Massacre of Muslims prompts memories of Sikh Genocide: Delhi Pogroms breakdown & reaction

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On Sunday February 23rd a speech by a ruling-party MP helped fuel ongoing communal tensions across India, leading to the massacre of dozens of Muslims in Delhi, in scenes reminiscent of the Sikh Genocide of 1984.

Kapil Mishra, a BJP politician of Delhi, threatened to mobilise a mob to clear out protesters – mainly Muslim women according to reports – who have been demonstrating against the new Citizenship Amendment Act.

Kapil Mishra

BJP MP Kapil Mishra

Later that evening Hindu nationalist mobs and police attacked protestors, with authorities claiming this was because the demonstration was being held without permission.

 


Media reports suggest mobs further continued to form around Delhi and the attacks on Muslim businesses, homes and people went on through the night.

As protests against CAA reformed the next morning, Hindutva nationalist mobs also reformed and continued their attacks in areas such as Jaffrabad, Bhajanpura and Karawal Nagar. As violence continued, the level of destruction around Delhi grew, with a Hindutva mobs setting fire to a petrol station, as well as vehicles, residences and more. Over 1000 Delhi police officers were deployed to quell the situation but their efforts only led to more deaths in the coming days.

Image result for bhajanpura petrol

The announcement of the death of a police officer allegedly as the result of stone-pelting injuries further fuelled the murderous rage of the mob. It was later revealed the police officer actually died from a gunshot, although it has not been revealed how this happened. On the same day, a man later named as Sharukh was pictured firing a gun into the open air to keep charging police at a distance. He was later arrested.

By the end of February 25th Muslim families were pictured leaving their homes for safety.

Throughout the period Sikhs were openly highlighting how the Delhi 2020 pogroms were simply the result of the normal functioning of the Indian state, complicit in countless massacres of minorities across the Hindu majority nation.

With the death toll rising steadily, concern about the situation became international. Ironically, this was happening whilst Donald Trump was praising the work to apparently further religious freedom in the country by Modi.

 

By the end of Wednesday (February 26th) some Indian media claimed the violence had ended due to police efforts, however the death toll was reported as still growing (last said to be 38). With 21 of those deaths said to have happened via gunshot, it is still unclear how so many people became victims of gun violence, with some claiming this was the work of Delhi police whilst others claiming differently.

The confusion looks set to continue, especially considering a respected High Court Judge – the same man who sentenced a long-time Indian MP to prison for his role in the 1984 Sikh Genocide – was removed from his post after being critical of government inaction against the Hindutva nationalist mobs.

 

Some Pakistan based reporters are claiming the death toll is much higher than being reported.

 

The Akal Takht meanwhile (the highest authoritative body of the Sikhs) urged Gurdwaras to act as sanctuaries for those impacted by the violence. Many Sikhs were keen to encourage Gurdwaras and Sikhs in general to aid those impacted throughout the situation.

 

Meanwhile, an outrageous claim by Brown University professor Ashutosh Varshney that the Sikh Genocide of 1984 was a “semi-pogrom” compared to the Gujarat genocide of Muslims in 2002, a clear attempt to defend and downplay what was occurring in Delhi, was met with contempt by Sikhs.

 

As has happened in previous years during periods of violence in India, video footage emerged of police damaging property including CCTV cameras, posing questions as to their orders within the chaos.

Arguably most disturbing regarding the Delhi police was the video below, showing men that had been beaten surrounded by police as they lay injured, being forced to sing Indian nationalist anthems.


As Delhi police came forward to request footage and witnesses, three days after the pogroms began, many Sikhs wanted to ensure what had been occurring was not erased through language, something which happened with the Sikh Genocide of 1984 (commonly referred to as riots despite an estimated 30,000 deaths in a state facilitated effort).

A statement released online by Sikh educational group Sikh 2 Inspire said “India claims to be the largest democracy in the world, but the last few decades have not shown any democracy but dictatorship. To speak against injustice, the dictators label you a dissident, a voice inciting terror, but staying silent on injustice is not what the Sikhs have been taught.”.

Sikh groups are still on the ground in Delhi trying to support victims and do what is possible to counter the violent Hindutva extremism. Sikh PA will continue to follow the situation and provide updates as soon as possible.

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