Chandigarh, Nov 4 (PTI) The victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots who took part in the BJP-organised day-long conclave here over the Sikh massacre recounted the horrific atrocities they endured and their decades-long struggle for justice.
The Punjab BJP on Wednesday demanded an apology from the Nehru-Gandhi family for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, as it launched its 'Zakhm 84 De' (wounds of 1984) conclave, aimed at bringing people face-to-face with what the organisers described as the "horrifying truth" of the massacre.
During the second session of the conclave, titled "The Sikh Massacre: When and How", at the 'Zakhm 84' conference, victims recounted the horrific atrocities they endured and their decades-long struggle for justice. The session was attended by Nirpreet Kaur, Satpal Kaur, Darshan Kaur, Sonia Kaur, Jagsher Singh and several other survivors.
They shared the harrowing experiences of their families.
Nirpreet Kaur recalled how she witnessed her family being torn apart at the age of just 16 and how she subsequently had to wage a prolonged battle for justice.
The victims accused the Congress of neither apologising for the massacre nor making any effort to heal their wounds. They also challenged Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to an open debate.
Moderating the session, BJP leader R P Singh began by pointing out that Gandhi had recently been issuing challenges for debates.
He, too, challenged Gandhi "to debate the 1984 massacre with (BJP leaders) Ravi Shankar Prasad, H S Phoolka and (victim) Bibi Nirpreet Kaur".
The survivors who shared their testimonies urged Gandhi "to debate the role of his family, the Congress party and Congress governments in the anti-Sikh massacre".
They pointed out that what happened in 1984 was not riots, but massacre, and described it as a "well-planned conspiracy".
They accused the Congress of failing to apologise and ensure justice for the victims.
Nirpreet Kaur recalled that she was 16 years old at the time of the 1984 massacre and her family lived in Power Colony, Delhi. On October 31, 1984, she said a man visited their home and offered to employ her brother as a driver.
However, she alleged that the offer was merely a pretext to ascertain the number of family members.
That night, two policemen visited their home and assured the family of protection. The following day, a mob allegedly involving the same man and others surrounded their house.
The mob was allegedly incited to kill her nine-year-old brother, who was referred to as a "snake's offspring". Her father tried to protect the children, while the family endured the mob's attack for nearly four hours.
Their truck was set ablaze. After the police allegedly pressured the family to reach a compromise, the house came under attack once again, she recounted.
Nirpreet Kaur accused a Congress leader of standing in front of a police jeep and instigating the mob against Sikhs. She said that several lives were saved with the help of an Air Force Wing Commander.
The survivor further recounted that she was arrested under the TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act) and imprisoned, including at Tihar Jail.
Her husband was also allegedly killed in a fake police encounter. Despite the proceedings of the Nanavati Commission and the reopening of her father's case, her struggle for justice continued for years.
During the session, Bhagi Kaur recounted the horrific atrocities committed against women, stating that they were stripped naked, forced to sit in that condition and gang-raped throughout the night.
It was also recounted that a man had killed seven Sikhs using a meat-cleaver-like weapon.
Satpal Kaur recalled that she was just 11 years old when her neighbours saved her and her four sisters by hiding them under a cot. The sisters were subsequently placed in Nari Niketan, where Phoolka, who has fought cases of several victims, traced them and through legal proceedings, secured their custody for their maternal grandfather.
To support and raise her three sisters, Satpal Kaur had to wash utensils in people's homes for a meagre Rs 20 per household. She received neither employment nor a pension, she rued.
Another victim recounted the killing of retired Captain Ghuman Singh Chahal, who had fought in four wars. Despite being paralysed, he was allegedly burnt alive in his own home. His son's academic degrees were also destroyed in the fire.
Jagsher Singh recalled witnessing the violence in Palam when he was just 18 years old. He said that Pandit Ram Avtar had provided him shelter during that period.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)