Recognizing the 39th Anniversary of November 1984

Floor Speech

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Ms. SCANLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my Sikh friends in Pennsylvania and around the world to recognize the 39th anniversary of November 1984 anti-Sikh violence in India. November 1984 marks one of the darkest chapters in modern Sikh history. Sikhism traces its nearly 600 years of history to the Punjab region of India. The Sikh community has a rich history in our country, with emigration dating back 100 years. With nearly 30 million followers globally and a thriving community here in the United States, Sikhism is one of the world's major religions.

Today we are here to remember the violence which occurred in November 1984, after the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the capital territory of Delhi and most major cities of India. These killings lasted for days, and it is estimated that thousands of Sikh men, women, and children were brutally murdered in their homes and on the streets. Mr. Speaker, as a proud co-chair of the Congressional Sikh Caucus, remembering this heartbreaking violence that targeted Sikhs across India in 1984 is an important and historic step towards justice, accountability, and reconciliation and to prevent future such occurrences.

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