Role of two Kaurs in politician #SikhGenocide prosecution celebrated

The actions of two Kaurs (Sikh women) in helping push forward the impending prosecution of a politician who led mobs to kill Sikhs during the #1984SikhGenocide has been celebrated this month.

Nirpreet Kaur and Lakhwinder Kaur had family who were killed in separate incidents involving Hindu lynch mobs randomly killing Sikhs during the 1984 Sikh genocide. After finding each other in 2007 to work on seeking a form of justice for their families this week their efforts finally result in a genocidal former-MP going on trial.

Their efforts are being honoured prior to the trial of former-MP and senior Congress Party figure Jagdish Tytler beginning in approximately two weeks.

Jagdish Tytler last week (13th Sept) pleaded not guilty to charges based on the murders of three Sikh men who were killed as Pul Bangash Gurdwara in Delhi was set alight on 1st November 1984 by a Hindu mob he led. Tytler, 80, faces charges of murder, provocation with intent to cause a riot, unlawful assembly, and defiling a place of worship, among others.

Nirpreet Kaur’s father was murdered by rampaging Hindu mobs in Delhi, during the peak of India’s #SikhGenocide (November 1984), a tragedy which motivated her to pursue justice, culminating in working with respected community figure HS Phoolka. Before taking this legal route which has taken over 20-years of effort, Nirpreet Kaur also supported Sikh resistance against the genocide, which her late husband (Hindu man turned Sikh Gurdev Singh, formerly Roshan Lal Bairagi) was reported to be part of, leading to police killing him in a “fake encounter”.

After serving eight-years in prison for supporting the Sikh resistance against genocide, Nirpreet Kaur sought legal ways to pursue justice against some of the well-known figures who led mobs to kill people like her father.

Countless people saw then-MP Jagdish Tytler lead mobs to murder Sikhs, targeting Sikh homes listed on voter registry lists and Gurdwaras. However, Indian authorities told Nirpreet Kaur that she could only pursue charges against him if she could find individuals who were directly impacted by his genocidal charge. In 2007 authorities recognised there was enough evidence to link Tytler to the burning down of the Pul Bangash Gurdwara and the deaths of three Sikhs with it, which included the Gurdwara’s kirtani (player of Kirtan, devotional Sikh music).

It was the murdered kirtani’s wife Lakhwinder Kaur who was cited by authorities as a surviving family member who could take the case forward. Within 24-hours of learning about this, Nirpreet Kaur found Lakhwinder Kaur and together the two went to HS Phoolka, a Sikh lawyer pursuing justice against Hindu extremists who were involved in the #SikhGenocide. Finally, a case was put together which would guarantee Tytler would be taken to trial. Yet, in a sign of India’s flawed-by-design justice system, Tytler has been allowed another 17-years before trial. Tytler remains free and the trial will likely go on for years, allowing him to dodge prison for years longer and possibly for his whole life, given his elderly age.

During that 17-year period between now when his trial starts (scheduled to begin 3rd October) Tytler was supported by a corrupt judicial system which kept dismissing attempts to have him charged. Similarly, fellow genocidal MP Sajjan Kumar who also led Hindu mobs to kill Sikhs also was not made to face jail, until HS Phoolka managed to finally enforce the law in 2018, seeing Kumar imprisoned.

Many still note though, upper-caste Indians – especially politicians and celebrities – are often given special treatment whilst imprisoned which include leaving regularly, bringing in their own food, regular visitors, massages and more.

Sikhs around the world will be waiting on updates regarding the Tytler trial, whilst also noting the strenuous efforts it took from the likes of Lakhwinder Kaur and Nirpreet Kaur to have him face legal consequences for his role in the 1984 Sikh Genocide.