On the 19th of June the streets of central London echoed with naare for Khalistan as thousands of Sikhs from across the UK marched in honour of the Shaheeds of June 1984.
The annual 1984 remembrance rally has long been a thorn in the relationship between the Indian and British governments. Since the 1980s Britain has sought to cover up its role in providing military assistance to India to attack Sikhs, and till this day they work hard to cover their ongoing collusion.
The UK and India work hard to push a narrative that only a small minority want Khalistan, but events like June 1984 rallies from Punjab, to the UK, America, Canada, and Australia show this is not the case, the entire Panth collectively honours the Shaheeds.
In the face of state violence it is important and vital that Sikhs get together each year to show their support for Khalistan and honour our shaheeds, which are still called terrorists – till this day – by both India and Britain.
Some people may say it’s “pointless” to march and raise slogans for Khalistan however in the face of genocide and ongoing collusion marching annually is an act of defiance that creates space for us and our children. We have a duty to all the Sikhs that attained shaheedi fighting, the masses of Sikh civilians that were killed and raped in revenge by the Indian state, and our naujawan and elders still in Indian prisons till this day.
When Sikhs come together and march and raise Sikh slogans of remembrance and sovereignty we let the Indian state and its allies know that we will ‘never forget and never forgive 1984’, that we believe in the cause of our shaheeds, and our consciousness is still alive.
This year we saw more sangat than ever attend the rally and there was a spirit of defiance in the air. For some it’s one day a year, for others it’s a constant reality, but for all of us it’s a question of our survival. Our remembrance and defiance does not end with the rally instead the rally makes space for panth dardi sangat, and is one event of many in our annual calendar.
From shaheedi smagams, shaheedi football tournaments, weight lifting competitions in honour of our shaheeds, lectures, books, films, clothing, music, every moment we should strive to honour those that sacrificed their lives to remind us that we are a sovereign people and will not rest until we are free.
Long Live the Khalsa Revolution
Khalistan Zindabad
The collective of Panthic Youth Organisations UK
