May
2
Indian Response to European Motion on 1984
May 2, 2004 | Comments Off on Indian Response to European Motion on 1984
The Indian Express has an article on the April 19 declaration tabled at the European Parliament on experiences of Sikhs in 1984, including the November 1984 pogroms against Sikhs in India. Although government officials see this motion as “motivated mischief to embarrass India,” it simply calls for a Truth Commission to “comprehensively investigate whether the […]
Apr
28
Sikh Artifacts Siezed During Army Attack to be Returned
April 28, 2004 | Comments Off on Sikh Artifacts Siezed During Army Attack to be Returned
The Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) and others have consistently stated that the central government stole Sikh artifacts, documents, and other materials from the Sikh Reference Library and Museum in the Golden Temple complex in June 1984 prior to the Indian Army attack. This attack resulted in the destruction of the Library, the Akal Takht, […]
Apr
22
Geography of Hatred
April 22, 2004 | 1 Comment
In “Geography of Hatred,” Patwant Singh warns India that its existence is in peril, for its failure to engage in introspection after the pogroms against Sikhs in 1984 and the impunity granted to the perpetrators of the carnage. He states that there will be a heavy price to pay for these failures: I wrote of […]
Apr
21
Election Politics Take Precedence over Human Rights
April 21, 2004 | Comments Off on Election Politics Take Precedence over Human Rights
Unfortunately, members of the Sikh Forum—working on issues relating to the 1984 pogroms against Sikhs—have publicly given support to candidates of the BJP, despite the BJP’s role in the perpetration of pogroms against Muslims in Gujarat in 2002: Members of the Sikh Forum featured prominently alongside Mr Malhotra, indicating how close the 1984 anti-Sikh riots […]
Apr
20
RK Anand asks Sikhs to Bury the Past
April 20, 2004 | 2 Comments
A day after Indian Express published Manoj Mitta’s article on the role of Congress candidate RK Anand in defending the perpetrators of the pogroms against Sikhs in November 1984, RK Anand defended the role of the Delhi Administration and apologized for the carnage. However, despite the impunity granted to perpetrators of the carnage, he asked […]
Apr
16
Justice in “Butcher of Trilokpuri” Case becomes Chief Justice
April 16, 2004 | 1 Comment
Justice Rajendra Babu has been appointed as India’s next chief justice. Justice Babu and Justice Nanavati were responsible for commuting the death sentence of Kishori Lal, known as the “butcher of Trilokpuri” for his role in killing at least eight Sikh men during the pogroms against Sikhs in 1984. Despite the evidence demonstrating the organized […]
Apr
16
Another Congress Candidate–Defender of 1984 Perpetrators
April 16, 2004 | Comments Off on Another Congress Candidate–Defender of 1984 Perpetrators
Manoj Mitta’s article in today’s Indian Express gives insight into the impunity granted to perpetrators of the 1984 pogroms against Sikhs. He discusses the candidacy of Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Tytler, and RK Anand—the lawyer who defended the police and politicians in the Misra Commission, other commissions of inquiry, and court cases: Anand was the counsel […]
Apr
16
Sajjan Kumar–Confirmed Candidate for Elections
April 16, 2004 | 1 Comment
The Congress Party has finally settled on its Delhi candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. It’s confirmed that it has chosen Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, despite their role in organizing and perpetrating the pogroms against Sikhs in November 1984: Sajjan Kumar’s is the prodigal return. After being out of the electoral fray for […]
Apr
12
Congress Waffling on Sajjan Kumar
April 12, 2004 | Comments Off on Congress Waffling on Sajjan Kumar
The Congress Party continues to hesitate over naming candidates for three constituencies: Delhi Assembly speaker Ajay Maken and a former Union minister accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots Jagdish Tytler figured among four candidates named for contesting from the city even as suspense over candidature at three other seats continued amid intense wranglings. Sajjan Kumar, […]
Apr
7
Delhi Court Questions CBI over Delays in 1984 Cases
April 7, 2004 | Comments Off on Delhi Court Questions CBI over Delays in 1984 Cases
Yesterday, Delhi High Court judges D.K. Jain and A.K. Sikri asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to explain why it had delayed filing an appeal against Sajjan Kumar (a possible candidate for the Congress Party in the upcoming elections), in a case stemming from the November 1984 pogroms targeting Sikhs: Delhi High Court judges […]