The 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms: Phenomenological experiences and perceptions of direct and indirect victims of violence

ABSTRACT

Previous literature explores the socio-political contours of Hindu-Muslim violence, with limited attention given to the experiences of victims and the Hindu-Sikh inter-communal relationships. This study specifically examines the 1984 Anti-Sikh pogrom, employing a phenomenological approach to gather insights from Sikh participants who were direct or indirect victims of the violence and aged 20–40 at the time. The findings underscore significant experiences such as the fear of survival, betrayal, and reaction inhibition amidst hostility during the pogrom. Presently, the victims continue to grapple with a sense of loss, hopelessness concerning justice, and a lack of trust in the Hindu community.

KEYWORDS:

• Anti-Sikh Pogrom
• Betrayal
• Fear
• Inter-communal Relations
• Justice
• Phenomenology
• Sikh
• Trust
• Victims

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude toward everyone who provided me with opportunities, resources, suggestions, advice and emotional support for the successful completion of my research work. I would like to thank my mentor and co-author of the paper – Dr. Surbhi Kumar, who provided me with guidance regarding this paper. I would also like to thank Dr. Nidhi Prakash for her inputs in the original research. I would also like to thank all the participants who had kindly agreed to be interviewed and contribute toward data generation for the research work. I would like to thank all my family and friends who had a pivotal role in establishing contact with the participants and also provided me with the strength and encouragement to complete the research work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available because publicizing the information could compromise the privacy of research participants, whose experiences have been recorded during the research.