New Delhi, June 12
Sikh head priests Balwant Singh Nandgarh of Damdama Sahib, Gurbachan Singh of Akal Takhat Sahib and Tarlochan Singh of Kesgarh Sahib laid the foundation stone of the 1984 Sikh Genocide Memorial inside the Rakab Ganj Sahib gurdwara complex here today.

Iqbal Singh of Patna Sahib and Kulwant Singh of Hazur Sahib were also scheduled to be present there, but they could not make it. The foundation was laid on the gurdwara premises despite Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee general secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa’s statement to the contrary yesterday. The memorial site is located just outside Lucky Shah Vanjara Hall.

The memorial plaque mentions that the foundation stone was laid by Giani Gurbachan Singh, Giani Tarlochan Singh, Giani Balwant Singh, Giani Iqbal Singh and Giani Kulwant Singh in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar, DSGMC president Manjit Singh (GK), general secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa, senior vice-president Ravinder Singh Khurana, junior vice-president Tanwant Singh and joint secretary Harmeet Singh Kalka.

BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Vijay Goel were also present on the occasion. An “ardas” and “kirtan” preceded the stone-laying ceremony, but the gathering on the occasion was not much.

Those often seen holding protests seeking justice for 1984 riot victims on different occasions in the past were also not present on the gurdwara premises today.

Sukhbir Singh Badal told the media that the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre had not given justice to the victims of 1984 riots in which thousands of Sikhs were murdered. “Instead of punishing the culprits, the Congress is protecting them,” he said.

This is a memorial to those who were killed in the 1984 riots and would be completed in a year, he said. When asked if the foundation stone was laid in violation of law, he said, “Was the killing of Sikhs not a violation of the law?”