Kejriwal for spl probe into 1984 anti-Sikh riots
Wednesday, 29 January 2014
Arvind Kejriwal has demanded an investigation by the Special Investigation Team into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that followed the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards.
"I discussed it with the Lieutenant Governor and he is very positive on it. We will discuss the special investigation team formation and its terms in the next cabinet meeting," Mr Kejriwal said today, according to NDTV on Jan 29 in New Delhi.
The Chief Minister's demand is set to further strain ties between his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, which provides external support to it. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Our party is ready for any logical or judicial inquiry into the riots."
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had in an interview to a private news channel drawn a distinction between the Narendra Modi government's handling of the 2002 Gujarat riots and the 1984 riots, saying the Congress government had tried to stop the violence while Mr Modi had "abetted it."
Mr Kejriwal's Law Minister Somnath Bharti referred to both incidents in a controversial tweet to counter President Pranab Mukherjee's comments against "populist anarchy", which had been seen as a dig at AAP.