Jogi Real True Story: It is always hard to fathom when true stories are portrayed in a film or a TV-Show and this week, a film has been released that portrays the torment India’s Sikh Community went through in 1984 after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh Bodyguards. The film stars Diljit Dosanjh in the lead role along with Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub, Amyra Dastur along with other actors.
However, the film is a re-telling of the massacre, but we’re going to cover what happened in 1984
It all starts with a political clash between Indian National Congress & Akali Dal when INC took over the government of Punjab in 1972 but Akali Dal put forward a resolution to demand more autonomy in the state which was rejected and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale joined Akali Dal to implement that resolution called Anandpur Sahib Resolution put forward by the Akali Dal.
Tensions began to rise up when the protestors for the resolution were being met with more rough police methods which lead the Sikh youth to resort to violence as well. It isn’t until later that violent incidents started to increase all across Punjab increasing the number of people killed.
It isn’t until late that Golden Temple was stormed by the Sikh Leaders Harchand Singh Longowal and Bhindranwale along with other armed militants in favor of the Khalistani Movement. This storming of a Holy Place for Sikh Leaders was then put to an end by Operation Blue Star, ordered by PM Indira Gandhi who was later assassinated for her action.
The aftermath of PM Indira Gandhi’s death, violence erupted across the country and went on for several days killing more than 3000 Sikhs in New Delhi and 8000-17000 Sikhs in total were killed across 40 cities in India and we’re not even counting the number of Sikhs that were displaced. Violence against Sikhs rose to so much so that Sikhs were being burnt alive, Sikh women were being raped and Sikhs were being thrown acid on.
Many independent newspapers believed at the time that this was not a mere backlash but an organized massacre that left the Sikh Community in the ruins. There are a lot of testimonials in which Member Of Parliament and some people in power have been witnessed rewarding people who will kill Sikhs and also addressing them as Snakes.
It is not in 2018 that some little justice was served when Sajjan Kumar, MP of the Indian National Congress at that time was sentenced to life imprisonment for his actions during the riots.