1984 and State Violence

CN: Discussion of state violence, human rights violations, and genocide

We would like to extend our best wishes to everyone during these uncertain times. Especially considering the intensity of the news and our social feeds, we would like to remind all of our members to make a conscious effort to take care of ourselves and each other. Our email sent out by our welfare officer on the 18^th May is full of useful resources.

This week marks the 36^th anniversary of Operation Blue Star. The sanctity, stillness, and sovereignty of Sri Harmandir Sahib (commonly known as the Golden Temple) was violated when the Indian Army unleashed tanks, artillery and infantry on the complex. Their aim was to send a crushing blow to the Sikh consciousness. The Indian government under Indira Gandhi claimed that they – a movement of Sikhs in opposition to the Indian State, demanding greater sovereignty for Panjab. During the 10-day siege, hundreds had lost their lives at the hands of the Indian Army. Many were innocent pilgrims, who had travelled from around the world to commemorate the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. Simultaneously, 37 other Gurdwaras in Panjab were raided by Indian authorities. Evidence has come to light that Margaret Thatcher offered her support to Indira Gandhi and sent SAS troops to advise the Indian Army.

Often, Sikh organisations would rather use alternate names like “the Battle of Amritsar” or “Jang Hind Panjab” as a way to frame the narrative away from victimhood and acknowledge Operation Blue Star through a paradigm of resistance against the state, in-line with centuries worth of Sikh history in opposition to tyranny.

According to government sources, there were 493 casualties – however, many activists and organisations place the figure in the thousands. As well as the political implications, there is also a tremendous emotional legacy of this attack. The abhorrent actions taken by the Indian government have resulted in generations of trauma, with thousands of families mourning the loss of their loved ones. Further deaths took place during November of 1984, where state-organised pogroms murdered thousands of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and Panjab after Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. What followed this was a decade of mysterious deaths at the hands of the Panjab Police, where thousands of young Sikhs were murdered in false encounters with the police. To this day, the political system has undertaken a campaign to silence and censor Sikh voices.

In the present day, we also see our friends in the Black community raise their voices following the murder of George Floyd. With the trauma of state violence ever-present in the Sikh psyche, it is only right that we stand up against systemic racism and police brutality. Following the teachings our Gurus, it is important that we remain engaged in solidarity with the black community in their fight against tyranny. We have also included a few links on how we are able to be good allies for black people.

Part of this allyship, however, is also recognising our own complicity in propagating anti-blackness. It is important we educate ourselves and hold ourselves, and our community, accountable for the way we often uphold these structures. The Cambridge BME Campaign has worked incredibly hard in providing really insightful resources on how we can show solidarity, including a checklist and an open letter to Vice-Chancellor Stephen Toope, which we have signed on behalf of the society.

Considering the timing of these two events, it is more important than ever that we continue to raise our voices – both in memory of our Shaheeds but also for the communities around us. As Sikhs it is imperative that we remain on the side of justice and truth, and take active steps to achieving it.

Please find below a list of articles we find useful to understanding the discourse taking place around this time.