Decades after the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, affected families continue to carry the deep scars of the tragedy. Ahead of Diwali, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri hosted a special interaction at his residence for victims and their relatives. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was also present at the gathering, where survivors narrated harrowing accounts of losing family members and battling for justice and livelihoods over many years.
Categorized as a Genocide Rather Than Riots
During the interaction, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated that the violence should not be labeled merely as riots, describing it instead as a targeted genocide. She noted that entire families were wiped out when people were dragged from their homes in independent India. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri echoed these sentiments, pointing out that the Delhi High Court in a 2018 ruling classified the 1984 mass killings as a crime against humanity. Puri claimed that attackers used voter lists and other official records to identify Sikh households in areas such as Raja Garden, Seemapuri, and Sultanpuri.
Heart-Wrenching Accounts From Survivors
Women who survived the violence shared painful memories from that period. Kamlesh Kaur recounted losing six or seven family members and expressed anguish over the lack of justice. Rajinder Kaur recalled working with St. John Ambulance during the crisis, tending to people overnight while bodies remained missing and families wept in search of relatives. Another survivor from Nand Nagri questioned why her family suffered when the perpetrators of other high-profile crimes faced punishment. Manjit Kaur shared that she was only a month and a quarter old when her father was snatched away and killed. She expressed gratitude to the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing her family with employment.
Government Support and Compassionate Employment
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta assured the gathering that the administration remains committed to supporting the affected families. She mentioned that following the formation of the government in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized delivering justice and aid to 1984 riot victims. According to Gupta, the administration has provided jobs to around 150 people over the past year and a half. The Delhi government approved a compassionate appointment policy in November 2025 for dependents of the riot victims, allowing elderly primary dependents to nominate younger eligible family members for employment. Official figures from 1984 recorded 2,733 deaths in Delhi alone during the violence that followed the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
