In a move which could impact the bilateral relations between the India and Canada, the Ontario government passed a motion in the Legislative Assembly to officially recognise the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as the Sikh genocide while calling upon all the sides to embrace truth and reconciliation.

The motion which was forward by the Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly Harinder Kaur Malhi (Brampton-Springdale), was received with the cheers from Sikh community present at the Assembly.

According to the reports, the Private Members Motion recognising the November 1984 riots as genocide was first introduced by the NDP Deputy Leader Jagmeet Singh in the last year. However, the motion failed to gather support from both the NDP and also Progressive Conservatives.

According to the HT report, the move sent the shockwaves in Indian government. The Indian officials have expressed their concern over the motion to ministers in the Justin Trudeau's cabinet as well.

The motion which was passed by the votes of 34 to 5 got the full support from the pro-Khalistan groups.

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An another Sikh activist, Jatinder Singh Grewal, told to HT that “all Sikhs applaud Ontario today" and appreciate the government of Ontario for "officially recognising that the murder of tens of thousands of Sikhs was an attempt at genocide."

In the November of 1984, thousands of Sikh men and women were brutally beaten and were burned to death by mobs following the assassination of the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards.

Following the motion, several pro-business and also India group, wrote to the Ontario

Premier, Kathleen Wynne, to stop the Ontario Parliament from taking up the Genocide resolution.

Mrudula Duddempudi.