SAD leader takes on Tharoor over equating Kamal Nath, Modi

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 16

Akali Dal leader and Delhi MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa today questioned Congress MP Shashi Tharoor for equating the alleged role of Kamal Nath in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots to that of Narendra Modi, incumbent Prime Minister, in the 2002 Godhra riots.

Sirsa said the 2002 Godhra riots were investigated by a special investigation team (SIT) monitored by the Supreme Court and the guilty were punished.

“Contrary to the Godhra riots, the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 were never investigated independently. The commissions set up to look at the anti-Sikh riots buried the cases against the high and mighty of the Congress instead of revealing the truth. What’s the comparison between 2002 riots that were probed under the watch of the highest court of the land and the case against Congress leader Kamal Nath who never even faced an FIR in the matter?” Sirsa said.

Tharoor had, at an event in Mumbai yesterday, said, “Kamal Nath, the newly appointed Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, should be given the benefit of doubt in the 1984 riot matter like as PM Modi was given for the 2002 Godhra riots.”

Sirsa said Kamal Nath voluntarily told the probe commissions that he was present at Gurdwara Rakabganj on November 1, 1984, but never told them why. 

“Kamal Nath could never explain the reason behind his presence at the site that saw two sevadars of the gurdwara burnt alive. A press reporter saw Kamal Nath at the gurdwara. Newspapers and magazines of the time documented that. We even have a witness in the case. His name is Mukhtiar Singh. We will demand investigation of Kamal Nath’s role in the riots. The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee has already written to the SIT constituted by the Centre in this matter,” Sirsa said.

‘No comparison’

• The Godhra riots were investigated by a special investigation team monitored by the Supreme Court and the guilty were punished 
• On the other hand, the anti-Sikh riots were never probed independently and Kamal Nath never even faced an FIR in the matter, Sirsa said