Sikh women and children
(below) demonstrate on New Delhi streets
After Apology, Congress
Tries to Scuttle Sikh Massacre Report
By
Arun Rajnath
NEW
DELHI, August 18: After publicly apologizing to the Sikhs, Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh and the ruling Congress Party have decided
to refer the cases of 1984 anti-Sikh riots, following Indira Gandhi's
murder, to the Anti-Riot Cell of the Special Branch of the Delhi
Police while vociferous protests and silent marches of the Sikh
community continue in the Capital.
Sikhs
are not happy at the move. Jatthedar Subedar Singh said at the
Gurdwara Rakab Ganj: “This is all an eye-wash and a face-saving
device. To re-investigate the cases means prolonging the matter
for another two decades. The Government must arrest the accused
persons immediately.”
The
Indian Government tabled the report along with the Action Taken
Report (ATR) in the Parliament. In the ATR the Congress-led Government
has taken the whole issue in levity, and has protected its leaders
Harkishan Lal Bhagat, Jagdish Tyteler and Sajjan Kumar.
These
leaders are the main accused in the anti-Sikh riots that took
place soon after the assassination of the then Prime Minster Indira
Gandhi though Justice Nanavati has observed, there is “credible
evidence that Congress leaders have participated in the riots”.
The
ground is still shaking, but this time for the ruling Congress
Party as the Nanavati Commission has indicated new evidence against
some Congress leaders. It
would be strange for the future generations to realize that everything
is possible in India, and when a ruling party makes it possible.
Four thousands Sikhs were murdered! But the case was not registered
for 12-13 years! And when the case was registered, culprits were
not named in the First Information Report (FIR)! Really, it happens
only in India!
After
his mother's assassination, Rajiv Gandhi was nominated as the
Prime Minister on the proposal of another Sikh, Buta Singh. While
commenting on the riots, Rajiv Gandhi had said: “Jab
koi bara per girta hai to dharti hilti hi hai” (When
a big tree falls, the ground is bound to shake). Now the ground
is still shaking for the ruling Congress Party as the Nanavati
Commission has directly pointed towards the involvement of at
least three stalwart Congress leaders, viz. Harkishal Lal Bhagat,
Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tyteler. At present Sajjan Kumar is the
Member of Parliament and Jagdish Tyteler is the Minister of Non-Resident
Indian Affairs.
Privileged
sources told the South Asia Tribune that there is new
evidences against these three Congress leaders for instigating
the mob for vandalizing and murdering the Sikh community in the
Capital. Affidavits against these Central leaders, along with
another Congressman Dharam Das Shastri have been filed before
the Nanavati Commission. These affidavits were seen by this correspondent.
Some
of the eyewitnesses have said that HKL Bhagat, Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish
Tyteler and Dharam Das Shastri were leading the crowd of rioters
and they instigated the rioters to set Gurdwaras on fire, kill
the Sikhs and take away their women.
One
Gurmeet Singh has filed an affidavit against HKL Bhagat. He has
said: “When the rioters assembled before the Gurdwara at
Laxmi Nagar, Bhagat arrived in a white Ambassador car. I recognized
Bhagat as I was very much acquainted with him. I have been a supporter
of the Congress Party and Bhagat used to hire my taxis during
elections.”
“Bhagat
directed the policemen and his supporters to kill the Sikhs who
had assembled in the Gurdwara to protect themselves. Thereafter
six policemen came to us and asked us to throw away our arms otherwise
they will shoot us,” the deponent said.
“We
locked ourselves in the Gurdwara But we did not surrender our
arms -- lathis and kirpans. Thereafter the police went away and
the rioters assaulted the Gurdwara twice. Had we surrendered our
arms, the mob would have easily butchered us,” the deponent
further stated.
Similarly,
another deponent, Wazir Singh, has stated in his affidavit: “On
the day when Indira Gandhi was assassinated, HKL Bhagat and other
Congressmen assembled at the residence of the local Congress leader
Rampal Saroj. They called in their supporters and they began killing
Sikhs.”
Another
deponent Satoo Singh has stated: “The rioters first pelted
stones at my brother and when he fell on the ground, Bhagat himself
directed the rioters to kill him. Bhagat had said: "yeh
saanp ka bachcha hai. Ise zinda mat chorna”. (He is
the son of a snake, don't leave him alive). “The
rioters poured chemicals and kerosene oil on my brother and put
a burning tyre around his neck,” the deponent has stated
in his affidavit.
Chief
Granthi of the Moti Bagh Gurdwara Surinder Singh himself has filed
an affidavit against the Central Minister Jagdish Tyteler. In
his affidavit the Granthi has stated: “On November 1, 1984,
the rioters attacked the Gurdwara at Azad Market in the leadership
of Jagdish Tyteler. At that time I was the Granthi in that Gurdwara”
Surinder
Singh further states: “Rioters set the Gurdwara on fire,
and I went upstairs to protect myself but retired Police Inspector
Thakur Singh and Sewadaar Bahal Singh were killed by the mob.”
“After
a week to this gruesome incident, Jagdish Tyteler came to me on
November 10, 1984 with some papers and asked me to sign. But I
refused to do so,” he further stated.
There are other similar affidavits
also that have been filed before the Nanavati Commission, and
that put the ruling Congress Party, whose Prime Minister himself
happens to be a Sikh, in a dire position.
But it is shameful for India that
claims to be the champion of the democratic causes, those culprits
are still roaming and some of them have reached the highest seat
of democracy, the Indian Parliament.
Who
will give justice to Darshan Kaur whose husband was killed before
her eyes? She told the South Asia Tribune: “They
killed my husband before my eyes. I know the killers very well.
When I went to the court to give evidence, those people threatened
me.”
“They
are still roaming freely and nobody cares about us who have lost
everything in the anti-Sikh riots. There are several other people
like me who are waiting for justice. The Government has shifted
us to a new settlement that is known as the ‘Widow Colony’.
What does it indicate? I cannot forget the day when my husband
was killed, and I have been waiting for justice for 21 years!
The
same Congress Party is ruling the country whose members were involved
in the anti-Sikh riots. Can I expect justice? Will the Government
give me justice? No body knows!”
Another
riot victim Daleep Singh told this correspondent: “Those
rioters tried to kill me. They had poured kerosene oil on me.
My whole body has burn marks. 21 years have past since then, but
there is no ray of hope and justice. It is all an eyewash.”
“These
Commissions work in air conditioned rooms. The Commission should
work hard to bring the culprits to book,” he said.
Meanwhile,
the Sikh community is holding protest rallies and observing silent
marches throughout the Capital city of Delhi in which various
well-known Sikh personalities are taking part. One such silent
protest march initiated from Gurdwara Bangla Saheb on August 14,
and culminated at the Parliament Street. The protesters held placards
demanding Justice! The march was not against any political person
or accused. The Sikhs only demanded justice and equality.
