sikhriots

 

Rajnish Sharma
(New Delhi, February 2)

When Union Home Minister LK Advani in his deposition before the Liberhan Commission this Monday described the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as a greater shame for the nation than the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya he apparently had no clue that the Delhi Police has registered criminal cases against BJP and RSS members in connection with the same riots.

The cases, ranging from arson, rioting, attempt to murder and dacoity are now in various stages of trial in the Capital’s lower courts. As many as 14 FIRs were lodged by the city police naming 49 BJP and RSS workers during 1992-94. These cases, sources said, were registered following the recommendations of the Jain-Aggarwal Committee which examined affidavits filed by riot victims before various Commissions. 

Some of the prominent Delhi BJP and RSS workers against whom cases have been registered are — Pritam Singh, Ram Kumar Jain, Ram Chander Gupta, Rattan Lal, Gian Lal Jain, Chander Sain, Pradeep Kumar Jain, Hans Raj Gupta, Babu Lal, Ved Mahipal Sharma, Padam Kumar Jain and Suresh Chand Jain. Most of these people were arrested and later chargesheeted by the police.

In fact, one of the accused Ram Kumar Jain, named in FIR no. 315/92 dt June 18, 1992, was the election agent of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee when he contested Lok Sabha polls in 1980. A prominent BJP and RSS worker Jain’s residence, no. 87, Hari Nagar, Ashram, also doubled up as an election office for the Vajpayee camp. 

A former President of the Jain Mahasabha, Ashram, Jain has been charged with heinous cases like rioting, dacoity and attempt to murder. Jain, sources added, has been named in at least four different FIRs.

Most of the 14 FIRs lodged against the BJP and RSS workers have been registered at the Sriniwaspuri police station in South Delhi. The cases are from areas like Hari Nagar, Ashram, Sunlight Colony and Bhagwan Nagar.

“All the cases against these political workers are pending trial in court and are being closely monitored,”a senior police official said.

The largest FIR, 446/93, dated August, 1993, registered in connection with the 1984 riots, in which 17 persons have been named includes names of BJP workers like Ram Kumar Jain, Late Sarni Lal Gupta and Ved Mahipal Sharma.

This complaint was lodged by Hardyal Singh Sahini, resident of 120, Hari Nagar, Ashram, Sahini lost his entire property including a cloth house on November 1, 1984.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/nonfram/030202/detCIT02.asp