''84 riots: Sikh forum seeks timely completion of SIT probe

Ravi S.Singh
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 1

Intellectuals and dignitaries from Sikh community on Thursday observed the 34th anniversary of anti-Sikh riots and described the incident as state-sponsored by the then Congress regime at the Centre.

Resolutions, including seeking completion of the investigations in a set time-frame to enable speedy justice to the victims, were adopted on the occasion.

A panel discussion was organised on the subject "Genocide November 1984: Justice still awaited" under the aegis of "The Sikh Forum"-- a non-government organisation, after which the resolutions were considered.

Forum's president Pushpinder Singh Chopra led observance of a one-minute silence in the memory of those killed in the riots.

A resolution demanded timely completion of investigations by the Supreme Court-led Special Investigation Team (SIT), and action against two Congress leaders Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler.

It alleged that despite court orders, the CBI had not concluded investigations, including against the two leaders.

A separate resolution law was passed urging Parliament to observe a two-minute silence to mourn the "heinous" murder of Sikhs during the period November 1 to 3, 1984.

Also, a resolution was passed seeking declaration of the violence as "Sikh Genocide Day". Although the BJP-led NDA has not fulfilled its poll promise of ensuring punishment of culprits of the riot. Home Minister Rajnath Singh had publicly pronounced at a function on December 26, 2014 while distributing cheques of compensation to riot victims in Tilak Vihar that the 1984 violence was a "genocide", it added.

Taking part in the panel discussion, former Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly and AAP leader HS Phoolka alleged that the conspiracy and execution of the violence against Sikhs was at the behest of the highest echelons of the establishment of the time. Roadblocks had been created to thwart fruitions of the investigations in all these years.

Former Ambassador KC Singh lamented that no government has set up commission to probe conspiracy part of the violence.

He was critical of the Sikh leadership in Punjab, including  Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh of Congress and SAD patron and former CM Parkash Singh Badal, accusing them of not taking ample measures to rehabilitate the victims, or to put adequate pressure on the Centre.

The Congress made a Sikh in Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister as a veneer of showcase its commitment to the community, he added.

Former MP and  National Commission for Minorities ex-chairman Tarlochan Singh said: "It was a shame that the government of the day and society failed to protect the Sikhs for three days."

Meanwhile, family members of the victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots staged a protest at Jantar Mantar.