Sikh Missionary
Society: Resource Centre: I
Accuse...The Anti-Sikh Violence of 1984
I Accuse...The Anti-Sikh Violence of 1984
(Author:
Jarnail Singh journalist, with foreword by Khushwant Singh, Penguin
Books India 2009. Available in Punjabi, Hindi and English.
English
translation by Vaishali Mathur 165 pages)
The question uppermost in my mind as I finished reading Jarnail Singh’s
book “ I Accuse...The Anti-Sikh Violence of 1984” was, “How can all
checks and safeguards of a democracy fail so completely at the same
time in the capital city of the largest democracy in the world ?” Or,
to quote the book cover note, “Why did the state apparatus allow it to
happen?”
The guardians of the constitution: the President, the Parliament,
different branches of the administration, the judiciary, the media –
all abdicated their responsibility for three days from 1 November to 3
November 1984.
President Zail Singh felt that he had “no right to intervene.” Delhi
Police Commissioner Subhash Tandon said that he was “not informed” even
though he was seen with crowds attacking Gurdwara Rakab Ganj. Home
Minister Narsimha Rao remained silent. Lt Governor P G Gavai thought
everything was under control and did not consider it necessary to call
in the army. To the President he said, “If the army is called in, the
situation is going to get worse.” A magistrate refused to sign an
order to control mobs with force if necessary, even as Sikh properties
and people were being burnt in his neighbourhood.
Senior Congress politicians like Rajpal Saroj held private meetings on
the evening of 31 October to make all arrangements right up to the
finer details about distributing kerosene and a white inflammable
powder to set the victims alight. Delhi transport and Police support
was enlisted.
Doordarshan, the only TV station, played its part by repeatedly showing
Indira Gandhi’s body kept in state at Teen Murti Bhawan,
alternating with scenes of mobs shouting “khoon ka badla khoon” (blood
for blood in revenge).
According to this vivid account, all branches of government conspired
to encourage violence against one Indian community – the Sikhs. The
book is based on inquiry commission reports over the years, eye-witness
evidence, horrific personal experiences (mainly of Sikh women) and how,
even to this day, they continue to be denied justice and suffer in
poverty.
Jarnail Singh was an eleven year old school kid in Delhi in 1984 and
sufficiently aware of what was going on. Despite much hardship at home,
he became a successful journalist. He grew up in Delhi during
this period and interweaves own autobiography with the main theme of
the book. He is now out of a job because he threw a symbolic shoe at
political untruths and cover-ups, with an impact which shook and shamed
a whole nation. As a dedicated Gursikh, following in the
footsteps of Guru Nanak Sahib, who did not hesitate to call the
ruthless invading Babar a tyrant (jaabar), Jarnail Singh could no
longer remain silent, no matter what the cost to himself and his
family.
The main media focus on 31st November 1984, was the assassination
Indira Gandhi who had sanctioned army invasion of Darbar Sahib
(Golden Temple complex), the holiest shrine of the Sikhs only five
months before. Thousands of innocent civilians paid with their lives
during that military invasion of civilian targets in peacetime.
However, by contrast, during these three days of slaughter of thousands
of fellow Indians in the first week of November 1984, in Delhi and
elsewhere, they were denied army protection despite repeated requests
on behalf of the victims. General A S Vaidya confirmed that “by 31
October midnight, a brigade from Meerut had reached Delhi.” Both,
Home Minister Narsimha Rao and Lt Governor P G Gavai, either refused to
call in the army or did not bother. Writes the author, “But this was
happening in Delhi, not in some remote and inaccessible part of the
country. Why did it take two days to call in the army – two days during
which Sikhs were being killed and their properties looted ? The
Nanavati Commission report puts the number of Sikhs killed in Delhi at
3000.”
Then, as soon as the world media with its TV cameras and reporters
arrived for the funeral of Mrs Indira Gandhi on 3rd November, this fire
started on 1 November, was extinguished with the same efficiency as it
had been started. It was as if nothing had happened!
A failure of such magnitude in a country accounting for one fifth of
humanity becomes a legitimate concern of all in the ever-shrinking
global village. Not only that the whole system failed for thousands of
Sikhs in India’s capital city Delhi and many other cities, but
that it worked most ruthlessly against them as a relentless killing
machine for those three days.
Jarnail Singh has highlighted November 1984, as a running sore for the
Sikhs and right thinking Indians. He is not proud of his shoe throwing
act and has gracefully accepted his job loss as a journalist. Whilst
Sikhs with a nationalist agenda throng around him for photo
opportunities, the so called “moderate Sikhs” admire his guts but keep
away. In short, the author, the “shoe throwing” Jarnail Singh has
become an icon in the Sikh diaspora. He is articulate, well versed in
Gurbani and holds the attention of the Sangats in gurdwaras. He is
almost certainly above Indian party politics or the Sikh internal
“jathebandi” divides.
The book is written in a user friendly style for a wide ranging
readership. The underlying message seems to be that the Sikhs should
forgive if they are allowed to, by a system which, as yet, remains
unrepentant; but Sikhs should not forget. My impression is that the
Sikhs would very much like to forgive, but are continually being denied
good reasons for being able to do that by a system, which seems to have
lost its democratic moorings. The recent “clean chit” to one of
the alleged leaders of this pogrom, Jagdish Tytler, who was promoted to
a ministerial position in the Congress government soon after the
massacre, adds insult to the injured Sikh psyche.
And so, the world, except for the occasional world media report
coinciding with related Indian court cases, CBI and inquiry commission
reports over the years, continues to sweep the massacre of a minority
in the biggest democracy in the world, under the carpet, while the
victims still await justice after 25 years.
Finally, one can but agree with Khushwant Singh when he writes in his
foreword, “Jarnail Singh’s “I Accuse...” is a shocking book that should
shame every citizen of India.... I Accuse ...opens wounds which have
not yet healed. It is a must-read for all those who wish that such
horrendous crimes do not take place.”
Gurmukh Singh (U.K.) - sewauk2005@yahoo.co.uk
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