Why Sajjan Kumar’s Conviction In 1984 Anti-Sikh Pogrom Makes Newly-Elected Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath Hugely Vulnerable

The conviction of senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom is likely to bring a renewed focus on newly-elected Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath’s own controversial role in the riots.

The Congress party, buoyed by its surprise win in Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, is likely to face embarrassment as activists, who are actively engaged in fighting legal battle to provide justice to the victims of the pogrom, have vowed to bring Nath to book, alleging that he was among those who played a key role in engineering riots that resulted in the gruesome massacre of nearly 3,000 Sikhs following the assassination of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

Earlier this morning (17 December), Kumar was sentenced to life by the Delhi High Court, which overturned an acquittal verdict by a lower court. Kumar and five others were facing trial in the case involving the killing of five Sikhs — Kehar Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Raghuvender Singh, Narender Pal Singh and Kuldeep Singh, all members of the same family — who were allegedly massacred by a mob led by Kumar in Raj Nagar area of Delhi Cantonment.

According to lawyer and activist H S Phoolka, who has waged a valiant struggle in pursuing legal action against the perpetrators of the riots, the role of Nath as a key player in organising the riots is “beyond dispute”.

Phoolka, who resigned as a member of Punjab Legislative Assembly to pursue justice for the victims, said out of the 541 cases that have been registered until now, convictions have been handed down in only 13 killings. According to Phoolka, out of the 186 cases that are now being re-probed, there is strong evidence against Nath in one of them. Phulka also said that he had clear evidence that Congress leaders were leading the mobs, which were even given the lists of Sikh residences in Delhi.

Phoolka also pointed out that instead of punishing them, the Congress elevated and promoted those who were involved in the riots.“They were made ministers and given plum posts,” he said, and added that, “there is strong evidence against Kamal Nath in the anti-Sikh riots case, and he cannot evade law. Time cannot be a reason to deny justice to anyone. So he too will be served the quantum of punishment soon.”

A crucial evidence about the role of Nath in the riots was an affidavit submitted to the Nanavati Commission and later to Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission by senior journalist Sanjay Suri, who during the time was working at The Indian Express in New Delhi. Suri alleged that Nath was controlling ‘blood thirsty’ crowd and was a spectator of the atrocities on Sikh devotees in Gurudwara, Rakab Ganj, New Delhi. He said cops and paramilitary forces were also mute spectators.

In 2017, Nath, who was entrusted with the responsibility of managing Congress campaign for the Punjab Assembly elections as a high command representative, had to step down after a huge uproar from a section of Punjab Congress unit and Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party combine.

Nath, a Brahmin, originally hails from Kanpur and belongs to an established business family. He was chosen by the Congress high command as its chief ministerial candidate in Madhya Pradesh to succeed BJP’s Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

According to political observers in Madhya Pradesh, the elevation of Nath, despite his controversial role in 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom, was not surprising though the party had another strong contender in the form of a young dynast Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Nath is known in political circles as a resourceful moneybag with deep links to big industrialists and is particularly known to enjoy close proximity to Ambani and Adani families. He is expected to play a crucial role in building up the party war chest in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Besides, Nath is known to be a loyalist of the Gandhis having enjoyed the confidence of three generations of Gandhis — Indira, Rajiv, Sonia and Rahul.

Meanwhile, a Delhi BJP leader has launched an indefinite hunger strike against Nath being nominated to the post of Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, alleging that the Congress leader was involved in the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.

Shiromani Akali Dal is also launching a protest against the decision of Congress to appoint Nath as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, saying the Rahul Gandhi-led party was rubbing salt into the wounds of victims of the riots.