This episode contains descriptions of mass violence, sexual violence, and state-enabled atrocities.

In Episode 2 of our series “NeverForget84 – Turning Wounds into Light,” we examine how the November 1984 anti-Sikh massacres map onto the internationally recognized “eight stages of genocide,” first articulated by Gregory H. Stanton (Genocide Watch). Building on our previous conversation about the legal meaning of genocide, we move from definitions to the mechanics: how genocides are prepared, performed, and sustained—and how those patterns appeared across India in 1984.

Drawing on the work of S. Parmjeet Singh Ghazi and S. Ranjit Singh—co-editors of “Sikh Genocide 1984: Eye-Witness, Inquiry and Documents” (Bibekgarh Publications)—and the booklet published by Nisan Publications (Sangrur), we trace the progression from division and marking to dehumanization, organized planning, public incitement, targeted preparation, and mass killing. We discuss how Sikh religious and cultural identifiers were weaponized; how rumors and broadcast slogans inflamed mobs; how lists, voter rolls, and marked homes enabled targeting; and how coordinated logistics turned neighborhoods into killing grounds. We also reference landmark civil rights fact-finding like “Who Are the Guilty?” and incorporate newer field research, including Gurjant Singh Ball’s multi-year survey, which documents that violence extended well beyond Delhi to hundreds of towns across 22 states.

This episode is not only a historical recounting—it is an anatomy lesson in how genocide unfolds step by step, in plain sight, unless confronted early and decisively. Understanding these stages helps us recognize warning signs anywhere, protect vulnerable communities, and challenge denial before it hardens into public memory.

What you’ll hear:
• A clear walkthrough of the eight stages and how each manifested in 1984
• Testimony and documented patterns of organized complicity and impunity
• How media narratives and state structures accelerated the violence
• The human cost: displacement, assaults, and the long shadow of trauma
• A preview of Stage 8—Denial—which we’ll address in depth next episode

If this conversation resonates, we invite you to share the episode, explore the cited books and reports, and join global commemorations each November. Remembering is an act of justice—and a commitment to prevention.