New Delhi - Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee has strongly objected to the portrayal of the Gandhi family’s role in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh violence, alleging that the narrative overlooks historical facts and the enduring suffering of victims’ families. DSGMC President Sardar Harmeet Singh Kalka and general secretary Sardar Jagdeep Singh Kahlon asserted that, even after 42 years, the wounds of November 1984 remain painfully alive within the Sikh community.
Addressing a joint press conference, the dsgmc leaders said that no statement in a book can alter historical facts or diminish the lived experiences of thousands of affected families. Both leaders emphasised that the sikh community’s demand is not for a “clean chit” for anyone, but for an honest acknowledgement of historical truth, accountability, and justice for the victims.
Sardar Kalka and Kahlon said that the military action at Sri Darbar Sahib and Sri Akal Takht Sahib—the supreme temporal seat of the sikh faith in June 1984 had profoundly hurt sikh sentiments. A few months later, the violence unleashed against sikhs in November 1984 devastated countless families: innocent sikhs were killed, homes and businesses were destroyed, and even gurdwaras were targeted
According to the dsgmc leaders, the manner in which Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi have been portrayed in Sonia Gandhi’s memoir raises serious questions among sikh families affected by the 1984 tragedy. While calls for peace and communal harmony have repeatedly been made, allegations have persisted that political protection was extended to leaders accused in cases connected with the anti-sikh violence.
Sardar Kalka argued that any assessment of Rajiv Gandhi’s contribution must be considered alongside court testimonies and the statements recorded from victims in the 1984 cases. He said that presenting a sanitised or unblemished account of that period, while disregarding the anguish of sikh families who have pursued justice for more than four decades, is contrary to the spirit of justice.
The sikh community, he said, has long raised questions concerning the roles of congress leaders such as Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Tytler, and Kamal Nath, while continuing to seek justice. He alleged that successive congress governments had rewarded such leaders with political positions and privileges, deepening the sense of injustice among victim families.
Kalka stated that no narrative can erase the anguish of mothers who lost their sons, sisters who lost their brothers, wives who lost their husbands, and children who grew up without the protection of their fathers. Many victim families, he added, continue to await justice even today