Sajjan Kumar's acquittal: Protest continues for 4th day in Delhi

[Sashan]

NEW DELHI: Anger and outrage over Congress leader Sajjan Kumar's acquittal in an 1984 anti-Sikh riots case poured into Delhi streets for fourth day on Friday, with one of the riot victims starting an indefinite fast while scores of people blocked a busy road triggering huge traffic snarl.

While riot victim Nirpreet Kaur began an indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar, riot-affected families blocked the busy Mathura Road near Nizamuddin in south Delhi this morning. The blockade led to a huge traffic pile up on the road which connects south Delhi to the heart of the capital.

Aam Aadmi Party leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Kumar Vishwas along with their supporters also joined Kaur's protest while local BJP leader Vijender Gupta had to leave the venue after some people objected to his presence.

The AAP leaders sat on a one-day fast to express solidarity with the protesters.

On the Mathura Road, a large number of protesters squatted and shouted slogans against the UPA government and Congress, blocking traffic on the road.

Commuters were put to hardship due to the protest for which police had deployed a large number of personnel to maintain calm. Rapid Action Force was also deployed in large numbers.

At the fast venue, Kaur said the riot-affected families had expected that they would get justice but the verdict given by the court had "shaken" their faith in the system.

She demanded that a Special Investigation Team be constituted which would investigate the case independently.

Kaur also demanded an appeal be filed in a higher court against the acquittal of Kumar, and that the case be heard and decided in three months time.

"I lost my father during the riots. In 1984, more than 10,000 Sikhs were murdered. Our judiciary failed to do justice even after 29 years," Kaur claimed.

Another victim, who was 14-year-old when the riots happened, shared his experiences. "We took shelter in a Hindu family's house. I still remember how we had to shave off our heads so that nobody can recognise that we are Sikhs," Jamshed Singh said.

Sajjan Kumar's acquittal: Protest continues for 4th day in Delhi - The Times of India

Need an SIT under SC to provide justice for 1984 victims.

 

[Sashan]

Sajjan Kumar acquittal: Sikh protesters march towards PM's residence

The acquittal of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in an 1984 anti-Sikh riots case triggered protests in New Delhi on Sunday with activists of various Sikh outfits marching towards Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence.

The protesters had planned a march from Jantar Mantar to 7 Race Course Road but were stopped at Parliament Street. Security has been tightened in the area to prevent protesters from reaching PM's residence.

Several protesters were detained at the Parliament Street Police Station.

Earlier in the week, protesters had demonstrated outside Congress president Sonia Gandhi's residence at 10 Janpath and blocked two metro stations.

Protests were also carried out in Punjab, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir.

A Delhi court on April 30 had acquitted Sajjan Kumarof all charges in a case related to the killing of five men in a Delhi Cantonment colony during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that followed the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The acquittal of Kumar led to protests from families of the victims and one of the protesters hurled a shoe at district judge J R Aryan.

Angry families of the victims and complainants said they had been denied justice again. The families said they will appeal in the High Court against Kumar's acquittal.

Earlier on Sunday, rail traffic was disrupted for several hours on Sunday morning as activists squatted on tracks to protest the acquittal of Sajjan Kumar.

Prominent trains hit due to the protests included Shatabadi Express, Amritsar-Sehrsa Express, Jammu-Chennai Express, New Delhi-Amritsar Superfast, Chhatisgarh-Amritsar Express, Howrah-Amritsar Express and Amritsar-Mumbai Paschim Express, railway sources said.

The protesters jointly led by SGPC member Gurinder Pal Singh Gora and Sikh Student Federation (Mehta) district president Surinder Pal Sandhu blocked Ravi Express at Batala Railway Station for an hour, officials said.

In Ludhiana, members of Sikh Danga Peerat Society and All India Sikh Student Federation Federation sat on dharna on railway lines, paralysing rail traffic on main line towards Delhi and Amritsar for around six hours, officials said.

They warned that if the government failed to take appropriate steps to ensure punishment for the culprits, the agitation would be further stepped up in coming days.

The main Ludhiana Delhi rail route remained suspended for four hours.

Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh Makkar also addressed the protesters.


Sajjan Kumar acquittal: Sikh protesters march towards PM's residence - Indian Express