Congress was put on the spot during Sheila Dikshit’s event on Wednesday, 16 January, as Jagdish Tytler, an accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, was spotted in the front row. The event was held in the national capital to celebrate Dikshit taking charge as the Congress Party’s Delhi chief.
However, Dikshit backed Tytler saying he was a Congressman, and slammed the BJP and the AAP for looking at things in a “narrow way”.
“It’s a very narrow way of looking at things. After all, he is a Congressman. The Congress has not shunted him out and he has not gone away from the party. So, why make an issue out of a non-issue.”Sheila Dikshit, as told to PTI
Tytler also said that since there is no FIR against him, his involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots shouldn’t be believed.
“What can a man say when the Court has given a verdict? You also mention my name. Why? Is there an FIR? Is there a case? No. Then why do you take my name? Someone said that and you believed it,” ANI quoted Tytler as saying.
‘Congress Has No Respect for Sikhs’
Slamming the Congress, Union Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) party leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal said that Tytler’s presence at the event shows that Congress has no respect for Sikhs.
“What his family did earlier, Rahul ji is just continuing with that tradition. It clearly shows that they have no respect for sentiments of Sikhs.”Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister, SAD Leader
Her party’s MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa also accused Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s party of intimidating witnesses in the related cases by allowing Tytler to sit in the front row.
Sirsa claimed the Congress is "afraid as it is aware that Tytler and Kamal Nath would also be jailed" in cases related to the anti-Sikh riots.
The Congress made Jagdish Tytler sit in the front row. It was a deliberate act to intimidate the witnesses in the anti-Sikh riots cases.Manjinder Singh Sirsa, SAD Leader
"The Congress wants to send a message to the witnesses that the party high command supports Tytler and nobody should even try to testify against him," Akali Dal MLA alleged.
"Since the conviction of Sajjan Kumar, the party is afraid... that the leaders whom it kept safe are now being jailed. By such acts, it is also sending a message to the judiciary and police that nobody should initiate action against them," Singh alleged.
Dikshit Takes Charge of Congress’ Reins After 2013
Chants of "Sheila Dikshit Ayi Hai, Badlaw Ki Andhi Layi Hai" filled the venue as Dikshit took charge of the party after almost 6 years. The former Delhi Chief Minister has said that her party will revive its fortunes in Delhi by making full efforts to win all the seven Lok Sabha seats.
Senior Congress leaders Karan Singh, Janardan Dwivedi, Meira Kumar, PC Chacko, Sandip Dikshit and Ajay Maken were among those present as Dikshit took charge.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)