Cong rakes up 2002 Guj riots to hit back at BJP after Sajjan Kumar's conviction, defends Kamal Nath

The Congress on Monday said the conviction of Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case should not be politicised and hit back at the BJP alleging that names of its leaders in high positions had cropped up in 2002 Gujarat riots.

The party also defended Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath after he was targeted by the BJP and the Akali Dal, saying there was no case against him, and noted that Kumar did not hold any party post and was not given a ticket for decades.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was more vocal on the issue as he hailedthe conviction of Kumar, describing it as a case of justice finally delivered to the victims . He claimed it was a vindication of his stand as he had been naming Kumar as well as a few other former Congress leaders based on information he received from victims in refugee camps in Delhi during the riots.

In a statement, the chief minister stressed that neither the Congress party nor the Gandhi family had any role in the rioting, and alleged that vested political interests were trying to draw their names into the controversy.

As the anti-Sikh riots returned to haunt the party after the Delhi High Court on Monday convicted the Delhi Congress leader for conspiracy to commit murder in the case and sentenced him to imprisonment for life, Congress leaders here said that the law would take its own course.

"It is a legal, judicial issue. It must be allowed to take its own course, it has taken its own course, and it is taking its own course....How can you politicize it and make a crass, cheap political comment as you just heard from the BJP," party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

He said the accused may or may not have a right of appeal and the prosecution has a similar appellate right, but the names of a chief minister being sworn in Madhya Pradesh should not be dragged into it.

He was speaking after the BJP and the Akali Dal questioned the Congress for picking Kamal Nath as the Madhya Pradesh chief minister, claiming Sikhs consider him "culpable" in the violence.

Another Congress leader Kapil Sibal said, "Don't give it a political colour as it is a court decision."