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Capt hails verdict, says justice delivered at last

CHANDIGARH:Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday welcomed the conviction of Sajjan Kumar in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, terming it a case of justice finally delivered to the victims of one of the worst instances of communal violence in independent India.

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 17

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday welcomed the conviction of Sajjan Kumar in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, terming it a case of justice finally delivered to the victims of one of the worst instances of communal violence in independent India.

He reiterated his stand that neither the Congress party nor the Gandhi family had any role to play in the rioting and lashed out at the Badals for continuing to drag their names into the case at the behest of their political masters – the BJP, which was clearly shaken by the clear mandate given by the people to Rahul Gandhi’s leadership in the recent Assembly elections in three states.

The High Court judgment against Sajjan had once again proved that the judiciary in India continued to stand tall as a pillar of the nation’s democratic system, the CM said.

He said he had been naming Sajjan Kumar along with a few other former Congress leaders, including Dharam Das Shastri, HKL Bhagat and Arjun Das, for the past 34 years, based on the information he had personally received from victims in refugee camps in Delhi during the riots. 

Incidentally, Sajjan Kumar was the only surviving former Congress leaders implicated in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, as the others had since passed away. His had repeatedly cropped up in his interactions with the victims in the refugee camps, said Capt Amarinder.

There was no Congress conspiracy behind the violence and the names of the Gandhis did not come up even once during his visits to the refugee camps, the CM said, adding that it was vested political interests that had been trying to draw the Gandhi family into the controversy and the conspiracy for their personal motivations.

All involved should be brought to justice: Jakhar

Punjab Congress president Sunil Kumar Jakhar said the party’s stand was clear that whoever was involved in the riots should be brought to justice. “Yes, justice has been delayed, but delivered finally. No one is above law. Anyone who is involved in such a heinous crime should be brought to justice,” the Congress MP told reporters outside Parliament. He stated that Congress leader Kamal Nath’s name had never figured among those involved in the riots. Meanwhile, Partap Singh Bajwa, Rajya Sabha MP, said: “I have always advocated a sense of closure for the victims of this tragedy. This verdict is a reminder for the country that those who inflict mindless violence on the weak, destitute and minorities will not be spared by the long arm of justice. However, I urge one and all not to politicise the moment.” TNS


The Cong repeatedly indulged in cover-up exercises, which have now been exposed. Sajjan was a symbol of the anti-Sikh riots. The legacy of riots hangs around the neck of the Congress and the Gandhi family. They will continue to pay for the sins of 1984 riots. — Arun Jaitley, Union Finance Minister

Timely verdict in the 1984 riots cases could have prevented the mass killings in Mumbai (1993), Gujarat (2002), Odisha’s Kandhamal district (2008) and Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar (2013)— Jarnail Singh, Ex-AAP MLA

People had to wait for 34 years to get justice. The Cong tried for a long time to save its leaders involved in the carnage. But we finally hope to give closure to the people by bringing the guilty to book—Vijay Sampla, Union Minister 

Sajjan got political patronage and went on to become an MP. We demand capital punishment for him. Making Kamal Nath CM of Madhya Pradesh shows that the Cong is still patronising those involved in the riots.—Manjeet Singh GK, SAD leader

Justice has been delayed but not denied.—Omar Obdullah, Ex-J&K CM

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