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Parliament adjourns over Nanavati disclosures
by Pankaj Yadav

     New Delhi: Both houses of Parliament adjourned on Tuesday following vociferous protests by the opposition over the contents of the Justice G T Nanavati Report on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which was tabled in Parliament on Monday. When members of the Parliament assembled at 11 a.m., the NDA-led opposition immediately trooped into the Well of the House and specifically demanded the resignations of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Cabinet Minister for NRI/PIO Affairs Jagdish Tytler. While the Lok Sabha adjourned for the day, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 12 noon. Describing the opposition protests are justified, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said, "The Prime Minister is directly responsible for the action taken by the Government over the Nanavati report." "It is shameful that they are trying to cover the massacre in this manner. Innocent people were killed in huge numbers, which included women and children. The Government should not try to cover the culprits and should punish them by trying them in court," Vajpayee added. "Who are named, should resign or should be sacked from there posts," he said, adding that no business in Parliament should be conducted till the issue is fully debated.

     Endorsing Vajpayee's reaction, left representatives said that the Government's decision to not take action against Tytler, who has been cited by the Justice Nanavati as having played a role in the riots 21 years ago, was unacceptable. Prabhunath Singh of the Janata Dal (United) confirmed that his party had given a notice to the Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, requesting for a adjournment motion for 11 a.m. Wednesday. He further went on to say that the opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would aim to have the Question Hour on Wednesday suspended to enable a full debate of the Nanavati Report on a priority basis. At the time of the filing of this report, NDA leaders were closeted with the Lok Sabha Speaker to decide under which rule would the debate on the report take place. Earlier on Monday, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, the head priest of Akal Takht or Sikh temporal body, said in northern Amritsar,"The report has forced the Sikhs to think whether we will ever get justice. We would like to say that those who are responsible for the killings should be punished," "This report is a mere eyewash to protect Congress leaders in view of the forthcoming elections. It's an incomplete report and the Sikh community rejects it," SGPC Chief Bibi Jagir Kaur told reporters in Chandigarh. "It's nothing but a false report which is far from facts," she said, adding the Political Affairs Committee of Shiromani Akali Dal would soon chalk out the course of action in this connection. Senior Akali leader and former Union Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said 21 years have passed and nine inquiry commissions have submitted their reports but none of the guilty of the riots was punished. Sukhbir Singh Badal, son of SAD (Badal) President Prakash Singh Badal, charged that the report and ATR "betrayed" the "anti-Sikh attitude" of Congress. "There is no hope of justice left and we have lost all faith in the government. We were denied justice 21 years back and no justice has been given now... Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should immediately resign on moral grounds," All India Riot Victims Relief Committee President Kuldeep Singh Bhogal said.

     The Sikh Forum, which has been working for the rehabilitation of riot victims, said "if the Commission report had used the phrase 'very probably' for Jagdish Tytler's involvement, the government could have atleast ordered an inquiry into it." The Nanavati Commission, which probed the infamous incident, has lampooned several Congress leaders, including Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar and H.K.L.Bhagat for their alleged role in the riots. But it said that there was not enough evidence to prosecute them. Tytler, however, maintains that he had role to play in the incident. The Government's Action Taken Report (ATR) has exonerated these leaders on the ground that "a person cannot be prosecuted simply on the basis of probabilities." Justice Nanavati had submitted the two-volume report to Patil, on February 9 this year. The commission had cross-examined close to 200 witnesses and accepted over 10,000 affidavits in the past four years. The BJP and some other opposition parties had been demanding the tabling of the report in Parliament since the Budget session that was held on February-March this year.

SAD calls Nanavati report a joke on Sikhs (Go To Top)
by Vrishti Beniwal

      New Delhi: Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) today slammed the Congress-led UPA Government for protecting its leaders Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, whose names have appeared in the Nanavati Commission report about 1984 anti-Sikh riots tabled in the Parliament on Monday, and said that the Report is nothing, but a joke on the Sikhs. Demanding the resignation of Tytler, who is Minister of NRI Affairs, and Sajjan Kumar, who is MP from Outer Delhi, the Party said that Congress deliberately delayed the tabling of the Report, and the Action Taken Report (ART) is merely an eyewash to protect its leaders. SAD will stage a protest March from Gurudwara Bangla Sahib to the Parliament House at 11.00 AM on Wednesday. The Party leaders will also meet the President, and the Prime Minister, and will organise a mass movement throughout the country till the Government takes strong action against the culprits.

Dozens injured in baton charge on BJP and Sikh protesters (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Dozens of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) activists along with Sikh protesters were today injured in a police baton charge while protesting against the alleged involvement of some Congress leaders in the 1984 Sikh riots following disclosures in Nanavati report. The protesters were demanding prosecution of all those involved in perpetrating the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that claimed over 3,000 lives. Dissatisfied with the recommendations made in the Justice G T Nanavati Commission's Report and the Action Taken Report of the Government, a Sikh Protester said," This report is an insult to the Sikh community. For 21 years, the Sikhs have been told they will be given justice and the result is this. But the Government, the police, and even the High Court have been silent over the issue." "We have lost all faith in the government. We were denied justice 21 years back and no justice has been given now, " he said. Earlier, the Sikh Forum, which has been working for the rehabilitation of riot victims, said "if the Commission report had used the phrase 'very probably' for Jagdish Tytler's involvement, the government could have atleast ordered an inquiry into it." The Nanavati Commission, which probed into the 1984 riots has lampooned several Congress leaders, including Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar and H.K.L.Bhagat for their alleged role in the riots. But it said that there was not enough evidence to prosecute them. Tytler, however, maintains that he had role to play in the incident. The Government's Action Taken Report (ATR) has exonerated these leaders on the ground that "a person cannot be prosecuted simply on the basis of probabilities."

Sikh activists protest against Tytler in Amritsar (Go To Top)

     Amritsar: Various Sikh bodies in Amritsar today protested against Congress leaders Jagdish Tytler, H.K.L Bhagat and Sajjan Kumar for their alleged role in 1984 anti Sikh riots. The Nanavati Commission report, which was tabled in the Parliament yesterday, had raised an accusing finger against Tytler, Bhagat and Kumar for allegedly instigating mobs against the Sikhs, during the riots which followed the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The protesting activists burnt effigies of Tytler and Kumar and raised slogans demanding action against the guilty. The agitators also blocked the traffic for two hours. "The report is not adequate, there is outrage among the Sikhs.the govt has not taken the minimum necessary step. There was a Congress governement during the riots and even today the same government is in power. It shows that they are a part of the conspiracy. They have tried to save their own man by violating our sentiments. It is shameful that even 21 years after the killings of 4000 innocent Sikhs not a single person has been convicted," said Jaswinder Singh, Member, SGPC. The Nanavati Commission report on the 1984 anti Sikh riots was yesterday tabled in Parliament. Justice Nanavati said poor investigation and lax police action made it impossible for him to pinpoint the guilty. G.T. Nanavati, in his commission report tabled in parliament, has said that Congress leader Jagdish Tytler may have instigated rioters after the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was shot dead by her Sikh bodyguards. Nearly 3000 people, mostly innocent Sikhs were killed in the riots. The Nanavati commission also said that Delhi police remained passive during the violence and did not protect Sikhs.

Congress to be 'flexible' on Nanavati report (Go To Top)
by Pankaj Yadav

     New Delhi: The Government is likely to respond positively to the Opposition demand for initiating action against the individuals who are suspected to have taken part in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The strong criticism against the Justice G.T.Nanavati Commission report and the Action Taken Report by different political parties, including the UPA allies, the CPI (M), the CPI and the RJD has forced the government relax its stand. A definite view has not been taken whether to retain the NRI minister, Jagdish Tytler, against whom the finger of suspicion has been pointed at by various people who had deposed before the Nanavati Commission. As of now, the demand for a discussion in the Parliament is likely to be acceded to. The Congress is said to be ready to allow the Opposition to introduce an adjournment motion on the issue in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday to ensure a discussion on the report and the ATR. Almost all opposition parties, including the BJP, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the Shiv Sena and the JD-U today decided to give notices of adjournment motion as soon as the Lower House assembles at 11.00 a.m. tomorrow morning. They are insisting on the adjournment motion keeping in mind the "impending" nature of the matter to be discussed. The Nanavati Commission report has absolved Late Rajiv Gandhi and the then Home Minister Late P V Narasimha Rao, but named some Congress leaders of Delhi against whom there is suspicion of involvement in the anti-Sikh riots. The Congress (I) Headquarters has also not been criticised in the Commission's report.

George Fernandes calls for PM's resignation (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Convener of the opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and former Defence Minister George Fernandes on Tuesday said that if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cannot assure justice to victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, he should submit his resignation. "We demand the Prime Minister's resignation for not initiating action against those who have been named in the Nanavati Report," George Fernandes said, adding that there seemed to be an effort to absolve the guilty. "The report says it repeatedly that Congress is responsible for the riots. I feel those who are responsible should be punished. We demand that the Prime Minister should resign over the issue," Fernandes said. Fernandes' demand for the Prime Minister's resignation reflected the strong view of the constituents of the NDA over the Action Taken Report (ATR) tabled by the Government on Monday. The Shiromani Akali Dal has termed the report as a "joke" on the Sikhs. The Nanavati Commission, which was appointed while the NDA was in office in 2000, was expected to bring justice to the victims of the 1984 riots, which has not happened. As such, the BJP will also step up criticism against the Congress-led UPA for not taking action. Fernandes' statement came even as Home Minister Shivraj Patil on Tuesday assured that the government would take appropriate action against those named in the anti-Sikh riot report. Patil said action would be taken against those officials and party workers named in the report.

     "Our appeal is for understanding to all the people who are in the parliament who are outside the Parliament also. Whatever is humanly possible to alleviate the suffering of the people we will do. Wherever it is possible for us to punish those who are responsible for the criminal act, we will do that also," Patil told reporters here. On protests over the issue in both houses of the Parliament, Patil said the government had been misunderstood and law would take its course. "Many times people are saying that these people are not going to be proceeded against which is not a fact. In the report itself we have said we will proceed against them as per the law. Now, that is not clearly understood and that there is why there are some misunderstandings," he said. The assurance, however, could not prevent proceedings in the Parliament from being disrupted, as rival lawmakers clashed over the contents of the Nanavati Report. Opposition lawmakers want the government to take specific action against Jagdish Tytler, the Minister in charge of NRI/PIO Affairs, who the report said may have instigated rioters after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.

     But the Congress party-led coalition government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, himself a Sikh, said it would take no action against Tytler as the panel had found no conclusive evidence against him. Tytler has denied the charges. BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman V.K.Malhotra confirmed to mediapersons that the NDA had decided to give an adjournment motion on the issue, hoping that Lok Sabha Speaker somnath Chatterjee would accept it. He said that if there was a rejection of the adjourment motion, the opposition would not allow both Houses of Parliament to function for the rest of the monsoon session.

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