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Congressman Ami Bera, D-California, the only Indian-American lawmaker on Capitol Hill has lost support of some Sikh groups in his own district, including in his hometown, for not condemning the alleged role of the Indian government in the Nov. 1984 riots that saw thousands of Sikhs massacred in and around New Delhi and other places in that country. Bera represents the 7th Congressional District which includes Sacramento County and is running for a second term in Congress.
The riots in India occurred following a series of events: the Oct. 31, 1984 assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by two of her Sikh bodyguards after her decision to send the Indian military into the Golden Temple in Amritsar, a sacred site for Sikhs, to remove an armed Sikh militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. During the riots, witnesses say they saw several leaders of the Congress Party leading attackers of Sikh homes and singling out Sikh men, women and children. Thousands of Sikhs were killed.
According to the Sacramento Bee, Bera did not answer two critical questions from the American Sikh Committee to Evaluate Congressional Candidates which pertained to the Sikh riots. His opponent Doug Ose, a Republican, and several other candidates running from various districts in California have answered them in the affirmative. “It was clear that what the (Indian) government did was wrong and the fact that nobody was held accountable is inexcusable,” Ose is quoted saying on the American Sikh Political Action Committee website. The questions were worded as follows:
Question 6: “Do you agree thousands of Sikhs were murdered in India in November 1984 with the assistance or lack of intervention by political parties, law enforcement, military or members of the government?”
Question 7: “Would you as a member of Congress seek to remember and acknowledge the pogroms against Sikhs in November 1984, pursue justice for the victims, and work to ensure it does not happen again?”
The American Sikh Committee says it is a bipartisan national organization of 18 Sikh leaders.
Bera lives in Elk Grove and it was somewhat of a slap in the face when some resident Sikhs dropped support for him.
Elk Grove resident Amar Shergill, treasurer of the organization that evaluated candidates, and member of the American Sikh PAC told News India Times the organization had dropped Bera. “The American Sikh PAC has withdrawn all support which has in the past included organizations outreach events for Bera. In addition, SikhPAC members have raised thousands of dollars in the past for Bera, which will come to a halt.”
The Elk Grove Citizen online newspaper quoted Amar Shergill, treasurer of the organization that evaluated candidates. A former Bera supporter, Shergill said he was “shocked and disappointed” by Bera’s stand. The paper however, quoted other Sikh residents of Elk Grove saying they would continue to support the Congressman.
Bera’s communications director gave a prepared statement from Bera to the Citizen saying, “There is no question that the 1984 riots were a terrible tragedy that should never be repeated.
Communal violence is intolerable, and India and all countries, including the U.S., must respect religious diversity.”
Bera has held that he is focused on issues confronting Sikhs in this country particularly following 9/11. “The Sikh community has faced some prejudice and violent attacks, including the two Sikh gentlemen who were murdered in my home town of Elk Grove,” he is quoted saying in the Bee.
Bera was elected in 2012 and faces off against Ose in the Nov. 4 general elections.
Sikhs for Justice, an advocacy organization, has been pursuing a case in U.S. courts against the Congress Party which was in power at that time.