Another panel on ’84 riots?
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Dec 8 — The Home Minister, Mr L.K.Advani, today said the government would consider the demand for setting up of a new commission to inquire into the 1984 Sikh riots.

Mr Advani’s offer came when Rajya Sabha members, excepting those from the Congress, made a strong demand for the setting up of another commission to inquire into the 1984 riots. The demand made initially by BJP member K.R. Malkani was backed by all other parties, excepting the Congress. The members from the Congress neither raised a voice of dissent nor backed the demand.

When the demand was made by Mr Malkani during question hour, the Home Minister said he had no objection to the demand if there was complete unanimity and broad consensus in the House.

Specifically pointing towards the Congress Benches, Mr Advani said as the matter concerned political adversaries “we do not want to be accused of conducting witch hunt”.

Therefore, if the leader of the Opposition responded to it and it was the unanimous opinion of the House, he had no “hesitation” in looking afresh into the demand for setting up another commission to look into the 1984 Sikh riots.

At this time the question hour ended and Chairman Krishan Kant switched over to the next listed business.

However, Sikh members of the House, including those from the Shiromani Akali Dal and Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, came into the isle and pressed for a new commission. They were joined by Mr Kuldip Nayyar (nominated), who had originally raised the question, and many members from the BJP, the Shiv Sena, the Left and other non-Congress parties.

But the Home Minister still did not accept the demand, saying that there was no unanimity on the issue.

Senior CPI member Gurudas Das Gupta said as there was no dissenting voice in the House, it should be presumed that there was unanimity on the issue.

But the Home Minister insisted that the leader of the Opposition, Mr Manmohan Singh, should respond if he found it necessary to have the new commission.

The matter spilled over to Zero Hour.

Immediately after question hour, Mr Manmohan Singh went out of the House.

The BJP and non-Congress members continued to press for a new commission, with some even going to the Home Minister to impress upon him.

Congress member K. Hanumanthappa said unanimity could not be taken for granted just because his party colleagues were not speaking. If the government was interested, it should formally bring a motion for this purpose, he argued.

Mr Das Gupta, however, said there was no need for a formal motion because there was no dissenting voice and complete unanimity in the House.

Mr Malkani said the country needed another commission to look into the Sikh riots just as a fresh commission had been appointed by the government to look into the death of Subhas Chandra Bose even after 50 years.

The Home Minister said he agreed with Mr Gupta that there was no need for moving a resolution or motion on the issue, but added that there was still need for unanimity.

This, he said, was not there as Congress member Hanumanthappa had expressed his dissenting voice.

When still pressed for, Mr Advani said the government would look into the demand of the members for appointing a fresh commission.

Raising the matter, Mr Nayyar wanted to know whether any person including any police official, had been found guilty and punished.

Mr Advani said disciplinary proceedings had been completed in respect of 92 police officials and on their basis 14 of them had been punished.