Sukhbir tells Jharkhand CM to reopen 1984 riot cases

Bokaro, September 29

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday urged Jharkhand Chief Minister (CM) Raghubar Das to ensure the reopening or transfer of all 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

He said the party would send a team of lawyers from the Supreme Court to study these cases before taking up the matter at the highest level.

Addressing a congregation as part of the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev here, the SAD president said more than 100 Sikhs were brutally killed in Bokaro in 1984.

He said it was unfortunate that not a single accused had been convicted and punished so far for such a heinous crime.

“I urge the Jharkhand Chief Minister to set up an SIT immediately to reopen all 1984 cases and ensure they are reinvestigated and taken to their logical conclusion,” Sukhbir said.

He also appealed to the entire “sangat” to unite under the banner of the Akali Dal to get all wrongs done to the Sikh community corrected.

Speaking about similar cases in Delhi and Kanpur, Sukhbir said the wounds of the Sikhs could not be healed until all accused in the gruesome crime were not punished.

“We will fight for every victim family and justice would be delivered to them at all costs,” he said.

He said the SAD would send a team of lawyers from the Supreme Court to Bokaro to thoroughly study all 1984 riot cases. On being asked about the opening of the corridor, he said it would be thrown open for the pilgrims on November 9 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He, however, condemned the Pakistan authorities for imposing $20 entry fee on each pilgrim visiting the holy shrine. “This entry fee is not justified and should be revoked immediately,” he said. — IANS