Congress, SAD spar over Kamal Nath as MP CM

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 14

Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s decision to name Kamal Nath as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh triggered a war of words between Congress and Akali MLAs in the House today. The SAD legislators alleged that the veteran Congress leader was involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Raising slogans against Congress leaders whose names had figured in riot cases, Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia, party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and other SAD legislators stormed the Well of the House.

Majithia alleged that the Congress high command was rewarding Nath despite his alleged role in the riots. Countering the charge, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra said there was no FIR against the Congress leader, while flashing his mobile phone to show pictures of then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Parminder Singh Dhindsa presenting a bouquet to Nath during the latter’s tenure as Road Transport Minister.

“Nath served as Union minister for more than 10 years after the allegations first surfaced,” said Mohindra.

Backing Nath, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh accused the Shiromani Akali Dal of politicising the issue (1984 riots). Intervening during a call-attention motion in the Vidhan Sabha, the Chief Minister said the law was taking its own course as far as allegations against the former Union minister were concerned.

“A mere reference about the senior Congress leader in the Nanavati Commission report could not be construed as his involvement in the case. The law alone can decide the role of any individual,” the CM said, adding that nobody should exploit this sensitive issue for political ends.

Sukhbir Badal said the Congress had been protecting its leader, but the Narendra Modi government was giving justice to riot victims, citing the recent convictions in a Delhi court.