Ludhiana, Oct 31 The BJP will organise a conclave — ‘Zakhm 84 De’ — in Chandigarh on November 4, aimed at helping younger generations understand the suffering of the 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims and raising awareness about it, Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon said on Saturday.
He said the wounds inflicted by the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre have not faded with time and more than four decades later, the tragedy remains a painful chapter in India’s history. The conclave aimed not only to revisit a tragic chapter but also to bring the truth surrounding the massacre, the victims’ struggles, their decades-long fight for justice, and efforts towards their rehabilitation to the attention of younger generations, he said.
The BJP leader said such events allow society to learn from history, understand the victims’ suffering, and recognise the importance of accountability within a democratic system and the justice delivery process.
Dhillon said the conclave would begin with a special exhibition showcasing photographs and documenting incidents related to the “1984 massacre”.
He said the conclave would feature an inaugural session followed by four thematic sessions.
Former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who represented victims of the 1984 massacre in proceedings related to the Sajjan Kumar case before the High Court and the Supreme Court, will deliver the keynote address at the inaugural session, he said.
The first session will focus on the theme ‘when and how did the genocide take place?’ During the session, survivors of the 1984 massacre will share their personal accounts and experiences, Dhillon said.
The second session, titled ‘was the genocide a conspiracy?’, will examine the perspective that the anti-Sikh genocide was part of a larger conspiracy. The discussion will feature senior Supreme Court advocate H S Phoolka, who fought a decades-long legal battle to secure justice for the victims.
According to Dhillon, the third session will focus on ‘murder of justice’ and examine the alleged denial of justice to victims, the destruction of evidence, and the political patronage allegedly extended to the accused.
The fourth session, titled ‘punishing the guilty: BJP’s efforts’, will highlight the steps to protect victims during the 1984 massacre, the subsequent struggle to secure justice for them, and the initiatives undertaken to bring those responsible to justice. Dhillon said the concluding session would focus on the rehabilitation of families affected by the “1984 massacre” and the efforts made to help them rebuild their lives.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini will attend the session and share details of the initiatives undertaken by BJP-led governments to rehabilitate the victims and their families, he said.
(PTI News)
