124 Politics in India since Independence

Politics in India since Independence continued for almost a week. More than two thousand Sikhs were killed in the national capital, the area worst affected by this violence. Hundreds of Sikhs were killed in other parts of the country, especially in places like Kanpur, Bokaro and Chas. Many Sikh families lost their male members and thus suffered great emotional and heavy financial loss. What hurt the Sikhs most was that the government took a long time in restoring normalcy and that the perpetrators of this violence were not effectively punished. Twenty years later, speaking in the Parliament in , Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed regret over these killings and apologised to the nation for the anti-Sikh violence. Th ere is also evidence to show that on - - either meet ings were held or persons wh o could organise att acks were contacted and were given instructions to kill Sikhs and loot their houses and shops. Th e att acks were made in a sy stematic manner and without much fear of the police, almost sugg es ting that they were ass ured that they would not be harmed wh ile committ ing those acts or even aft er. Justice Nanavati Commission of Inquiry, Report, Vol. I,