Politicians 'incited' anti-Sikh riots

Indian Sikh members of parliament shout slogans as they hold a protest meeting outside Parliament House in New Delhi yesterday. They were protesting against Jagdish Tytler, minister for the welfare of expatriate Indians, for his role in the anti-Sikh riots after the release of the Nanawati Report. The Nanavati Commission, which has been probing riot cases since 2000, said there was credible evidence against Jagdish Tytler. PHOTO: AFP

The riots were sparked by the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on 31 October 1984.

More than 3,000 Sikhs were killed in the rioting.

The inquiry was begun in 2000 amid dissatisfaction, particularly among Sikhs, with previous investigations.

But the BBC's Sanjeev Srivastava in Delhi says this ninth commission of inquiry into the riots has only added to the confusion and is unlikely to satisfy either the opposition parties or Sikh groups awaiting justice for more than two decades.

The 339-page inquiry report by former Supreme Court judge, GT Nanavati, was tabled in parliament on Monday.

It said that recorded accounts from witnesses and victims of the rioting "indicate that local Congress leaders and workers had either incited or helped the mobs in attacking the Sikhs".

The investigation found "credible evidence" against Congress federal minister Jagdish Tytler "to the effect that very probably he had a hand in organising attacks on Sikhs".

The inquiry recommended further investigation into Mr Tytler's role.

But an "action taken report" by the government which was also tabled in parliament, said the inquiry "was not absolutely sure about (Tytler's) involvement in the attack".

"It may be pointed out that in criminal cases, a person cannot be prosecuted simply on the basis of 'probability'," it said.

The investigation also found "credible evidence" against Congress leader, Dharam Das Shastri, in instigating an attack on Sikhs in his area.

It also recommended examination of some cases against another Congress leader, Sajjan Kumar, for his alleged involvement in the rioting.