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SAD, BJP corner Congress over Tytler’s appointment
SAD president calls it brazen display of shocking insensitivity to the Sikh wounds by Sonia Gandhi and Congress party
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday slammed Congress president Sonia Gandhi for naming Jagdish Tytler, one of the main accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh violence, as a permanent invitee to Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee.
“This is a brazen display of shocking insensitivity to the Sikh wounds by Sonia Gandhi and the Congress party. They have chosen the eve of the painful anniversary of the massacre of Sikhs to announce this decision. Could there be a worse way to rub salt into the deep, festering wounds of the Khalsa Panth than this decision and its timing?” said Sukhbir in a statement.
October 31 will mark the anniversary of anti-Sikh violence that erupted following then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984.
Sukhbir also dared Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and chief minister Charanjit SIngh Channi to show the moral courage to oppose the decision and get it rescinded. “Collapse of character stems from the compromise corner. Now come out of that corner, show the moral courage to at least speak the truth and prevent the collapse of your character,” said the SAD chief in his statement.
“Will Punjab Congressmen, including Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Sunil Jakhar, now awaken their conscience, listen to it, and save the collapse of their character by opposing this decision?” he said.
Decision regrettable: BJP
Punjab BJP general secretary Subhash Sharma said the Congress has reinforced that it stands behind leaders who had committed heinous crimes against Sikhs in 1984. In a statement, Sharma said it was regrettable that Channi and Sidhu have remained silent on Tytler’s appointment.
Sharma said it was the BJP government that on coming to power constituted an SIT to give justice to the riot victims. “On the contrary the Congress safeguarded the guilty and is now promoting them,” he said.
“Can one expect justice from a political party like the Congress on the sacrilege issue in Punjab? Unfortunately, no justice will be done under the Congress regime of Charanjit Singh Channi,” he said.
Party must have consulted Soni, Channi: Jakhar
Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar said that since Tytler’s appointment is a sensitive issue concerning Punjab, the party leadership would have taken Rajya Sabha MP Ambika Soni and chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on board before deciding on it.
“Both, particularly Soni who has donned the role of key interlocutor in deciding issues related to Punjab, are important party leaders and were in Delhi on Thursday. The two apparently had a long meeting on Friday. Their opinion must have been taken on this matter, which has wide repercussions in Punjab,” he said.
Soni was the front-runner for the chief minister’s post last month, but opted out.
