New Delhi, April 7
The Congress is taking a hard look at withdrawing Jagdish Tytler from the elections fray, fearing an angry backlash from Sikh groups over the clean chit given to him by the CBI for his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Although the CBI report evoked sharp reactions, the Congress was clearly unnerved that today’s incident in which an angry Sikh journalist threw a shoe at Home Minister P. Chidambaram could snowball into a huge political issue in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, as the Opposition is all set to turn the heat on the Congress.
Asked if there was a possibility of Tytler’s candidature being withdrawn, chairman of the Congress media department Janardhan Dwivedi remarked, “Let us see, what can be
done.”
Although he refused to elaborate, party insiders maintained that no formal review had taken place, but the party would take a suitable action in the light of the “evolving situation.”
Tytler is the Congress candidate for the north-east Lok Sabha seat, while Sajjan Kumar, whose role in the anti-Sikh riots has also been under the scanner, is the party’s choice for the South Delhi seat.
It is not clear if the Congress is also reviewing Sajjan Kumar’s case.
Their candidature was finalised after intense debate in the Congress, as a section in the party had argued that Tytler and Sajjan Kumar’s inclusion could open up old wounds, which were gradually beginning to heal. The anti-Sikh riots had alienated the Sikh community from the Congress, but the passage of time and the appointment of Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister helped to forget the past.
However, the past caught up with the Congress last week when Tytler was cleared by the CBI.
Angry Sikhs immediately took to the streets even as the Shrimoni Akali Dal (SAD) has gone into an overdrive to put the Congress in the dock. Coming a few weeks before a crucial general election, this issue could not have surfaced at a worse time for the Congress. The grand old party was hoping to make big gains in Punjab in view of the strong anti-incumbency faced by the Akali government.
However, this fresh development may spoil its chance not just in Punjab, but also in other constituencies in North India where Sikhs are a dominant force.
