modi government provided additional compensation of Rs 5 lakh per deceased person in December 2014.