Mr. Speaker, in the days following the assassination of Indira Gandhi, thousands of innocent Sikh men, women and children were slaughtered in the streets of Delhi and other parts of India. A senior researcher at Human Rights Watch writes, “Delhi was a scene of carnage, yet 25 years later the victims are still waiting for justice”.
However, it is important to remember that all humanity was not lost as Hindu, Muslim and Christian families risked their lives in order to shelter and rescue their Sikh neighbours from the blood-thirsty organized mobs.
The real issue according to Human Rights Watch is, “The failure of successive Indian governments to bring to justice those responsible for mass revenge attacks on Sikhs after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi 25 years ago is a severe blot on India's legal system and democracy”.
As Canadians, we will always fight for justice and the protection of human rights, two ideals in any democracy.
India's democracy will be made stronger when it pursues reconciliation and accountability, but none of this will be possible without first making an honest search for the truth.