San Francisco – In an unprecedented move, the California State Senate has passed a resolution condemning the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as “genocide” condemning 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.
With this, both the legislative chambers of the California Assembly have passed similar resolutions.Less than a month after the resolution was passed by the California State House of Representatives, it was introduced in the State Senate this week by Senator Cathleen Galgiani.
San Francisco Indian Consul General Venkatesan Ashok told media 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 resolution, passed by both houses of the state legislature, represents that for the first time, any nation or government has officially described the culpability of the Indian government in this genocide,” said Amar Shergill, attorney and American Sikh Political Action Committee board member.
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.