PHAGWARA: Victims of the 1984 Sikh massacre in Hondh Chillar village of Haryana staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, alleging that even after 42 years they have not received justice. The protest was led by Bhai Darshan Singh Gholia, president of the Hondh Chillar Sikh Justice Committee, along with affected families demanding accountability.
Rajya Sabha Member and environmentalist Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, who joined the protest, stated in letters addressed to the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister that it is deeply unfortunate that the Sikh community, which has made immense sacrifices for the nation, is still struggling for justice after more than four decades. He emphasized that justice must be delivered without further delay to eliminate feelings of alienation among Sikhs.
Protesters held placards reading “Give us justice” and “Bring the guilty to the court of law.” They demanded the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the supervision of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). They also called for the implementation of the T.P. Garg Commission report and strict action against the senior officials named in it. Additionally, they sought arms licenses and security cover, including gunmen, for eyewitnesses.
During the demonstration, eyewitnesses Ram Singh (Gurugram), Gurjeet Singh (Pataudi), Guddi Devi (Hanumangarh), Gurdeep Singh (Kurukshetra), and Surjit Kaur (Rewari) shared painful accounts of the massacre. They stated that several commissions were formed in the name of justice, but no meaningful outcome was achieved, and reports have remained buried in files for years.
Bhai Gholia pointed out that the relief package for 1984 victims announced in Parliament in 2006 has not been fully implemented. At that time, compensation of only ₹2 lakh per family was provided, which is grossly inadequate considering present-day inflation. The families have now demanded ₹1 crore in compensation per family along with government jobs.