AAP dares Modi Govt., asks for documents to form SIT on 1984 riots

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government was incapable of providing justice to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims and dared the ruling dispensation to submit all documents so as to facilitate an Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe in this regard.

"It's not about aggression. It's been 32 years that there has been no justice given in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. We had asked for SIT probe in the matter. The Central Government is not doing anything. It is very wrong that people are not getting justice even after 32 years," AAP leader Ashutosh told ANI.

Escalating his attack on the government, the AAP leader said the Centre was least interested in bringing the perpetrators to book.

"In such a situation, give us all the documents and allow us to form an SIT. We will show you how we provide them justice. Both the BJP and the Akali Dal are not interested in providing justice in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Weren't the people of Delhi the victims of 1984? The BJP Government and the Prime Minister have problems if we talk about their justice," he added.

In a full page advertisement published today in almost all the leading dailies, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged Prime Minister Modi to either get the SIT constituted by the Home Ministry, 'to do something, or wind it up and allow the Delhi Government to set up an SIT, which will do proper investigations and get justice for the victims'.

"As you are aware, this year marks the 32nd year of the anti-Sikh massacre. In these 32 years 10 Commissions and Committees have investigated the matter but justice has eluded the victims. It was a long standing demand of Sikh Community that an SIT be set up. However, no Government ever did anything in this regard in 30 years," read the advertisement.

"During 49 days of the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, my Cabinet took decision to form Special Investigation Team (SIT) to bring culprits to justice.

Unfortunately, our government didn't last long to implement that decision. We were keen to form SIT and include this demand in our election manifesto," it added.

As per the norm, the SIT, which has decided to reopen at least 75 cases related to the anti-Sikh riots in Delhi in 1984, will issue advertisements regarding these cases and ask the victims and witnesses to join the probe.

A total of 3,325 people were killed in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states in the riots after then prime minister Indira Gandhi was shot dead by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.

Delhi alone accounted for 2,733 deaths.