# Ravi Shankar Prasad Slams Congress at Chandigarh 1984 Meet, Calls Drug Abuse and Riots Deep Scars on Punjab

> Addressing the 'Zakhm 84 De' conference in Chandigarh, Ravi Shankar Prasad demanded an apology from Congress over the 1984 anti-Sikh violence and described the massacre and illicit drugs as deep wounds on Punjab.

**Type:** article · **Category:** India · **Published:** 2026-11-04 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/national/chandigarh-men-bjp-ke-1984-sammelana-men-congress-para-barase-ravi-shankar-prasad-nasha-aura-narasnhara-ko-bataya-punjab-ke-gahare-56505 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Ravi Shankar Prasad, 1984 Anti Sikh Riots, BJP, Congress, Kewal Singh Dhillon, Chandigarh, Rahul Gandhi

A one-day convention titled 'Zakhm 84 De' was held in Chandigarh on 4 November, bringing together victims and surviving kin of the 1984 anti-Sikh violence. Organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the gathering was marked by an intensely solemn and emotional atmosphere. Proceedings commenced with a collective Ardas seeking peace for the thousands of innocent souls who perished in the carnage, alongside prayers for the perseverance of those still fighting for accountability.

## Archival Photographic Exhibition Depicts November 1984 Tragedies
Prior to the formal panel discussions, organizers inaugurated a dedicated historical photo exhibition capturing the grim reality of the November 1984 violence. The showcase was formally unveiled by Patna Sahib Member of Parliament and senior advocate Ravi Shankar Prasad, with Punjab BJP President Kewal Singh Dhillon and state in-charge Satish Poonia in attendance.

The monochrome photographs documented traumatic scenes across the national capital, including the razed and burning residential quarters of Trilokpuri, gutted commercial establishments in Connaught Place, displaced families clinging to remnants of their belongings, and harrowing moments where Sikh passengers were forcibly pulled from public transport buses. The visual evidence served as an evocative reminder of the human devastation witnessed during that period.

## Ravi Shankar Prasad Questioned Congress Leadership and Past Stances
Addressing the inaugural assembly alongside victim families, former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad expressed deep sorrow over the enduring pain of the community. He noted that Punjab’s soul continues to bear two profound scars, naming the wounds of 1984 and the scourge of chitta, and asserted that genuine healing is unattainable without rigorous and impartial legal justice. Prasad sharply criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the timing of his party's political outreach within Punjab.

Prasad pointed out that the Congress had mounted a rally in Delhi on 1 November and followed it immediately with political activities in Punjab, describing such steps as rubbing salt into unhealed wounds. He recalled Rajiv Gandhi's contentious public remarks on 19 November 1984, where he had stated that the earth shakes when a big tree falls, calling it an unacceptable rationalization for the systematic killing of thousands of citizens.

The senior lawyer recalled that during his tenure as Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, he took active steps to restore video documentation of Rajiv Gandhi's statement into public records after it had previously vanished from official archives. Prasad then challenged Rahul Gandhi to make his stance on his father's remarks explicit, questioning why the family had never tendered an unreserved, honest apology to the nation.

## Four Decades of Delayed Justice and Recent Legal Milestones
Accusing the Congress of systematically burying accountability over a four-decade span, Prasad observed that past administrations followed an approach designed to delay, deflect, and disrupt genuine investigations. He remarked that multiple commissions were established under various regimes without demonstrating the decisive political will required to penalize culprits, highlighting that even the decade-long tenure of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh failed to deliver meaningful convictions.

Prasad alleged that previous rulers showed little concern for the loss of 3,500 innocent lives, prioritizing instead the protection of three or four influential political figures. He credited the Narendra Modi administration with instituting a dedicated Special Investigation Team (SIT) and acting on the findings of the Justice Dhingra recommendations. These legal measures, he pointed out, ultimately secured convictions and life imprisonment for high-profile figures such as Sajjan Kumar. Prasad also commended the steadfast legal battle waged by senior advocate H.S. Phoolka in championing the victims' cause in court.

## Kewal Singh Dhillon and R.P. Singh Reaffirm Long-Term Support
Sharing his thoughts at the conclave, Punjab BJP President Kewal Singh Dhillon paid homage to the families present, noting that Rajiv Gandhi's words from 1984 continue to distress the collective consciousness even after 42 years. Dhillon remarked that any community that chooses to forget its history risks compromising its own future, underscoring that the tragedies of 1984 will neither be forgotten nor permitted to fade from memory.

Taking aim at Rahul Gandhi's rallies in Sangrur centered around justice, Dhillon remarked that the public of Punjab remains conscious that genuine redress cannot be expected from those responsible for inflicting the grief. He maintained that the party would not rest until every remaining perpetrator is brought before the court of law.

Moderating the session, BJP National Spokesperson R.P. Singh reiterated the organization's enduring commitment to standing beside the families. He observed that following decades of grueling legal battles, substantial headway has finally been made toward accountability, pledging continuous support until comprehensive justice is secured for every affected household.

## What this means for you
This political and legal discourse underscores ongoing efforts toward accountability for the 1984 violence alongside pressing societal challenges in Punjab.

- **Across India:** The continued pursuit of convictions through dedicated Special Investigation Teams reinforces legal accountability for historical communal crimes. It demonstrates that long-delayed legal proceedings can still culminate in formal penalties regardless of elapsed decades.
- **In Punjab:** The renewed focus on the historical trauma of 1984 alongside the ongoing synthetic drug crisis will shape public discourse and policy pressure. Residents and affected families continue to demand measurable administrative and legal resolution to both historic and modern challenges.
- **For affected families:** Concrete progress in courtroom convictions offers long-awaited validation to families who have spent decades seeking accountability. It maintains momentum for legal advocates seeking closure in the remaining unresolved cases.
- **On political discourse:** Questions surrounding historical statements and executive accountability will remain prominent during public campaigns across the state. This scrutiny provides voters an opportunity to evaluate contrasting records on justice delivery and public welfare.

## Why this happened
The convention was convened to address four decades of unresolved grief stemming from the 1984 anti-Sikh violence while connecting historical accountability to Punjab's current challenges.

- **Protracted legal delays:** Despite the death of approximately 3,500 innocent individuals in 1984, successive inquiry commissions over several decades yielded very few prominent convictions. Allegations of procedural stalling and political interference kept public grievances alive across generations.
- **Reopened probes and convictions:** The formation of a dedicated Special Investigation Team by the central government and the adoption of Justice Dhingra's recommendations revived dormant files. These targeted legal interventions ultimately paved the way for sentencing influential accused individuals, including Sajjan Kumar.
- **Political context and public messaging:** Following Congress rallies in Delhi on 1 November and concurrent events in Punjab, organizers used the Chandigarh convention to scrutinize historical remarks by Rajiv Gandhi and question the Congress leadership's record on justice.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. What event was organised in Chandigarh on 4 November?
A one-day convention titled 'Zakhm 84 De' was held by the BJP in support of the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh violence.

### 2. Who inaugurated the photo exhibition at the convention?
Former Union minister and Patna Sahib MP Ravi Shankar Prasad inaugurated the exhibition.

### 3. What scenes were depicted in the archival photographs?
The display featured monochrome images of burnt houses in Trilokpuri, destroyed shops in Connaught Place, displaced families, and Sikhs pulled from buses.

### 4. Which two major wounds on Punjab did Ravi Shankar Prasad highlight?
Prasad described the trauma of the 1984 violence and the illicit drug problem (chitta) as two profound scars on Punjab.

### 5. Which controversial remark by Rajiv Gandhi was referenced at the event?
His statement from 19 November 1984 asserting that the earth shakes when a big tree falls was cited as rationalizing the violence.

### 6. How was the conviction of Sajjan Kumar achieved according to Prasad?
Prasad credited the Special Investigation Team constituted under the Narendra Modi government and the execution of Justice Dhingra's recommendations.

### 7. What commitment did Punjab BJP President Kewal Singh Dhillon make?
Dhillon affirmed that the party will not relent until the very last perpetrator of the 1984 violence is brought to justice.

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