The 40th anniversary of the genocide of Sikhs throughout India is being commemorated with a 350-mile march from Bakersfield, California to the state capitol.

Bakersfield.com reports the march began Wednesday morning with the goal of 40 marchers each walking as many as 20 miles per day until they reach their destination on November 1.

Before they set off on their trek, organizers conducted a prayer vigil and rally with hundreds participating, according to Bakersfield.now.

They are all remembering who they say were the thousands of people killed in the 1984 Sikh Massacre.

The march is organized by the Jakarta Movement, a non-profit seeking to unite the Bakersfield community.

“The vast majority of the Sikh community in the Central Valley especially in Kern County are here as direct result of that political violence,” said Naindeep Singh, executive director of the Jakarta Movement to Turnto23.

One of the goals of the march is to persuade lawmakers in Congress to recognize the 1984 Sikh massacre.

They are supporting the Stop Transnational Repression Act from Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) that would criminalize the harassment of foreign governments of expatriates.

“They’re still targeting our people in this country,” said Sarbjit Singh, a Sikh resident of nearby Kerman.

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