Sikhs Take Out Protest March in Delhi, Demand Apology from Priyanka Gandhi Over 1984 Riots

New Delhi: Leaders from the Sikh community staged a protest in the national capital, demanding an apology from Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The violence, which erupted after the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, killed thousands and displaced countless members of the Sikh community. 

Sikh leader Gurlaj Singh Khallon led the protest, accusing Priyanka Gandhi of ignoring the pain of the Sikh community while speaking out on other issues like Hathras and Manipur. “Why have the Sikh riots been forgotten by the Gandhi family? Sikhs were brutally murdered, and their women were raped beside the bodies of their loved ones” Khallon said.  

He pointed to the Widows’ Colony in Delhi as a stark reminder of the horror faced by Sikh families during the riots. “There is an entire Widows’ Colony of those who died in the riots. Priyanka Gandhi should come forward, address this issue, and apologize for the Congress’s role in the violence,” he added.

The anti-Sikh riots erupted in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. The violence led to mass killings, sexual violence, and the destruction of Sikh homes and businesses, leaving the community scarred for generations.  

Recently, during the Parliament's winter session, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was seen carrying a tote bag in solidarity with Palestinians and Bangladeshi Hindus. A few days later, BJP MP gifted her a tote bag featuring a symbol referencing the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, highlighting the Congress's controversial history with the Sikh community and reigniting demands for accountability and justice.