Akalis to raise 1984-riot victims' case in parliament

The Shiromani Akali Dal Wednesday said it will involve like-minded parties in raising the plight of the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the winter session of parliament.

"The Akali Dal, along with all like-minded parties, will raise the issue of the Congress's deliberate attempts to scuttle the trial of Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler on flimsy grounds in the winter session of parliament and force the government to expedite trial in this 25 years old case," Akali Dal president and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said here.

"It is a matter of great shame for the largest democracy of the world that thousands of Sikh families are crying for justice for the last 25 years and the Congress party is out to foil any attempt of fair justice to the victims," Badal said.

"The most shocking part is that the government and CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) are hand in glove in perpetrating this mockery of justice on the country. The deliberate delay by the CBI in filing charge sheets against Sajjan Kumar in four cases that were registered in 2005...were part of this conspiracy to save the accused," Badal alleged.

Badal said the Akali Dal would force parliament to issue directions to the CBI to file a charge sheet against Sajjan Kumar.

He expressed surprise at the CBI's move to seek the central government's permission to prosecute Sajjan Kumar even though the law was categorical that in cases of murder under Section 302 of IPC, no government sanction was required. He accused the Congress of trying to shield the guilty.

Badal said his party would provide complete legal support to families of the victims and ensure that culprits, including Sajjan Kumar and Tytler, got exemplary punishment.

Nearly 3,000 Sikhs were targeted and killed by violent mobs, allegedly instigated by certain Congress leaders, in New Delhi and other places across India, in the aftermath of the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards at her residence in New Delhi Oct 31, 1984.

Last updated on Nov 11^th, 2009 at 21:41 pm IST--IANS