Melbourne- Hundreds of Sikh community members braved the weather this morning in Melbourne to participate in Sikh Genocide Remembrance March.
Under gray skies where a steady drizzle mixed with clouds of orange and black-and-white, Sikhs were really motivated and ready to hit the road running and walking to commemorate those massacred in India during the events of June and November 1984. There were families, friends, elders and even kids in strollers. Sikh Sangat raised slogans of Khalistan and others including shame to Indian democracy.
The Remembrance March, which was organized by Supreme Sikh Council of Australia, began at 10am on Saturday 31st October at Alexandra gardens, moving through streets of Melbourne city and culminating at Flagstaff gardens at 11 am, where the Remembrance Rally commenced till 2pm.
Tejinder Kaur from Sikhs from Justice, was the key speaker of the event. She said that people from around the world “are raising one voice – that is the justice. This is about justice and about impunity to those who in broad daylight massacred thousands and thousands of Sikhs and they are roaming free in parliamentary positions in the government. There is too much disparity.” She also emphasised on the importance of Sikh Referendum and how it can turn the dreams of a Khalistan homeland into a reality.
Some of the other key speakers of the event involved, Labor MP Rob Mitchell and Federal Greens Candidate Alex Bhathal. Another key speaker who could not physically come was the Hon. Warren Entsch, MP, but he sent his written speech for the event which was read by Gurinder Kaur on his behalf.
All the speakers condemned the brutalities and massacre of 1984 Sikh Genocide and urged the community to keep raising awareness.
Following the rally, langar was served by Sikh sangat from Tarneit Gurdwara Sahib, fruits sewa was done by Shepparton Sangat while water sewa was undertaken by Sikh Volunteers Australia. Various other organisations and Gurughars in Victoria supported the event.
An annual event, this will be the first march since India’s current Home Minister, Rajnath Singh declared the events of 1984 as genocide. With planned speeches by Labour MP Rob Mitchell and others, Sikhs are looking for similar recognition in Australia.
“Last year we had more than a thousand join us,” Harkirat Singh Ajnoha said. “Given the weather it is probably a little lower but I know that people are really supportive and the gathering looks promising.”
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