OTTAWA — The Ad Hoc Committee for the Recognition of the 1984 Sikh Genocide recently held a parliamentary reception held in Canada’s capital on 28th April 2026. According to a written release, copy available with Sikh Siyasat News (SSN), Sikhs from across the country convened at the Senate of Canada Building on April 28 to mark ongoing efforts to secure formal recognition of the 1984 violence, as well as to observe Sikh Heritage Month. The event reflects sustained advocacy by Sikh institutions Canadawide aiming to address what they describe as a longstanding failure of accountability. 

The reception was hosted by Senator Baltej Singh Dhillon and co-sponsored by Members of Parliament Sukh Dhaliwal, Dalwinder Gill, Heather McPherson, and Elizabeth May, demonstrating cross-partisan support for the recognition efforts.  Keynote addresses were delivered by Rapinder Kaur of the Sikh Heritage Month Foundation and Professor Indira Prahst of Langara College. 

Both speakers emphasized the critical importance of honoring the past and moving forward by officially recognizing the 1984 anti-Sikh violence as a genocide. Throughout the event, speakers highlighted the systemic and coordinated nature of the violence across India that resulted in the deaths of thousands of Sikhs, arguing that the continued refusal to formally recognize these events reinforces a culture of impunity. 

Stressing the contemporary relevance of these advocacy efforts, Manohar Singh Bal, Coordinator of the Ad Hoc Committee, stated, “The failure to formally recognize the 1984 Sikh Genocide is not a matter of historical debate, it is a continuing institutional omission with present-day consequences”. 

Manohar Singh Bal further added, “Where accountability is deferred, impunity is reinforced. The current environment, where Sikh activists are being subjected to violent transnational repression reflects the cumulative result of failing to formally recognize India’s genocidal violence against the Sikh community”. 

The reception was attended by numerous Parliamentarians, including a diverse group of MPs and Senators from multiple political parties, reflecting increasing awareness on the issue. The organizing Ad Hoc Committee is a coalition comprised of representatives from several prominent Sikh organizations, including the Ontario Gurdwaras Committee, World Sikh Organization of Canada, Sikh Federation Canada, and the British Columbia Gurdwara Council, alongside other partners across the country.