Why 1984 Sikh Riots Should Not be Forgotten?

By siliconindia   |   Wednesday, 02 November 2011, 23:38 IST   |    18 Comments
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Bangalore: Have we overlooked the horrors of 1984 Sikh riots and focused solely on Gujarat? The 2002 communal riots in Gujarat has always been the talking point on the damage it did to the secular fabric of India. The electronic news media, the various TV news channels extensively covered the Gujarat carnage, and as a result the common man was made aware of the severity of the genocide. Ask anybody about the worst riots in Indian history, and "Gujarat!" is the immediate reply. Notwithstanding the great development the state has seen, Gujarat still faces the ghosts of 2002. Infact the Indian media internationalized the riots to such an extent that it gradually became a blot on India. The anti Sikh riots of 1984 are hardly discussed and have become a vague memory in public minds. On the 27th death anniversary of our late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, some of the cruelties perpetuated under Congress rule and allegedly by some "secular" Congress leaders come to memory. In 1984, the electronic media was hardly a presence in India, compared to in 2002. Doordarshan was the only news channel. Even though there was some extensive coverage by the newspapers, they were hardly able to make any impact. 27 years forward, the story remains the same. The present day media has hardly given any importance to the 1984 carnage, as it did to the Gujarat riots, and the result is that we have many victims who are still seeking justice.

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