Chandigarh, Jun 19 (UNI) The Shiromani Akali Dal on Wednesday asserted that the Union home ministry has forwarded to the Special Investigation Team its memorandum to record the statements of eye witnesses who had seen Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath leading a mob during the 1984 riots.
SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said he had been told that the action had been initiated after a meeting of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Manjinder Singh Sirsa with Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Tuesday evening. The SIT, Mr Sirsa said, has called the DSGMC to submit the name of witnesses and other evidence to it tomorrow. The SIT, which was formed in 2015 by the National Democratic Alliance government, is empowered to examine fresh evidence in the 1984 cases which were closed earlier.
The SAD president asked Mr Sirsa to request the SIT to record the statements of journalist Sanjay Suri and Muktiar Singh, who had already disclosed Mr Nath’s alleged role in leading mobs during the riots.
Centre to give compensation
Mr Badal disclosed that in another major development, the Centre had decided to consider the case for grant of compensation for all 365 Sikhs who were picked up from Sri Darbar Sahib during 'Operation Bluestar' and then interred in the Jodhpur jail. Only 40 detainees had been awarded punishment as of now.
He also announced that the Union government has decided to consider the case for grant of minority status to Sikhs who had been displaced from Jammu and Kashmir during the period of turmoil in the state. He said the ministry had asked the J&K government to give details in this case. The ministry will also give a formal presentation of the steps it has taken to celebrate the 550th anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji as well as establishment of the Kartarpur Corridor on June 21, Friday.
Mr Sirsa also briefed the SAD chief regarding the case of the alleged attack on two Sikhs in Mukerjee Nagar recently. The home ministry had asked for a report from the Delhi police. He said subsequently a case under Sections 247/19 had been registered against all the cops who had resorted to inhuman conduct against the father and son duo.
Cases to be reopened
The DSGMC chief said the home ministry also disclosed that it would file a review petition in the case of 10 persons who had been acquitted with regard to the 1984 riots. He said that the ministry had, meanwhile, assured to consider other demands submitted to it including formation of a special court for day-to-day trial of all the cases of 1984 riots and appointment of the President of the Sri Hazur Sahib, Nanded, through election by members of its Board.
Mr Sirsa said the SAD had also urged the home ministry to grant clemency to Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana by commuting his sentence to life imprisonment, formation of a time-bound committee for release of “Bandi Singhs” (Sikh political prisoners) and award of compensation to Sikh “Dharmi Fauji” (who resigned from the forces in protest against Operation Blue Star).
Among other demands, the delegation urged for giving formal permission for the DSGMC’s Nagar Kirtan to Nankana Sahib in Pakistan on the occasion of 550th Parkash Purv of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. It also urged for grant of citizenship to thousands of Afghan Sikhs living in India, besides immediate redevelopment of Punjabi Colony, Mumbai, which has been declared as dangerous.
UNI DB RP1855