84 Riots – Setting up a Committee - A retrograde Step H.S. Phoolka Setting up a Committee “to look into the need for constitution of SIT” has come as a shock. The decision to form the SIT was already taken in February 2014 by Kejriwal Govt. The purpose of this SIT was to reopen and further investigate 237 cases which were closed by Police and were never sent by Trial to the Court. It is when a long standing demand of the victims and the Civil Society that these cases were wrongly closed by the Police and they should be reopen. In May 2013 on a Dharna held at Jantar Manter BJP as well as Akali Dal, both parties sat on Dharna to support the demand of SIT. In February, 2013, the Kejriwal Govt. took a decision to form a SIT but after Kejriwal’s resignation then UPA Govt. stalled the SIT and did not issue notification appointing the officers to this Team. After 7 months of dithering by the NDA Govt., now appointing a Committee to decide whether there is the need of SIT amounts to wash away and upset the decision already taken in February, 2014 by Kejriwal Govt. When the BJP and the Akali Dal supported this demand in May 2013 of Formation of SIT and now their decision to looking to the demand amounts to a going back from their own stand. The terms of the SIT is also to oversee the payment of compensation of Rs. 5.0 Lakhs to the Victims It is shocking that is Supreme Court Judge is appointed for this purpose. Once compensation declared by the govt. it is a job of the Revenue Officers to disburse this compensation. It has already been done earlier. The appointment of committee for this purpose might delay the disbursement of compensation. It is for the first time in the history that is Supreme Court Judge is appointed to oversee the disbursement of compensation. It appears that the govt. wants shy away and shirk this responsibility from punishing the guilty and has just appointed the committee to befool the public and the victims. What about the ‘Missing Chargesheet’ The Chargesheet of 4 murders in Nangloi Police Station which were prepared and signed on 8th April 1992 has still not been filed in the Court. During the UPA Govt. Akali Dal as well as BJP many times raised this issue in the house and blamed the Congress for shielding Sajjan Kumar for not filing this Chargesheet. Now while they are themselves in power they are now responsible for not filing the Chargesheet in Court and shielding Sajjan Kumar. What about the Chargesheet in Jagdish Tytler Case This case is still pending investigation for the CBI. This case was also mentioned in the Parliament by Akali Dal and BJP during UPA govt. No chargesheet has been filed in this case as yet. Akal Takht Sahib should summon Sukhbir Badal In May 2013, Nirpreet Kaur had held a week long hunger strike in which her main demand was setting up of the SIT and filing of the missing charge sheet in Sajjan Kumar case. The Government was almost ready to accept these demands when the entire Akali leadership landed in Delhi on 8th May, 2013 and in the presence of Akali President Sukhbir Singh Badal and at his instance, Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar made Nirpreet Kaur break her fast. Akali Dal Chief and Jatedhar assured that the demand of setting up of SIT and filing of chargesheet will be taken up under the supervision of the Akal Takht and struggle will be launched. But even one and half years after, Akali Dal and BJP govt have gone back on their word and they are appointing a committee to check if a SIT is necessary. Akal Takht Sahib should summon Sukhbir Badal and issue a dictat to launch SIT immediately. Issue of Gaudhaam at Raikot
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 17:37:45 +0000