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The Indian Government finally declared the events of November 1984 a genocide. During the first week of November 1984, an estimated 3,000 Sikhs were massacred in India’s capital. According to eyewitnesses and Indian human rights activists, the killings were organized by government officials and facilitated by police officials.

Here is a list of Top 10 Architects, who were involved with the massacre of thousands of Sikhs during November 1984, also remembered as Sikh Genocide.

 1. Rajiv Gandhi

Rajiv Gandhi was the real mastermind of the Sikh genocide. Shortly after Rajiv Gandhi was sworn in, senior advocate and opposition leader, Ram Jethmalani, met Home Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao and urged him to take immediate steps to save Sikhs from further attacks. Rajiv Gandhi did not even take calls from the President when he tried to get in touch with him to discuss the situation. However It was alleged that Rajiv Gandhi deliberately delayed in calling in the Army, a move which many believe could have saved the lives of many.

2. Arun Nehru

A close associate of Rajiv Gandhi and former MP Arun Nehru had granted approval for the massacre of Sikhs in Delhi. The whole operation was directed by Arun Nehru who usurped the functions of the home minister and ensured that 6000 Sikh policemen were disarmed and sent home from active duty in the afternoon of October 31 1984.

He was later rewarded as Minister Of Internal security and was largely responsible for draconian laws and genocidal policies which were implemented in Punjab against Sikh freedom fighters.

3. Amitabh Bachan

Credit of massacre of Sikhs in their genocide goes to Amitabh Bachan who provoked first of all on national TV DoorDarshan and spread violence all over India in 1984. He was the first to give such call before all other perpetrators of pogrom of 1984.

He said, “Sikhs had not only assassinated Indira Gandhi, they had killed the mother of the nation.”

He raised the slogan ‘Khoon ke chheente Indira ko marne walon ke gharon tak pahunchne chahiye (The bloodstains must reach the houses of those who killed Indira)’

4. Sajjan Kumar

Fall of 1984 – Known as the “Butcher of Punjab” Sajjan Kumar allegedly incited Delhi anti-Sikh Pogroms, instigated mob mayhem, and encouraged acts of Sikh genocide resulting in over 3,000 deaths. He led murderous mob killing and looting Sikhs in Delhi. He paid Rs. 100 and a bottle of liquor to each person involved in the killing.

5. Jagdish Kapoor Tytler

October 31, 1984 – Accused as being a leader of the Delhi anti-Sikh Pogroms, Jagdish Kapoor Tytler, allegedly involved in a criminal conspiracy to incite genocide. The 2000 investigation by the Nanavati Commission officially reported the finding of credible evidence, unsupported by concrete evidence, which resulted in failure to prosecute.

Surinder Singh, the head granthi of Gurdwara Pulbangash, said in a sworn affidavit in January 2002 that Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, then the local MP, led the mob that had attacked his gurdwara.

6. Lalit Maken

Lalit Maken, Congress(I) trade union leader and metropolitan councilor. Reportedly paid the mobsters Rs.100 each plus a bottle of liquor.

A white Ambassador car reportedly belonging to him came four times to the GT Road area near Azadpur. Instructions to mobs indulging in arson were given from inside the car.

7. HKL Bhagat – Former Minister of state (Information and Broadcasting) and senior member of Indian National Congress party.

In 1984, HKL Bhagat was Member Parliament (Lok Sabha) Constituency ‘East Delhi’, Delhi. During the “84′ Sikh Genocide”, HKL Bhagat led murderous mob killing and looting Sikhs in Delhi.

He personally went to Shahdara Thana, Gandhi Nagar Police station to get miscreants of “84′ Sikh Genocide” released. Bhagat had led a group of 15 people and told crowds of his supporters to kill Sikhs. One witness Balbir Kaur saw Bhagat inciting a crowd of 5,000 people.

Other witnesses have recorded how Bhagat sought to force witnesses not to name him in the days following the massacre. He died in October 2005.

8. Kamal Nath – Senior member of Indian National Congress party.

In 1984, Kamal Nath was Member Parliament (Lok Sabha) Constitutency ‘Chhindwara’, Madhya Pradesh. During the “November 1984 Sikh Genocide”, Kamal Nath led mob that came to the Gurdwara Rakabganj, Delhi on November 1, 1984 and instructed the police to open fire on the Gurdwara Sahib, where a large number of Sikhs were killed.

Under instructions of Kamal Nath, Police men present at the scene instead of preventing the attack, joined the attackers and fired several rounds at the Gurdwara Sahib

Sikhs burnt alive laid in critical condition in Kamal Nath’s presence and died due to lack of Medical Assistance

Police Commissioner Gautam Kaul verified Kamal Nath’s presence while the Gurdwara was attacked and Sikhs were burnt alive

“I had noticed that Mr.Kamal Nath was controlling the crowd and the crowd was looking to him for directions”, Senior Journalist Sanjay Suri in his statement before Nanavati Commission

9. Dharam Dass Shastri

In 1984, Dharam Das Shastri was Member Parliament (Lok Sabha) Constitutency, Karol Bagh, Delhi. During the “84′ Sikh Genocide”, he carried voters list with him at Prakash Nagar for identification of Sikhs.

He along with other Congress leaders tried to pressurize the SHO of Karol Bagh Police Station to release the persons who arrested during the police raids to recover looted property.

 10. Bhajan Lal

Haryana Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhajan Lal Incited Killing of Sikhs in 1984 and organized the attacks on Sikhs in Haryana during November 1984.

Police commondos from Police headquarters Madhuban, Haryana on the orders of Bhajan Lal, the then Chief Minister of Haryana send to commit the massacre of Sikhs.

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With more than 150 years of history in the United States, Sikh Americans are still highly misunderstood.

Regularly subjected to discrimination and occasionally even the targets of hate crimes, Sikhs number between 200,000 and 500,000 in the U.S., according to AP. There are an estimated 25 million Sikhs worldwide, making their tradition one of the largest organized religions on the globe.

Sikhism is a monotheistic faith that teaches equality, honesty and the importance of good acts over rituals, among many other beliefs. However, Sikh Americans have become the targets of hate and violence, especially in the years following the Sept. 11.

A 2014 study commissioned by the National Sikh Campaign (NSC) and conducted by Hart Research Associates aimed to show how Americans view Sikhs today, analyzing date from three focus groups consisting of white Americans with mixed levels of education and a nationwide survey of 1,144 non-Asian Americans. The results are discouraging but demonstrate the effect even a small amount of education can have in raising tolerance.

The numbers below all derive from the study, “Sikhism in the U.S.: What Americans know and need to know.”

60

The percentage of Americans who admit to knowing nothing at all about Sikh Americans, compared to 76 percent who say they know at least something about Muslim Americans and 86 percent who know something about Jewish Americans.

11

The percentage of Americans who have a close friend or acquaintance who is Sikh, while just 31 percent have seen or interacted with a Sikh person at all.

16-34

The age range of Americans who are most likely to know Sikh Americans personally or have at least some knowledge of the faith.

11

The percentage of Americans who associate the image of a turbaned man with Sikhism, compared to 20 percent who assume he is Muslim.

17

The percentage of Americans who think they have much in common with a Sikh woman in a turban, compared to 30 percent who feel they have something in common a Sikh woman with long hair and no turban.

1 in 10

The number of Americans who, after viewing images of Sikh Americans, offered the reaction that “they are human beings just like me and they deserve respect.”

2 in 3

The number of Americans who rate their feelings as highly favorable to a description of Sikhism and Sikh history in America.

17.5

The increase in percentage points who report “warm” feeling toward Sikh Americans after taking the survey.

47

The increase in percentage points of women who believe Sikh Americans hold American values after taking the survey. Americans age 65 and older also increased in that category by 45 percentage points.

1. “Dignity in death is a birthright of each living thing.”
2. “Stop these mockeries and do not talk, but live. Do not be anxious to save Sikhism. Rest assured that Sikhism can take care of itself. Your only anxiety should be to save yourself.”
3. “The thoughts of great men are the common heritage of humanity and let our countrymen receive inspiration and guidance from these thoughts.”
4. “Freedom is not an achievement but an opportunity.”
5. “Those who die for their country are martyrs and those who live for their country are greater martyrs.”

Sikhi is a difficult path, but the ideas and philosophy are simple.  One of the main ideas to keep in mind though, is that to be a good Sikh, one must first be a good Human Being. Guru Nanak Dev Jee started the path at that point, teach others to be good to one another. But there are scores of toxic behaviors that push people away from each other and hurt the basic Sikh philosophies of daya (compassion) and santokh (contentment).  We’ve all witnessed the devastation these behaviors cause—to relationships, to personal, spiritual, and professional growth, and to the general well-being of both the individual behaving negatively, and to everyone in their life.

Let’s be honest—we’ve all acted in toxic, damaging ways at one time or another.  None of us are immune to occasional toxic mood swings, but many people are more evolved, balanced and aware, and such occurrences happen only rarely in their lives. We are not humans having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience. Expelling toxic behaviors from our daily life, will make us better Human Beings and better Sikhs.

Whether your toxic behavior is a common occurrence, or just a once in a blue moon phenomena, it’s critical for your long-term happiness and success that you are able to recognize when you’re behaving negatively, and consciously shift your mindset when necessary.

Your behavior is a little thing that makes a big difference.

The twelve most common toxic behaviors are:

1. Being envious of everyone else. – Don’t let envy (or jealously) get the best of you.  Envy, (eerkha) is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.  There is nothing attractive or admirable about this behavior.  So stop comparing your journey with everyone else’s.  Your journey is YOUR journey, NOT a competition.  You are in competition with one person and one person only – yourself.  You are competing to be the best you can be.  If you want to measure your progress, compare yourself to who you were yesterday.
2. Taking everything too personally. – People are toxic to be around when they believe that everything happening around them is a direct assault on them or is in some way all about them.  The truth is that what people say and do to you is much more about them, than you.  People’s reactions to you are about their perspectives, wounds and experiences.  Whether people think you’re amazing, or believe you’re the worst, again, is more about them.  I’m not suggesting we should be narcissists and ignore all feedback.  I am saying that so much hurt, disappointment and sadness in our lives comes from our taking things personally.  In most cases it’s far more productive and healthy to let go of other people’s good or bad opinion of you, and to operate with your own intuition and wisdom as your guide. Let good and bad happen around you while you rise above it in contentment and Chardi kala.
3. Acting like you’re always a victim. – Another toxic behavior is persistent complaining that fuels your sense of victimization.  Believing you’re a victim, that you have no power to exert and no power over the direction of your life, is a toxic stance that keeps you stuck.  People who have suffered major trauma in their lives but found the courage to turn it all around, as many gursikhs in our history have, we know we all have access to far more power, authority, and influence over our lives than we initially believe, this is all due to Guru Sahib’s blessings.  When you stop complaining, and refuse to see yourself as a helpless victim, you’ll find that you are more powerful than you realized, but only if you choose to accept this reality. Guru sahib gives you everything you need and only places burdens on you that he knows you can handle.
4. Hoarding pain and loss. – One of the hardest lessons in life is letting go—whether it’s guilt, anger, love or loss.  Change is never easy—you fight to hold on and you fight to let go—moh, or attachment, makes it difficult.  But often times letting go is the healthiest path forward.  It clears out toxic thoughts from the past.  You’ve got to emotionally free yourself from the things that once meant a lot to you, so you can move beyond the past and the pain it brings you.  Again, it takes hard work to let go and refocus your thoughts, but it’s worth every bit of effort you can muster.
5. Obsessive negative thinking. – It’s very hard to be around people who refuse to let go of negativity—when they ruminate and speak incessantly about the terrible things that could happen and have happened, the scorns they’ve suffered, and the unfairness of life.  These people stubbornly refuse to see the positive side of life and the positive lessons from what’s happening.  Pessimism is one thing, but remaining perpetually locked in a negative mindset is another.  Only seeing the negative, and operating from a view that everything is negative and against you, is a twisted way of thinking and living, and you can change that.
6. Lack of emotional self-control. – An inability to manage your emotions is toxic to everyone around you.  We all know these people—those who explode in anger and tears over the smallest hiccup or problem—this is also a strong part of Punjabi culture.  Yelling at the grocery store clerk for the long line, screaming at an employee for a small error she made, or losing it with your daughter for spilling juice on the floor.  If you find that you’re overly emotional, losing your cool at every turn, you may need some outside assistance to help you gain control over your emotions and understand what’s at the root of your inner angst.  There’s more to it than what appears on the surface.  An independent perspective—and a new kind of support—can work wonders. Keeping a strong nitnem, simran, and amritvela routine can help clear and discipline the mind as well.
7. Making superficial judgments about others. – Don’t always judge a person by what they show you.  Remember, what you’ve seen is oftentimes only what that person has chosen to show you, or what they were driven to show based on their inner stress and pain.  Alas, when another person tries to make you suffer in some small way, it is usually because they suffer deep within themselves.  Their suffering is simply spilling over.  They do not need punishment or ridicule, they need help.  If you can’t help them, let them be. Being compassionate and having daya for another person is the first step to being a good Sikh.
8. Cruelty (or lacking empathy and compassion). – One of the most toxic behaviors—cruelty—stems from a total lack of daya, empathy, concern or compassion for others.  We see it every day online and in the media—people being devastatingly unkind and hurtful to others just because they can.  They tear people down online in a cowardly way, using their anonymity as a shield.  Cruelty, backstabbing, and hurting others for any reason is toxic, and it hurts you as well.  If you find yourself backstabbing and tearing someone else down, stop in your tracks.  Dig deep and find compassion in your heart, and realize that we’re all in this together.
9. Cheating and cutting moral corners simply because you can. – Cheating is a choice, not a mistake, and not an excuse! Guru Nanak Dev Jee tells us that God is Truth. When we stray from the truth in our daily lives, we stray from God. If you decide to cheat, and you succeed in cheating someone out of something, don’t think that this person is a fool.  Realize that this person trusted you much more than you ever deserved.  Be bigger than that.  Don’t do immoral things simply because you can.  Don’t cheat.  Be honest with yourself and everyone else.  Do the right thing.  Integrity is the essence of a gursikh and a part of everything successful.
10. Hiding your truth. – People cannot connect with you if you’re constantly trying to hide from yourself.  And this becomes a truly toxic situation the minute they become attached to your false persona.  So remember, no matter what age, race, or gender you are, underneath all your external decorations you are a pure, eternal, beautiful being—each and every one of us are.  We each have light to shine, and missions to accomplish.  Celebrate being different, off the beaten path, a little on the weird side, your own special creation.  If you find yourself feeling like a fish out of water, by all means find a new river to swim in.  But DO NOT change who you are; BE who you are.  Don’t deny yourself, improve yourself.
11. Needing constant validation. – People who constantly strive for validation by others are exhausting to be around.  Those men and women who get caught up in the need to prove their worth over and over and over, and constantly want to win over everyone around them, are unintentionally toxic and draining.  Know this.  Over-attaching to how things have to look to others can wear you out and bring everyone else around you down.  There is a bigger picture to your life, and it’s not about what you achieve in the eyes of the masses.  It’s about the journey, the process, the path—what you’re learning, how you’re helping others learn too, and the growing process you allow yourself to participate in. What matters is your own relationship to the Guru and your own relationship to each person around you.
12. Being a stubborn perfectionist. – As human beings, we often chase hypothetical, static states of perfection.  We do so when we are searching for the perfect house, job, friend or life partner.  The problem, of course, is that perfection doesn’t exist in a static state.  Because life is a continual journey, constantly evolving and changing.  What is here today is not exactly the same tomorrow—that perfect house, job, or friend will eventually fade to a state of imperfection.  But with a little patience and an open mind, over time, that imperfect house evolves into a comfortable home.  That imperfect job evolves into a rewarding career.  That imperfect friend evolves into a steady shoulder to lean on. It’s just a matter of letting perfectionism GO.

THE FLOOR IS YOURS…

If you can relate to any of these toxic behaviors, remember, you are not alone.  We all have unhealthy personalities buried deep within us that have the potential to sneak up on us sometimes.  As stated above, the key is awareness—recognizing these behaviors and stopping them in their tracks.

So, what toxic behaviors (or mood swings) sometimes sneak up on you?  What toxic behaviors push you away from Sikhi?  How do you cope?  Leave a comment below and share your insights with us.

1. Watered with the Lord’s Love, it remains forever green; through the karma of good deeds and meditation, it ripens.
   ras rasiaa hariaa sadhaa pakai karam dhhiaan ||
   Guru Nanak, Raag Maajh, 147
2.  The Gurmukh performs actions of good karma, and the Gurmukh is beyond karma. Whatever the Gurmukh does, is done in good faith. ||6||
    guramukh karam guramukh nihakaramaa guramukh karae s subhaaeae jeeo ||6||
    Guru Arjan, Raag Maajh, 131
3.  Who is subject to karma, and who is beyond karma? Who chants the Name, and inspires others to chant it? ||2||
    koun karam koun nihakaramaa koun s kehai kehaaeae jeeo ||2||
    Guru Arjan, Raag Maajh 131
4. According to the Lord’s Command, people perform their actions; they wander around, driven by the karma of their past actions.
   hukamae karam kamaavanae paeiai kirath firaao ||
   Guru Amar Daas, Siree Raag, 66
5. The body is the field of karma in this age; whatever you plant, you shall harvest.
   karam dhharathee sareer jug a(n)thar jo bovai so khaath ||
   Guru Arjan, Siree Raag, 78

Jagdish Tytler’s name has been in the limelight for quite some time due to his involvement in the massacre of Sikhs during the 1984 pogroms.  However, Tytler is not the only politician responsible for the murders of the Sikhs.  The following is the list of those alleged to have instigated violence.  Many of these politicians also protected other criminals who killed and raped Sikhs, and burnt down their houses and businesses.

1. H.K.L. Bhagat, Minister of state (Information and Broadcasting). On November 5, 1984, he is reported to have intervened to get miscreants released who were held in Shahdara Thana.  These persons were used to attack the Sikhs.
2. Babu Ram Sharma, Member, Municipal Corporation (Ward No. 58) reported to be the right-hand man of H. K. L. Bhagat. Reportedly responsible for loot, arson and murder in trance-Yamuna areas-Babarpur, Chajupur Colony, Maujpur, Gonda. Allegedly led people on motor cycle with megaphone.
3. Sajjan Kumar, Cong. (I) M.P. from Mangolpuri. Reported to have paid 100 and a bottle of liquor to each person involved in the killing.
4. Lalit Makan, Cong. (I) Trade Union Leader and Metropolitan Councillor. Reportedly paid to mob 100 each plus a bottle of liquor. A white ambassador car reportedly belonging to him came 4 times to the G.T. Road area near Azadpur. Instructions to mobs indulging in arson were given from inside the car.
5. Dharam Das Shastri, Cong. (I) M. P. from Karol Bagh. Reported to be carrying voters list with him at Prakash Nagar for identification of Sikhs. On November 5, according to newspaper reports, he along with other Congress-I leaders tried to pressurize the SHO of Karol Bagh Police Station to release the persons who arrested during the police raids to recover looted property.
6. Mangat Ram Singal, Member of Municipal Corporation (Ward No. 32) was reportedly with Dharam Das Shastri and Mahendra at Prakash Nagar.
7. Dr. Ashok Kumar, Member of Municipal Corporation, Kalyanpuri. Reportedly held a meeting in Kalyanpuri, following which violence broke out immediately. According to many eye witnesses he led mobs which indulged in loot, murder, arson and rape.
8. Sukhan Lal Sood, Metropolitan Councillor. According to eye witnesses was seen leading mobs, which indulged in loot, murder, arson and rape. He had come with petrol and serial lists and addressess of Sikhs in the locality. The women refugees, recognized him and drove him out.
9. Jagdish Chander Tokas, Member of Municipal Corporation Munirka (Ward No. 14) reportedly led a mob to R.K. Puram Sector IV and V.
10. Ishwar Singh, Member, Municipal Corporation, Mangolpuri (Ward No. 37). Allegedly led the mobs that indulged in looting, burning, rape and murder in Mangolpuri area.
11. Balwant Khokhar, Youth Congress-I Leader, Delhi, Identified as one of the persons responsible for instigating looting and arson in Palam Colony area.
12. Faiz Mohammad, Youth Congress-I Leader, Delhi, named by refugees in Shakurpur camp and in Mangolpuri for being a part of the mob indulging in looting, arson and murder.
13. Satbir Singh, Youth Congress-I. He allegedly brought bus loads of people from Ber Sarai to Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School (Munirka). They burnt school buses and parts of the school building. He was reportedly involved in looting and beating of Sikhs which carried on throughout the night on November 1.

1. Doesn’t believe in Naam Simran
According to Gurbani the highest Karam is that of remembering Akaal Purakh, through Naam Simran which will allow us to merge with Akaal Purakh and get Darshan, the ultimate goal of Gurmat. However Dhunda does not believe in the concept of Naam Simran, him and his friends have called it useless recitation of a word. When asked recently what his thoughts are on Naam Simran are, he said that doing simran can give us a peace of mind in this world, but it cannot do anything else for us.

2. Doesn’t know who wrote Jaap Sahib
In a video Dhunda can be seen hitting a pothi of Jaap Sahib with a stick and questioning whether Guru Gobind Singh Jee wrote the Bani. He also states in another video that the Panth had not decided whether Jaap Sahib is Bani of Guru Gobind Singh or not.

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File Photo: Prof. Bhullar with his wife

Prof. Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar was transferred to Punjab from the Tihar Jail on July 11, 2015.  He has spent over 14 years in confined imprisonment.  Various human rights activists and Government officials have supported his release on humanitarian grounds.  Although Prof. Bhullar’s death sentence was commuted, following are some facts about the validity of his sentence –

• The senior judge, Justice MB Shah, who was the presiding judge of the 3 judge bench that sentenced Prof. Bhullar, voted for an acquittal.  Prof. Bhullar was sentences despite the split decision.  The public prosecutor AG Chaudhari, who was arguing against Bhullar, supported the verdict of Justice MB Shah.
• When arrested, Prof. Bhullar was given no legal counsel, which is a violation of international law (ICCPR).

• Confessions must be given before the court, however in the case of Prof. Bhullar, he was forced to confess before the police.  This confession has been retracted by Bhullar.  He alleges that he was tortured and made to sign blank papers.  This claim was never investigated and no other evidence was presented.

• 133 eyewitnesses were called to identify Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar.  None was able to identity him.

• The German government has acknowledged their mistake in deporting Bhullar.