Congressman Sajjan Kumar’s conviction in 1984 riots is a welcome development. Finally, justice has been done for a few. It is also a grim reminder of India’s slow justice delivery system. Thousands of Sikhs were massacred in Delhi. They were openly hunted and burnt to death by mobs led by people associated with the ruling dispensation.&nbsp;

Despite widespread news of rioting and looting the then Home Minister PV Narasimha Rao failed to act on time. He also failed to act when Babri Masjid was brought down but that is&nbsp;a different story. Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1984 said 'Jab bada ped girta hai, dharti hilti hai (when a big tree falls, the earth shakes),&nbsp;in a way, either by neglect or by play of words, the violence on ground got legitimised.

The sub-continent has been witnessing violence on religious lines since partition. Some cases were local and remained regional, but some caught the national attention and remained part of the larger political discourse because of the savagery involved. In this, the biggest two were 1984 and 2002 violence.

What was common in all the cases of violence was open connivance of the state whereby it did not remain neutral and allowed one section of the society to plunder, rape and loot the other. The consequence or natural corollary of this attitude of the state functionaries leads to denial of time-bound justice which is the bedrock of democratic liberal societies. The act of violence undermines the liberal principles enshrined the Constitution. It legitimises the use of violence to intimidate minorities and also enforces an inferior status of minorities in the country. The failure to act compromises Constitution based nationalism.

The delay in justice also reinforces the view that powerful people can never be brought to the book. In India, the judicial process has received impetus only after major public outrage. Even one looks at the scale of 1984 violence and justice given, it is less than little. More than 2500 Sikhs were brutally killed by mobs post-assassination of Indira Gandhi who was gunned down by her Sikh bodyguard.

The main commission absolved the complicity of the powerful people and kept the faces of violence anonymous or at a low level. The Congress leaders involved in the violence remained outside the purview of law for decades. Some of them went on to become ministers and members of the upper house in India. Their political career flourished. Both Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler again got elected to the Upper House in 2004. Again, it was because of the public outcry that they were denied ticket. It was a shoe thrown by an agitated Sikh journalist at then Home Minister P Chidambaram that both were denied Lok Sabha tickets in 2009. Even then a political accommodation took place and Sajjan Kumar’s brother was fielded from his constituency.

Now the judgement is out, the delay of justice and abject violence is being politically utilised to hit at each other. 1984 violence is only about Congress members abetting rioters and the state failing to protect the Sikhs as the political top gave into the systemic bias against the Sikhs in the backdrop of insurgency taking place in Punjab.

For Congress, the defence shield is horrible Gujarat riots which took place in 2002 right under the nose of the then chief minister Narendra Modi. In both the cases, people have not got justice. It reflects the true weakness of the Indian state. It shows that political parties have corroded the autonomy of institutions who instead of mercilessly looking into the cases of violence ended up protecting the perpetrators. It is the failure of the Indian state that it fails repeatedly to bring to justice the high and mighty in politics and business.

It is for this reason justice gets delayed in India. Since violence in routine is being politically appropriated it slows down the justice process. The 1984 riots is one such example. Imagine thousands of riots like Hashimpura, Meerut and Bhagalpur where justice got inordinately delayed. It is this India needs to fight if it wants to keep democracy in robust shape. In any country where victims of violence fail to get justice in time, the democracy suffers and state either disintegrates or becomes dysfunctional and totalitarian. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

 
&nbsp;

Congressman Sajjan Kumar’s conviction in 1984 riots is a welcome development. Finally, justice has been done for a few. It is also a grim reminder of India’s slow justice delivery system.

Congressman Sajjan Kumar’s conviction in 1984 riots is a welcome development. Finally, justice has been done for a few. It is also a grim reminder of India’s slow justice delivery system. Thousands of Sikhs were massacred in Delhi. They were openly hunted and burnt to death by mobs led by people associated with the ruling dispensation. Despite widespread news of rioting and looting the then Home Minister PV Narasimha Rao failed to act on time. He also failed to act when Babri Masjid was brought down but that is a different story. Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1984 said 'Jab bada ped girta hai, dharti hilti hai (when a big tree falls, the earth shakes), in a way, either by neglect or by play of words, the violence on ground got legitimised. The sub-continent has been witnessing violence on religious lines since partition. Some cases were local and remained regional, but some caught the national attention and remained part of the larger political discourse because of the savagery involved. In this, the biggest two were 1984 and 2002 violence. What was common in all the cases of violence was open connivance of the state whereby it did not remain neutral and allowed one section of the society to plunder, rape and loot the other. The consequence or natural corollary of this attitude of the state functionaries leads to denial of time-bound justice which is the bedrock of democratic liberal societies. The act of violence undermines the liberal principles enshrined the Constitution. It legitimises the use of violence to intimidate minorities and also enforces an inferior status of minorities in the country. The failure to act compromises Constitution based nationalism. The delay in justice also reinforces the view that powerful people can never be brought to the book. In India, the judicial process has received impetus only after major public outrage. Even one looks at the scale of 1984 violence and justice given, it is less than little. More than 2500 Sikhs were brutally killed by mobs post-assassination of Indira Gandhi who was gunned down by her Sikh bodyguard. The main commission absolved the complicity of the powerful people and kept the faces of violence anonymous or at a low level. The Congress leaders involved in the violence remained outside the purview of law for decades. Some of them went on to become ministers and members of the upper house in India. Their political career flourished. Both Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler again got elected to the Upper House in 2004. Again, it was because of the public outcry that they were denied ticket. It was a shoe thrown by an agitated Sikh journalist at then Home Minister P Chidambaram that both were denied Lok Sabha tickets in 2009. Even then a political accommodation took place and Sajjan Kumar’s brother was fielded from his constituency. Now the judgement is out, the delay of justice and abject violence is being politically utilised to hit at each other. 1984 violence is only about Congress members abetting rioters and the state failing to protect the Sikhs as the political top gave into the systemic bias against the Sikhs in the backdrop of insurgency taking place in Punjab. For Congress, the defence shield is horrible Gujarat riots which took place in 2002 right under the nose of the then chief minister Narendra Modi. In both the cases, people have not got justice. It reflects the true weakness of the Indian state. It shows that political parties have corroded the autonomy of institutions who instead of mercilessly looking into the cases of violence ended up protecting the perpetrators. It is the failure of the Indian state that it fails repeatedly to bring to justice the high and mighty in politics and business. It is for this reason justice gets delayed in India. Since violence in routine is being politically appropriated it slows down the justice process. The 1984 riots is one such example. Imagine thousands of riots like Hashimpura, Meerut and Bhagalpur where justice got inordinately delayed. It is this India needs to fight if it wants to keep democracy in robust shape. In any country where victims of violence fail to get justice in time, the democracy suffers and state either disintegrates or becomes dysfunctional and totalitarian. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

1984 riots: Justice delayed is justice denied

Senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar's lawyer reacted to the Delhi High Court verdict of convicting Kumar in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots stating that it was a "case of no evidence." &nbsp;

Sajjan Kumar's lawyer, Anil Kumar Sharma said that he respects the verdict and that the judgement needs to be interpreted. He added that the only option left is to move the Supreme Court.&nbsp;

"Anil Kumar Sharma, Sajjan Kumar's lawyer on Delhi HC awards him life imprisonment in 1984 Anti-Sikh riots case: This was a case of no evidence. We need time to interpret the judgement. We respect Delhi HC's judgement. Only option left to us is to go to SC against the judgement," Sharma told reporters.&nbsp;

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Anil Kumar Sharma, Sajjan Kumar's lawyer on Delhi HC awards him life imprisonment in 1984 Anti-Sikh riots case: This was a case of no evidence. We need time to interpret the judgement. We respect Delhi HC's judgement. Only option left to us is to go to SC against the judgement <a href="https://t.co/zxNU4u5PHq">pic.twitter.com/zxNU4u5PHq</a>
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The Delhi High Court on Monday <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/1984-anti-sikh-riots-congress-leader-sajjan-kumar-sentenced-to-life-imprisonment-to-surrender-by-december-31-184695">convicted senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar</a> in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

Sajjan Kumar has been sentenced to life imprisonment. He has to surrender by December 31, 2018.

The order was passed while reversing the verdict of the trial court which had acquitted Kumar.

"In the summer of 1947, during partition, several people were massacred. 37 years later Delhi was the witness of a similar tragedy. The accused enjoyed political patronage and escaped trial," said Delhi High Court while reading the judgement.

(With inputs from agencies)

Senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar's lawyer reacted to the Delhi High Court verdict of convicting Kumar in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots stating that it was a "case of no evidence.

Senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar's lawyer reacted to the Delhi High Court verdict of convicting Kumar in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots stating that it was a "case of no evidence." Sajjan Kumar's lawyer, Anil Kumar Sharma said that he respects the verdict and that the judgement needs to be interpreted. He added that the only option left is to move the Supreme Court. "Anil Kumar Sharma, Sajjan Kumar's lawyer on Delhi HC awards him life imprisonment in 1984 Anti-Sikh riots case: This was a case of no evidence. We need time to interpret the judgement. We respect Delhi HC's judgement. Only option left to us is to go to SC against the judgement," Sharma told reporters. Anil Kumar Sharma, Sajjan Kumar's lawyer on Delhi HC awards him life imprisonment in 1984 Anti-Sikh riots case: This was a case of no evidence. We need time to interpret the judgement. We respect Delhi HC's judgement. Only option left to us is to go to SC against the judgement pic.twitter.com/zxNU4u5PHq — ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2018 × The Delhi High Court on Monday convicted senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. Sajjan Kumar has been sentenced to life imprisonment. He has to surrender by December 31, 2018. The order was passed while reversing the verdict of the trial court which had acquitted Kumar. "In the summer of 1947, during partition, several people were massacred. 37 years later Delhi was the witness of a similar tragedy. The accused enjoyed political patronage and escaped trial," said Delhi High Court while reading the judgement. (With inputs from agencies)

1984 anti-Sikh riots case: 'Only option left is to move SC,' says convict Sajjan Kumar's lawyer 

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Monday hailed the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/1984-anti-sikh-riots-case-after-sajjan-kumars-sentencing-harsimrat-targets-gandhi-family-184784">conviction of Congress leader Sajjan </a>Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, describing it as "a case of justice finally delivered"&nbsp;to the victims of one of independent India's worst instances of communal violence.&nbsp;

The reversal, by the Delhi High Court, of the trial court's earlier acquittal to Kumar had once again proved that the judiciary in India continues to stand tall as a pillar of the nation's democratic system, Singh said in a statement.&nbsp;

The Delhi High Court convicted Kumar for conspiracy to commit murder in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case and sentenced him to imprisonment for life.&nbsp;

According to Singh, the conviction vindicated the stand he had been taking since those dark days of the violence perpetrated on thousands of innocent Sikhs in the wake of the assassination of prime minister Indira Gandhi.&nbsp;

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The chief minister said he had been naming Kumar as well as a few other former Congress leaders, including Dharam Das Shastri, H K L Bhagat and Arjun Das, for the past 34 years, based on information personally received from victims in refugee camps in Delhi during the riots.

Kumar is the only surviving former Congress leaders implicated in the riots, as the others have since passed away.

Kumar's name repeatedly cropped up in his interactions with the victims in the refugee camps, said 76-year-old Singh, who last month also welcomed the first death sentence awarded in the 1984 riots case.&nbsp;

Though the years, Singh has been calling for the strictest of punishments for the handful of individual Congress leaders who had been involved in instigating the riots.

The leaders, including Kumar, did not have any official party sanction and deserved to be punished for their horrendous crime, he has maintained.&nbsp;

The chief minister reiterated his stand that neither the Congress party nor the Gandhi family had any role to play in the rioting. He lashed out at the Badals for continuing to drag their names into the case at the behest of their "political masters"&nbsp;the Bharatiya Janata Party, who he said were clearly shaken by the clear mandate given by the people to Rahul Gandhi's leadership in the recent Assembly elections in three states.

There was no Congress conspiracy behind the violence and the names of the Gandhis did not come up even once during his visits to the refugee camps, Singh said, adding that "vested political interests" were trying to draw the Gandhis into the controversy and the conspiracy for their personal motivations.

The case against Kumar relates to killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar part-I area in Palam Colony in South West Delhi on November 1-2, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar part II.&nbsp;

T A bench of Justices S Muralidhar and Vinod Goel convicted Kumar for criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity and acts against communal harmony.&nbsp;

The high court said Kumar's life imprisonment will be for the remainder of his life and asked him to surrender by December 31.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Monday hailed the conviction of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, describing it as "a case of justice finally delivered" to the victims of one of independent India's worst instances of communal violence.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Monday hailed the conviction of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, describing it as "a case of justice finally delivered" to the victims of one of independent India's worst instances of communal violence. The reversal, by the Delhi High Court, of the trial court's earlier acquittal to Kumar had once again proved that the judiciary in India continues to stand tall as a pillar of the nation's democratic system, Singh said in a statement. The Delhi High Court convicted Kumar for conspiracy to commit murder in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case and sentenced him to imprisonment for life. According to Singh, the conviction vindicated the stand he had been taking since those dark days of the violence perpetrated on thousands of innocent Sikhs in the wake of the assassination of prime minister Indira Gandhi. Punjab CMO: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has welcomed the conviction of Sajjan Kumar in the 1984 riots case, terming it a case of justice finally delivered to the victims of one of the worst instances of communal violence in independent India. pic.twitter.com/PsM7F7YTHn — ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2018 × The chief minister said he had been naming Kumar as well as a few other former Congress leaders, including Dharam Das Shastri, H K L Bhagat and Arjun Das, for the past 34 years, based on information personally received from victims in refugee camps in Delhi during the riots. Kumar is the only surviving former Congress leaders implicated in the riots, as the others have since passed away. Kumar's name repeatedly cropped up in his interactions with the victims in the refugee camps, said 76-year-old Singh, who last month also welcomed the first death sentence awarded in the 1984 riots case. Though the years, Singh has been calling for the strictest of punishments for the handful of individual Congress leaders who had been involved in instigating the riots. The leaders, including Kumar, did not have any official party sanction and deserved to be punished for their horrendous crime, he has maintained. The chief minister reiterated his stand that neither the Congress party nor the Gandhi family had any role to play in the rioting. He lashed out at the Badals for continuing to drag their names into the case at the behest of their "political masters" the Bharatiya Janata Party, who he said were clearly shaken by the clear mandate given by the people to Rahul Gandhi's leadership in the recent Assembly elections in three states. There was no Congress conspiracy behind the violence and the names of the Gandhis did not come up even once during his visits to the refugee camps, Singh said, adding that "vested political interests" were trying to draw the Gandhis into the controversy and the conspiracy for their personal motivations. The case against Kumar relates to killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar part-I area in Palam Colony in South West Delhi on November 1-2, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar part II. T A bench of Justices S Muralidhar and Vinod Goel convicted Kumar for criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity and acts against communal harmony. The high court said Kumar's life imprisonment will be for the remainder of his life and asked him to surrender by December 31.

Amarinder Singh hails Sajjan Kumar's conviction in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case 

The BJP today mocked Congress president Rahul Gandhi's fast at Rajghat as a "farce" and described the party's decision to keep the 1984 anti-Sikh riots accused Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler away from the main dais as its "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/was-jagdish-tytler-asked-to-leave-congress-protest-at-rajghat-129339">admission of guilt</a>".

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra ridiculed the opposition party's nation-wide fast against the alleged caste violence and communalism, saying its leaders had come to the Mahatma Gandhi's memorial to talk about non-violence but the presence of Kumar and Tytler exposed the party's "real violent" face.

"The Congress has fallen into its own trap. What we have seen from Rahul Gandhi today is not a fast but the farce of a fast. (It was) an attempt by his party to fast track his politics to burnish his credentials despite people rejecting him time and again," he told reporters.

The Congress was forced to asked them to leave and it was its admission of guilt, he said.

Also read:&nbsp<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/instead-of-running-country-bjp-concentrates-on-what-we-eat-arvinder-singh-lovely--129342">Instead of running country, BJP concentrates on what we eat, says Arvinder Singh Lovely</a>

Taking a dig at Gandhi over his attack on the Modi government over Dalit issues, Patra asked if he had abstained even from one meal when anti-Dalit violence had happened in places like Mirchpur, Gohana and Jhajjar when the Congress was in power.

Citing figures of anti-Dalit violence in five years of the Congress rule in the poll-bound Karnataka, he said the state had reported 9,080 cases crimes against the community and over 358 Dalits were killed.

Gandhi should tell them when he plans to sit on a fast against crimes against Dalits in Karnataka, he asked.

Another BJP spokesperson Bizay Sonkar Shastri raked up the Congress' alleged ill-treatment of Dalit icon Bhimrao Ambedkar and said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had been working overtime to fulfil Ambedkar's dreams.

Erstwhile Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had worked to ensure that Ambedkar lost his deposit in the first Lok Sabha elections, he claimed.

While Dalits believed in peaceful protests, it is the opposition which had fanned violence, he alleged.

The Congress has been "jolted" by the Dalits' growing association of with the BJP, he said.

Patra and Shastri also quoted from Ambedkar's resignation letter to quit the Nehru Cabinet in which the Dalit icon had accused the erstwhile PM of devoting his time only for protection of Muslims. While Ambedkar was equally committed to protect

Muslims, the Nehru government did not do much to protect Dalits and tribals, they said quoting from the letter.&nbsp

The BJP added that the Congress' decision to keep the 1984 anti-Sikh riots accused Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar away from the main dais at Delhi's Raj Ghat was an 'admission of guilt'

The BJP today mocked Congress president Rahul Gandhi's fast at Rajghat as a "farce" and described the party's decision to keep the 1984 anti-Sikh riots accused Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler away from the main dais as its "admission of guilt". BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra ridiculed the opposition party's nation-wide fast against the alleged caste violence and communalism, saying its leaders had come to the Mahatma Gandhi's memorial to talk about non-violence but the presence of Kumar and Tytler exposed the party's "real violent" face. "The Congress has fallen into its own trap. What we have seen from Rahul Gandhi today is not a fast but the farce of a fast. (It was) an attempt by his party to fast track his politics to burnish his credentials despite people rejecting him time and again," he told reporters. The Congress was forced to asked them to leave and it was its admission of guilt, he said. Also read: Instead of running country, BJP concentrates on what we eat, says Arvinder Singh Lovely Taking a dig at Gandhi over his attack on the Modi government over Dalit issues, Patra asked if he had abstained even from one meal when anti-Dalit violence had happened in places like Mirchpur, Gohana and Jhajjar when the Congress was in power. Citing figures of anti-Dalit violence in five years of the Congress rule in the poll-bound Karnataka, he said the state had reported 9,080 cases crimes against the community and over 358 Dalits were killed. Gandhi should tell them when he plans to sit on a fast against crimes against Dalits in Karnataka, he asked. Another BJP spokesperson Bizay Sonkar Shastri raked up the Congress' alleged ill-treatment of Dalit icon Bhimrao Ambedkar and said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had been working overtime to fulfil Ambedkar's dreams. Erstwhile Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had worked to ensure that Ambedkar lost his deposit in the first Lok Sabha elections, he claimed. While Dalits believed in peaceful protests, it is the opposition which had fanned violence, he alleged. The Congress has been "jolted" by the Dalits' growing association of with the BJP, he said. Patra and Shastri also quoted from Ambedkar's resignation letter to quit the Nehru Cabinet in which the Dalit icon had accused the erstwhile PM of devoting his time only for protection of Muslims. While Ambedkar was equally committed to protect Muslims, the Nehru government did not do much to protect Dalits and tribals, they said quoting from the letter.

Congress goes on nationwide fast against communalism, BJP calls it a farce

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1984 riots: Justice delayed is justice denied

1984 anti-Sikh riots case: 'Only option left is to move SC,' says convict Sajjan Kumar's lawyer

Amarinder Singh hails Sajjan Kumar's conviction in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case

Congress goes on nationwide fast against communalism, BJP calls it a farce