Shadow of anti-Sikh riots on Kamal Nath’s BJP foray
Aditi Tandon
New Delhi, February 20
The shadow of alleged involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots has returned to haunt veteran Congress leader Kamal Nath and cast a shadow on his speculated foray into the BJP.
Factor at play
At a time when the government is earnestly engaged with the farmers to contain protests and address their concerns, entry of Kamal Nath, whose name figured in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, can raise concerns.
With the suspense over Nath and his Lok Sabha MP son Nakul Nath’s sudden Delhi visit last weekend and anticipated entry into the saffron camp still hovering, BJP sources have told The Tribune that it is indeed the saffron camp that has dialled down on the issue, hitting a pause button for the moment.
BJP leadership is acutely conscious of the potential repercussions of Kamal Nath’s saffron fling at a time when the farmers of Punjab are leading a fresh agitation for an MSP regime and
have given a call to march to Delhi on Wednesday.
“At this time when the government is earnestly engaged with the farmers to contain the protests and address their concerns, entry of Kamal Nath, whose name figured in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, could raise concerns,” a source said, adding that this is one of the factors behind the Kamal Nath-BJP trail going cold for the time being.
Moreover, the issue of Kamal Nath’s entry is tricky with the BJP and the Akali Dal learnt to be in talks for a pre-poll Lok Sabha tie-up in Punjab.
A BJP leader said another factor behind delay in Nath’s understanding with the BJP could be the challenge of accommodating over a dozen sitting and ex-MLAs who are likely to come with the ex-Madhya Pradesh CM.
“Four mayors, 15 MLAs and 15 ex-MLAs want to join along with Kamal Nath. Finding a place for them is a challenge. That plan would also need time. Accommodation of anyone new entails some level of disruption of the old order,” a source said adding that these factors could well be weighing on BJP’s mind so far as Kamal Nath goes.
In December 2018, Kamal Nath had beaten the ghost of 1984 anti-Sikh riots to become the Congress CM of Madhya Pradesh after the party leadership cleared his name.
The SAD and the BJP had both cautioned the Congress in 2018 against naming Kamal Nath the CM of Madhya Pradesh questioning his alleged presence at Gurdwara Rakabganj, Delhi, where two Sikhs were killed after the assassination of former PM Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.
Although public spotlight in context of the anti-Sikh riots has always been on two Congress ex-MPs Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler, Nath’s alleged role has neither been probed nor proven.
It has, however, been documented in books and magazines of previous times that spoke of the alleged presence of Nath at the Gurdwara where two Sikhs were burnt alive.
