[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 55 (Tuesday, March 24, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E260]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNIZING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF SAKA NAKODAR DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOSH HARDER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 24, 2026

  Mr. HARDER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to solemnly 
commemorate the 40th anniversary of Saka Nakodar and to stand in 
remembrance with the Sikh community at the Stockton Gurdwara Sahib.
  On February 4, 1986, four young Sikh students--Ravinder Singh, 
Baldhir Singh, Jhilman Singh, and Harminder Singh--were shot and killed 
by Indian security forces in Nakodar, Punjab. They were peacefully 
protesting the desecration of the sacred Sikh scripture, the Sri Guru 
Granth Sahib, when their lives were tragically taken. ``Saka,'' the 
Punjabi word for massacre, has since come to define that painful day in 
Nakodar and the injustice that followed.
  Forty years later, we remember these young men not only for the 
manner in which they died, but for the principles they stood for: 
faith, dignity, and the fundamental right to peacefully assemble and 
express their grievances. Their loss reverberated throughout the Sikh 
diaspora and remains a deeply felt wound for families who continue to 
seek truth, accountability, and justice.
  Here in Stockton, home to one of the oldest and most vibrant Sikh 
communities in the United States, the remembrance of Saka Nakodar 
carries profound meaning. The Stockton Gurdwara Sahib has long served 
as a spiritual anchor and a gathering place for reflection, resilience, 
and community solidarity. For generations, it has been a space where 
faith and civic engagement walk hand in hand, and where the values of 
seva, justice, and equality are upheld.
  As we mark this 40th anniversary, we reaffirm our commitment to 
protecting the civil and human rights of all people. The tragedy of 
Saka Nakodar stands as a reminder that peaceful protest is a 
cornerstone of democracy and that freedom of religion and expression 
must always be defended. We also honor the strength of the Sikh 
community, whose perseverance in the face of hardship reflects a legacy 
of courage and unity.
  Today, we stand with the families of Ravinder Singh, Baldhir Singh, 
Jhilman Singh, and Harminder Singh. We honor their memory, we 
acknowledge the pain carried for four decades, and we renew the call 
for truth and accountability.
  I am honored to join the Stockton Gurdwara in commemorating the 40th 
anniversary of Saka Nakodar and to ensure that the sacrifices of these 
young men are never forgotten.

                          ____________________