Anti-sikh riots case: SGPC felicitates witnesses, lawyers

AMRITSAR: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Saturday honoured witnesses of 1984 anti-sikh riots and lawyers who fought cases to ensure conviction of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar.

The function was held at Teja Singh Samundari Hall in the presence of the Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal.

The witnesses honoured on the occasion included Sangat Singh, Jagdish Kaur, Nirpreet Kaur, Jagsher Singh, Kuldeep Singh, Santokh Singh and Surjit Singh. A financial assistance of ₹2 lakh each was also given.

The Delhi high court recently sentenced Sajjan to life imprisonment in a case related to the killing of five Sikh members of a family in Raj Nagar in Delhi Cantonment in November 1984 after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

Noted advocate HS Phoolka, who recently resigned from the (Aam Aadmi Party) was among the lawyers who was to be honoured by the SGPC. But after he launched a drive under the banner of “Sikh Sewak Army” in a bid to “liberate the SGPC from the clutches” of the Badals, the apex gurdwara body showed reluctance to honour Phoolka and his other lawyers’ names were also missing on the list of the those scheduled to be honoured on January 22.

The event was rescheduled with an announcement that lawyers, including Phoolka, will be felicitated on January 26. Phoolka did not turn up. Speaking to HT over phone, Phoolka said he was pre-occupied and has sent his relative.