1984 memorial unveiled

The Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal)-led Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party unveiled the foundation stone of a Sikh genocide memorial at Gurdwara Rakabganj Sahib Complex on Wednesday. The memorial was dedicated to those who were killed in the 1984 riots.

The ceremony, in poll-bound Delhi, is being seen by many as a political move by the Opposition to garner anti-Congress sentiments. However, the BJP and the SAD maintained that the decision to build a memorial was an apolitical move.

“The memorial is being build in the memory the victims of the 1984 riots. This decision has been taken by us as a community,” SAD (Badal) president and deputy chief minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal said. Calling the building of the memorial an “emotional issue”, Sukhbir dodged questions regarding the legality of the construction inside the Gurdwara premises.

“Wasn’t the killing of innocent Sikhs an illegal act? The 1984 murders were also against the law but nothing was done to stop it,” Badal said. The New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) had served a notice to DSGMC last week, calling the construction of the memorial in the gurdwara premises as illegal.

“Every Sikh around the world knows the role of Congress leaders Sajjan Kumar and Jagdhish Tytler in the 1984 riots. Nothing has been done by the government against them,” Badal said. “The Congress is protecting them. The Sikhs are still waiting for justice.” BJP’s top leadership, including party president Rajnath Singh, senior leader Sushma Swaraj and BJP Delhi unit president Vijay Goyal also attended the function. SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal also present at the venue.