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Manmohan pleads, do not politicise human tragedy

     New Delhi: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today appealed to all political parties not to play politics over the sentiments of the Sikh community and said that he was ready to apologise for the tragedy. "Do not play politics over the emotional issues. Past cannot be undone but what is more important is to look ahead and provide relief to the people who suffered. I feel ashamed of the tragedy," said Dr. Manmohan Singh in a statement in the Rajya Sabha. The Upper House this morning suspended the question hour and took up the discussion on Nanavati Report and Action Taken Report on 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Dr. Singh also said that the Government is committed to take action against those who have been found guilty by the Commission but within the ambit of law. He assured that cases will be examined and reopened to ensure that justice is ensured for the victims of the riots. "Twenty years after the events, it may be considered late in the day to be saying this. However, if there has been any shortcoming in this regard, it is our solemn assurance that we will make sincere efforts to redress these shortcomings," he said. Appealing to the Opposition to put behind this bitterness, Singh said "we should throw away partisan spectacles and work together to find new pathways to ensure that such tragedies never take place". He also recalled what former Prime Minister Late Rajiv Gandhi had told following the Rajiv-Longowal accord, that who rules Punjab is immaterial. It is most important that India should stand united, said the Prime Minister. On Wednesday, Dr. Manmohan Singh had stated in the Lok Sabha that all efforts will be made to bring justice to the victims of the anti-Sikh riots. Subsequently, Union Minister of State for Overseas Indians Jagdish Tytler resigned from the Council of Ministers. The Nanavati Report had pointed a finger at Jagdish Tytler for his probable involvement in the riots.

Sikh riots accused Sajjan Kumar also resigns (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Senior Congress parliamentarian Sajjan Kumar, who was indicted by the Nanavati Commission report on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, has resigned from the chairmanship of the Delhi Rural Development Board. Kumar, who represents the Outer Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, submitted his resignation to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit today, a day after Union Minister for Overseas Affairs, Jagdish Tytler quit his office under mounting pressure from both the Left and the Opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Tytler was also indicted by the Justice G.T.Nanavati Commission. The Delhi Rural Development Board, which has a corpus fund of Rs 100 crore, was set up last year with Kumar at the helm. The Nanavati Commission that probed the Delhi carnage had recommended examination of six cases against Kumar, which were closed as untraced. Noting that there is "credible material" against Kumar for "recording a finding" that he and another Congress leader Balwan Khokhar were "probably involved as alleged by witnesses," it said in these particular cases no chargesheets were filed.

     Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had yesterday promised in the Lok Sabha that government would take steps for "reopening and re- examining" specific cases referred to in the probe report. Tytler, Kumar and another senior Congress leader H.K.L.Bhagat are said to have played key roles in instigating the attacks against Sikhs in Delhi over a period three days after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh personal bodyguards on October 31, 1984. In the Indian capital alone, over 2,700 Sikh were massacred, while the nation-wide toll was estimated to be over 3,000. Thousands of families have been left to fend for themselves over the past 21 years, with most of them residing in refugee colonies in West and North West Delhi. Over the past three days, vociferous protests by Sikh leaders and people across the country have forced the UPA Government to backtrack on its view that it has already taken action on the Nanavati report.

Sikhs protest against Nanavati Report (Go To Top)

     Kanpur/ New Delhi: The resignation of Union Minister Jagdish Tytler, who was named in the Nanavati Commission report probing the 1984 anti Sikh riots, from the Union Cabinet has clearly not subdued the feeling of outrage in the community. Sikhs in Kanpur and New Delhi the two worst affected areas in the 1984 riots, today came out in protest, demanding strict action against the culprits. The demonstrators directed most of their ire at the top leadership of the Congress party including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Protestors accused the Prime Minister of shielding the accused despite being a Sikh himself. "Those who killed thousands of innocents in 1984 are being protected by the Centre. The Sikh community has given them the capital punishment today. Our next step will be to make Kanpur out of bounds for Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal, who represents this place. We will call for a strike on the 12th of this month," said Vicky Sardar, a protestor. The opposition BJP led the anti Congress demonstrations in the capital attended by angry Sikh community. The demonstrators burnt effigies of riot suspects like Jagdish Tytler and senior Congress leader and MP Sajjan Kumar.

Teenage girl gangraped in Delhi  (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: In another shocking incident a teenage girl was gangraped in the wee hours here today. The incident took place at 2 a.m. in Najafgarh. According to police sources, six people have been arrested in this connection. The girl, aged between 16 and 17, was reported missing from her home since August 5. Later, however, she contacted her relatives, and on Wednesday, while returning back to her home, she met a boy named Narendra, who alongwith five others gangraped her. The girl said that she told Narendra that she was looking for a job. It was then that he lured her, took her in a bus, route no. 578, and raped her. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Bhag Singh said, "We got the information through PCR that some men were raping a girl in a vehicle. Acting on the information, we immediately reached the spot and took action. We have arrested six people for allegedly raping the girl. All the accused are either bus drivers or cleaners. The girl has been sent for medical examination. Proper action will be taken after the enquiry." The accused are to be produced before the Patiala House Court today. Last month a 23-year-old housewife was abducted by four men from Mayapuri area of Delhi and repeatedly gangraped in a moving car, just two months after a similar incident took place at Dhaula Kuan, not very far from Mayapuri.

Suspected Babbar Khalsa militants arrested in Chhattisgarh (Go To Top)

     Raipur (Chhattisgarh): Police in Chhattisgarh's Mahasamund District have claimed that they have arrested two Babbar Khalsa militants who are suspected to have had a hand in destroying two cinema halls in Delhi with bombs three months ago. Gurudev Singh, 32, and Devendra Singh, 23 are said to be brothers. They were picked up on Wednesday night from the Patewa area of Mahasamund district, which is about 82 kilometers from the state capital Raipur. According to the police , Gurudev was a major fund-raiser for the Babbar Khalsa's terror activities and had also been held in 1997 under an anti-terror act, with three kg of RDX and detonators.

Mumbai hit by water-borne disease: 25 dead (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: Poor sanitation and drainage system is taking a heavy toll on flood-hit Mumbai. At least 25 people have died in the city due to water borne diseases in the city. Hundreds of people are being treated in hospitals in the city and in Thane, 24 people have died in the last 2-3 days and over 2,000 people have been admitted in hospitals. At least 11 people died only last night in Mumbai. Nirmal Nagar, a dingy locality in the city, which recorded six deaths so far, has been the worst hit. "I lost my relative because of this water. Ine of the child and an elder person are also running down severe fever in the family," said Matunal Nisha Shaikh, victim's relative. Residents complained that the administration did not clean up the streets, littered with garbage after the rains and stagnant water led to the dengue outbreak. Hundreds of cases of cholera, gastroenteritis, dysentery and other waterborne diseases have been reported across Maharashtra and medical teams distributed chlorine tablets to purify drinking water contaminated by sewage. In Kalyan-Dombivli areas of Thane, nearly 24 people have died of suspected leptospirosis and over 2,000 are admitted in civic and private hospitals. "We have conducted a survey and found several ill people," said Anna Rokade, Deputy Speaker, Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC). Doctors say 80 per cent of these cases are leptospirosis, the rest a mix of dengue, malaria, gastroenteritis, cholera and diarrhoea. Losses for the state have been estimated at up to 20 billion rupees, and small businesses alone have lost an estimated 10 billion rupees, according to an industry body. The Centre has promised 120 million rupees assistance for the rain-ravaged state.

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