With Congress likely to declare senior leader Kamal Nath as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, the opposition parties in Punjab are targeting the ruling Congress over Nath’s alleged involvement in 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
While SAD had warned the Congress against naming Lok Sabha MP Nath as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister or be ready to face country-wide agitation; Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that Congress is rubbing salt on wounds instead providing justice to 1984 victims.
SAD leader and Delhi lawmaker Manjinder Singh Sirsa pointed that a witness Mukhtiar Singh has identified Nath at the site of Sikh killings in 1984 and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) had written to the SIT appointed by the Centre to lodge a case.
“We have a witness and we have a case against Kamal Nath,” said Sirsa asking Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to resign in case Nath elevated as Madhya Pradesh CM.
AAP MLA and the Leader of Opposition in Vidhan Sabha Harpal Singh Cheema said that after 1984 genocide, Nath’s name was figured prominently as accused of leading the groups attacking Sikhs.
“In Nanawati Commission’s report and two other enquiry reports, Nath's name was prominently figured in the list of accused persons but no action had been taken against him during the Congress rule at the Centre and during the NDA rule of 10 years in which SAD was a part,” he said adding that instead Sikh victims were teased by awarding prominent posts in government and party level to the main accused Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler.
Chheema said that in spite of all proofs, the Congress continued awarding these accused leaders with plum posts and AAP will strongly oppose such decisions.
He demanded that Rahul Gandhi should immediately reverse his decision which had “caused a widespread resentment among the entire Sikh community”.
At the same time, he also appealed the Prime Minister to immediately reopen the cases against Kamal Nath and initiate a time bound inquiry, so that strict punishment can be given to the accused of Sikh genocide and justice to the victims.
Cheema also sought clarification from Capt Amarinder and state Congress president Sunil Jakhar on it and reminded that during 2016, the decision of appointing Nath as in-charge of Punjab had to withdrawn after a strong resentment from Punjab people.
AAP ‘suspended’ MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira sought Capt Amarinder’s stand on Nath’s likely elevation in view of his serious involvement in 1984 Sikh genocide.
“Nath’s presence outside Rakabganj Gurudwara near Parliament, during the massacre, was confirmed not only by the then Indian Express journalist Sanjay Suri but two very senior police officers — Commissioner Subhash Tandan, and Additional Commissioner Gautam Kaul. Even Nanawati Commission questioned him and termed his reply vague. There is enough evidence against him to be prosecuted but for all these years,, he was saved by Congress and then BJP also did little in this regard,” said Khaira.
He asked if Capt Amarinder, who does not even blink when he maligns Sikh politicians of Canada on the directions of his bosses in Delhi, will now show the courage to speak on the issue. “He should remember that evidence against Nath is much stronger than what Capt Amarinder had anything against Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan. Notably, till date, Captain has not presented even an iota of evidence against him,” he said.
Khaira dared Capt Amarinder to ask the Congress chief Rahul Gandhi not to name Kamal Nath as Madhya Pradesh CM.
