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SC orders new SIT to probe 186 cases linked to 1984 anti-Sikh riots

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SC orders new SIT to probe 186 cases linked to 1984 anti-Sikh riots

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SIT to comprise of a retired High Court Judge and two police officers – one former and one serving, names to be decided by SC on January 11

Nearly 34 years after over 3000 people, mostly Sikhs, were killed in the communal pogrom that engulfed Delhi and other parts of the country following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, the Supreme Court on Wednesday (January 10) ordered a fresh probe in 186 cases linked to the massacre.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra and comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud decided to set up a new Special Investigation Team (SIT) – to be monitored by the Supreme Court – headed by a former High Court judge to independently probe 186 cases related to the anti-Sikh riots that broke out in Delhi. These cases were not investigated by a SIT that had earlier been constituted by the central government to investigate the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

While details of who will be part of this newly-ordered SIT are yet to be finalised, the Bench said that the probe team will also comprise two senior police officers, one serving and the other retired (not below or who is equivalent to the rank of an inspector general).

The names of the members of this proposed SIT are expected to be finalised on January 11 when the Supreme Court hears the matter next. On the Centre’s insistence, the Bench has agreed to consider names suggested by Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand (on behalf of the government) and senior advocate HS Phoolka (on behalf of the riot victims), for being nominated to the SIT.

While observers may wonder about the rationale behind or the effectiveness of constituting an SIT to investigate the cases after nearly 34 years of the killings, the Supreme Court has held: “Regard being had to the nature of the cases, we think it appropriate that a fresh SIT be constituted for carrying on further investigation.”

The Chief Justice brushed aside reservations expressed by the parties in the case over the maintainability of such an SIT – on an earlier occasion a similar probe had been quashed following objections being raised over alleged judicial overreach in carrying out investigations – saying: “That is history.”

On December 11 last year the Supreme Court had received the confidential report filed by an apex court-appointed supervisory committee of two former SC judges, Justices KS Radhakrishnan and JM Panchal. The two-member committee had looked into 241 cases linked with the anti-Sikh riots which had been closed by the Centre-appointed SIT. The supervisory committee had reportedly recommended that 186 of these 241 cases needed to be re-examined and it is these cases that the newly-proposed SIT will now look into afresh.

A total of 3,325 people were killed in the 1984 riots. Of these, as many as 2733 deaths were reported from the national capital alone while Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states accounted for the rest.

In February 2015, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government had set up a SIT, following a recommendation by the Union home ministry-appointed Justice (retd.) GP Mathur committee, which had suggested a centre-monitored probe in several of the anti-Sikh riots cases. The Centre’s SIT was headed by senior IPS officer Pramod Asthanaand comprised of retired district and sessions judge Rakesh Kapoor and then additional deputy commissioner in the Delhi police Kumar Gyanesh as its members.

The SIT had, among other cases, also looked into the high-profile complaints filed against Congress veterans Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler. It had questioned Sajjan Kumar – a former MP – on three occasions on allegations that he had personally participated in the riots and instigated a mob in Delhi’s Janakpuri area on November 1, 1984. The case against Sajjan Kumar, still awaiting judicial closure, was connected to the killing of two Sikhs — Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh – during the riots.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Amit Shah claims NDA has already got 310 seats after 5 phases of Lok Sabha elections

Shah was addressing 2 election rallies in Sambalpur where the BJP has fielded Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

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Amit Shah claims NDA has already got 310 seats after 5 phases of Lok Sabha elections

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday claimed that the NDA has already bagged 310 seats after the completion of 5 phases of the Lok Sabha polls. He urged the people of Odisha to free the state from babu-raj and allow the BJP to form government at the Centre and also in the state.  Shah was addressing 2 election rallies in Sambalpur where the BJP has fielded Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Shah claimed after the 5th phase of elections, the NDA has already got 310 seats and they will secure 400 plus seats after the 6th and 7th rounds of elections. The union home minister added that Odisha has been ruled by a handful of officers and this election will end the ongoing babu raj in the state.

He said that the tribals of Keonjhar get no benefit even though most of the mines and mineral reserves of the country are located in Keonjhar district. Shah enlisted Modi government’s achievements and said that the prime minister has ensured that there is no terrorism across the country. He added that PoK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) was with India and it would remain with India.

Shah criticized Congress of being frightened over Pakistan possessing an atom bomb and said PM Modi has given a befitting reply to Pakistan’s terror activities and he does not fear such threat of nuclear bombs. He attacked the previous Congress government for doing nothing for tribals. Shah pointed out that former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had formed a separate ministry for tribal affairs while Narendra Modi as the PM has worked to eliminate Naxalism in Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The Union Home Minister said PM Modi has constituted District Mineral Foundation and given crores of rupees for the development of the tribal region. Shah said the budgetary allocation for tribal affairs has been increased to Rs 1.25 lakh crore during Modi government from Rs 25,000 crore given during the previous UPA regime.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Congress accuses PM Modi of communal campaigning, questions his silence on key issues like caste census, reservations

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh’s attack came over Modi’s remarks in an interview to the media in which he had said that he has never uttered a word against minorities, and the BJP has not just today but never acted against them.

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Congress accuses PM Modi of communal campaigning, questions his silence on key issues like caste census, reservations

The Congress on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been indulging in polarisation throughout the election and has prepared a communal pitch, but Congress refused to play on that and pursued its paach nyay agenda. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh’s attack came over Modi’s remarks in an interview to the media in which he had said that he has never uttered a word against minorities, and the BJP has not just today but never acted against them.

Jairam Ramesh said that PM Modi’s entire campaign from April 19 has been based on communalisation with the Hindu-Muslim rhetoric throughout and has not talked about Viksit Bharat, issues of the farmers, Modi ki guarantee, women, youth workers, SCs, STs and OBCs.

Speaking about the remarks made by PM Modi on minorities, Ramesh said what nonsense was he talking about?  He further added the prime minister is fast losing his memory and he has never had any adherence to truth. Ramesh called PM Modi a jhoothjeevi and said PM Modi does not remember what he said the day before and then claims that he never said it.

Ramesh said the prime minister had raised the issue of Muslim League imprint on the Congress manifesto, the mangalsutra remarks and the allegation that the Congress will give reservations on the basis of religion, which are all bogus statements.

He said this is the prime minister who, when asked some years ago whether he had any remorse at the killings during the Gujarat riots, said even when a small puppy comes under a car, one feels bad. This is the language that he had been using. Ramesh claimed that when Atal Bihari Vajapayee became the prime minister, L K Advani and company wanted a committee to review the basic structure of the Constitution. Ramesh said Congress boycotted that commission and this has always been the objective of the BJP and the RSS.

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India News

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal criticises Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remark on AAP

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Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal criticises Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remark on AAP

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks, where he allegedly claimed that maximum supporters of the Chief Minister are from Pakistan. The AAP national convenor asked the Union Home Minister not to abuse the people of the country and instead abuse him.

Addressing a press conference, the Chief Minister said there were less than 500 people at the meeting held by Amit in Delhi yesterday. Mentioning that people of Delhi voted for AAP with 62 seats, Arvind Kejriwal questioned if all the people from Delhi are Pakistanis. 

He added that in Punjab, people voted AAP to power in 92 out of 117 seats. He also mentioned that the people of Gujarat have given us 14 per cent votes. He then questioned whether all these people are Pakistanis?

Furthermore, he also stated that in Panchayat and Municipality elections in Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh and in several parts of the country, the Aam Aadmi Party has got elected as Panch, Sarpanch, Municipal Mayor, Councillors.

Sharing a video on social media, Arvind Kejriwal argued that Amit Shah’s behavior was unacceptable. Despite BJP’s refusal, the Delhi CM said that the Prime Minister has chosen Amit Shah as his successor, but he has turned so arrogant at this that he has started abusing and threatening people.

Arvind Kejriwal added that Amit Shah will not be the Prime Minister because the Bharatiya Janata Party will be losing the Lok Sabha elections. He asserted that Amit Shah will not become PM because, on June 4, people are not voting for the BJP. The BJP is on its way out, and it should stop being so arrogant and stop abusing people, he continued.

Arvind Kejriwal further asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who also came to Delhi, that he should focus on the enemies within his party instead of abusing him.

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