Protest against Indian atrocities on Sikhs held in Paris
Paris: A protest was held against Indian government’s atrocities on the Sikh community, condemning the 1984 Operation Blue Star and genocide of Sikhs, in Paris, today.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Sikh leaders affiliated with the Khalistan movement, along with Kashmiri diaspora, held the protest demonstration at Place de la République in Paris. Protesters carried flags of Khalistan and Kashmir and raised strong slogans against the Indian government. During the protest, Zahid Iqbal Hashmi, President of the International Kashmir Peace Forum in France, emphasized the need for justice for Sikhs and declared that the establishment of Khalistan is a right of the community.
Other speakers urged the international community to pressurize India on issues such as extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and the release of political prisoners. The speakers at the event demanded that the people of Jammu and Kashmir be granted their inalienable right to self-determination. The speakers also highlighted the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir, describing it as the world’s largest prison, underlined the increasing attacks and violence against religious minorities in India since the rise of Narendra Modi to power. The leaders stressed that those advocating for the rights of the Sikh community and calling for Khalistan are detained and denied release even after court orders, violating the Geneva Convention and international law. They recalled the violent events that followed the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, during which over 3,000 Sikhs were killed in just three days. Their properties were looted, homes destroyed, and many women were raped. Hundreds of Sikhs were also killed in other parts of India.
