Dalit front rejects Nanavati report

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http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050926/punjab1.htm#6

Dalit front rejects Nanavati report

Varinder Walia

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 25

Dismissing the Nanavati Commission report on the 1984 anti-Sikh violence as an ‘eyewash’ the National Minority and Dalit Front (NMDF) today said that the document and the Action Taken Report were aimed at protecting Congress leaders.

“It’s an incomplete report and the Sikh community rejects it. This is nothing but a false report which is far from facts,†said the NMDF at a national seminar, held on the Nanavati Commission report, here. It said the Nanavati report had “totally belied the hopes†of the victims and charged that the Centre’s Action Taken Report “diluted†the recommendations of the judicial panel.

Ms Jaya Jaitley, a former president of the Samata Party, in her presidential address gave spine-chilling eyewitness accounts of anti-Sikh violence and described these as organised, engineered at the behest of the then ruling Congress . She said the police had acted not only as mute spectator but also helped rioters to kill members of the Sikh community. The Sikhs were picked up from houses with the help of voter lists. The “great tamashaâ€, which had no parallel in the history of democratic India continued for 72 hours and Congress leaders carried out the carnage to ‘please’ their high-ups in the party .She said the riots were a black spot on the fair name of Indian democracy. She said being a commoner; she plunged into the rehabilitation of the victims but senior leaders like Arun Nehru had ignored her appeals to deploy Army to stop the killing of innocent persons. She said when all her efforts to stop the violence failed, she then decided to join active politics to cleanse the system.

National president of the NMDF, Sewa Singh Sekhwan, who is former Akali Minister said that the findings of the Nanavati report was cruel joke played with the victims of anti-Sikh violence.

The speakers, including Mr M.S. Rahi, Bhai Baldev Singh, Chief, Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Mr Darbara Singh Kahlon, Bibi Kiranjot Kaur, executive member, SGPC and Dr Gurbachan Singh Bachan, a former SGPC secretary, said that it was most unfortunate that the victims of 1984 violence were not given justice even after 21 years. They said the apology by Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister, on the floor of Parliament had no meaning and did not serve any purpose when victims were still going from pillar to post to seek justice. Mr Rahi said that it was unfortunate that certain Sikhs from Delhi still enjoyed good connections with the senior Congress leaders, who had played major role in anti-Sikh violence.

In a resolution passed on the occasion, the NMDF completely rejected the Nanavati report. The NMDF said that Nanavati Commission was confined to Delhi violence while many Sikhs had lost their lives in Bokaro and other cities of the country. Another resolution sought amendment in the Indian Penal Code by incorporating clauses to take action rioters on the pattern on African countries. The resolution reads that the Indian Constitution should ensure safety of life and properties of the members of minorities.