Press Trust of India Posted online: Monday, August 08, 2005 at 1531 hours IST
New Delhi, August 8: Despite indicting several "local" Congress leaders, the Nanavati Commission, which probed the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi, has absolved the party, saying there was no evidence suggesting that Rajiv Gandhi or any other high-ranking leader had "suggested or organised" attacks on the minority Sikh community.
The Commission, whose voluminous report was tabled in both Houses of Parliament today, notes that "whatever acts were done, were done by the local Congress leaders and workers, and they appear to have done so for their personal political reasons".
While pointing fingers of suspicion at several Congress leaders including Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar, Dharam Dass Shastri and H K L Bhagat, the Commission has said the local leaders "do not appear to have done so (incited and participated in riots) purely for personal reasons."
It said that the "local leaders" of the Congress appear to have taken the "help of their followers and supporters in inciting or committing those acts" of riots.
"If they (riots) were the acts of individuals only, then the killing of Sikhs and looting of properties of Sikhs would not have been on such a large scale," pointed out the Commission set up in May 2000.
