1984 anti-Sikh riots: Badal seeks Narendra Modi’s intervention to set up SIT for probe

The panel was constituted by the Centre to re-investigate several cases related to the anti-Sikh riots that were triggered after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.

Also read: Re-investigation of the 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases by SIT likely

In a letter to the prime minister, copy of which was released to the media here, the chief minister apprised him that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has been constantly struggling to get justice for the victims of 1984 “genocide” in Delhi and other parts of the country.

He said that on the demand of SAD, the G P Mathur panel had been constituted in December 2014 by the NDA government to examine the possibility of constitution of an SIT for re-investigating of the 1984 riots.

Badal said that the former SC judge in his 45-page report, has suggested setting up of an SIT for the purpose and has also favoured re-investigation of many vital cases where crucial evidence was overlooked, claiming that there were several such cases that were closed by the Delhi police and never sent to the court for trial.

Also read: Digvijay questions role of RSS activists in ’84 anti-Sikh riots

“Even two high profile cases involving Congress leaders Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler too needed to be re-investigated,” Badal added.

The chief minister said, “This sensitive issue had so far been under wraps by the previous successive Congress governments at the Centre but now the recommendations of the panel were being viewed as a ray of hope for the hapless victims of 1984 genocide who had been eluded justice till date in their long ordeal.”

He urged Prime Minister Modi to give appropriate instructions to the MHA for initiating immediate action to set up SIT without any further delay to probe the entire cases thoroughly related to “well-organised carnage” against Sikhs in the national capital and other parts of the country.

Also read: 1984 riots: CBI opposes plea to transfer case to Rohini Court 

“By doing so, the Union government will not merely assuage the bruised psyche of the Sikh community but it will also be largely seen as a light at the end of the tunnel for the victims,” added Badal.

Meanwhile in Amritsar, radical Sikh outfit ‘Dal Khalsa’ termed the recommendations of the panel to constitute SIT to re-investigate 237 cases as “another ploy to mislead the Sikhs and further prolong the unending wait for justice.”

Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh blamed all political parties, be it Congress, BJP or AAP for allegedly “trading” over Sikh pain and innocent deaths.

Also read: For first time, 1984 Sikh victims testify before United Nation panel

He minced no words while saying that all hopes to get justice have died in the last 30 years.

“The only little hope left was UN-sponsored international investigation on the same pattern as is being done in cases of atrocities committed by Sri Lankan government on Tamil population few years back,” he said.

On Chief Minister Badal’s request to Prime Minister Modi, he claimed that SAD was no exception as it was also contesting the Delhi elections by riding on the shoulders of its alliance partner BJP.

“Badals too want to reap political mileage out of it,” he alleged.

Questioning the timing of the report and subsequent letter by the chief minister, he said this indicates both BJP-SAD were desperate to woo maximum Sikh votes.

In the past, nine commissions and committees were formed to probe the killings, he said, claiming “all were sham and nothing came out of it.”

The outfit reiterated that whosoever forms the next government in Delhi whether its BJP or AAP, Sikhs should not be in any illusion that they would get justice.

He claimed elections only change the face of the ruler, the political and justice system that has failed the Sikh people would remain the same.