25 years later...

Anti-Sikh Riots took place in 1984. 3000 Sikhs killed. Thousands of families orphaned.25 years later,still no one is punished. Victims still waiting for justice.

Gas leak in Union Carbide plant in Bhopal in 1984.Termed as the World's worst Industrial Disaster. 15,000 killed. Gas leak still affects lakhs of people. 25 years later, still no one is punished. Victims are still waiting for justice.

Prime Minsiter Indira Gandhi was shot dead by two gunmen in 1984. One died soon, and the other was hanged. Her son became Prime Minister of India. 25 years later, her daughter-in-law is super PM and her grandson is being touted as the future PM.

25 years from now, will the situation change?

3000 killed. None punished.

First of all, I want to congratulate CNN-IBN for telecasting two special programs on the plight of the victims of the 1984 Sikh riots. Actually, we are told riots is a wrong word to use, because in riots, both sides kill each other. In this instance, only one side was killing, and the other was getting killed. Massacre is an apt word. Only CNN-IBN found it apt to run these programs, which were very moving. It was just beyond comprehension to imagine the gory details being told to us. You can click here, and here.

The political parties today are busy "regretting" the massacre, and are also taking solace in the fact that Punjab has voted back Congress to power. This news report even suggests that since we have a Sikh Prime Minister, the wounds might feel a little better. There is no bigger joke than this. Precisely because the 3000 families don't care if a Sikh become PM, President or wins the Nobel Peace Prize. Their demand is very simple. Bring to justice those responsible. What is it that we have done? No one is punished.

Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar have even become MP's, and are even now roaming scot free. It is difficult to comprehend how they are even able to sleep at nights. And what about all those people who ram amok killing any Sikh in sight? 25 years hence, is it really too much to ask for justice? Shame on our political system that imagines all will heal with passing times. Shame on it.

A day is not too far when a member of the first family will also "regret" the "Fallen Tree, Shaken Earth" theory. And we will be expected to move on.