Anti-Sikh riots: Jagdish Tytler to face trial in MP-MLA court
Congress leader and former Union cabinet minister Jagdish Tytler will reportedly be tried in a special MP-MLA court on June 8 in the 1984 Pul Bangash case. A Delhi court transferred the supplementary chargesheet against Tytler and sanctioned his trial. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a fresh chargesheet last month, naming Tytler as an accused after claiming to have discovered new evidence.
Why does this story matter?
Tytler is accused of instigating and inciting a mob that killed three Sikhs in Delhi's Pul Bangash during the anti-Sikh riots following then-PM Indira Gandhi's assassination. The Congress has been accused of shielding its leaders involved in the riots, which has been dubbed the Congress's vendetta against the Sikh community. Notably, the CBI cleared Tytler in the case while the Congress was in power.
Ready to be hanged if there's evidence against me: Tytler
In April, the CBI recorded Tytler's voice samples at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL). While leaving the laboratory, Tytler said, "I'm ready to be hanged... if there's a single evidence against me." Notably, the CBI gave him a clean chit thrice, but the case was reopened in December 2015 following a court order based on a petition filed by the riot victims.
BJP lodged complaint against Tytler in 2018 after 'sting operation'
In 2018, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee released a purported sting operation video from 2011, claiming that Tytler can be heard saying, "I killed 100 Sikhs." The committee's president, Manjit Singh GK, a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader, claimed to have received it from an unknown youth in a pen drive. Following this, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)—then-SAD's ally—filed a complaint against Tytler.
Nanavati Commission indicted Tytler in 2005
Notably, the Nanavati Commission, appointed by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in 2000 to probe the 1984 riots, indicted Tytler in the case in 2005. The commission was mandated to submit its report in six months, but it took five years. After furor, he had to resign from the cabinet of the Manmohan Singh-led government in 2005 and later in 2013.
At least 3,000 Sikhs killed in Delhi during riots
Riots broke out in many cities a day after Gandhi was killed by her Sikh bodyguards in the aftermath of Operation Blue Star. The riots continued for days, leaving at least 3,000 Sikhs dead in Delhi. Some estimates peg the number of deaths between 8,000 and 17,000 in 40 cities across India. Aside from Tytler, several Congress leaders were also accused of encouraging violence.
