E-Paper
Anti-Sikh riots convict Sajjan Kumar writes to Rahul Gandhi, quits Congress
Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who was convicted and sentenced by Delhi High Court to life imprisonment in a case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, has written to party president Rahul Gandhi, saying he is resigning from primary membership.
Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who was convicted and sentenced by Delhi High Court to life imprisonment in a case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, has written to party president Rahul Gandhi, saying he is resigning from primary membership, reports news agency PTI.
Sajjan Kumar has been charged with involvement in the killing of five members of a Sikh family by a mob during the riots after the then-prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.
“I tender my resignation with immediate effect from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress in the wake of the judgement of the hon’ble high court of Delhi against me,” he said in the letter to Gandhi, according to PTI.
Also Watch: Sajjan Kumar conviction: Arun Jaitley targets Congress, Gandhi family
Read more: Major milestone’ to ‘too little too late’: UK Sikhs on Sajjan Kumar verdict
As it reversed the trial court’s order acquitting Kumar, the court also directed him to surrender by December 31, 2018, and slapped a fine of ₹5 lakh on him and ₹1 lakh on all other accused in the case.
The case related to the killing of Kehar Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Raghuvender Singh, Narender Pal Singh and Kuldeep Singh, all of the same family, by a mob in Delhi’s Raj Nagar in Delhi Cantonment on November 1, 1984.
Eyewitnesses have said Kumar had incited mobs to attack the Sikh community to avenge the assassination of their “mother” Indira Gandhi. He was also accused of extending political patronage to the rioters.
