'My father saved 22 Sikhs...': Parvesh Verma recalls anti-Sikh riots
What's the story
Delhi Cabinet Minister Parvesh Verma on Tuesday remembered the horrors of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, saying his father had saved 22 Sikhs by hiding them in their house.
"We were staying in Keshav Puram at that time. I was just seven years old. I saw everything," he said, adding, "One day I woke up and there was fire everywhere. People were being killed."
Childhood memories
Verma recalls witnessing brutal violence during riots
Verma detailed the brutal violence he saw as a child during the riots.
"I was just seven years old. I saw everything," he said.
He also recalled horrific incidents of Sikhs being burnt alive by mobs who put burning tires around their necks.
His comments came amid discussions in the Delhi Assembly about former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who was sentenced to life for his role in the murder of a father-son duo during these riots.
Conviction details
Kumar sentenced to life imprisonment for 1984 riots role
The special court sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment for his role in the murder of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
The prosecution had alleged Kumar led a mob that looted, set fire to homes, and murdered Sikhs in retaliation to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination.
The complainant had demanded the death penalty but the court awarded him life imprisonment.
Investigation findings
Broader investigation reveals over 2,733 deaths in Delhi
Kumar's conviction is part of a larger probe into the riots that left over 2,733 dead in Delhi alone.
According to the Nanavati Commission, out of 587 FIRs registered in connection with the riots, only 28 resulted in conviction.
This translates to roughly 400 people being convicted, including about 50 on murder charges, just as Kumar.