Former Deputy Speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha and chief whip of the Congress Legislature PartyBir Devinder Singh also joined the call in demanding that the Congress high command review party ticket allocation to both 1984 massacre-of-Sikhs-accused Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar.
NEW DELHI - A Sikh group on Tuesday expressed displeasure over Congress\' decision to nominate Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar for the Lok Sabha elections from Delhi, alleging that they were yet to get a clean chit in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.
The All India Riot Victim Relief Committee submitted a memorandum to party President Sonia Gandhi requesting her to withdraw both Tytler and Kumar from contesting the election, saying \"court cases involving them were still going on\".
The group said if Congress will allow the two leaders to contest the polls, then it will start agitation against the party in Delhi to ensure its defeat.
The memorandum said that by giving tickets to them, the Congress has ignored the suffering the Sikh community underwent during the riots when several people were killed and left homeless.
\"Sikh community considers Congress as a secular party but the nomination of Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler has deeply hurt them,\" Mohan Singh, president of the Committee, said.
Former Deputy Speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha and chief whip of the Congress Legislature Party Bir Devinder Singh also joined the call in demanding that the Congress high command review party ticket allocation to both 1984 massacre-of-Sikhs-accused Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar.
Singh, who was an aspirant for Congress ticket from Anandpur Sahib, says by giving tickets to both Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, the party has shown total �disregard to Sikh ethos�.
Now, when the court is recording the evidence against them, the party should have avoided giving them ticket for the Lok Sabha elections. It is time for the party to review its decision.
�On the one hand we are trying to assuage the hurt feelings of the Sikh community after the 1984 genocide while on the other we are rewarding those who were allegedly responsible for this worst ever crime against a particular minority community. Now, when the process to prosecute them is in progress, how can Congressmen face the ire of the community that is still feeling hurt over the 1984 and subsequent events,� says Bir Devinder.
It is not only Bir Devinder, but also other Congress leaders have expressed dismay over ticket allocation to Tytler and Sajjan Kumar.
They maintain that by giving them tickets, the Congress has virtually endorsed their actions of 1984 and afterwards. �With what face Congress candidates can go and ask for Sikh votes?� they ask.
Some of Congress leaders want the party high command to wait till those accused of instigating anti-Sikh riots are acquitted by courts. They should not be given any office or party ticket in any election. This, they say, would help in assuaging the hurt feelings of the Sikhs faster than anything else.
Further, it would also deny other parties a handle to criticise the Congress for backing Tytler and Sajjan Kumar.
Meanwhile, The choice of Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar as Congress nominees for the Lok Sabha elections has upset Sikhs in Punjab. Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, secretary, SAD, has said the names will be opposed by every right-thinking person.
He said anti-Sikh violence of 1984 is a blot on the nation and these Congress leaders were behind it. Dr Cheema questioned the intention of Congress leadership and motive behind the decision to give ticket those indicted by the Nanavati Commission and the CBI has again started probe against these accused.
Dr Cheema has said his party had taken a serious notice of the silence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on this sensitive issue. He added the Prime Minister had assured Parliament that the persons held guilty by the Nanavati Commission would be given strict punishment.
He said all parties had demanded action against the persons indicted by the Nanavati Commission.
http://www.SikhPress.com
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
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