In an unprecedented move, the California State Assembly unanimously passed a resolution April 16 declaring that the Indian government was complicit in the murders of more than 3,000 Sikhs in the November 1984 riots following the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The resolution – ACR34 – represents the first time a U.S. state legislature has taken a position on the riots, which many international human rights organizations have termed a “Sikh pogrom.” A similar measure is expected to be considered by the California State Senate.
San Francisco Indian Consul General Venkatesan Ashok told India-West he was aware of the resolution. “I am very surprised by the fact that they have chosen to make a comment on this so long after the incident,” he said.
Ashok said he has conveyed the information about the resolution to New Delhi and expects the Indian government to determine a response to the resolution. The new consul general, who took over the San Francisco office late last year, said he would not speculate as to whether New Delhi would attempt to lobby against a similar measure expected to be introduced in the California State Senate.
“The Indian government and law enforcement organized, participated in and failed to prevent the killings of thousands of Sikhs,” said Assembly member Jim Cooper, who co-sponsored the resolution with Assembly members Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento; Jim Gallagher, a Republican who represents Yuba and Sutter counties, home to large Sikh American communities; and Ken Cooley, D- Rancho Cordova, near Sacramento. Cooper, a Democrat, represents Sacramento, along with the neighboring towns of Elk Grove, Galt and Lodi.
Reading from a sheaf of papers, Cooper stated that journalists and eye witnesses reported that thousands of Sikhs were beaten with iron rods and shorn of their religiously-mandated hair. Others were doused with kerosene and set on fire.
Sikh women were gang-raped and assaulted during the riots, claimed Cooper, calling the riots an “anti-Sikh genocide” and a “Sikh pogrom.”
“Although we cannot change the horror of the events of 1984, as an Assembly member representing families of genocide victims, I felt it was important that we tell the truth about those events and honor the thousands of victims,” said Cooper in a press statement after the resolution was passed.
“Sikhs around the world should know that, here in California, we will always stand against intolerance and will not forget the tragedy of 1984,” he stated.
Members of the American Sikh PAC were invited to the Assembly floor as the measure was considered by the Assembly. Survivors of the riots were asked to speak about the incident.
Gurpreet Singh Chahal of Elk Grove, Calif., had lobbied extensively for the measure’s passage. “I was a young student living with family in New Delhi during the genocide. I was on my way home from my aunt's house when the mob saw me,” said Chahal.
“They pursued me and shouted that they would kill me. God granted me an escape from that madness and protected my family in the days to come, but others were not so fortunate,” he said.
“I’m optimistic that this resolution will be supported in the State Senate as well,” said Sikh American community activist Amar Shergill. “This is a big step for California and the worldwide community of Sikhs. I’m hopeful that people will become more aware of the atrocities that took place in 1984.”
