Strong response to voting down 1984 Sikh genocide motion

“ The Sikh community is integral to the stability and success of our country. From working in the logging and forestry industry, to building the railway, to fighting on behalf of Canada in World War I, the Sikh community has played an important role in Ontario and in Canada. We are debating a motion pertaining to the events of November 1984 in India. This week, we mark the 32nd anniversary of the invasion of the Golden Temple. Earlier this year, as part of Premier Wynne’s trade mission to India and Punjab, I had the honour to visit the Golden Temple again.

The tragic events leading up to and following the invasion of the Golden Temple and the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi resulted in the unnecessary loss of thousands of innocent lives. We have all heard—and the member from Bramalea–Gore–Malton talked about—some of the heart-wrenching stories from the families of the victims, seen through print media, through TV interviews and some personal contacts. We can all share some personal stories as well. Madam Speaker, those stories are true. Innocent people, for no fault of their own, were killed. Mothers witnessed their young sons at their prime age being killed. Wives saw their husbands, fathers, fathers-in-law and brothers dragged out of their homes and murdered in front of their own eyes.

Young children saw their parents being killed in front of their own eyes. Parents saw their daughters being raped, and they watched helplessly. Their homes and shops were ransacked and set on fire. I salute the human beings who provided shelter to, and saved the lives of, some of the people who were targeted. Several countries have recognized the grave atrocities that took place in 1984. In responding to an online petition campaign that had generated over 30,000 signatures in 2013, President Obama, even though he refused to declare the 1984 anti-Sikh violence as genocide, noted that grave human rights violations had occurred and continued to say that, “We continue to condemn—and more importantly, to work against—violence directed at people based on their religious affiliation.” Harinder Takhar, MPP

In the Legislature, Deputy Leader for Ontario’s NDP Jagmeet Singh’s motion calling on the Ontario Government to formally recognize the November 1984 state organized violence perpetrated against Sikhs throughout India as genocide was debated and voted down by the Ontario Liberal Government.

“Today, the liberals turned their back on human rights, social justice, reconciliation and healing. They turned their back not only on Sikhs but every Hindu and Muslim family that risked their lives to shelter their Sikh neighbours,” the MPP from Bramalea-Gore-Malton said following the devastating vote.

Despite receiving support from both the NDP and Progressive Conservative caucuses, Ontario’s Liberal Government defeated the motion 40 to 22.

The state organized anti Sikh violence has commonly been referred to as a riot. However the term riots suggest the violence was spontaneous and communal.

“It is important to clarify the misconception that the violence against Sikhs was communal in nature. This could not be further from the truth,” Singh said to kick off the debate.

“Ontario is a place where people see democracy as a way to heal from the wounds of the past, but  Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals denied this opportunity to Sikhs,” Singh explained. “It’s unfortunate that the Liberal Government does not understand the importance of accurately describing the violence as a genocide, which works to remove the blame from innocent members of the community and instead places the blame squarely on those who organized this atrocity.”

The current Indian Government’s own Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, described the atrocious anti-Sikh violence in 1984 as Genocide, citing that several people who took part in and had a role in the carnage were yet to be punished. Other cities in North America that have also recognize the events of November 1984 as a genocide include the City of Stockton, California, Kerman City, California, Bakersfield, California and Harvey, Cook county Illinois. The California State Assembly passed a resolution denouncing the November 1984 violence as a pogrom and the Delhi State Assembly passed a resolution denouncing it as a massacre.

Former Justice of the Indian Supreme Court, author of the Nanavati Commission Report stated that the killing of Sikhs was planned and organized. Human rights organizations have also reported that the voter lists were used to identify and target Sikh businesses and homes.

“While, we cannot change the horrific events of 1984, as Members of this Legislature, we had an opportunity to clear misconceptions which divide the community” Singh explained.

“The first step to healing and reconciliation is to recognize the harm that was committed and that’s what this motion, if passed would have done.”

The Ontario Government would have been the first legislative assembly to formally call the events of November 1984 a genocide in the world.