The Akali Dal has staged protest on Monday outside Congress headquarters in New Delhi against former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh’s remark on 1984 anti-sikh riots accused Jagdish Tytler.
In a recent interview Captain Amarinder Singh has given clean chit to senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler who is an accused in 1984 anti-sikh riots in which over 3000 Sikhs were brutally killed.
“I’m not the CBI, I’m not the court. I’m telling you what I saw and felt….I was in Delhi, I went to all the camps.. and everyone I met took all these names that I have told you except Jagdish Tytler. When did Jagdish Tytler’s name come up? It came up when he was fighting Madan Lal Khurana in Delhi, that was months later,” Amarinder Singh has said.
The protesters were seen shouting slogans against Congress and tried to break the police barricades. Police used water canons to scattered the protesters.
“I have only stated what I heard during my visit to the riot hit areas and after meeting people there (in 1984),” Amarinder later said defending his statement.
Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal said Amarinder ‘s “clean chit” to Tytler is “shocking”.
Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, who is fighting Amarinder Singh in Amritsar constituency, has criticised him for his comment.
“Is he (Amarinder) trying to prejudge the guilt of a person who is perceived to be involved in the riots?” Jaitley wrote in his blog.
Defending himself Amarinder said his comments were misinterpreted.
“I have neither given any clean chit to anyone nor do I like to blame someone just because Badal blames him,” the Congress leader said in a statement adding, “Just because people like Badal will get annoyed with my speaking the truth does not make me shy from doing so.”
Tags: 1984 anti-sikh riots 2014 Lok Sabha polls Akali Dal Akalis protest Amarinder Singh amritsar Arun Jaitley BJP Congress headquarters delhi india Jagdish Tytler Parkash Singh Badal Punjab Sikh