Inssan abhee tak zindaa hae,

Zindaa hone per sharminda hae!

[Human beings are still alive/

They are ashamed to be alive!]

[Renowned cultural-political-human rights activist of Pakistan, Shahid Nadeem’s Urdu couplet on the silence of the civil society on attacks on minorities in Pakistan. He received forty lashes for writing and singing these lines by the Zia regime in Pakistan. It is no different in present day India ruled by RSS-BJP.]

For nearly final 3 many years now, on each anniversary of the 1984 genocide of Sikhs in India, this writer has been reminding the Nation how Indian State and judiciary didn’t trouble to determine and punish the perpetrators of this horrendous mass killing of the innocents of the second largest non secular minority of our nation. On each anniversary the writer hoped that now justice could be completed, and he wouldn’t have to jot down the painful story as soon as once more as a reminder. It has not occurred within the 12 months 2024 additionally; the saga of the prison betrayal by the Indian Republic has no finish and households of the victims continues to cry earlier than a deaf and dumb Indian State. Shockingly, on the forty first anniversary of the genocide of Sikhs, the Indian State even stopped to say that it was working for getting justice to the victims, like prior to now!

What’s the standing on the eve of forty first anniversary of getting justice for two,800 Sikhs genocided in Delhi and three,350 nationwide (official figures) whereas unbiased sources estimate the variety of deaths at about 8,000–17,000] was made clear by Shekhar Singh in The Tribune,

“Forty-one years in the past, Delhi burned, not from a international enemy, however from inside. Between October 31 and November 7, 1984, mobs roamed the streets looking down Sikh males, torching houses, and setting gurdwaras ablaze. Formally, 2,733 Sikhs have been killed within the capital whilst survivors say the toll was over 3,000. Over 4 many years later, many of the ‘responsible’ nonetheless stroll free.

“Of the 650 circumstances registered, chargesheets have been filed in 362, however solely 39 resulted in conviction. Almost 300 circumstances collapsed for need of proof, witnesses or police will. Now, barely 20 circumstances stay alive, dragging on in Delhi’s trial courts or pending enchantment within the excessive courtroom. The remaining have been swallowed by the system’s silence.

“The numbers inform a narrative of a democracy that forgot its useless. This week, as town marks the anniversary of Indira Gandhi’s assassination and the violence that adopted, the courts are nonetheless sifting by way of yellowing information and fading reminiscences — a justice course of that has moved slower than time itself.”

[‘Only 39 convictions in 650 cases, justice eludes 1984 riot victims’, The Tribune, Chandigarh, October 31, 2025. Link: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/only-39-convictions-in-650-cases-justice-eludes-1984-riot-victims/]

Two Sorts of Justice

Every time the nation witnesses large-scale violence in opposition to minorities and Dalits, the seek for perpetrators continues endlessly and the criminals are hardly ever recognized or punished. Main incidents of violence in opposition to minorities like Nellie bloodbath (1983), Sikh genocide (1984), Hashimpura custodial bloodbath of Muslim youth (1987), pre/post- Ayodhya mosque demolition violence in opposition to Muslims (1990-92), Gujarat carnage (2002) and Kandhmal cleaning of Christians (2008) and persevering with blood-bath of Kuki Tribals (who’re largely Christians) in Manipur are testimony to this actuality.

However when the victims are Dalits or minorities no such urgency is proven. In such circumstances Indian State is keen on enjoying commission-commission. Enquiry Commissions after commissions could be constituted to see that the heinous crimes disappear from the general public reminiscence. The horrendous genocide of Sikhs in numerous components of India in 1984 is a residing testimony of this prison angle of the Indian justice system with the motto in Sanskrit: ‘Yato Dharma Tato Jaya’ [Where there are righteousness and dharma, there is victory]. Judiciary should clarify what it means by Dharma. Does it embody religions of minorities and proper of Dalits additionally?

The state of affairs of the anti-Dalit violence isn’t any completely different. The key incidents of persecution and bloodbath of Dalits; 1968 Kilvenmani bloodbath, 1997 Melavalavu bloodbath, 2013 Marakkanam anti-Dalit violence, 2012 Dharmapuri anti- Dalit violence (all in Tamil Nadu), 1985 Karamchedu bloodbath, 1991 Tsundur bloodbath (all in AP), 1996 Bathani Tola Bloodbath, 1997 Laxmanpur Bathe bloodbath (all in Bihar), 1997 Ramabai killings, Mumbai, 2006 Khairlanji bloodbath, 2014 Javkheda Hatyakand, (all in Maharashtra), 2000 Caste persecution in (Karnataka), 5 Dalits crushed/burnt to loss of life for skinning a useless cow 2006, 2011 killings of Dalits in Mirchpur (all in Haryana), 2015 anti-Dalit violence in Dangawas (Rajasthan) are a few of the 1000’s of incidents of the Dalit persecution. In each one of these circumstances perpetrators are but to be recognized. Even when recognized the prosecution fee by no means exceeded 20%.

Alternatively, the Dalit, working class and minority ‘perpetrators’ of violence are effectively placed on trial by constituting particular investigation groups and punished by fast-track courts. As a way to meet the tip of ‘justice’, ‘nationwide safety’ and ‘want of society’ they’re hanged and jailed. The general actuality is that at any time when victims are minorities, working class and Dalits the State and judiciary go into coma.

Betrayal by Governments Until 2014

After giving free run to the killer gangs, the federal government appointed one man Marwah Fee to search out out the perpetrators of the 1984 ‘riots’. As this train was proving inconvenient, it was requested to disband itself inside quick interval of its existence and a sitting Supreme Courtroom Choose Ranga Nath Mishra was requested to conduct inquiry into 1984 ‘riots’ who submitted his report in 1987. Shockingly, this truth discovering (or fact-hiding) fee headed by Misra noticed that “riots which had a spontaneous origin later attained a channelized methodology by the hands of gangsters”.

The genocide was diminished to ‘riots’ as if Sikhs equally participated within the violence. It was a brazen lie. The ‘apostle of justice’, Mishra, champion of the speculation of spontaneity was not, naturally, capable of finding out the place these gangsters got here from! In accordance with Jarnail Singh writer of the e book I Accuse: The Anti-Sikh Violence of 1984 for this service to the State he was awarded a berth in Rajya Sabha.

Subsequent 20 years, not lower than 9 commissions of inquiry have been instituted. For Indian State it turned a routine to announce structure of some new fee or some extra compensation to the households of victims in an effort to deflect the mounting anger on the occasions of elections. Highlighting the anti-minority bias of such commissions, H. S. Phoolka, a famend lawyer, commented that as an alternative of getting convicted most of the political perpetrators get promoted as rulers.

Within the newest growth Supreme Courtroom of India on August 16, 2017, ordered the structure of a panel comprising two of its former judges to look at the justification for closing 241 anti-Sikh riot circumstances probed by SIT in subsequent 3 months. Then the Supreme Courtroom constituted one other SIT chaired by former Delhi Excessive Courtroom decide S.N. Dhingra in 2018, to analyze the circumstances, which have been closed by an earlier probe crew. The confidential report was submitted to the Supreme Courtroom on November 30, 2019. The culprits are but to be recognized!

Betrayal by the Current RSS/BJP Rulers

RSS claims to have all the time stood for Hindu-Sikh unity. It sometimes expresses its gratitude to Sikhism for saving Hinduism from the Muslim aggression. It will not be irrelevant to notice right here that RSS doesn’t deal with Sikhism as unbiased faith, which discarded Casteism and Brahmanical hegemony, however a part of Hinduism. The RSS/BJP leaders blamed Congress for anti-Sikh violence Modi whereas addressing a public rally throughout final parliamentary elections at Jhansi, UP (October 25, 2013) requested Congress leaders to elucidate who “killed 1000’s of Sikhs in 1984” and “has anybody been convicted for the Sikh genocide up to now”. Modi throughout Punjab elections and 2014 common elections saved on referring to ‘qatl-e-aam’ or genocide of Sikhs.

Modi after turning into PM in a message (October 31, 2014) stated that anti-Sikh riots within the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s assassination have been like a, “dagger that pierced by way of India’s chest…Our personal folks have been murdered, the assault was not on a selected group however on your complete nation.”

Hindutva icon, RSS whole-timer, and PM Modi lamented the truth that culprits have been but to be booked and tried for this genocide. Nonetheless, Modi didn’t inform the nation what NDA governments which dominated this nation from 1998 to 2004 did to persecute the culprits. Modi additionally forgot to share the truth that as per the autobiography of LK Advani (“My Nation, My Life” 2008, web page 430); it was his Social gathering which compelled Indira Gandhi to go for military motion infamously named as Operation Blue Star which killed massive variety of Sikh pilgrims.

Famend journalist Manoj Mitta, writer of the e book When a Tree Shook Delhi: The 1984 Carnage and Its Aftermath straight forwardly tells that “Regardless of the BJP rule, there has hardly been any will to implement accountability for the massacres that befell underneath the Congress. It’s as if there’s a tacit deal between the sponsors of 1984 and 2002 (Gujarat genocide)”.

It was not oversight that in 2024 parliamentary elections 1984 genocide was completely forgotten. This isn’t what outsiders or critics of the RSS have been telling. The perusal of the up to date RSS paperwork present that main focus was on condemning the Sikh extremism, eulogizing Indira Gandhi, and welcoming the crowning of Rajiv Gandhi as new prime minister.

RSS Ideologue Nana Deshmukh’s Dehumanized Perspective In direction of Sikh Genocide

Crucial proof of such a dehumanized angle in direction of the genocide of Sikhs is a doc circulated by Nana Deshmukh, a distinguished complete timer and ideologue of the RSS [now deceased]. This doc titled as ‘Moments Of Soul Looking’ was circulated by Deshmukh on November 8, 1984, might assist in unmasking the whole thing of criminals concerned within the genocide of harmless Sikhs who had nothing to do with the killing of Indira Gandhi. This doc can also throw mild on the place the cadres got here from, who meticulously organized the killing of Sikhs. Nana Deshmukh on this doc is seen outlining the justification of the genocide of the Sikh group in 1984.

This doc additionally reveals the true degenerated and fascist angle of the RSS in direction of all of the minorities of India. The RSS has been arguing that they’re in opposition to Muslims and Christians as a result of they’re the followers of international religions. Right here we discover them justifying the butchering of Sikhs who in accordance with their very own categorization occurred to be the followers of an indigenous faith. On this doc we’ll hear from the horse’s mouth that the RSS just like the then Congress management believed that the genocide of the harmless Sikhs was unavoidable.

This doc was printed within the Hindi Weekly Pratipaksh edited by George Fernandes, who later turned Defence Minister of India within the NDA regime, in its version of November 25, 1984, titled ‘Indira Congress- RSS collusion’ with the next editorial remark:

“The writer of the next doc is named an ideologue and coverage formulator of the RSS. After the killing of Prime Minister (Indira Gandhi) he distributed this doc amongst distinguished politicians. It has historic significance that’s the reason we’ve determined to publish it, violating the coverage of our Weekly. This doc highlights the brand new affinity growing between the Indira Congress and the RSS. We produce right here the Hindi translation of the doc.”

Deshmukh in his doc ‘Moments of Soul Looking’ is seen outlining the justification of the genocide of the Sikh group in 1984. His defence of the carnage will be summed up as within the following:

1. The genocide of Sikhs was not the handiwork of any group or anti-social parts however the results of a real feeling of anger.
2. Deshmukh didn’t distinguish the motion of the 2 safety personnel of Indira Gandhi, who occurred to be Sikhs, from that of the entire Sikh group. In accordance with his doc the killers of Indira Gandhi have been working underneath some sort of mandate of their group.
3. Sikhs themselves invited these assaults, thus advancing the Congress idea of justifying the genocide of the Sikhs.
4. He glorified the Operation Blue Star and described any opposition to it as anti- nationwide. When Sikhs have been being killed in 1000’s he was warning the nation of Sikh extremism, thus providing ideological protection of these killings.
5. Sikh group as an entire was liable for violence in Punjab.
6. Sikhs ought to have completed nothing in self-defence however confirmed persistence and tolerance in opposition to the killer mobs.
7. These have been Sikh intellectuals and never killer mobs which have been liable for the genocide. That they had turned Sikhs right into a militant group, reducing them off from their Hindu roots, thus inviting assaults from the nationalist Indians. Furthermore, he handled all Sikhs as a part of the identical gang and described assaults on them as a response of the nationalist Hindus.
8. He described Indira Gandhi as the one chief who may preserve the nation united and assassination of such nice leaders such killings couldn’t be prevented.
9. Rajiv Gandhi who succeeded Mrs. Gandhi because the PM and justified the nation- broad killings of Sikhs by saying, “When an enormous tree falls there are all the time tremors felt,” was lauded and blessed by Nana Deshmukh on the finish of the doc.
10. Shockingly, the genocide of Sikhs was being equated with the assaults on the RSS cadres after the killing of Gandhiji and we discover Deshmukh advising Sikhs to endure silently. Everyone is aware of that the killing of Gandhiji was impressed by the RSS and the Hindutva Ideology whereas the widespread harmless Sikhs had nothing to do with the homicide of Indira Gandhi.
11. There was not a single sentence within the Deshmukh doc demanding, from the then Congress Authorities on the Centre or the then dwelling minister Narsimha Rao (a Congress chief pricey to the RSS who later silently watched demolition of Babri masjid by Hindutva goons as PM of India in 1992) remedial measures for controlling the violence in opposition to the minority group. Thoughts it, that Deshmukh circulated this doc on November 8, 1984, and from October 31 to this date Sikhs have been left alone to face the killing gangs. The truth is, November 5-10 was the interval when the utmost killings of Sikhs befell. Deshmukh was simply not bothered about all this.
12. It’s typically believed that the Congress cadres have been behind this genocide. This can be true however there have been different forces too which actively participated on this genocide and whose function has by no means been investigated. It may very well be one of many causes that precise perpetrators stay unknown. Those that witnessed the genocide have been surprised by the swiftness and navy precision of the killer/marauding gangs (afterward witnessed throughout the Babri mosque demolition, burning alive of Dr. Graham Steins along with his two sons, 2002 pogrom of the Muslims in Gujarat and cleaning of Christians in components of Orissa) which went on a burning spree of the harmless Sikhs. This, absolutely, was past the capability of the thugs led by many Congress leaders.
13. It’s surprising that Deshmukh offered 1984 genocide of Sikhs as a difficulty between Sikhs and Hindus. He wrote: “I really feel pleased with all these Hindu neighbours who protected lives and property of troubled Sikh brothers with out caring for his or her lives. Such issues one being heard from throughout Delhi. These items have virtually elevated the religion in pure goodness of human conduct and significantly religion in Hindu nature.” He remained oblivious to the truth that these weren’t solely Hindus however Muslims, Jains, Buddhists, Christians, Atheists, Communists who defended Sikhs’ lives and properties.

RSS’ Shameful Perspective In direction of the Sikh Genocide

Deshmukh doc didn’t occur in isolation. It represented the true RSS angle in direction of Sikh genocide of 1984. It could be related to know right here that the RSS cadres didn’t come ahead in defence of the Sikhs. The RSS may be very keen on circulating publicity materials, particularly images of its khaki shorts-clad cadres doing social work. For the 1984 violence they’ve none. The truth is, Deshmukh’s article additionally made no point out of the RSS cadres going to the rescue of Sikhs underneath siege. This reveals the true intentions of the RSS throughout the genocide.

The RSS English organ, Organizer in its mixed challenge dated November 11 & 18, 1984 carried an editorial titled ‘Beautiful Loss’ which praised Indira Gandhi within the following phrases:

“It’ll all the time be tough to consider that Indira Gandhi isn’t any extra. One had received so used to listening to her myriad voices for therefore lengthy that every little thing appeared so clean with out her. The violent method of her loss of life is essentially the most surprising horror story, giving the nation the creeps…It’s a case of treacherous fanatics stigmatizing the entire nation by butchering a exceptional specimen of Indian womanhood…She actually served India to the final drop of her blood in accordance with her personal lights.” The identical editorial ended with the phrases supporting newly put in PM, Rajiv Gandhi who “deserves sympathy and consideration”.

Organizer additionally carried assertion of RSS Supremo; Bala Deoras titled ‘Balasaheb condemns assassination, Delhi carnage’ in a single column. He mourned and condemned the carnage however not even as soon as referred to the truth that Sikhs have been underneath assault. For him it was “infighting within the Hindu Samaj”. He additionally missed the truth that it was not solely Delhi the place Sikhs have been butchered/burnt however in lots of different components of India too. In accordance with this assertion “swayamsevaks have been instructed to type or assist in forming Mohalla Suraksha Samitis” for restoring peace and rehabilitation of the victims. Nonetheless, there are not any paperwork out there within the up to date RSS archives to indicate how these Samitis functioned. It’s a undeniable fact that RSS, which is keen on displaying images of its cadres doing social work didn’t publish any visible of the exercise of those Samitis.

In the identical assertion Deoras reacting to the assassination of Indira Gandhi said,

“It’s surprising past phrases to precise the emotions on the homicide of PM Mrs. Indira Gandhi by some fanatic parts. She had been carrying on nearly your complete burden of the nation since 1966. She was liked and revered not solely on this nation however all around the world. Her passing away at this crucial juncture will create a void in India and in addition on the planet.”

In accordance to the above-mentioned Organizer,

“RSS Sarkyavah, Rajender Singh issued directions to all of the branches within the nation to carry a particular assembly in Shakha condemning the dastardly homicide of the PM and paying homage to the departed soul.He additionally issued directions to cancel all public features to be held by RSS throughout the interval of mourning”.

In fact, RSS archives don’t comprise any directions from RSS prime brass ordering to mourn the Sikh victims.

RSS Towards Former PM Manmohan Singh’s Apology for 1984 Genocide

The RSS continues to downplay 1984 Sikh genocide might be clear by the perusal of constitution of calls for submitted to the Nationwide Council of Academic Analysis and Coaching (NCERT) in final July. The senior RSS ideologue, Dina Nath Batra on behalf of RSS-affiliated Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas submitted 5 pages containing listing of things to be faraway from college text-

books. Batra demanded that any reference to violence in opposition to minorities within the textbooks ought to be eliminated which included references to a easy apology tendered by the previous PM Manmohan Singh over 1984 violence. It’s to be famous that in an apology in Parliament on August 12, 2005, Manmohan Singh, the then PM of India said:

“I’ve no hesitation in apologizing to the Sikh group. I apologize not solely to the Sikh group, however to the entire Indian nation as a result of what befell in 1984 is the negation of the idea of nationhood enshrined in our Structure.”

So, the seek for discovering the perpetrators of Sikh genocide of 1984 continues endlessly. The current RSS/BJP rulers who declare to be co-religionists of Sikhs show no completely different from Congress. The one hope is that these Indians who’ve stakes in continuation of democratic-secular Indian polity will come ahead to pressure the Indian State to determine and punish the killers. The students who’ve been concerned within the examine of non secular violence are unanimous within the conclusion that if 1984 genocide was not allowed to occur, there wouldn’t have been 1992- 93 (violence in opposition to Muslims in pre/submit Babri mosque demolition interval), 2002 (genocide of Muslims in Gujarat), Kandhmal 2008 (cleaning of Christians) and plenty of different bloodbath of the minorities of India. Permitting the 1984 genocide the Indian State, let it’s identified to all of the majoritarian fascist organizations that in such prison occurring the previous would stay silent!

Nana Deshmukh Awarded ‘Bharat Ratna’

As if it was not sufficient injustice to the martyrs and survivors of the 1984 genocide, on the eve of the Republic Day (January 25, 2019) RSS-BJP rulers of India, bestowed the very best nationwide award Bharat Ratna (gem of India) on Nanaji Deshmukh. PM Modi praising Deshmukh stated, “He [Nana Deshmukh] personifies humility, compassion, and repair to the downtrodden. He’s a Bharat Ratna within the truest sense”.

If anyone desires to grasp the precise which means of the proverb ‘to rub salt into the wound’ this Bharat Ratna to Deshmukh is the fittest instance!

[Shamsul Islam is a retired professor of Delhi University.]