Political leaders react to Sajjan Kumar’s conviction

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 17

Leaders from the the BJP, Aam Aadmi Party, and the Punjab Congress Committee on Monday welcomed the conviction of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Soon after Sajjan Kumar was awarded the life sentence, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the Congress is now paying for sins of 1984.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Shiromani Akali Dal on conviction of Sajjan Kumar in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case: We thank the court for giving us justice. Our fight will continue till Sajjan Kumar & Jagdish Tytler get a death sentence & Gandhi family is dragged to the court & put in jail. pic.twitter.com/TtfEXn4Qiz

— ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2018

Welcoming the verdict of the high court, he said: “The legacy of the 1984 injustice hangs around the neck of the Congress and Gandhi family.”

I welcome Delhi High Court verdict convicting Sajjan Kumar in 1984 riots case.
It has been a very long n painful wait for innocent victims who were murdered by those in power.
Nobody involved in any riot should be allowed to escape no matter how powerful the individual maybe.

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 17, 2018

"It has been a very long and painful wait for innocent victims who were murdered by those in power. Nobody involved in any riot should be allowed to escape no matter how powerful the individual maybe," tweeted the Delhi Chief Minister.

AAP MP Bhagwant Maan said: “There was a long delay in the verdict. Many people died waiting for justices. We are also questioning the Congress choice of Kamal Nath for the Madhya Pradesh CM. There was protest in Punjab when he was made the state in-charge and he was recalled. Which means the Congress accepts that he is one of the responsible persons for the riots, which I term as genocide. Congress should have taken decisions to distance itself from the accused much earlier and not wait for the court judgements. This is adding salt to our wounds by selecting Kamal Nath. The wounds are not healed.”

President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Sunil Kumar Jakhar, said the party has been clear that whoever was involved in the riots should be brought to justice.

“Yes, justice has been delayed but delivered finally. Nobody is above law and anyone who is involved in such a heinous crime should be brought to justice,” the Congress MP told reporters outside Parliament.

Justice at last! Sajjan Kumar to spend life in jail for taking Sikh lives. SIT formed by PM @narendramodi ji shows impact. This is what change in government can do. #1984SikhGenocide

— Harsimrat Kaur Badal (@HarsimratBadal_) December 17, 2018

For 34 years, Congress & Gandhis protected Sajjan Kumar, Tytler and Kamalnath. Captain Amarinder too gave clean chits to killers of Sikhs. Finally the court exposed the cover-up. What do @RahulGandhi & @capt_amarinder have to say now? #1984SikhGenocide

— Harsimrat Kaur Badal (@HarsimratBadal_) December 17, 2018

He also said Congress leader Kamal Nath’s name never figured in the list of those involved in the riots.

The riots, in which thousands of Sikhs were killed, broke out after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and Delhi MLA, Majinder Singh Sirsa, said the judgment has “given us big satisfaction”.

“It took 34 long years for justice because Congress was in power. The case was closed but it was opened again by the Nanavati commission. This case was kept closed by Congress for so long,” he said.

Akali leader Prem Singh Chandumajra also expressed satisfaction over the High Court verdict against Sajjan Kumar, asking the House to unanimously applaud the decision.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, outside Parliament, welcomed the judgment, saying “justice has been delayed but served”. With PTI