Ghazanfar Abbas, IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, Nov 05: “According to the government figure, 3006 Sikhs were killed during the anti-Sikh riot in 1984 in Delhi, but only 30 people have been punished. What about the big fish? What about the people who organized genocide like Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Tytler and Kamalnath? They are still free, they are still enjoying the power, they are still enjoying the facilities provided by the government,” says Adv. H S Phoolka in an exclusive interview with IndiaTomorrow.net on the occasion of 32nd anniversary of the anti-Sikh riots. He also expressed his concern over denial of justice to victims of oppressions against religious minorities and Adivasis.
Excerpts from the interview:
How do you recall the time when anti-Sikh riot took place in Delhi?
Adv. H S Phoolka: It was total chaos. There was not even a single place where a Sikh could feel safe. That kind of atmosphere was there. Now, we are standing in Connaught Place area today, you cannot even imagine that 32 years back on 1st November in 1984 this Connaught Place was burning. The Regal building which is the landmark of Connaught Place was burning. In Regal building the showrooms were burning. Marina Hotel was burning. You cannot imagine in this area which is the center of Delhi no Sikh could move on the road. Everyone who was sitting in there office was threatened, they were hiding here and there. That was the atmosphere. On 31st of October, I almost drove into the mob and the mob was not in far flank areas, the mob was right here on the Rajpath and on Prithviraj road. When I crossed Janpath, I was almost going into the mob when somebody stopped me and alerted me, so we ran away from there and I reached my home. All the South Extension market, Defense colony Market, Khan Market were burning which are the landmark of Delhi today. All Sikh shops and vehicles were burning on that day. The trend that was started then was repeated in 1993 in Mumbai, in 2002 in Gujarat, then against Dalit in Haryana recently during the Jat agitation.
What is your comment on the fact that victims have not got justice even after 32 years?
Adv. H S Phoolka: According to the government figure, 3006 Sikhs were killed during the anti-Sikh riot in 1984 in Delhi, but only 30 people have been punished for murder. What about the big fish? What about the people who organized genocide like Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Tytler and Kamalnath? They are still free, they are still enjoying the power, they are still enjoying all the facilities provided by the government. Till recently, only the minorities were targeted, now it is happening with Dalits, it happened against everybody in Haryana. During the Jat agitation nobody was spared, everybody was targeted. Minorities are no longer the only target. Thing has gone so much ahead that if it is not checked then no one would be safe here.
What do you want to tell the government to the government today?
Adv. H S Phoolka: We need not let it happen. Every citizen has a right under constitution for his safety. The government is responsible for safety of each and every single citizen. We should not let the guilty of these kinds of crimes go scot- free. If it happens the country is in danger and the secular fabric of this country is in danger.
