The City Library of Norwich in the state of Connecticut , USA, installed the portrait of Sikh martyr-hero of the Indo-Sikh Battle of June 1984 -Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, in the presence of resident Sikhs, the Mayor of the city and the Governor of the state. 

ON June 7, 1984, the Indian army stormed the Sikh Reference Library. On June 1, 2019, Sikh residents of Norwich in Connecticut, put up the portrait of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the Norwich City Library in a Genocide Remembrance meet attended by Sikhs and city officials including the Mayor of the city and the Governor of the state. History had come full circle. India wanted Sikhs to forget Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and June 1984, Sikhs rebounded back by commemorating the memory of the heroes of the Indo-Sikh battle of June 1984.

Adorning the prime wall of the library, next to the Norwich city map, the portrait of Sant Bhindranwale, with an accompanying plaque, was unveiled after a Sikh prayer ceremony in the presence of Governor Ned Lamont, Joe Courtney Chris Murphy, Senator Richard Blumenthal, Peter Nystrom, Kevin Ryan Catherine, Ann Osten and Kevin Lembo.

Significantly, the Governor declared that 1 June will be observed as Sikh Memorial Day and also touched the issue of Sikh sovereignty.

On 7 June 1984, when the Indian army had purportedly taken over the control of the Darbar Sahib complex, the armed forces went on to fulfil their duty of committing cultural genocide of the Sikh by destroying, vandalising and setting on fire the arts and artefacts, historical and religious documents and manuscripts of the Sikh Reference Library within the Darbar Sahib complex.

Since then, for 35 years, through media campaigns, through diplomatic demarches, India has been attempting to erase the memories of the events of June 1984. The might of the state has done everything -from disinformation to misinformation regarding the Sikh martyrs and their leader and ideologue Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who lived up to his word and in true Sikh tradition, laid down his life protecting and upholding the honour and dignity of the Sikhs.

The Sikhs of the City of Norwich, especially Swaranjit Singh Khalsa of Sikh Sewak Society International, USA have been consistently pursuing this project for the last five years.

Speaking to media, Swaranjit Singh Khalsa said, “We will continue to ensure that Sikhs do not forget 1984. We will also ensure that the dignity and honour of the Sikhs in the USA are protected and we stay committed to this.”