Ludhiana, Jan 15: Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Dakha MLA HS Phoolka on Saturday blamed the Congress for orchestrating the 1984 riots.
Reacting to Punjab cabinet minister Rana Gurjit Singh’s statement that the Congress had no hand in the anti-Sikh riots, Phoolka said not only Congress leaders Kamal Nath, Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, but the entire Congress government led by then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was involved in attacks on Sikhs following the assassination of former PM Indira Gandhi.
Challenging Rana Gurjit for a debate, Phoolka, who is Sikh riots victims’ lawyer in the Supreme Court, reminded him of Rajiv Gandhi’s statement that “when a big tree falls, the earth shakes”. “How the mob got inflammable powder and experts to deal with the same before the riots started? Also, the government provided the list of Sikhs and location of their residences to the attackers, which is also mentioned in the book written by former PM Manmohan Singh’s daughter, who used to live in Ashok Vihar, Delhi, when the riots broke out. Congress leaders who instigated the mob, including Tytler, got plump posts in the government,” he alleged, while addressing a press conference here.
“Wherever Sikhs gathered, police reached in large number to disarm them. All Sikh police officials and Sikh Light Infantry personnel were disarmed. Congress leaders were leading the mob and even Maha Vir Chakra awardee, group captain Talwar was falsely implicated in the case when he tried to save his family by opening fire.
The AAP leader also hailed the Supreme Court decision to form a new special investigation tem to probe the 1984 riots cases. “It’s a bold step taken by the apex court, 33 years after the riots,” he said.
News Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com
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