ANGER SIMMERS…UNCONTROLLED

Obviously, giving tickets to the so-called architects of Anti Sikh riots had taken on a political hue, so, on this issue, the Congress Party too liked to respond politically rather than taking shelter after court verdict so, it instantaneously cut off the tickets of Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, not only to balm the wound of victims of riots, but also eyeing on the Sikhs voters of Punjab, Haryana & some parts of Delhi, writes Ashwini Ahuja

No one ever can forget the day of utter misfortune when the entire world had heard the saddest ever and tear jerking news of the mindless murder of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the glorious Prime Minister of India by two of her Sikh bodyguards- S. Satwant Singh & S. Kehar Singh on 31st October 1984. The senseless assassination of one of most world famous political leaders by two turbaned youths had then shaken not only the country but the entire world also.

The country had then reacted sharply in attacking on Sikh masses in retaliation in Delhi and adjoining areas as the killers of the Mrs. Indira Gandhi were Sikhs security guards. The nastiness of the reaction was that the hundred of innocent & naive Sikhs families who actually had nothing to do with the assassination of great PM of India then had to face the fury of aftermath reactions of angered mob including the killings by various groups of goons. According to Sikh Community, it was nothing but a sort a brutal killings of innocent Sikhs backed by several Congress leaders. Among of them- who led the mob were Jagdish Tytler & Sajjan Kumar to whom now Congress Party has given tickets rubbing the salt onto the wound of Sikhs Community.

Also, it is sheer ironical that even after the 25 years in a row; the victim Sikh families didn’t seek justice. Several enquires were made. Nanavati Commission also, in its report, showed probable involvement of some Congress leaders and also held responsible some police officers for showing their negligence in duty during the riots but there always had been some lacunas in the enquiries and finally the case was given to CBI.

Needless to mention, in Punjab, the issue of 1984 anti Sikh riots has always been poignant but now, at the crucial juncture of Lok Sabha election, a CBI giving clean chit to both Jagdish Tytler & Sajjan Kumar (H K L Bhagat and Lalit Maken are long gone) who are supposed to be directly accused of inciting the mob that killed hundreds of Sikhs after Indira Gandhi’s assassination has enormously heated up the emotions of the Sikhs across country. Moreover, the incident of lobbing shoe onto finance minister P. Chidambaram by a Sikh journalist of a Hindi Daily in a press meet at Congress Party headquarter, Delhi added fuel to the fire.

Although the journalist has realised his folly and the newspaper itself has expressed the regret (despite a Sikh body has given him Rs two lakh reward for his bravery and promised to offer him job if the newspaper where he now works dismisses him), yet the incident has galvanised the entire political opposition including SAD, BJP; Left & JD and all the political parties have come out to condemn the Congress Party over the issue of allotment of tickets to culprits. Punjab CM PS Badal dubs the shoe-lobbing incident an eye opener for both the centre and Congress Party. He says that the Congress should sense the ‘enormity of pain and angst’ among Sikhs regarding the exoneration of culprits.

Not only the political opponents, but most of the Sikhs of the state also rue that it’s utter shameful the victims of riots still have been waiting for the justice for the last twenty five years. They looked forward to seeking justice but now the CBI has rubbed salt onto their wounds by giving clean chit to those who were observably involved in the acts of butchery. Deputy Chief Minister & son of CM, Sukhbir Badal also says that the Congress should sense the simmering anger within the Sikhs.

Consequently, Punjab witnessed a series of wild protects in almost all major cities like Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Patiala; Sangrur and Beas. The agitators blocked the trains to Punjab, burnt the effigies of Tytler and other Congress leaders. Even some groups of protestors, in Jalandhar, ransacked the head office of Congress Party openly brandishing their swords and it was obvious if the Congress Party had not withdrawn the candidatures of two of its alleged leaders, it certainly would have given huge gain to the opposition SAD-BJP alliance in Punjab so the leaders of Punjab Congress had begun to build huge pressure on party high command to roll back the two leaders.

The analysts say, for Congress, it was the time of embarrassment; hence, it was sure the party would replace their candidates. It didn’t want to lose seats in Punjab, moreover. The party knew that Sikh anger might severely dent their hopes in the state. Recent opinion polls had even suggested a reversal in favour of the Congress. Congress has an eye on the significant Sikhs votes in all Punjab, four Haryana constituencies and Delhi as well. At present, the SAD-BJP combine has 11 seats while the Congress has just two seats in the13 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

For a while, the All India Riot Victim Relief Committee had submitted a memorandum to Sonia Gandhi regarding the pulling out of alleged candidates from contesting election as the court cases regarding their palpable involvement in the riots were still going on. The group had also threatened if the Congress didn’t axe the candidatures of both leaders, they would start agitation against the party in Delhi to ensure their defeat. Then, the gruesome incident of show-throwing happened, the government then internally planned to withdraw Tytler’s candidature from Lok Sabha elections to heal the wounds of Sikh minority.
Rahul Gandhi, General Secretary, All India Congress Committee, Youth Congress is also of the view that the strong sentiments of the Sikh Community should not be ignored. He was pained to see that the issue had been dragged on for too long. A political analyst says that the pressure on Congress was to withdraw only Tytler, but Party well knew that it might be futile to replace only Tytler as the focus then would swing to Sajjan Kumar and it would benefit the opposition particularly Maneka Gandhi who had been sharply vocal after the act of slapping NSA against her son Varun and unambiguously, she had been speaking in favour of Sikh Community to reap the yield. A group of media is of the opinion that it is the politics more than justice which is behind the withdrawal of Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar from the Lok Sabha fray.

If we look back, the issue of riots was in the backburner but the clean chit to both leaders gave the signal to Sikh community that the Congress just wanted to disregard their sentiments. The election of 1992 in Punjab which was after the anti Sikhs riots had no impact as the low percentage of voting and boycott by Akali parties led the formation of Congress government under the headship of CM Beant Singh.

Then ten years later, again, the Congress won under the leadership of Capt Amarinder Singh. Years back when Sonia Gandhi visited the Golden Temple, there was a remarkable change in the mindset of people as it appeared no sign of hostility towards her stay in Punjab. Rahul Gandhi too visited Golden Temple twice and gave the statement about the riots-“unfortunate and condemnable”. He was enormously appreciated by his statement.

In Punjab, never a single leader hailing from radical party could win or save security deposit. The Sikhs of Punjab were proud of having the first Sikh Prime Minister of India who too called the riots a “national shame” in the parliament. It is pertinent to mention that when he went through heart surgery, an Akhand Path was organized in the Golden Temple for his speedy recovery and before it, when he visited Golden Temple; he was honoured with a saropa and welcomed hugely by all sections of Sikhs.

But, now the question is: might the axe on Tytler & Sajjan Kumar diminish the anger of Sikh Community against the Congress Party. Dal Khalsa Convener S. Kanwarpal Singh states that they are not satisfied with just taking back the tickets. Our struggle will continue until we see the culprits behind jail. Former Punjab Deputy Speaker Bir Devinder Singh, who has resigned from Congress on the issue of giving tickets to Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, also dubs the withdrawal of tickets- “an interim relief”.

Deputy CM of Punjab Sukhbir Badal says the cancellation of tickets to the butchers of thousands (nearly 3000) of Sikhs is a direct acceptance of guilt by the Congress of their active role in organizing the riots. Kanwar Pal Singh Dhami, former President of Akal Federation says that it is the duty of the government to take stern action against the culprits to repress the increasing frustration among the Sikh community of the state. Just cancellation of tickets will not suffice their purpose while Youth Akali Dal President K S Kang dubs the cancellation of tickets a ‘useless exercise’ and ‘political gimmick’

This article was published in the Mumbai based The Verdict