Chandigarh: Families of victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh violence have objected to the Congress rally scheduled for November 1 at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, calling the choice of date insensitive to the community’s grief.
The objection was raised by a delegation of the 1984 Riot Victims Welfare Society, led by Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu, during a meeting with Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria. The delegation also sought the governor’s intervention to resolve long-pending rehabilitation issues faced by affected families.
Sandhu said rehabilitation was not a favour granted by any government but a responsibility. The delegation urged the governor to ensure that the Punjab government implemented relevant orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The representatives raised issues concerning the allotment and possession of houses and flats, business booths, red cards and employment for affected families. They said several families continued to face delays despite government decisions and court orders, and asked the governor to seek a status report from the state government on pending cases.
The delegation included society president Surjit Singh, women’s wing president Bibi Gurdeep Kaur, secretary Daljit Singh, chairman Gurdev Singh and other members.
The representatives also criticised the Congress rally, which has been called by Rahul Gandhi in connection with the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and the Election Commission. They argued that November 1 holds deep significance for Sikh families because the large-scale killings of Sikhs in Delhi began around this period in 1984.
For the affected families, they said, the day is an occasion to remember those killed and demand justice that they believe remains incomplete. Holding a political rally in Delhi on the same date, they argued, risks reopening painful memories. They added that the Congress could have chosen another date out of respect for the community’s sentiments.
