The alleged “confession” of Congress MP Jagdish Tytler, in a purported sting, on “killing” 100 Sikhs in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots figured in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) seeking justice for the victims.
SAD’s Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, whose notice under Rule 267 was converted into a zero hour submission by chairman M Venkiah Naidu, said new evidence has surfaced after a purported sting operation in which the Congress leader has allegedly “confessed to killing 100 Sikhs”.
Though Dhindsa also named another Congress leader, Naidu ruled that no names will go on record.
Rule 267 provides for suspension of business of the day to take up discussion on the given notice. Zero hour allows members to raise issues concerning people. Amid protests from Congress members that the matter is sub-judice and the court has already taken cognisance, Dhindsa asked who were Tytler’s accomplices as one person could not have killed 100 persons.
Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjit Singh GK had on Monday released a video of a purported sting operation recorded in 2011, which he said was received by him from an unknown man on February 3.
Dhindsa said the accused in the sting claims that no action was taken against him except a sham enquiry. He went on to claim that in the sting, the accused boasted of being close to judiciary and that helped his party colleague to get bail.
Congress leader Anand Sharma said rules of the House do not allow any matter which is sub-judice to be discussed. The House cannot be converted into a trial court, he said. Naidu said the SAD member and some others had met him and showed him the CD of the purported sting operation. The chairman said he asked the MP to authenticate and now he was willing to do so and place it on the table of the House.
{{/usCountry}}Congress leader Anand Sharma said rules of the House do not allow any matter which is sub-judice to be discussed. The House cannot be converted into a trial court, he said. Naidu said the SAD member and some others had met him and showed him the CD of the purported sting operation. The chairman said he asked the MP to authenticate and now he was willing to do so and place it on the table of the House.
{{/usCountry}}Dhindsa went on to recall an infamous remark of a former Prime Minister on the riots that broke out in the aftermath of the assassination of the-then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
This led to protests from the Congress and Naidu ruled that references to the former Prime Minister should be removed from the records.
Dhindsa said Congress is citing rules now “but where were the rules when Sikhs were massacred. Is anyone talking of justice. They are not willing to listen to a confession”.