US Senator remembered that time of 1984, said - 'darkest' year in Indian history
In India, violence erupted in Delhi and other parts of the country after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.
Staff Editor 
A US senator described the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as one of the 'darkest' years in modern Indian history. He has told the need to remember the atrocities committed on Sikhs, so that those responsible for it can be held accountable. In India, violence erupted in Delhi and other parts of the country after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. More than 3,000 Sikhs across India lost their lives in this violence.
US Senator Pat Toomey said in his address to the Senate that the year 1984 is one of the darkest years in modern Indian history. The world has seen that there have been many violent incidents between ethnic groups in India, many of which specifically target the Sikh community. It happened on November 1, 1984, after decades of caste tensions between the Sikhs in the central government.
Responsible to be held accountable
The Pennsylvania senator said that often in such cases, official estimates may not tell the full story, but it is estimated that more than 30,000 Sikh men, women and children were deliberately targeted, raped, murdered and displaced by mobs across India. forced to be. "To prevent human rights abuses in the future, we have to recognize their past forms," he said. We must remember the atrocities committed against Sikhs so that those responsible can be held accountable and such tragedies do not recur against the Sikh community or other communities across the world.
Tumi is also a member of the American Sikh Congressional Caucus. He said that the roots of Sikhism in the Punjab region of India are about 600 years old. One of the major religions of the world, Sikhism has about 30 million people worldwide. Their number in America is about 700,000. Looking at history, Sikhs have shown a deep commitment to serve people of all religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, which reflects their generosity and sense of community, he said.
Sikhs served during the pandemic
"During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sikh communities in Pennsylvania and the US provided groceries, masks and other supplies to thousands of families, and then caste, gender, religion or creed didn't matter to them," Tumi said. Said that he has personally seen the spirit of Sikhs and understood better the Sikh tradition of equality, respect and peace. He said that it is clear that the presence and contribution of the Sikh communities has not only enriched the country, but also their neighbourhood.
Meanwhile, nine Indian-origin human rights organizations here on Saturday published an advertisement in The New York Times to raise the issue of alleged "religious atrocities, discrimination and mob violence" against minorities in India. This advertisement was published on the eve of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
