New Delhi, 30 October (H.S.): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has drawn up its own programme amid Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's scheduled visit to Punjab, announcing a major Sikh convention in Chandigarh on November 4. The central focus of the day-long event will be the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the struggle to secure justice for the victims and their families.

The convention will bring together survivors of the 1984 violence, bereaved families and individuals who have been pursuing justice for decades. Discussions will cover cases related to the riots, the struggles of those affected and various aspects of the judicial process.

According to sources, lawyers who represented victims' families in legal proceedings related to the 1984 riots have also been invited. Judges who delivered verdicts in cases arising from the violence are also expected to be invited to the event. The convention is thus intended to provide a platform for the experiences of survivors and families, alongside discussions on the legal battles and judicial proceedings that followed the violence.

Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to address a Congress rally in Sangrur, Punjab, on November 4. The rally is being viewed as the launch of the Congress party's campaign for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.

Against this backdrop, the BJP's decision to hold a Sikh convention in Chandigarh on the same day assumes political significance. The party's programme is being seen as an attempt to foreground the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and issues concerning the Sikh community during Gandhi's Punjab visit.

However, the stated central objective of the convention remains a focus on the victims of the 1984 violence, their families and their longstanding pursuit of justice.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar