Thousands Join San Francisco March to Commemorate Attack on Sikhism's Holiest Shrine

SAN FRANCISCO - June 7, 2025 - PRLog -- San Francisco, CA – The Sikh community of Northern California organized a large-scale Nagar Kirtan and Sovereignty Rally today in downtown San Francisco to mark the 41st anniversary of the Indian Army's assault on the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, in June 1984.

The march began at 12:00 PM from the corner of 2nd Street and Market Street and concluded at the Civic Center Plaza, where community leaders, human rights advocates, and scholars addressed the gathering from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. The event was held to honor those who sacrificed their lives during the military assault—code-named Operation Blue Star—and to raise awareness about religious freedom, justice, and the right to self-determination.

Over 5000 participants took part in this year's rally, making it one of the most significant public commemorations of the 1984 tragedy in the United States. Flags, banners, and mobile exhibits shared Sikh history and highlighted ongoing human rights concerns in India.

"The attack on Darbar Sahib was not just an attack on a religious site—it was an assault on the Sikh identity itself. The Sikh genocide continues till date, said Mrs Harman Kaur, a young female speaker at the event. "We gather each year not only to remember the martyrs, but to educate our neighbors and raise our voice against the continued criminalization of dissent in India."

Dr Iqtidar Cheema Member United Nations Global steering Committee stated, It is time that the world took meaningful steps to address the systematic breaches of the human rights of the Sikhs at the hands of the Indian state which took on massive proportions when the Indian army launched a full-scale attack on Sikhism's holiest shrines in Amritsar in 1984. India's transnational repression has far-reaching impacts of on diaspora, exile communities and human rights defenders. He stressed that US Government should introduce legislation to curb transnational repression

Darbar Sahib —also known as the Golden Temple is the holiest shrine of the Sikh religion. In June 1984, Indian armed forces stormed the complex resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths, destruction of Sikh scripture, and widespread outrage among Sikhs globally.

This annual rally has become a cornerstone of the Sikh diaspora's civil rights advocacy, with similar commemorations held in cities like Washington, D.C., Toronto, London, and Melbourne. Organizers emphasized that their mission is rooted in nonviolence and global human rights.

Gurdwara Fremont Website www.fremontgurdwara.org