Punjab News, NRI News

Three senior leaders of Shiromani Akali Dal today dared Mr. Partap Singh Bajwa and Mr.Ravneet Singh Bittu, both Congress MPs from Punjab, to equivocally state their clear stand on involvement of Sajjan and Tytler in ’84 Anti Sikh Carnage, rather than sidetracking the issue.

In a joint statement issued here today Mr. Naresh Gujral, Member Parliament, Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra and Mr. Balwinder Singh Bhunder, both General Secretaries said that Shiromani Akali Dal had been forcefully raising the issue of ’84 riots since last 26 years and would continue to raise this issue on every available forum, till Sajjan, Tytler and every perpetuator of this heinous crime, was given exemplary punishment. They said that bodies of 7000 innocent Sikh victims must be turning in the graves to witnessed lowest class treachery shown by these two ‘Sikh’ MPs in Lok Sabha, with an eye on petty party posts.

They asked if Congress MPs including Bajwa and Bittu could not digest graphic account of riots for mere 25 minutes, they should try to visualize that how the families of 7000 victims must have spent last 26 years, waiting in vain for the justice and seeing main architects of the crime being let off honorably. The ‘state managed’ acquittal of Tytler must have confirmed one feeling in the minds of Sikhs and Punjabis that justice was not possible till 10 Janpath was controlling the strings of power. They said that democratic system of India has become a subject of mockery with Congress party prolonging the trial of 7000 thousand murders for 26 years.

The Akali Dal leaders said that it was Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal that has brought this issue on centre stage, by exposing the hollowness of Congress party on the occasion of 25th anniversary of Congress managed carnage. The leaders said that after getting exposed in the international media, Congress led UPA was forced to sanction the prosecution of Sajjan Kumar, on which it was sitting for 4 years. The Leader of the House, Pranab Mukherjee in Lok Sabha after getting cornered, had to give assurance of ‘justice’ to the victims.

However, all hopes of justice evaporated when CBI on the direction of Congress government filed closure report in the case of Tytler, citing non reliability of witnesses. Significantly, the witness was declared ‘unreliable’ after his death after deposing for 25 years, so that he could confront them back. They said that CBI wants to prolong trial till all witnesses meet such a fate. The leaders said that deliberate delay of Sajjan’s arrest for 17 days and ensuring acquittal of Tytler after closure report, Congress has exposed its intension not to touch any accuse of ’84 riots, ignoring the feelings of entire Sikh and Punjabi Community.

The leaders advised Bajwa and Bittu to listen their conscience rather than becoming puppets in the hands of Congress High Command, that was dangling a carrot of party post/rotated headship. They said that whole world has saw your dubious role in interrupting Harsimarat Badal, seeking justice for 7000 victims and they can repent their misdeed by staging a dharna opposite 10 Janpath seeking justice for unfortunate Sikh victims, who were butchered at the instance of then Congress leadership. They said that if they can not contribute towards expediting justice to ’84 carnage victims they should at least not create hurdles in its way, by politicizing this ethnic cleansing done by Congress leadership.

Chandigarh May 2 -- SAD-BJP leaders Mr. Manoranjan Kalia and Mr. Sewa Singh Sekhwan today asked the Punjab Congress MPs, Partap Singh Bajwa and Ravneet Singh Bittu to prove their sincerity towards the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre by joining a delegation to the Prime Minister to demand "exemplary punishment to Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar and other Congress leaders who are widely believed to have led hordes of killers to brutally murder thousands of innocent Sikhs."

"They should also squarely condemn the statement of Rajiv Gandhi describing the massacre as "shaking of the earth after a big tree falls" as this statement ticked off the Congress goons to indulge in murder and mayhem with complete impunity,” said Mr. Kalia and Mr. Sekhwan in a joint statement here today.

Mr. Sekhwan and Mr. Kalia expressed "shock and disbelief" that the Congress MPs from Punjab had risen in defense of the known killers of 1984 and, instead of demanding exemplary punishment to Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar and other Congress leaders accused of murder and arson, they had chosen to target the SAD MP from Bathinda Ms. Harsimrat Kaur Badal for standing up for the cause of justice

The Congress MPs from Punjab had indulged in an anti-Harsmirat Kaur Badal charade when she raised the issue of ' 84massacre in the parliament on Friday "and they were still trying to bail out the killers by asking the Sikhs and the rest of the country to forget the issue and move ahead.. These leaders should visit the families of the victims to understand why their pain and tragedy can be forgotten till the guilty are brought to book., the SAD-BJP leaders said.

Mr. Kalia and Mr. Sekhwan also asked Mrs. Rajidner Kaur Bhathal and Mr. M S Kaypee to clarify that if they also shared the Bittu-Bajwa stand that the issue of punishment to the guilty of 1984 should now be forgotten without justice being meted out to the killers. "Is it their case that the massacre never took place or that anyone except the Congressmen had organized it? Or that the guilty have been punished already? What are they trying to say really? " asked Mr. Kalia and Mr. Sekhwan.

The SAD-BJP leaders said that Ms Harsimrat Kaur Badal had stirred the conscience of the whole nation through her poignant espousal of the cause of justice for the victims of the most gruesome tragedy in the post-Independence history of the country. The Congress had been thoroughly rattled by the response Ms. Badal's touching words had evoked throughout the country, and 'this has driven Bajwa-Bittu duo to the desperate position of asking everyone to 'forget the past' even without the killers being punished. . Mr. Kalia and Mr. Sekhwan reminded the Congress MPs how Mrs. Harsimrat Badal herself had barely escaped death at the hands of Congress goons during those fateful days.

"Instead of joining Ms. Badal’s forceful and conscientious plea for justice for the victims and punishment to the known killers, the Congress MPs from Punjab had chosen to criticize the survivors of the victims themselves who were demanding nothing more than justice. In doing this, they have in fact tried to rub salt in the festering wounds of thousands of hapless families who suffered at the hands of the Congress brutality in November 1984. Bittu-Bajwa duo owe an apology to helpless families and to the entire country for standing up in the defence of killers and opposing Ms. Badal who is championing the cause of the victims. ."

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Chandigarh May 2 -- SAD-BJP leaders Mr. Manoranjan Kalia and Mr. Sewa Singh Sekhwan today asked the Punjab Congress MPs, Partap Singh Bajwa and Ravneet Singh Bittu to prove their sincerity towards the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre by joining a delegation to the Prime Minister to demand "exemplary punishment to Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar and other Congress leaders who are widely believed to have led hordes of killers to brutally murder thousands of innocent Sikhs."

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TWO MARTYR’S FAMILIES GIVEN RS. 20 LAC EACH, OFFICIAL ACCOMMODATION, HANDED OVER APPOINTMENT LETTERS TO FAMILY MEMBERS

Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal Deputy Chief Minister who is also Home Minister today reiterated the commitment of Punjab government to maintain peace and amity in the state and not to allow terrorism to raise its ugly head in Punjab again.

Mr. Badal who came to Gurdaspur to meet the families of 2 Punjab Police Martyrs Constable Narinder Singh and Head Constable Sawinder Singh who dies fighting the intruders also handed over cheques of Rs. 15 Lakh each to both the families.

He also announced Rs.5 lac additional ex-gratia in addition to Rs. 15 lac. Mr. Badal sharing the condolences with the families said that Punjab government was committed to take full care of families of these two martyrs. He said that the families would continue to get last drawn pay till the date they would have retired ordinarily. He asked the DGP Punjab Mr. P. S. Gill who also accompanied Mr. Badal, to provide both the families official accommodation. The Deputy Chief Minister also handed over appointment letters to the eligible member of each family would be provided government job.

He said that nation would always remember the unparalleled sacrifice of these two personals of Punjab police who laid down their life while fighting Pakistani intruders. The DGP said that Gurdaspur district police has decided to contribute 1 day salary for the wefare of these two families which would come to around Rs. 9 Lakh. Mr. Badal also announced setting up of stadium at village Got Pokhar in the memory of Martyr Constable Narinder Singh and Community Health Centre at village Jagowal Banger in memory of Head Constable Sawinder Singh. Mr. Badal was also accompanied by Public Relations Minister Mr. Sewa Singh Sekhwan and Media Advisor to CM Harcharn Bains.

Speaking to the reporters after paying tributes to the Martyrs and sharing condolences with their families at their residences in their village Got Pokhar and Jagowal Banger, Mr. Badal said that he was proud of the fact that Punjab Police was the most professional police force in the Country, that with utmost dedication and commitment crushed decade long militancy in the State.

Mr. Badal said that Punjab being the border state has always bore the maximum brunt of intrusion from the neighboring hostile countries and Union government should provided minimum Rs. 200 Crore grant per annum to Punjab for modernization of Punjab police. He said that though Punjab Police was fully committed to perform the national duty of checking intrusion in the country, Union government should also realize its responsibility to equip Punjab police with modern armaments.

When asked about Lashkar joining hands with Khalistani sleeping cells in the Punjab, Mr. Badal said that the Punjab police was keeping vigilant eye on all developments and we would not allow terrorism to raise its ugly head again in Punjab.

Mr. Badal informed that Punjab cabinet has already approved the draft of an ordinance to make rioters pay for the loss to the property and Punjab Governor would soon promulgate this ordinance.

Prominent amongst others Mr. Jagdish Raj Sahni, Mr. Gurbachan Singh Babehali, MLA, Mr. Lakbir Singh Lodhinangal, MLA andBibi Jagir Kaur, former SGPC President were also present on the occasion.

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Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), a US based human rights advocacy group working to seek justice for victims of the November 1984 Sikh Genocide in India, avowed that Sikhs will use their influence to impede Indian Minister Kamal Nath's visit to the United Kingdom (Planned for May 12, 2010)* due to his participation in the genocide.

Nath, a member of India's Congress at the time of the genocide, led the mob that attacked a Sikh temple (Gurudwara Rakab Ganj) in Delhi where many Sikhs were burnt alive. According to the Indian Express reporter Manish Sanjay Suri, Kamal Nath was in control of the mob outside of Gurudwara Rakab Ganj. Witnesses, like Mukhtiar Singh, Manager of the Gurudwara testified before Nanavati Commission that he saw Kamal Nath leading the mob. Nath could not satisfy the Commission's inquiry as to why he was present outside the Gurudwara, Justice Nanavati observed that Nath's testimony was "Vague" and "Not consistent with the evidence".

On April 06, 2010, during Kamal Nath's visit to USA, Sikhs For Justice and Victims of November 1984 Sikh Genocide filed a case against Nath in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York charging Nath with human rights violations under the Alien Torts Claims Act and the Torture Victims Protection Act. Honorable Judge Sweet issued summons and ordered Nath to respond to the allegations within twenty one days. According to attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Legal advisor Sikhs For Justice, "Nath has failed to respond so far which shows Nath's blatant disregard for rule of law and US Courts."

As a result of the active efforts of Rob Marris, MP and Chair of the British Parliaments all-party on Sikhs, the UK government previously demonstrated great respect regarding issue of the Sikh genocide by denying entry to Jagdish Tytler another Indian government leader involved in the killing of Sikhs in November 1984.

Various organizations representing the Sikh community in the UK are approaching leaders of all political partied to urge the government to ban Kamal Nath's entry into the country. This issue is a leading factor in the Sikh Community's vote in the May 6th elections in the UK.

*Kamal Nath is attending 8th Annual Conference of "London Business School India Business Forum". He is the keynote speaker at the all day Conference on May 12, 2010 at London Business School.

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COURTS DECISION TO CLOSE TYTLER'S CASE INVITES UPROAR IN PARLIAMENT AND MASSIVE PROTESTS

The Court's acceptance of the closure report of CBI in case of Jagdish Tytler's involvement in November 1984 Sikh Genocide today led to eruption of hue and cry in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in India. The closure also led to massive protests by All India Sikh Students Federation and Sikhs for Justice.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor Sikhs For Justice stated that CBI ignored and deliberately failed to record the statement of witnesses Resham Singh, Chanchal Singh and Alam Singh of California against Jagdish Tytler for his involvement in the killings of Sikhs in November 1984. He stated that several requests were made to CBI team during their visit to USA in December 2008 to record Resham Singh's testimony but the CBI team deliberately and maliciously didn't record Resham Singh's testimony.

Attorney Pannun stated that the decision of the Court to accept the closure report in Tytler's case will be challenged. He further stated that the legal battle to get justice for the victims of November 1984 Sikh Genocide will not end until the culprits are punished by law.

All India Sikh Students Federation President Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad stated that commissions and committees have been setup to investigate the killings of the Sikhs that took place in Delhi. However, till date, not a single commission or committee has been set up to conduct nationwide investigation into the killings of Sikhs in November 1984. The evidence obtained under Right to Information Act (RTI) clearly reveals that Killings of Sikhs in November 1984 took place in many states and cities across India and was not just limited to Delhi. This fact of killings of Sikhs in several states and cities, therefore, necessitates a nation-wide investigation.

Sikhs for Justice is preparing to file PIL petitions before High Courts of the states where Sikhs were killed in November 1984. The Petitions will request the respective high courts to conduct judicial inquiry into the killings of Sikhs and order the filing of charges against those responsible for the killings.

At the international level, Sikhs For Justice is reaching out to International community to get recognized the fact that massacre of Sikhs in November 1984 was not Anti-Sikh riots as portrayed by the Government of India for the last twenty five years but a "Genocide" as the massacre of Sikhs was systematic, planned and organized by the Political leaders with the active help of Police and Paramilitary forces. Sikhs for Justice will make efforts to move motions in US Congress, Canadian Parliament and in European Union States to recognize massacre of Sikhs in November 1984 as "Genocide".

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